SCAFFOLD
ESSAY QUESTION: Discuss how Craig Silvey in Jasper Jones uses a range of
techniques to show Charlie’s transition to adulthood.
INTRODUCTION
THESIS STATEMENT: (This is your line of argument and it must directly respond to the question).
Craig Silvey in Jasper Jones uses imagery, literary allusions and narrative structure to
demonstrate Charlie’s journey from childhood to adulthood in the novel.
OUTLINE OF THREE MAIN POINTS: (These correspond with the paragraphs in your essay).
1. IMAGERY – Charlie’s confusion about Laura’s Wishart’s death (leaving childhood)
2. LITERARY ALLUSION – Charlie’s wish to be older and wiser
3. NARRATIVE STRUCTURE & PLOT DEVICES – The bet with Warwick Trent and Charlie’s
mother’s departure (adulthood)
BODY OF THE ESSAY
PARAGRAPH 1
TOPIC SENTENCE: (Each paragraph needs a TOPIC SENTENCE which introduces your main point, and links back to
both your THESIS STATEMENT and ESSAY QUESTION.)
Silvey employs several metaphors to show the reader how the discovery of Laura Wishart’s
body changes Charlie. This is because Charlie leaves behind his childhood and inherent
trust in adults to instead help Jasper solve the mystery of Laura’s death.
TECHNIQUE: (This is what you need to analyse. You must cover a different one in each paragraph).
IMAGERY - metaphor
EXAMPLE & CONTEXT: (This features your chosen technique. You need to explain this EXAMPLE develops your
argument. You should also acknowledge where it occurs in the text, which is known as the CONTEXT.)
Discovery of Laura Wishart’s body.
QUOTATION: (This is part of EXAMPLE & CONTEXT.)
“a snowdome paperweight that’s been shaken. There’s a blizzard in my bubble” (pg.30)
“pulled out early” from his “cocoon” and “left in the cold” (pg. 30)
ANALYSIS: (Using your chosen example and quotation, explain how it reveals a specific idea to the audience)
Silvey employs imagery to highlight to the reader how disturbed Charlie is by the discovery
of Laura’s body, and how his childhood world has been dramatically disrupted. For
instance, Charlie describes his inner turmoil as being like “a snowdome paperweight that’s
been shaken. There’s a blizzard in my bubble.” (pg. 30). Silvey employs this metaphor
because Charlie’s world, as in the “snowdome”, has been completely disrupted by the
“blizzard” of finding Laura Wishart dead. Silvey also draws attention to how Charlie has
been changed from this event as he is no longer a child, and must now emerge into an
adult world because he has been “pulled out early” from his “cocoon” and “left in the
cold”. (pg. 30).
CONCLUDING/LINKING SENTENCE: (Often used to direct the reader to your next point.)
Both the image of the “snowdome” “blizzard” and Charlie emerging early from his
“cocoon” reinforce to the reader, that after seeing Laura Wishart’s body and agreeing to
help Jasper, Charlie is no longer a child and instead must act like an adult.
REPEAT THE ABOVE STEPS FOR BODY PARAGRAPHS 2 and 3.
PARAGRAPH 2
TOPIC SENTENCE:
Silvey employs frequent literary allusions throughout the text which reveal to the reader
Charlie’s efforts to be older and wiser, as he helps Jasper solve the mystery behind the
death of Laura Wishart.
TECHNIQUE:
LITERARY ALLUSION – Charlie’s wish to be older and wiser
EXAMPLE & CONTEXT:
QUOTATION:
In Jasper Jones, Charlie believes that Jasper seeks his help because like Atticus Finch he is
“dignified, reasonable and wise”.
ANALYSIS:
By deliberately making repeated references to To Kill A Mockingbird, Silvey is showing the
reader how Charlie aspires to be “dignified, reasonable and wise” like Atticus Finch. It is a
sign of Charlie’s growing maturity that he commits to helping Jasper find out the cause for
Laura’s death. The use of this literary allusion to To Kill A Mockingbird shows the reader
Charlie’s growing maturity, as he wishes to support Jasper in the same way Atticus Finch
defended Tom Robinson against false accusations of rape in To Kill A Mockingbird.
CONCLUDING/LINKING SENTENCE:
(tbc)
PARAGRAPH 3
TOPIC SENTENCE:
Silvey employs narrative structure and the plot device of Charlie’s bet with Warwick Todd
to reveal to the reader how much he has changed since the start of the novel.
TECHNIQUE:
NARRATIVE STRUCTURE & PLOT DEVICES – The bet with Warwick Trent and Charlie’s mother’s
departure (adulthood)
EXAMPLE & CONTEXT:
QUOTATION:
ANALYSIS:
CONCLUDING/LINKING SENTENCE:
CONCLUSION:
(Your opening sentence should remind the reader of both your THESIS STATEMENT and ESSAY QUESTION. It should
then be followed by a brief summary of the main points of your essay.)
PARAGRAPH EXAMPLE
Silvey employs several metaphors to show the reader how the discovery of
Laura Wishart’s body changes Charlie. This is because he leaves behind his
childhood and inherent trust in adults to instead help Jasper solve the mystery
of Laura’s death. Silvey employs imagery to highlight to the reader how
disturbed Charlie is by the discovery of Laura’s body, and how his childhood
world has been dramatically disrupted. For instance, Charlie describes his
inner turmoil as being like “a snowdome paperweight that’s been shaken.
There’s a blizzard in my bubble.” (pg. 30). Silvey employs this metaphor
because Charlie’s world, as in the “snowdome”, has been completely
disrupted by the “blizzard” of finding Laura Wishart dead.
Silvey also draws
attention to how Charlie has been changed from this event, because he is no
longer a child, and must now emerge into an adult world as he has been
“pulled out early” from his “cocoon” and “left in the cold” (pg. 30). The image
of the “snowdome” and “blizzard” reinforce to the reader, that after seeing
Laura Wishart’s body and agreeing to help Jasper, Charlie is no longer a child
and must act like an adult.