101626 Childrens Literature: Image & Text Analysis Assessment Task (35%)

Length: 1,200 words (+/- 10% and not counting bibliography) Due: in assignment boxes by 10 am on 7 May 2012 AND electronically through Turnitin (link on vUWS). Note: you can only submit the assignment once to Turnitin. Repeat submissions are not possible. The usual penalties for late work apply. The assignment must be your own individual work. Please familiarise yourself with the Universitys Academic Misconduct policy (see unit outline). Overview: Each of you has been randomly allocated a text (a double-page spread from one of the books we have been studying this semester). An image of your text appears below. All of the questions below refer to your textthe double page spreadunless otherwise specified. Your text for this assessment task is the double-page spread below from Look, A Book! (2003).

Look, A Book! Instructions: Locate your text in the relevant image so that you can view it full size. If you have any difficulty locating it, please contact me ASAP. Read through the information about this assessment task shown as below. Label your assignment with the name/or a description of your text. Type your answers. Set your answers out clearlynumber/label your answer to each question. For question 2, it may be easiest to use a photocopy/scan of your text. If you do this, please label the copy, Question 2. Please make sure that everything is clearly marked and labelled. You will only need to refer to the set readings for weeks 4-7. No additional research is necessary. If you can answer the question in a single word or a single sentence, this is fine. Some answers will require a longer response. Do not worry if you are under the word count. Do not define or explain terms. Show us that you know what concepts mean by applying them correctly.

Note: terms used in the questions (such as power, contact, demand, offer, attitude, involvement, vector) are used to convey the meaning that Kress and van Leeuwen assign to these terms, i.e. they are not used to convey their everyday or dictionary meanings.

PART 1 Short answer questions (65 marks):

1. The inter-relationship of image and text (10 marks) In their picturebook typology Nikolajeva and Scott (2006) discuss how some picturebooks create a counterpoint (or contrast) between image and text. What types of counterpoint are created in the text you have been allocated? Explain your answer. 2. Narrative Processes/ideational meaning (15 marks) [K&vL Ch. 2] Using a photocopy or simple line drawing, identify the main narrative processes (maximum of 3). Name the processes, label/name the participant(s) in each process, label the vector(s). 3. Positioning the viewer/interpersonal meaning (40 marks) [K&vL Ch. 4] a. ContactDo you have a demand image or an offer image, or is the viewer positioned differently in relation to each represented participant? Explain how you made your decision. For each participant, what is demanded or offered to the viewer? (10 marks) b. Social distanceAre the main participants in the image represented in close shot, medium shot or long shot? How would you characterise each type of imaginary social relation created with the viewer? (10 marks) c. Attitude i. PowerWho is represented as having more powerviewer or represented participant(s)? Explain the reasons for your answer. (10 marks) ii. Involvement/detachmentIs the viewers relationship with each of the (main) represented participants one of involvement or detachment? Explain the reasons for your answer. (10 marks)

PART 2: Paragraph answersanalysis and interpretation (35 marks)

4. Based on your answers from questions 1 and 2 and drawing on the lectures and readings, particularly the week 5 and 6 readings (Painter 2007; Nodelman and Reimer 2003, Kress and van Leeuwen 2006), answer the following question (20 marksabout 300 words): What part does the double-page spread play in the books narrative? You may consider character, setting, plot, theme and narrative structure. How do the images and the linguistic/verbal text 2

work together to create meaning? In the double-page spread, is the image or written text doing the main work of conveying narrative actions or events? Explain your reasoning. 5. Based on your answer from question 3 and drawing on the Painter and reading and the Nodelman and Reimer reading (pp. 70-74), answer the following question (15 marksabout 200 words): How does your double-page spread text position the reader? Whose perspective/view of the world is shown in the images? Whose perspective/point of view is expressed in the linguistic/verbal text? Explain your reasoning.