tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30802799514690558542024-03-14T00:44:11.637-07:00Year 11 - English Literaturerufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-66820201558025919922011-05-17T09:59:00.000-07:002011-05-17T09:59:44.390-07:00Would you Adam and Eve it?<span class="small-caps"></span> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue;">A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from side to side; and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shallows. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically.</span></span> <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <div class="explanationblurb" id="explanationBlurb5"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><a href="http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/quotes.html#explanation5"><br />
</a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> <span style="font-size: small;">The rich imagery with which Steinbeck begins Section <span class="small-caps">6</span>, the powerful conclusion, evokes the novella’s dominant themes. After killing Curley’s wife, Lennie returns to the clearing that he and George designate, at the beginning of the book, as a meeting place should they be separated or run into trouble. Here Steinbeck describes much of the natural splendor as revealed in the opening pages of the work. The images of the valley and mountains, the climbing sun, and the shaded pool suggest a natural paradise, like the Garden of Eden. The reader’s sense of return to a paradise of security and comfort is furthered by the knowledge that George and Lennie have claimed this space as a safe haven, a place to which they can return in times of trouble.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">This paradise, however, is lost. The snake sliding through the water recalls the conclusion of the story of Eden, in which the forces of evil appeared as a snake and caused humanity’s fall from grace. Steinbeck is a master at symbolism, and here he skillfully employs both the snake and heron to emphasize the predatory nature of the world and to foreshadow Lennie’s imminent death. The snake that glides through the waters without harm at the beginning of the story is now unsuspectingly snatched from the world of the living. Soon, Lennie’s life will be taken from him, and he will be just as unsuspecting as the snake when the final blow is delivered.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is from...</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/quotes.html#explanation5">http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/micemen/quotes.html#explanation5</a><br />
<br />
You should so, like, go there and like read stuff from it, right, 'cos it's just got like so many more of stuff like this on it and it's dead brilliant like isn't it?rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-85640881958284508102011-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:002011-05-19T02:21:43.850-07:00and the chief examiner says...<div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Of Mice and Men</b></i></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>: John Steinbeck </b></span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once again, this was an overwhelmingly popular choice of text: little wonder, perhaps, as it continues to engage and challenge the widest range of candidates who often produce uplifting and engaging responses.</span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Question 6 </b></span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;">This question elicited a very wide spectrum of responses. Weaker responses focused only on the passage with no reference to the novel as a whole; often, these responses were overly imaginative and found symbols in everything and anything with no convincing supporting reference. However, <span style="color: red;">better responses were sometimes hugely sophisticated and showed excellent powers of close textual analysis</span>. <span style="color: blue;">Minute details were related to philosophical concepts</span> with panache; candidates ranged round the novel with confidence to explore their ideas. <span style="color: purple;">There was some really sensitive analysis of the image of the heron and the water snake</span>.</span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Question 7 </b></span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was a very popular question: one senior examiner commented that candidates "performed brilliantly". There were, of course, pitfalls: some candidates lost focus on sadness other than very briefly at the beginning and the end, then wrote about loneliness, the dream, events and/or characters. <span style="color: #6aa84f;">The best responses stopped and thought</span>, then went on to challenge the premise of the task and identify some optimistic features: <span style="color: #93c47d;">friendship, loyalty and the ending suggesting some sort of better future despite the inevitability of the final tragedy</span>. <span style="color: #073763;">An interesting observation was that only hardened Carlson and those without a dream like Slim could be happy</span>. Most candidates, at all levels, considered Steinbeck's methods with confidence; better candidates were very skilful in this area.</span></div><div class="western" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-19088750746909533752011-05-15T09:12:00.000-07:002011-05-15T09:12:34.337-07:00Words from the mark scheme ... part 2...and here are a few phrases from the description of an A grade poetry essay...<br />
<br />
<u><b>Answers are likely to include:</b></u><br />
<br />
Treatment of <span style="color: red;">at least</span> 4 poems, including 2 pre-1914 and 2 post-1914.<br />
<br />
Exploration and <span style="color: red;">development of question</span><br />
<br />
Sensitive and critical response to <span style="color: red;">situation / character / meaning</span><br />
<br />
Developed / analytical comment on <span style="color: red;">writer's intended meaning</span> and purpose<br />
<br />
<div style="color: red;">Comparison and contrast</div><br />
<span style="color: red;">Evaluation</span> of poems<br />
<br />
Analysis of <span style="color: red;">detail</span><br />
<br />
Evaluation of writer's use of l<span style="color: red;">anguage, structure, form end effects on readers</span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: red;">Comparisons between writer's techniques</div>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-29492560201703250282011-05-15T09:06:00.000-07:002011-05-15T09:06:17.866-07:00Words from the mark schemeIt might be helpful to consider some of these words and phrases from the mark scheme to an<i> Of Mice and Men</i> question...<br />
<br />
<u><b>Answers are likely to include:</b></u><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><br />
Exploration and development of the novel's events/themes/characters</div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;">Sensitive and critical response to characters </div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;">Reference to The American Dream</div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
Sensitive analysis of detail</div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><span style="color: blue;">Convincing and imaginative interpretation of text </span>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-16650452266495170412011-05-10T16:04:00.000-07:002011-05-10T16:04:49.124-07:00A rabbit-centric reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8LBo3B_zIE/TcnEdLRwlLI/AAAAAAAAABQ/jPnZ28a18Xs/s1600/giant-rabbit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8LBo3B_zIE/TcnEdLRwlLI/AAAAAAAAABQ/jPnZ28a18Xs/s320/giant-rabbit2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">When does an interest become an enthusiasm? When does an enthusiasm become an obsession? When does an obsession become worrying?</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.rabbitworldview.com/ofmicemen.php" target="_blank">http://www.rabbitworldview.<wbr></wbr>com/ofmicemen.php</a>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-66623266433523082552011-05-08T10:50:00.000-07:002011-05-08T10:50:33.492-07:00Poetry or Stand Up...You decide<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrdCroushlA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrdCroushlA</a><br />
<br />
This is a link to Armitage doing his thing at the Latitude Festival in 2008. You've got to admire this.<br />
<br />
It goes without saying that I take absolutely no responsibility for comments made by other <span style="color: red;">You</span>Tube users.rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-20792171657672018252011-05-07T16:03:00.000-07:002011-05-08T02:45:06.534-07:00I ain't gonna say nothin'...I ain't gonna say nothin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-epjGq5E56II/TcXascJqyMI/AAAAAAAAAA0/ofqdR4LQOKI/s1600/lennie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-epjGq5E56II/TcXascJqyMI/AAAAAAAAAA0/ofqdR4LQOKI/s1600/lennie.jpg" /></a></div>Select a quotation about or said by Lennie. Repeat it in a post and write about what it reveals about Lennie's character.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #20124d;">"Lennie...imitated George exactly."</div><br />
<div style="color: #351c75;">"Lennie smiled...Strong as a bull."</div><br />
<div style="color: #674ea7;">"Lennie sat in the barn and looked at the dead puppy..."</div><br />
<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">"It ain't no lie.We're gonna do it. Gonna get a little place an' live on the fatta the lan'"</span><br />
<div style="color: #b4a7d6;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">"Lennie obeyed him." (When George tells him to kneel down by the river and look at the hills)</span>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-64242832045300313942011-05-07T15:53:00.000-07:002011-05-07T16:51:42.978-07:00Tell me again about the rabbits George...<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wxVCqWF9qZE/TcXbCOJyqMI/AAAAAAAAAA4/E7QiiRvrObo/s1600/george.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wxVCqWF9qZE/TcXbCOJyqMI/AAAAAAAAAA4/E7QiiRvrObo/s1600/george.gif" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;">Choose one of the quotations about or said by George, repeat it in a post and make a comment about what it reveals about the character of George.</span></div><br />
<div style="color: #660000;">"The first man...sharp, strong features."</div><br />
<div style="color: #990000;">"Guys like us...they don't belong no place."</div><br />
<div style="color: #cc0000;">"He's my...cousin."</div><div style="color: #e06666;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #e06666;">"Hide till I come for you...Say that over."</div><br />
<div style="color: #ea9999;">"His eyes were hard and tight as wood"</div>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-81040666850276186662011-05-07T11:06:00.000-07:002011-05-07T16:53:28.375-07:00Considering 'Havisham' by Carol Ann Duffy<div class="O"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc7lGprma70/TcXbcbIYxGI/AAAAAAAAAA8/QiLi9SNDPsU/s1600/Miss+Havisham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc7lGprma70/TcXbcbIYxGI/AAAAAAAAAA8/QiLi9SNDPsU/s320/Miss+Havisham.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b><u>Havisham</u></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b><u> </u></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b><u> </u></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>Beloved sweetheart bastard. Not a day since then<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>I haven't wished him dead. Prayed for it<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>so hard I've dark green pebbles for eyes,<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>ropes on the back of my hands I could strangle with. </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>Spinster. I stink and remember. Whole days<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>in bed cawing Nooooo at the wall; the dress<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>yellowing, trembling if I open the wardrobe;<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>the slewed mirror, full-length, her, myself, who did this </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>to me? Puce curses that are sounds not words.<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>Some nights better, the lost body over me,<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>my fluent tongue in its mouth in its ear<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>then down till suddenly bite awake. Love's </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>hate behind a white veil; a red balloon bursting<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>in my face. Bang. I stabbed at a wedding cake.<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>Give me a male corpse for a long slow honeymoon.<br />
</b></span><span lang="EN-GB"><b>Don't think it's only the heart that b-b-b-breaks.</b></span></span></div><div></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>What feelings are conveyed by the metaphor <span style="color: red;">'dark green pebbles'</span> in line two?</b></span></span></div><div></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b>What effect is created by the speaker referring to her lost lover as a <span style="color: red;">'lost body' </span>and a <span style="color: red;">'male corpse'</span>?</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-GB"><b> </b></span></span></div></div>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-83695438471736800742011-05-07T10:09:00.000-07:002011-05-08T10:38:07.875-07:00Considering Kid by Simon Armitage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jSmpCSvXpU/TcXb5sWASlI/AAAAAAAAABA/eSl9vhjZi2o/s1600/batman-and-robin-tv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2jSmpCSvXpU/TcXb5sWASlI/AAAAAAAAABA/eSl9vhjZi2o/s320/batman-and-robin-tv.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h2>Kid</h2><div class="bs-content-rb-poem">Batman, big shot, when you gave the order<br />
to grow up, then let me loose to wander<br />
leeward, freely through the wild blue yonder<br />
as you liked to say, or ditched me, rather,<br />
in the gutter ... well, I turned the corner.<br />
Now I've scotched that 'he was like a father<br />
to me' rumour, sacked it, blown the cover<br />
on that 'he was like an elder brother'<br />
story, let the cat out on that caper<br />
with the married woman, how you took her<br />
downtown on expenses in the motor.<br />
Holy robin-redbreast-nest-egg-shocker!<br />
Holy roll-me-over-in the-clover,<br />
I'm not playing ball boy any longer<br />
Batman, now I've doffed that off-the-shoulder<br />
Sherwood-Forest-green and scarlet number<br />
for a pair of jeans and crew-neck jumper;<br />
now I'm taller, harder, stronger, older.<br />
Batman, it makes a marvellous picture:<br />
you without a shadow, stewing over<br />
chicken giblets in the pressure cooker,<br />
next to nothing in the walk-in larder<br />
punching the palm of your hand all winter,<br />
you baby, now I'm the real boy wonder.</div><br />
<b>Why do you think the poem is called ‘Kid’?</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Which words and phrases reveal the anger, resentment and bitterness of the speaker?</b>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-70463459105554574432011-05-07T06:24:00.000-07:002011-05-09T02:16:22.001-07:00Pragmatic is a terribly good word isn't it?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_wGnCcPrYw/TcXcey9EpNI/AAAAAAAAABE/lFZqTDYnJik/s1600/sonnet_130.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_wGnCcPrYw/TcXcey9EpNI/AAAAAAAAABE/lFZqTDYnJik/s320/sonnet_130.png" width="320px" /></a></div>I've had some small problems with postings disappearing into the ether. I became quite frustrated with the whole thing. You should let me know if this one doesn't work! (?)<br />
<br />
Kudos to <span style="color: red;">Sean</span>, <span style="color: blue;">Balt</span>, <span style="color: #38761d;">Casey </span>and <span style="color: purple;">Ema</span>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/130detail.html">http://www.shakespeare-online.com/sonnets/130detail.html</a><br />
<br />
Go here. It's a good page exploring Sonnet 130. Read through. Notice how the author calls the poem 'pragmatic'. Find out what this word means and post a one word post consisting of a synonym for 'pragmatic' that you also feel describes the tone of the poem.rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-5115609521000947272011-05-03T15:17:00.000-07:002011-05-07T17:00:30.806-07:00Let's start with the obvious then...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT5bzUGYZFI/TcXdDpu-K7I/AAAAAAAAABI/rOKY3m7z16k/s1600/lABRATY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT5bzUGYZFI/TcXdDpu-K7I/AAAAAAAAABI/rOKY3m7z16k/s320/lABRATY.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">Right gang...</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">It's past my bedtime...</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">I'll admit something. I don't have a plan for this. I'm pretty sure that I've committed to make one of these blog entries every day until the literature exam. And when I say I'll do something...</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">I had that idea about half an hour before I printed the pages and brought them to you. So confident was I in it's goodideaness that I didn't check or review it!</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">The blog always was and still is a good idea. Look at any previous post and bask in your communal glory. The greatest capacity of the internet is to bring together communities with a shared interest; in this case you lot.</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><b>Concept One</b></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">When engaging in internet research it is always advisable to begin a the beginning.</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><u>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Laboratory</u></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">Read the introductory blurb from the wikipedia entry for The Laboratory, then copy and paste the next stanza from the previous post. Include a comment about the stanza. </div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">The first post has been completed for you.</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><i>This poem presents the desperately jealous feelings of a woman abandoned by her lover, who left her for a more womanly rival. It shows how deranged the protagonist's nature has become, who goes so far as to poison her rival in love. The use of rhyming quickens the pace of the poem, adding to the woman's increasing excitement as the apothecary grinds up the mixture. Many of Browning's poems were written about people with an unusual nature. At first glance, the poem appears to be written as if she were talking to the apothecary, but reading into it shows that she may be thinking to herself as at the start of the poem she tells the man to take his time, but as she thinks about the possibilities and power the poison will bring her she begins to hurry him. Her careless attitude towards her future crime suggests that she may have previously killed and does not care about being found out as she is proud of what she will have done.</i></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><i>It is set in seventieth century France and was written by Robert Browning. It was inspired by the life of Marie Madeleine Marguerite D'Aubray win Brivinlliers (1630-1676), who poisoned her father and two brothers and planned to poison her husband. </i><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-0" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 1em;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Laboratory#cite_note-0" style="background-image: none; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;"><i>[</i><i>1</i><i>]</i></a></sup><i> It was published in dramatic lyrics in 1842 with other famous poems such as </i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Last_Duchess" style="background-image: none; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="My Last Duchess"><i>My Last Duchess.</i></a></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;">Who's with me then?</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em;"><br />
</div>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-26144452038082788402011-04-08T09:58:00.000-07:002011-05-07T17:02:26.551-07:00...It's An Accessible Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dGUg22d88o0/TcXdh_T4f2I/AAAAAAAAABM/AmBWu5OtOTo/s1600/astronaut-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dGUg22d88o0/TcXdh_T4f2I/AAAAAAAAABM/AmBWu5OtOTo/s320/astronaut-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>"People can't put on an opera, but they can write a poem. It's an accessible art."<br />
<br />
This quotation from Simon Armitage is illustrative of his belief that poetry is for everyone. As we have seen through our classroom studies Armitage's work deals with universal human themes; we have all been able to find a relation between Armitage's work and our own experiences.<br />
<br />
It shouldn't be difficult for you to respond intelligently to the Armitage poems on the exam.<br />
<br />
Remember the importance of close analysis though and of reponding to the poems on a word level. Remember also the importance of using embedded quotation.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Embedded Quotation</b></u><br />
<br />
<u><b>Example</b></u><br />
<br />
The central image in the poem 'Mother any distance greater than a single span...' is that of the tape measure that the poet employs with his mother in the measurement of the dimensions of aspects of his new accommodation. The metaphor of the tape measure represents the connection between mother and son. As they take the measurements the physical distance between the poet and his mother becomes greater until he holds onto the 'last one hundredth of an inch' of tape and until the mother's fingertips 'pinch' at the end of the tape. The poet, through this metaphor, is illustrating how the poet and the mother feel about the changes that are occurring in their relationship with one another. The words 'last one hundredth of an inch' suggest that the son's gaining of his independance is timely; that perhaps he has delayed making this move; whilst the word 'pinch' suggests a reluctance in the mother to release the connection. It is my opinion that the relationship between mother and son changes, rather than weakens, with incresed independence.<br />
<br />
Try embedding these words and phrases from the poem into your own paragraphs about the poem.<br />
<br />
"reporting...back to base."<br />
"hatch that opens on an endless sky"<br />
"to fall or fly"<br />
<br />
Have a go at it in some postings!rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-11414193630557577862011-03-14T05:41:00.000-07:002011-03-14T05:41:37.817-07:00Revising a Text<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As an old teacher of mine used to tell us, the best way of revising for an exam which is on a book...is to read the book. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I understand that this might not be the easiest thing for many of you to achieve at this busy time. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Below is a link to a downloadable audio version of Of Mice and Men; perhaps if you had a portable mp3 version then you might turn it on from time to time...</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dedicationtechnologies.com/oman/">http://www.dedicationtechnologies.com/oman/</a>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-50131587240103057272011-03-07T11:18:00.000-08:002011-03-07T11:18:39.375-08:00You'd be crazy not to!<h2 style="color: purple;"><u>Ramblings - Series 17<span class="blq-hide"> - </span><span>Episode 5</span></u></h2><br />
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00z1z5n/Ramblings_Series_17_Episode_5/<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: red;">Stuart Maconie</span> takes in the Manchester skyline with the poet <span style="color: red;">Simon Armitage</span> on his home turf, the borderlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire near to the village of Marsden. They walk part of the Pennine Way from Standedge Cutting towards White Hill, taking in views of Manchester as they go.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Make a posting when you've heard it.</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Just a short reaction.</span></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-24521350808963367642011-02-24T04:50:00.000-08:002011-02-24T04:50:55.088-08:00All the webommendations<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Web references for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Havisham</i> by Carol Ann Duffy for dedicated students</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.helpmewithenglish.co.uk/page_1722671.html">http://www.helpmewithenglish.co.uk/page_1722671.html</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/3034174/Havisham">http://www.scribd.com/doc/3034174/Havisham</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.tusitala.org.uk/essayLibrary/duffy1.pdf">http://www.tusitala.org.uk/essayLibrary/duffy1.pdf</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Web references for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anne Hathaway</i> by Carol Ann Duffy for dedicated students<br />
</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.thetutorpages.com/tutor-article/gcse-english/studying-anne-hathaway-by-carol-ann-duffy/2692">http://www.thetutorpages.com/tutor-article/gcse-english/studying-anne-hathaway-by-carol-ann-duffy/2692</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://poetryforgcseenglish.blogspot.com/2009/12/anne-hathaway-carol-ann-duffy.html">http://poetryforgcseenglish.blogspot.com/2009/12/anne-hathaway-carol-ann-duffy.html</a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Web references for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Before You Were Mine</i> by Carol Ann Duffy for dedicated students<br />
</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.helium.com/items/847903-poetry-analysis-before-you-were-mine-by-carol-ann-duffy?page=2">http://www.helium.com/items/847903-poetry-analysis-before-you-were-mine-by-carol-ann-duffy?page=2</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.sheerpoetry.co.uk/gcse/carol-ann-duffy/gcse-anthology-poems/before-you-were-mine">http://www.sheerpoetry.co.uk/gcse/carol-ann-duffy/gcse-anthology-poems/before-you-were-mine</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/english/poetry-of-carol-ann-duffy/revise-it/before-you-were-mine">http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/english/poetry-of-carol-ann-duffy/revise-it/before-you-were-mine</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Web references for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stealing</i> by Carol Ann Duffy for dedicated students</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/poetry_slideshow/stealing/photoplayer.shtml">http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/poetry_slideshow/stealing/photoplayer.shtml</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.swotrevision.com/pages/gcse/english/duffy.htm">http://www.swotrevision.com/pages/gcse/english/duffy.htm</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.apclarke.freeserve.co.uk/stealing.htm">http://www.apclarke.freeserve.co.uk/stealing.htm</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><a href="http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/english/poetry-of-carol-ann-duffy/revise-it/stealing">http://www.s-cool.co.uk/gcse/english/poetry-of-carol-ann-duffy/revise-it/stealing</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">If you find any other useful sites on these poems post them in a comment for everyone to share.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-26362697649737297272011-02-09T03:55:00.000-08:002011-03-01T04:21:50.022-08:00Biographical Detail 5 - Carol Ann Duffy<div class="post-header"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Post one, interesting <span style="color: blue;">biographical detail</span> about <span style="color: red;">Carol Ann Duffy</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">You must check that you are not repeating something that has already been posted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: small;">Go!</span></span></span> </div>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-57015675051394397642011-02-02T08:16:00.001-08:002011-03-01T04:21:05.310-08:00Biographical Detail 4 - Simon Armitage<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Post one, interesting <span style="color: blue;">biographical detail</span> about <span style="color: red;">Simon Armitage</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">You must check that you are not repeating something that has already been posted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: medium;">Go!</span></span></span>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-90256377704953875572011-01-26T04:10:00.001-08:002011-02-08T06:16:11.800-08:00Biographical Detail 3 - William Shakespeare<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Post one, interesting <span style="color: blue;">biographical detail</span> about <span style="color: red;">William Shakespeare</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You must check that you are not repeating something that has already been posted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Go!</span></span>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-61557678986357310432011-01-19T07:26:00.001-08:002011-01-19T07:26:53.482-08:00Biographical Detail 2 - Robert Browning<span style="font-size: x-large;">Post one, interesting <span style="color: blue;">biographical detail</span> about <span style="color: red;">Robert Browning</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">You must check that you are not repeating something that has already been posted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Go!</span>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080279951469055854.post-16629644226100248812011-01-19T07:25:00.000-08:002011-01-19T07:25:54.511-08:00Biographical Detail 1 - Ben Jonson<span style="font-size: x-large;">Post one, interesting <span style="color: blue;">biographical detail</span> about <span style="color: red;">Ben Johnson</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">You must check that you are not repeating something that has already been posted.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Go!</span>rufurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16367671987465305783noreply@blogger.com17