Strategies for Reading French Texts

Assignment 3 Questions

Write an essay of between 1200 and 1500 words on ONE of the questions listed below:

1. Abd Al Malik’s music has been described as ‘un rap conscient et fraternel’ (Christine Albanel). To what extent do you agree with this assessment? Answer with reference to AT LEAST TWO songs from the Gibraltar album.

 

2. ‘Abd Al Malik clearly speaks from experience, but Gibraltar cannot be described as an autobiographical album.’ To what extent do you agree? Answer with reference to AT LEAST TWO songs from the album.

 

3. ‘Derrière le statut, le vêtement, la couleur de peau, n'est-ce pas qu'on est semblables […] ?’ In what ways does Abd Al Malik seek to raise questions about contemporary French identity in Gibraltar? Answer with reference to AT LEAST TWO songs from the album.

 

4. ‘The protagonist in each of Renoir’s La Bête humaine, Melville’s Le Samouraï and Audiard’s Un héros très discret is deeply flawed, but these flaws are more an indictment of the failings of French society than of the characters themselves.’ How far do you agree? Answer with reference to ONE OR MORE of the films studied.

 

5. Analyse the cinematic techniques employed by film makers in seeking to create sympathetic or interesting characters. Answer with reference to ONE OR MORE of the films studied.

 

6. ‘Though film is a visual medium, its impact relies as much on what a film maker chooses not to show as on what is immediately apparent to the watcher.’ Discuss with reference to ONE OR MORE of the films studied.

Before you write you should consult:

o The Study Skills Handbook (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/french/current/ug/learning/), which contains advice on writing on film and pop music.

o The Study Skills Sessions pages (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/french/current/ug/modules/firstyear/skills/). You should pay particular attention to the advice given about referencing.

o The departmental essay-writing conventions page (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/french/current/ug/assessment/essaywritingconventions)  

Presentation

o Your essay should be double spaced and should use a 12 point font size.

o Your essay should include a bibliography of primary and secondary sources, correctly presented in accordance with the conventions outlined in the Study Skills pages above.