The Journey of a Button: Uncovering the Owner's Story

1. Click on the buttons below (clockwise from top) to find out more: ‘We found several black glass buttons under the floorboards. These were popular in Victorian times, copying the carved jet buttons worn by Queen Victoria. One can imagine an old lady spending time in front of the south-facing window, making her lace and wearing these buttons.’ What details in this first person narrative can allow an audience to infer about the owner of the buttons?

2. Now let’s focus on the old lady (follow red letters) N A frail, old lady spending hours in front of the street-facing window, making lace for pennies and wearing these buttons. E The mean, glass-boned old lady. She spent hours in front of the street-facing window, the filthy, yellow curtains prised just apart to let enough light for her to make enough lace to pay the rent. bit too chatty – writing as if you’re talking to someone X Some description – bit limited My mean, glass-boned old lady. I would sit on her coal-black cardigan and wait for her dirty fingernails to pick at my edges. She spent hours in front of the street-facing window. The filthy, yellow curtains were prised slightly apart to let a puddle of light in to the workroom. Once she’d grumbled away the morning and muddled together just enough blood-red lace to pay the rent, she’d inch nearer to the window and peer at anyone passing by. The smoky London streets were streaked with rain and smog and littered with criminals. My mean lady was the worst of them all. Verdict: heading for a D T more original description Begins to engage the reader – suggests deeper sense of tragic life Verdict: heading for a B Verdict: heading for an A or A* - highlight the reasons why this is the strongest of the 3

3. Click on a button…..which story best suits each button? Leather hands have passed over me again and again. I have been brought to life from a dark attic to appear….. I have heard the words of town mayors and MPs in dusty halls. I have been blinded again and again by the flash of…. I was created in a distant land but rescued, buffed and polished from the hands of a dead man who did not heed my warning…. I was bought on a summer’s day and laughter was ringing in the air. Eyes linger upon me as I walk through crowds. Click a card for suggested answer

4. Buttons home.. Leather hands have passed over me again and again. I have been brought to life from a dark attic to appear in the warm light of antique shops.

5. Buttons home.. I was bought on a summer’s day and laughter was ringing in the air. Eyes linger upon me as I walk through crowds. I remind old men of old flames and children are drawn to me like a moth to a light.

6. Buttons home.. I have heard the words of town mayors and MPs in dusty halls. I have been blinded again and again by the flash of cameras. I belong to the wife of a very distinguished politician.

7. Buttons home.. I was created in a distant land but rescued, buffed and polished from the hands of a dead man who did not heed my warning. Life is a balancing act and too much greed will only kill you at the end.

8. The Journey of a Button Task: Using your own button or picture, decide on a form of narration. You can choose to write in the first person as the button or create a story using the button as a starting point.

9. The Journey of a Button I have been lying in this overgrown field for nearly fifty-five years. Lying next to my owner’s body in the robust grass field all this time. She had been hiding in the cellar of the house for three days over there, behind the towering oaks. Three days, knowing that he’d come for her next. On the fourth day he put the cold gun to her head, dragged her to a place she’d never be discovered. We’ve been lying with her ever since. Undiscovered. Back to Task

10. The Journey of a Button I sit on her pink jacket, tied into her designer linen with fine thread. I see everything she sees and the world in which she lives. Her world reflects off my shiny silver surface. I watch as she throws money about, pushes it over counters and hands it over in exchange for more and more fine jewellery and impractical hats she’ll never wear. You would think this makes her happy. I know otherwise. Back to Task