SERIES TWO 2020 KCSE ENGLISH PAPER THREE ESSAY WRITING AND PREDICTIONS.HOW TO SCORE A FULL IN EVERY SINGLE PARAGRAPH! BE A SMART TEACHER AND CANDIDATE!
In the previous series, we did look at the content of the question and the introduction sections of essay writing. Today we go on with developing the body of the essay in particular the grey areas that the teachers preparing the candidates class need to note and emphasize on.
The Body.
After correct interpretation of the question, the candidate has to come up with the topic sentences that answer the question accurately. Normally the topic sentences come first in the paragraph following the connector as the writer moves from one paragraph to the next. Then some background information should follow the topic sentence based on the question. Support sentences to buttress the idea as expressed by the topic sentence follow. These support sentences must be the fine details from the text itself. There is no room for generalized and sweeping statements at this level. The candidate’s illustrations must be the specific developments as they happen in the text either directly as worded in the text or paraphrased. Rumour mongering is highly discouraged here.
EXAMPLE ONE
KCSE 2018 QUESTION 3(C) John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. Discuss the evil nature of greed closely referring to John Steinbeck’s The Pearl.
Topic Sentence one
When Kino’s child is taken to him having been stung by the scorpion he ignores him saying that he is not a veterinary officer but a doctor. Later when information reached him while he was treating the woman whose illness was age but none of them could not admit it, he gets stern and judicious at the same time and claims that Kino was his client and that he was treating his son of the scorpion sting. He goes to Kino’s brush house for the first time and on examining the baby claims that the poison would attack back. He lies too that he had not been at home when they had taken his son to his place. He poisons the baby by giving him a capsule of gelatine and a white powder. He promises to come back to review the child’s progress and when he comes he gives the baby ammonia solution to counteract the effect of the poison in order to claim for the payment. He asks Kino how he intended to pay for his service pretending not to have heard of the pearl! Kino says that he intended to pay him following the proceeds after selling the pearl. The doctor is keen to know where Kino had kept the pearl when he asks him whether it was safe or he keeps it in his safe while keenly observing his eyes to see where he had put it in the house. Is it then a wonder that Kino gets attacked that night by a thief? It is correct to say that the doctor’s greed exposes20 his wickedness.
EXAMPLE TWO
KCSE 2019 Question 3(c) John Steinbeck’s The Pearl. Too much desire can lead to agony to oneself and to close family. Show the truth of this statement closely referring to John Steinbeck’s The Pearl
Topic Sentence one
To begin with greed results in ruined family relations. At the beginning of the text, Kino’s family coexists harmoniously with so much love surrounding them. They are a close-knit family that communicates feelings without even speaking. However these changes the moment the pearl comes to the picture. Kino has great expectations from the pear. For instance, he tells the neighbour’s that he intends to take Coyotito to school, buy a riffle, wed in the church among many other great things he intends to do with the proceeds of the pearl. His great expectations bar him from heeding to sound advice he is given by his wife after the very first attack. She persuades him to get rid of the pearl because it is evil. In fact, she suggests that they should bury the pearl and forget the place, throw it back to the sea or even crash it in between stones! It is unfortunate however that Kino does not heed to the guidance offered by Juana. When they are attacked for the second time after refusing to sell the pearl, Juana takes a step of throwing the pearl back to the sea. Kino follows her, leaps at her wrenching the pearl from her hand! He further hits her on the face with his clenched fist and when she falls on the boulders, he kicks her on the side and leaves her there! This level of brutality and violence had not been seen before. Indeed the desire to benefit from the pearl destroys his family relationship.
More examples from other texts like H.R. Ole Kulet’s Blossoms of the Savannah, the Anthology of short stories Memories we Lost and David Mulwa’s Play Inheritance to follow. Check out these on series three on the same blog Newspro.co.ke.