English LangLit 2

1. English LangLit 2 Symbolism “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection” (Sigmund Freud)

2. a) b) c) Make sure you can justify your opinions purely based on what you know about these symbols. e) Look at these pictures. Identify what they symbolise in the modern world. d) g) f)

3. Learning Objectives • All: understand the term symbolism. • Most: identifyhow symbols extend a reader’s understanding of character/narrative. • Some: explorethe use of symbolism using clear and well explained examples.

4. Symbolism • The use of tangible objects to represent abstract ideas or qualities. • E.G. Reference to a black raven might represent death Connotation • An idea or feeling that a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning. • E.G. Reference to the colour red might create the feeling of danger

5. The opening sentences – thoughts? The road ends at a gate. The boy waits in the car while the man gets out. Beyond the gate is the open moor, pale in the early evening with bleached end-of-summer grass, bruised here and there with heather and age-old spills of purple granite. The boy, though, is not looking that way, ahead. He is watching the man: the way he strides to the gate, bouncing slightly in his boots, his calf-muscles flexing beneath the wide knee-length shorts, the flop of hair at the front and the close-shaved neck as he bends for the catch. The boy is intent. Watching Dad. Watching what Dad is. Drinking it in: the essence of Dadness.

6. Just before we read the story…. Brainstorm possible meanings of Dadness and the connotations of the word. ‘Dadness’

7. Compass and Torch • AFTER reading the story: 1. Who is the narrator(s) of the story? 2. What is the story about? Write a brief summary in exactly 40 words.

8. Make a note of these in list form: LEAVE GAPS!

9. Symbols? Look at what is said about the items in your list. • Are they just to add detail to the story or might they be revealing something about the characters and the situation in which they find themselves in? • TASK: You decide. For each object: • Note down what you think it represents, • Support your view with a quotation. • Explain how this quotation supports your view.

10. Symbolism- examples • Compass- symbol of freedom OR symbol of lost? • “Compasses are things that boys and dads tend to have, but which, when they are alert and strong at heart, they can leave behind. It is no accident that they both left their compasses behind.” • Boy sees it as exciting adventure but could also symbolise that the relationship is lost/they have no direction as father/son.

11. How is symbolism used in ‘Compass and Torch.’ Write a mini essay (including an introduction) answering this question. Do this on separate paper and I’ll take it in to give you some advice on your essay writing!

12. Choose some of these points and write down your thoughts • The omniscient narrator- telling thoughts of each character and how they perceive symbols- dramatic irony? • The moor- ‘pale….bruised….age-old’ – their relationship? • The forgotten compasses – losing each other? Can’t find their way back to each other? • The pony- why has the author chosen to make her a female?- women’s involvement has tarnished this relationship?

13. Extension Work • Rewrite the story using a shifting, first person perspective. • You could write from the boy’s/ the dad’s/ the mum’s/ the Pony’s/ Jim’s point of view. • Remember- each character will be unreliable for different reasons. • Try again to be creative in your use of style/ language- EXPERIMENT!

14. Plenary • Read your partner’s essay. 1. Comment on one symbol they have explored effectively. 2. Set them a target for their essay writing. Common Sixth former mistakes in essay writing: Waffling, not answering the question, forgetting to mention language features, overly brief explanations, telling the story rather than commenting on the language, lack of sophisticated vocabulary, not exploring alternative interpretations.

15. Learning Objectives • All: understand the term symbolism. • Most: identifyhow symbols extend a reader’s understanding of character/narrative. • Some: explorethe use of symbolism using clear and well explained examples.

16. English LangLit 2 Irony “The ironic moment when Alanis Morisette's ‘Ironic’ isn’t ironic at all”

17. Learning Objectives • All: understand the term irony. • Most: identifyhow what events/situation are ironic in a narrative. • Some: explorethe use of irony using clear and well justified examples.

18. What is irony? 1. 2. 3. • Briefly write down what makes these pictures ironic. • Write a short definition of irony in light of what these pictures tell you about it.

19. Irony- events and situations which are the opposite of what we expect. Write down the above definition. • This is different from dramatic irony which we saw in Compass and Torch. • We are going to read Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl. • TASK: Try to identify what makes this short story ironic.

20. Lamb to the Slaughter • TASK: Pick three things in the story that are examples of irony. • Think about: • What the characters say/do. • What we expect from the characters based on their jobs/roles in society. Extend yourself by: Finding quotations for each of your three choices.

21. Learning Check- key definitions. • Symbolism: The use of objects to represent abstract human emotions/ideas. • Irony: Events/situations that are opposite of what we expect. • Dramatic irony: Where the reader knows essential information about the story that some or all of the characters do not. Extend yourself by: Finding examples of these techniques in films/TV/literature in your own time.

22. Independent work. • Find the lyrics to and watch the music video of Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights. • Write an analysis (no more than one page) predicting what the novel is about based on the lyrics used/ the choices of costume and props in the music video. • Remember to continue to use quotations to support your ideas.