A PROPERTY OF THE CLAN

Preparation for Essay

"How does the composer of the text you have studied this term encourage the audience to consider various views on ambition and desire?

◦Discuss this idea using examples from the play A Property of the Clan

Ambition and desireDesire: A strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen. (Desire is largely to satisfy a selfish, internal need.)

Ambition: A strong desire to do or achieve something. A desire and determination to achieve success. (Ambition has a wider scope, it can be driven by a wish to help others and to improve our own and others’ situations.

PlanningThis essay will need;◦An introduction◦One body paragraph about the positive aspects of ambition shown in the play ◦One body paragraph about the negative aspects of desire shown in the play◦OPTIONAL – a third body paragraph describing the factors surrounding why some people in the play have ambition to improve their community and society whilst others don’t◦A simple conclusion

Ambition and desire – thesis statements◦Agree that the play encourages us to consider various views on ambition

and desire. ◦Everybody has desire and ambition. This is what drives us in our lives.◦Ambition can be good or bad depending on the circumstances.◦The play reveals that desire and ambition can have both positive and

negative consequences.◦When the focus of ambition is to improve one’s own life or the life of

others, it is positive. ◦Selfish desire – such as that of Ricko, Scott, Wayne Hanley and others

involved in the rape of Tracy – is shown to be animalistic and destructive.

Introduction Start in one of the following ways- or if you're clever- in your own way****In A Property of the Clan by Nick Enright, many characters act on the basis of ambition and desire…****Ambition can be shown in a variety of lights. In A Property of the Clan by Nick Enright, the town of Blackrock … ****Nick Enright’s character Jared is a character who shows a variety of responses to ambition and desire…

Introduction Now in the introduction refer to positive aspects of ambition and negative aspects of ambition but keep it brief- leave the details for the body of your essay. ***Positive aspects of ambition can be seen in some characters of the play, such as… Negative aspects of ambition can be seen through other characters, such as …. ***In the play, Diane’s wish to complete her HSC is an example of positive ambitions that lead to….***In the play, Ricko and the boys who rape Tracy are driven by their base desires ….. which wreak devastation on all those around them and tear apart the town…

Ideas explored in the play◦Masculinity◦Marginalisation of girls and women◦Communication◦Power◦Class◦Guilt

WHY paragraph recap◦Your essay this term will need an Introduction, at least two (possibly three) body paragraphs (WHY paragraphs) and a conclusion.

What is a WHY paragraph? W hat aspect of the text are you going to focus on in this paragraph? H ow does the creator of the text get their ideas across? What techniques do they use?Y Why is it important? Why is it relevant? Why does it increase our understanding of the topic?