A reminder: Crooks

Hi,

Th doc below is particularly useful in showing the ways in which Steinbeck presents Crooks.

Note the similarities with Curley's Wife in that he lives his life under 'layers of protection' - perhaps they all do.

Another key quote is the one about his deep set eyes that 'glittered with intensity'. This represents the light, the hope, the dream that lays buried deep inside of him. However, this innocent dream of the past has been damaged by bitter experience. Now he is sullen and cynical; he knows he has to keep people at arm's length to protect himself.

In this chapter, Steinbeck makes him physically grow - but then shrink again as a result of Curley's Wife's attack. In the end, the circular structure (not that again!) of the chapter shows he's going nowhere.

Anyway, here's the doc:

Mr M

English Lit 1: Monday

Hello Y11,

Stay calm - it's English Lit 1 on Monday!

First thing to remember: BRING YOUR COPIES OF THE TEXTS!

Next, double check that you know what to do in the exam. Here's my exam guide:


 And a past paper: 

And here are the top ends of the two mark schemes:

Finally, don't forget the importance of writing about the writer's methods. The words Priestley and Steinbeck must be prominent in your responses. Remind yourself of the writer's methods: Priestley here and Steinbeck here:

Finally, please look at the Browse by topic section on the right on the page for more stuff on the texts.

I'll be posting more over the weekend. Also, follow us on Twitter for last minute advice and to fire your panicky last minute questions at us!

Good luck troopers!

Mr M

An Inspector Calls: Mr Birling

Hi,

For Section A of Lit Unit 1, you have to answer one essay question on An Inspector Calls (from a choice of two). Here are the question focuses from the past papers:

June 14:

•  gender
• the importance of Eva Smith

June 13:

• the ending
• Eric

Jan 13:

• Mrs Birling
• the significance of social class

June 12:

• Inspector Goole
• the opening stage directions

Jan 12:

• responsibility (you've done this for your CA!)
• Gerald

June 11:

• contrasts
• Sheila

Jan 11:

• tensions in the family
• selfishness 

So what could come up in your exam? The answer is... almost anything. You need to be prepared for a range of questions.

However, it's likely that your question will either be something that has not been covered before - or something that hasn't been covered for a while. Could Sheila be back? Could we hit the jackpot and write about responsibility again? I also like the 'contrasts' question: think young/old, rich/poor, capitalist/socialist, realism/the unreal ending. Dichotomies.

But I think there's a very good chance that it could be Mr Birling. So what might a Mr B question look like? How about these?

• How does Priestley undermine Mr Birling in An Inspector Calls?
• Mr Birling is a static character and is nothing more than a personification of capitalism. How does Priestley use Mr Birling to criticise capitalism?

Here's some thoughts about how to structure an answer to one of these questions:


Intro - first impressions:
stage directions and early dialogue - 'provincial speech' and manner hints at modest roots, but he's very quickly forgotten where he came from. Selfish and business obsessed - even at daughter's engagement: 'lower costs and higher prices' - Priestley hinting at his attitude towards his workers. Desperate to impress Gerald and possibly insecure. Hints that he's not as 'comfortable' as he tries to make out. Worries about the Crofts not being there and whether the celebration is lavish enough.

Dramatic irony:
Titanic - obvious reference which makes him sound buffoon-like. Repetition and categorical assertions ('unsinkable... absolutely unsinkable) highlight his over-confidence. War - more emotive. The references to 1940, Russia and H.G Wells/G.B Shaw would resonate with a 1940s audience in particular, and highlight the capitalist/socialist dichotomy.

Interrogation:
His attempts to intimidate Goole show that he's self-important and feels like he should be above the law. He is set up for a fall. Defensive quotes: 'If everyone was responsible...awkward.' etc. Euphemisms: 'horrid business'.

Comments on the interrogation of others:
Initially seems glad to not be the only one involved. Criticises others. Defends Gerald's adultery etc.

Realisation:
'Inspector, I'd give thousands' etc.

Ending:
Ends up laughing at the 'famous younger generation'. Circular structure mirrors his return to complacency. Somewhat lighthearted, silly language shows his growing excitement at getting away with it. 'By jingo, a fake.'

Conclusion:
Birling = capitalism. Static character intended to personify all the faults and complacency of Edwardian England - which led us, in Priestley's view, to war. Characterisation is not subtle - we are meant to see him as a buffoon from the very start. Whatever he says after the Titanic reference is not to be trusted - neither are his capitalist views. Titanic as metaphor for Birlings with their confidence, wealth and ultimately, their downfall.



I hope that makes sense and seems like a sensible approach. Your next step should be to find the quotes to go with this plan. Why not have a go at writing it? It could be your exam question! In addition, I've found this helpful revision powerpoint. Take a look.

  

Keep revising - and let me know if you need anything.




Mr M 

What do the Lit papers look like?

Hello.

Here are some past papers for your viewing pleasure. Remember, your Literature exams are:

English Literature Unit 1: Exploring Modern Texts (Of Mice and Men and An Inspector Calls)
English Literature Unit 2: Poetry Across Time (Poetry Clusters and Unseen Poetry)...

There is a higher and foundation paper for each exam below. Make sure you pick the right one.

Please follow us on Twitter. Last year I tweeted out links to past papers - it's quicker and easier than uploading them here - and I'll be doing the same again shortly.

Anyway, here are some papers. Don't say I never give you anything!







Mr M

Exam Guides

Hello again,

Here are my guides to your three exams. 

In the coming days, I'll post some past papers so that you can get a feel for each paper.

Please check the exam dates against your exam timetables and let me know if I've got anything wrong....

I've put these guides in the order that you'll sit the papers:

I hope these help. 

If you have any questions about your English exams, please feel free to comment here or ask me via Twitter.



Mr M

An Inspector Calls and Modern Britain: Chavs

Hi folks,

Here's a link to the book I mentioned: 

Chavs: The Demonisation of the Working Class by Owen Jones

And here are some views about Jones' arguments:

Guardian review (a left-leaning newspaper)
A Conservative viewpoint

Here's Owen Jones on the London riots of 2011.

You're bound to find a good quote or perspective for your conclusion in here, which will help you to explain the enduring relevance of the play.


Mr M

One final OMAM hunch...

Hi,

I've just tweeted links to all the past Lit Unit 1 papers, and one thing that struck me was that there's never been a part b question about...

... the American Dream!

Now how can that be? It seems so obvious. Well, it's still yet to come up.

So, if the exam board decided on a part b question on this topic, what might it look like? And what extract would they pick?

How about this:

Or this...

Revise your Of Mice and Men themes here and here. The second link has quotes to connect with each theme.

Finally, if you need some last minute context revision, check these out:

BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 1
BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 2
BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 3
BBC - Of Mice and Men Historical Context Part 4

Or this, a powerpoint that's nearly as old as my teaching career:

Good luck everyone!


Mr M 

Curley attacks! Analysing Steinbeck's methods...

Hi,

For the first part of your Of Mice and Men question, you have to analyse Steinbeck's methods in a short passage. Some of you will have had a go at annotating this extract, which I posted a week or so ago. 

Here's what I made of it. There's more here than you could possibly write about in the time you have in the exam, but hopefully it shows how much there is to say about Steinbeck's methods if you look closely.

To see the comments, you'll have to download a copy of the doc below by clicking the menu tab and then view in Word.

How much did you notice? Did I miss anything?




Make sure you practise this kind of close-reading with the other extracts I've posted.


Mr M

Analyse this: another Curley extract (plus free Whit!)

Hi,

When it comes to preparing for the Of Mice and Men part a question, perhaps the best bits to re-read and revise and the character introductions. When each character first appears, there is a cinematic physical description followed by some dialogue. By cinematic, I mean Steinbeck shows us the character visually in the same way you'd meet a character in a film. With the notable exception of Slim (who appeared in last year's paper), he doesn't tell us what to think of the characters; he shows us.

I've already said that I fancy a Curley question this year - and we've had a go at annotating the initial description of Curley. But perhaps this extract would be even better. It's the bit where Curley attacks Lennie.

Why not have a go at annotating it, then have a go at the questions that follow:


 

Another feeling that's nagging me is how obvious this Curley question might be. YouTube sensation Mr Bruff is spreading the word online that he expects a Curley question, and I fear that the exam board might want to throw a spanner in the works. So how about this one. It's Whit!

This might feel like a tricky extract to pick, but in reality it's pretty do-able. Just use the mindmap below (which you should be committing to memory) to pick out Steinbeck's methods.

 
If I see any of you this week, I might get you to help me analyse these extracts so that we can post the results here for all to see.

One last doc. With the Whit extract, the inevitable question would be about loneliness. Here's a one page summary of this theme courtesy of Teachit:

 

As always, leave a comment, email or find me in school if you need anything. And follow the English Department on Twitter for regular exam tips and links (@BeverleyHighEng). Don't worry, we won't follow you and have no interest in your online alter-egos! 

You wouldn't want to miss anything! 


Mr M

Lit Unit 1: Mr Birling in 'An Inspector Calls'

Hi,

For Section A of Lit Unit 1, you have to answer one essay question on An Inspector Calls (from a choice of two). Here are the question focuses from the past papers:

June 13:

• the ending
• Eric

Jan 13:

• Mrs Birling
• the significance of social class

June 12:

• Inspector Goole
• the opening stage directions

Jan 12:

• responsibility (you've done this for your CA!)
• Gerald

June 11:

• contrasts
• Sheila

Jan 11:

• tensions in the family
• selfishness 

So what could come up in your exam? The answer is... almost anything. You need to be prepared for a range of questions.

However, it's likely that your question will either be something that has not been covered before - or something that hasn't been covered for a while. Could Sheila be back? Could we hit the jackpot and write about responsibility again? I also like the 'contrasts' question: think young/old, rich/poor, capitalist/socialist, realism/the unreal ending. Dichotomies.

But I think there's a very good chance that it could be Mr Birling. So what might a Mr B question look like? How about these?

• How does Priestley undermine Mr Birling in An Inspector Calls?
• Mr Birling is a static character and is nothing more than a personification of capitalism. How does Priestley use Mr Birling to criticise capitalism?

Here's some thoughts about how to structure an answer to one of these questions:


Intro - first impressions:
stage directions and early dialogue - 'provincial speech' and manner hints at modest roots, but he's very quickly forgotten where he came from. Selfish and business obsessed - even at daughter's engagement: 'lower costs and higher prices' - Priestley hinting at his attitude towards his workers. Desperate to impress Gerald and possibly insecure. Hints that he's not as 'comfortable' as he tries to make out. Worries about the Crofts not being there and whether the celebration is lavish enough.

Dramatic irony:
Titanic - obvious reference which makes him sound buffoon-like. Repetition and categorical assertions ('unsinkable... absolutely unsinkable) highlight his over-confidence. War - more emotive. The references to 1940, Russia and H.G Wells/G.B Shaw would resonate with a 1940s audience in particular, and highlight the capitalist/socialist dichotomy.

Interrogation:
His attempts to intimidate Goole show that he's self-important and feels like he should be above the law. He is set up for a fall. Defensive quotes: 'If everyone was responsible...awkward.' etc. Euphemisms: 'horrid business'.

Comments on the interrogation of others:
Initially seems glad to not be the only one involved. Criticises others. Defends Gerald's adultery etc.

Realisation:
'Inspector, I'd give thousands' etc.

Ending:
Ends up laughing at the 'famous younger generation'. Circular structure mirrors his return to complacency. Somewhat lighthearted, silly language shows his growing excitement at getting away with it. 'By jingo, a fake.'

Conclusion:
Birling = capitalism. Static character intended to personify all the faults and complacency of Edwardian England - which led us, in Priestley's view, to war. Characterisation is not subtle - we are meant to see him as a buffoon from the very start. Whatever he says after the Titanic reference is not to be trusted - neither are his capitalist views. Titanic as metaphor for Birlings with their confidence, wealth and ultimately, their downfall.



I hope that makes sense and seems like a sensible approach. Your next step should be to find the quotes to go with this plan. Why not have a go at writing it? It could be your exam question! In addition, I've found this helpful revision powerpoint. Take a look.

  

Keep revising - and let me know if you need anything.




Mr M 

'Of Mice and Men' - Survival of the Fittest

Hi folks,

As you already know, my tip for the Of Mice and Men question is... Curley.

In a recent lesson, we tried to predict a part b question (remember, a related discursive essay that requires you to refer to context) to follow up a possible Curley extract question. 

Here's what we came up with:

In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck show that life on a ranch in 1930s America is all about survival of the fittest? 

And here's the plan we came up with (coutesy of Lindsey's exercise book). 

I'd recommend starting with an intro which discusses how Steinbeck first introduces this theme in chapter 1 (eg. nature distrubed by humans, heron & water snake, George comparing Lennie to a coyote etc). 

Here's the rest of the plan:

Now for a useful revision task, fill out this plan with key quotes from the text. And why not write it up? You bring it - I'll mark it.

I'll be blogging later about an 'An Inspector Calls' question.


Happy revising!



Mr M

Updated: GCSE English Language and English Literature Exam Guides

Hi,

Here are my updated guides to your three exam papers in the order that you will sit them:

 

I hope these help. You can find past papers here (just click the qualification you want and then 'past papers and mark schemes' from the menu on the left of the screen) or elsewhere on this blog.


Mr M

Steinbeck's style

My little mindmappy thing...

Now try analysing an extract like this:

The deep green pool of the Salinas River was still in the late afternoon. Already the sun had left the valley to go climbing up the slopes of the Gabilan mountains, and the hilltops were rosy in the sun. But by the pool among the mottled sycamores, a pleasant shade had fallen.

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.

A far rush of wind sounded and a gust drove through the tops of the trees like a wave. The sycamore leaves turned up their silver sides, the brown, dry leaves on the ground scudded a few feet. And row on row of tiny wind waves flowed up the pool’s green surface.

As quickly as it had come, the wind died, and the clearing was quiet again. The heron stood in the shallows, motionless and waiting. Another little water snake swam up the pool, turning its periscope head from side to side.

Suddenly Lennie appeared out of the brush, and he came as silently as a creeping bear moves. The heron pounded the air with its wings, jacked itself clear of the water, and flew off down-river. The little snake slid in among the reeds at the pool's side.

Other good passages might be the introduction of Curley's wife, Slim or Crooks.

Mr M

An Inspector Calls: Context Part 2

An Inspector Calls: Context Part 1

Hi again,

Here's a video recap of the context of An Inspector Calls. Don't go on about it too much in the assessment (you don't get assessed on it in Lang - you do in Lit). However, an understanding of the context of the play will help you to interpret Priestley's intentions and his message.

I was going to play this for you in class, but we ran out of time.

The next part is coming shortly...

An Inspector Calls: CA prep

Hi all,

Don't be alarmed (!) but our last controlled assessment starts on Monday.

The question:
How does Priestley present the theme of responsibility  in An Inspector Calls?

Please see below for some useful revision materials and docs.

The plan:




Tip 1: The Intro

Make sure your intro gets across the basic idea of what Priestley was trying to do in setting up his 'well-made play'. Consider this:

 The interwar period was marked by turmoil throughout Europe. There were two world wars, the Spanish Civil War and the Great Depression. On a smaller, domestic scale, these were years of struggle. Women were fighting for equal voting rights, workers were fighting for fair pay and conditions, and the poor were struggling to get by on low wages and rising prices. It was a time of strikes, protests and unemployment - the gap between rich and poor had never been greater.

The start of this period forms the background to J.B Priestley's An Inspector Calls. Priestley wrote his play in 1945 but set it in 1912 - a time when the first rumblings of war were being heard. Effectively, Priestley was taking his post WW2 audience back in time to teach them a socialist lesson about responsibility and complacency - and give them a stark reminder about the attitudes that got them into this mess in the first place.

The style is that of a 'well-made play'. It has a single plotline, a single setting, a single, clear message. It takes place in real time and creates the illusion that we are observing reality - at least at first. Priestley wanted nothing to distract from his message and the dichotomy he presents to us - a choice between two different attitudes. These two choices are clearly laid out for us in the two generations of contrasting characters on the stage.

The first paragraph is way too detailed for your essay but I've put it there as a reminder. The final paragraph is also there as a recap for you, but is more focused on last year's question. Your question emphasises the message rather than the two generations.

Tip 2: Bridging sentences

At the start of each new stage in your argument, use a sentence that swiftly takes us to your next point. Don't tell the story to fill in the gaps. Consider these examples: 

• The arrival of the Inspector brings a change in tone, represented visually on stage through a change in lighting.

• By the time the Inspector is delivering his summing-up statements, the generations of the Birlings are truly divided.

 Tip 3: Language and Priestley's method

In commenting on your quotes, you need to make sure you comment on what Priestley is doing, why he's doing it, the effect is has on the audience, and how it develops his argument about social responsibility.

Here's a quick recap of some key ideas we've discussed this term that focus on Priestley's craft:

1. He starts by creating a family who 'seem' nice and well-behaved, as Gerald puts it, but we soon see the flaws in the individuals and the tensions beneath the surface.
2. The older Birlings represent the values of the Edwardian world. Birling represents capitalism. Mrs B represents inherited wealth and social snobbery. They are static characters.
3. The younger Birlings have been spoiled and have grown up in a wealthy bubble, apparently unaware of how the other half live.  They are treated like kids and so continue to be immature - they have no idea about social responsibility. But they are dynamic characters who see the faults in their parents (even at the start to some extent) and learn from their mistakes.
4. Priestley uses dramatic irony to position the audience so that we immediately dislike Mr B and his capitalist views.
5. Priestley uses Sheila and Eric as our representatives on the stage. They are good people, but a little self-absorbed and immature. They learn as we learn, and Sheila is often used to prompt our realisation of the Inspector's knowledge and unusual character traits.
6. This division of the characters into two camps (old/static vs young/dynamic) creates a dichotomy to highlight the argument between traditionalism/capitalism/individualism and progressivism/socialism/collectivism.
7. The Inspector can be seen as Priestley's presence on the stage. Or is he an embodiment of a social conscience? Or a messenger from God? 
8. The play has a circular structure, leaving us where we started: an inspector is about to call. This puts the onus on us. We have to figure out our own lessons and leave the audience questioning ourselves. The Birlings no longer matter; neither does Eva. It is 'we' and 'the millions of Eva Smith's and John Smith's' that Prietley is really concerned with. If we don't change, we don't break the cycle of repeated mistakes. 
9. The fact that the play seems realistic (as it's a 'well-made play') makes the unusual ending all the more dramatic and unnerving.

Gotta run. I have a kids' party to attend! I'll be posting a few more resources and tips later. Don't forget to look on BBC Bitesize. But most importantly, read the text, find your quotes and do your plan.

If you need help or are panicking, please email me or add a comment below - I'll try to get straight back to you.


Good luck!

Mr M 

Crooks's journey

Hi all,

 A few days until Lit 1!

 I've got a funny feeling about a question about Crooks, so here is a little flow chart to map out Crooks's emotional journey through Chapter 4. Look out for how Steinbeck describes his physical growth and shrinking through the chapter...

Literature Past Papers

Hello.

Here are some past papers for your viewing pleasure. Remember, your Literature exams are:

English Literature Unit 1: Exploring Modern Texts (Of Mice and Men and An Inspector Calls)
English Literature Unit 2: Poetry Across Time (Poetry Clusters and Unseen Poetry)...

There is a higher and foundation paper for each exam below. Make sure you pick the right one.

Don't say I never give you anything!