How do I write and structure a coherent, perceptive essay paragraph?

Personally, I find a straightforward approach more effective. I think it is very easy, especially in English based subjects, to ramble on unnecessarily and lose focus! I know this was something I used to be guilty of! I prefer the PEE approach, which many may recognise from GCSE. If I were to use an example, the question in the exam could be: ‘Consider the significance of death in Frankenstein’. To fully grasp the question in a perceptive way, you first need to unpack what is meant by the question, define each main point e.g. Significance – ‘what is the function in the text?’ Death – mortality, a discussion of life opposing death? One method I used in my own A Level exam is using a short introductory sentence signposting to the examiner that I know exactly what the question is asking of me: ‘To consider the significance of death within Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is to discuss the function of mortality and the impact it has upon the narrative.’ P = Point. Get to the big idea of your paragraph, your point may be: ‘It could be argued that Frankenstein’s mother’s death is the catalyst for the entire narrative’. Make it simple. Put your biggest point or ‘big idea’ first, don’t build up to a ‘grand finale’ type reveal! This will guide the reader/examiner and allow you to get top AO1 marks for a coherent argument and expression. E = Example. This allows for AO2 marks, without language from the text you cannot effectively analyse! You need to select your best quotes that back up your argument. If the quotes feel tenuous, they probably are, so select language that is rich in analysis and clearly linked to your argument and the question. For example: 'Frankenstein’s mother’s death is the catalyst for the entire narrative. This is alluded to in the metaphorical description of the ‘brightness of a beloved eye’ and Frankenstein’s despair that it ‘can have been extinguished’.' This is NOT only point you quote in the paragraph however, the best candidates continuously reinforce their argument with examples from the text throughout their answer. ‘Frankenstein’s mother’s death is the catalyst for the entire narrative. This is alluded to in the metaphorical description of the ‘brightness of a beloved eye’ and Frankenstein’s despair that it ‘can have been extinguished’. This description of the mother is juxtaposed in the creature’s ‘dull yellow eye’ in the ‘half extinguished light’.’ E = Explain. This is the main body of your answer. Here you will not only be reinforcing your grasp of AO1 and AO2, by continuously linking back to the question and using language evidence to do this, you will also be dealing with AO3, context, AO4, literary connections across texts, and AO5, looking at different interpretations. To develop my example answer further: ‘Frankenstein’s mother’s death is the catalyst for the entire narrative. This is alluded to in the metaphorical description of the ‘brightness of a beloved eye’ and Frankenstein’s despair that it ‘can have been extinguished’. This description of the mother is juxtaposed in the creature’s ‘dull yellow eye’ in the ‘half extinguished light’. This is SIGNIFICANT, as it could be argued that the links between the creature’s eyes and the mother’s eyes portray Victor’s desire to reignite not only life but also the light that was ‘extinguished’ when his mother died, yet he is left with a ‘dull’ eyed ‘corpse’.' Now I have reinforced my grasp of AO1 and AO2. This is only a few lines however I have explicitly stated my argument and my capability to answer the question perceptively. AO3 can be tackled in this example by looking at the politics of the time of publication. Can the novel be seen as a warning against the advances of science and medicine, ‘unnatural’ chemicals allowing people to ‘cheat’ death? What is the significance of the absence of the mother figure? How does this affect not only Victor but also the creature? Gender politics are always interesting to discuss when looking at older texts, and thinking about how these can be interpreted differently today compared to the contemporary audience. AO3 and AO4 may go hand in hand, as they both explore subjects wider yet linked to the text. In this example, it may be interesting to discuss other gothic and romantic texts looking at the absence of motherhood, or the themes of death and what comes after. One mark scheme argues that ‘the text should be seen as being framed by a wider network of texts and contexts to which it connects’. AO4 and A05 are linked again, as they help reinforce your idea, and make it seem more rooted. The more evidence you have for a point the better e.g. AO4 – other literary texts exploring the same ideas as the one you present and A05 – looking at other critic’s ideas, evaluating not only your own work against them but also theirs, and exploring the ‘grey area’ of the debate. These AO’s are not just to be linked on at the end, they should be woven in throughout. FINAL POINT – After you’ve made your clear point, used varied examples that link back to the question, and explained your thought process clearly, make sure you link back to your ‘big idea’ or headline argument. ‘Therefore, it can be argued that the death of Frankenstein’s mother is a significant catalyst for the narrative, as the function of death within the text is to drive Frankenstein’s desire to create the creature, which is arguably ignited by the loss of his mother.’