Narrative

a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.

Peripeteia – a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances.

Anagnorisis – where a character recognizes or discovers another character’s true identity or true nature.

Catharsis – the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

The Three Unities

– Action: a tragedy should have one principal action
– Time: the action in a tragedy should occur over a period of no more than 24 hours.
– Place: a tragedy should exist in a single physical location.

Tripartite Narrative Structure

Equilibrium – a state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced.

Disruption – disturbance or problems which interrupt the balance.

New Equilibrium – a new and possibly different state of balance.

Freytag’s Pyramid

first three lines – demonstrate that you know what postmodernism is

postmodernism is a shift in society in terms of culture and people

next few lines – knowledgeable that these two terms come from Jean Baudrillard – define

next half of a side – cherry pick some examples from the csp about what postmodernism is

end line – conclusive sentence on what you think of postmodernism

half a page on simulation / half a page of hyperreality

9 marks – 12 mins

Analyse Figure 1 using the following postmodern ideas:
• simulation
• hyperreality.
[9 marks]

Indicative content
This question assesses the ability to apply knowledge and understanding of
the theoretical framework of media language to analyse media products,
particularly focusing on:
• how the different modes and language associated with different media
forms communicate multiple meanings
• how the combination of elements of media language influence meaning
• how audiences respond to and interpret the above aspects of media
language.
Baudrillard’s ideas and theories on postmodernism:
• simulation
• hyperreality.
In the analysis of the video game cover for Gears of War students are
expected to apply ideas of simulation and hyperreality to analyse the meaning
of the images in the product.
Answers in the higher bands are likely to deal critically with the ideas in the
question whereas answers in the lower bands are likely to only offer
examples from the product. There is no requirement for students to deal with
both ideas equally.
The content below is not prescriptive and all valid points should be
credited. It is not expected that responses will include all of the points listed.
In their analysis of the Gears of War cover, students may discuss:
• the cover is an example of hyperreality constructed through a series of
simulations of armed forces
• the visual codes and construction as they relate to concepts of hyperreality
and simulation (mise-en-scène constructed of exaggerated human/robot
figures, war-torn setting, costumes and weaponry)
• the relationship between the title and the imagery – the dehumanising of
soldiers as gears, a simulation of the real world
• the blurring of the line between fantasy and reality is evident in the
representation of armed forces as machines, drawing on a mix of mediated
images (sci-fi) and reality (implosion)
• the human element of the soldier – foregrounded by the direct address to
the audience – contrasts with the robot-machine construction of the body.
Accept any other valid analytical responses. Answers must link to the focus
of the question.