UNIT STANDARD 8834 Version 4
UNIT STANDARD 8834 version 4
6 Credits - Level 3 (Reading)
Investigate a theme across a range of
selected texts and evaluate the
outcomes of the investigation
People credited with this unit standard are
able to: select and read an inclusive range
of written, oral, and visual texts related to a
theme; maintain a log of the reading
experience; and present and evaluate the
outcomes of the investigation of a theme.
Due: First Friday of Term Four 2011
1. Overview
During the year you will focus on a particular
theme. Using texts you have selected, complete an investigation
into this theme. Overall you will read eight texts
linked to the theme including at least four written
texts, two visual texts and two oral texts. You will
complete log entries on each text and write a
report on your findings, making connections
between texts. The texts must have been read
this year to be included for assessment. You will
complete reading and log entries in class, when time is made available, and at
home.
The selection of texts will include:
• Texts from contemporary and historical periods
• At least two texts (or authors) with established
critical reputations
• More than one cultural perspective
• A balance of male and female viewpoints or authors
2. Theme
The unifying theme for the texts should be discussed with your teacher.
3. Making Journal Entries
For each text:
• Explain the link between the text and the theme. For
example:
• How was the theme presented in the text?
• What made this text alike or different to others
that also present this theme?
• What was similar or different in key aspects of the
plot, setting and language of the text
• Support your explanation with at least two specific
details from the text.
• Write a response for each text. This should give
your view on how the theme is treated in the text.
• You could give your reaction to the author’s
perspective on the theme. To get thinking about
the author’s attitude, develop some statements
which you think the author might agree or
disagree with.
• Support your response with at least two specific
details from the text.
Note: It may be possible to use the same two
details to support both your theme link
explanation and your response. If only two details
are included, both must be relevant to your
explanation and response.
4. Establishing Critical Reputation
You need to find evidence of critical reputation for
two texts. This might be a mention in a book
about writing, nomination for an award, or praise
from another recognised writer. Critical
reputation could be for the author or the text.
You need to indicate specifically what establishes
this critical reputation. You might highlight a
section of text printed from a website (with the
address included) or write out a relevant part of a
review. Material from the text’s cover notes is
NOT suitable.
5. Discussing One Text
You will discuss at least one self-selected text
approved with your teacher.
You will need to be able to talk about the text in a
convincing way. You could discuss the text’s link
to the theme or important ideas. You could also
refer to other aspects including character,
incident, setting, effects, or methods of
presentation.
6. Writing Your Final Report
Present your theme study as a written report
using this structure:
• An introduction identifying texts chosen and key
aspects of your investigation.
• Four sections, one each for the two similarities and
two differences in how the theme is treated, with a
supporting detail from each text mentioned. You do
not need to refer to all eight texts. You may refer to
the same text in more than one section. If you do
use the same text more than once, the supporting
details as well as differences or similarities
mentioned MUST be different.
• A conclusion, which could also incorporate your
evaluation.
Your log entries will provide valuable material for
your report. As you prepare to write your report,
read through the entries highlighting how each
text treats the theme as well as the similarities,
differences
NOTE: Texts can be used more than once.
A minimum of two texts must be considered in
detail in the final report. Four distinct similarities
and differences must be identified. Different
supporting details are needed for texts used more
than once
EXAMPLE JOURNAL ENTRY
Title: The Handmaid’s Tale
Theme: Dystopia
Type: Written
Date: March 2009
Author: Margaret Atwood
In this example, the words in bold are examples,
the words in italics are personal responses and the
words underlined are links to the theme.
The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel written
by Margaret Atwood. Offred, the main character,
narrates the story in the immediate present tense
but often flashes back to her life before Gilead.
Gilead is a totalitarian state that has replaced the
United States of America. Offred serves the state as
a handmaid, a woman whose role it is to offer her
body and ‘fruitfulness’ to an elite couple in order
to bear them a child. In Offred’s case, she is the
handmaid of the commander and his wife Serena.
Offred, along with all other handmaids, can only
leave the Red Centre on shopping trips, cannot
completely shut her bedroom door and is watched
constantly in public by “The Eyes”, Gilead’s secret
police force. All of these conditions are typical of a
dystopian view of the future where a totalitarian
state controls the lives of individuals, and where
an artificial hierarchy is enforced on people
through the use of instruments of fear. Like most
dystopian texts control is demonstrated even through
the manipulation of characters’ everyday speech. The
use of language as a tool of power is shown
throughout in many different ways. Men are
named by military rank, women by their gender
roles as wives, handmaids or marthas. Gilead
maintains control over women and their bodies
by maintaining this control over their names.
Deformed babies are classified as unwomen or
unbabies. Perhaps the most most controlled aspect
of their speech would be that there are prescribed
greetings for personal encounters. We mainly see
this in the text when Offred goes on her shopping
trips. Any word out of turn could give her away as
a non-believer. A conversation between Offred and
the new Ofglen goes like this:
“Blessed be the fruit
May the Lord open
We’ve been sent good weather
Which I receive with joy”
Another theme presented in the text is the causes of
complacency. This is shown when Offred begins to
adapt and accept her life, much like her wild friend
Moira who loses all passion to rebel and free herself.
Offred’s mum had once put the idea to Offred that
it is “Truly amazing what people can get used to,
as long as there are a few compensations.”
This idea is apparent as Offred lives her controlled
life in the Centre whilst having an affair with Nick.
It gives her a humanity that compensates for her life
EXAMPLE REPORT ENTRY
Theme: Dystopia
SIMILARITIES: Hillary Clinton and Martin Luther
King speeches on human rights
Hillary Clinton’s speech, “Women’s Rights are
Human Rights”, and MArtin Luther King’s Speech “I
have a Dream” both deal with human rights and
despite being delivered thirty years apart - and to
different audiences - both speeches have
similarities.
Both speakers were important American leaders
when they made their speeches. MArtin Luther
King was a black civil rights leader and made his
speech in August 1963 at a rally at the Lincoln
Memorial in Washington DC. Hillary Clinton was a
United States senator who had campaigned for
equal rights for women and made her speech to a
United Nations sponsored conference for women in
Beijing, China in 1995
Both Clinton and King firmly express their beliefs in
basic rights, freedom, equality and respect for all
humanity. Both were pushing for these rights for
the different groups that they represented.
Both speakers relate the meaning of life to freedom
and equality amongst all people. Martin Luther
King made it his life ambition to demolish racism
towards blacks in the U.S.
“We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro
is the victim of unspeakable horrors and police
brutality.”
Hillary Clinton had a lot of determination and selfmade
political power and this is apparent in her
speech,
“As an American I want to speak up for those
women in my own country...”
Both Clinton and King had successful personal lives.
Both were married and raised children. They had an
understanding of love, and viewed the world as a
giant family - only able to function at its best with
co-operation, respect, love, understanding and
equality. This understanding comes through in both
texts.
King included his children as one reason he was so
determined to abolish racism,
“I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they are not
judged by the colour of their skin but by the
content of their character”
Clinton’s understanding of human relations also
came from her experiences of meeting women of
many cultures all over the world.
“We come together in fields and in factories. We
come together in village markets and
supermarkets. We come together in living
rooms and board rooms.”
8. Writing an Evaluation
Write a short evaluation of your theme study. The
evaluation could be part of your conclusion in your
report. You should comment on the value,
interest or effectiveness of the study.
ting women of many cultures all over the world.
“We come together in fields and in factories.
We come together in village markets and
supermarkets. We come together in living
rooms and board rooms.”
In their speeches both leaders promote the same
idea of freedom, equality and basic human rights
being the core meaning of life. With these values
everyone is able to achieve their potential,
regardless of where they come from or whatever
culture they might have. Both speakers make the
point strongly in their speeches that we all must
share this world together and it is the
responsibility of us all to promote these values. As
Clinton says
“Those of us who have the opportunity to be
here have the responsibility to speak for those
who could not”