How to write the perfect GCSE essay on a play or book

When approaching an essay it is important firstly to have a clear structure and a firm understanding of the essay question. The next thing to do is to make a brief plan and outline of what you are going to argue or discuss, as well as knowing what your own opinion is before you attempt to construct arguments for or against. For example, if you were studying a play such as a 'A Streetcar named Desire' by Tennessee Williams, and the question was "To what extent should we as the reader feel sympathy for Blanche". It is important that you first consider what your own opinion is, before you include the opinions of other critics or writers. Once you have developed and constructed your own argument, you can then start to compare other opinions or critics' viewpoints and weigh them up against you own opinion. Upon comparing viewpoints it is especially important to have contextual background or quotations in order to back up your line of argument. Overall, a good essay is clear, interesting and easy to follow. In order to achieve this flow and clarity, include a brief, clear and concise introduction which outlines what the essay will be about and what you will be discussing. Then he bulk of the essay should have three to four paragraphs which argue for and against the question, tackling the question from all sides. The technique usually taught by teachers is PQA- point, quote and analysis. It is also useful to include critics quotes and comparisons to other texts which will help to make your essay stand out. To end with, the conclusion should be a brief summary and clearly show your own opinion and answer to the question. Make sure to not include any new points in the conclusion, you should have already included these points in your main paragraphs. If you follow these tips then this should dramatically help to improve your essays.