Anthology B – approaching the short stories - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Anthology B – approaching the short stories

Tuesday, 02 April 2013

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PAPER 2, question 1

EITHERSHORT STORY

OR

POEM

Found in anthology B.

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The syllabus

Reading Students will study the following key features of texts: • the understanding of texts

• ideas and perspectives of the writer

• the writer’s use of language, structure and form.

They will understand how the writer uses these key features to present ideas, themes and settings.

24 marks (10% overall weighting)

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Assessment

AO2 Reading All students will be required to demonstrate the ability to: (

i

) read and understand texts with insight and engagement

(ii) develop and sustain interpretations of writers’ ideas and perspectives (iii) understand and make some evaluation of how writers use linguistic and

structural devices to achieve their effects

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Approaching a short story

Often feel that the poems are “easier”.Look carefully at the bullet points and be guided by them in your reading

Remember the key features of ANY form of writing

Apply a framework such as SLIME or SCASI to your writing and hit each section

Remember to use quotations and discuss the effect of the language used at all times.

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EACH SHORT STORY has a distinct “style”

Charlotte Grey:Veronica:

The story is rich in imagery which explores both the contrasting lifestyles of city

and

countryside and the imprisonment and resignation of Veronica’s existence. Okeke

is an intelligent and sympathetic observer, drawn powerfully back, on an

emotional

level, to the society he has left for better things, and aware that there is

an

eternal current flowing through the villagers’ lives.

The necklace

King

Schariah

A hero

:

The story is very economically and dynamically told. Ironic humour is central to its impact. It is important for students to think about this, and about how R K Narayan engages our interest and shapes our response to the story, through use of language (including dialogue), the structure of the story and so on. There are many examples of stylistic features, but it is less important for students to show knowledge of technical terms than to show how these work to further the writer’s purposes. A good understanding of the central characters is also essential, and of the themes, which include family relationships, growing up and differing concepts of courage. Can YOU fill in the other two with a similar description?

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In practice:

Sample examination question Paper 2 How does R K Narayan bring out the tensions in the relationship between Father

and Swami and to what extent have these been resolved by the end of the story?

You should consider the following points

 their differing views on the newspaper article

 their disagreement about where Swami should sleep

 the influence of Granny

 the impact on the relationship of the incident with the burglar in the office

 the writer’s use of language.

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MAKE SURE you understand the question

How does R K Narayan bring out the tensions in the relationship between Father and Swami and to what extent have these been resolved by the end of the story?

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Apply SLIME

their differing views on the newspaper article  their disagreement about where Swami should sleep

 the influence of Granny

 the impact on the relationship of the incident with the burglar in the office

 the writer’s use of language

And focus on the question – tensions and resolution.

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S: structure and setting

Consider the opening:IN MEDIAS RES – no introduction, no attempt to contextualise… “for Swami events took an unexpected turn.”

Sets up questions and a sense of urgency – short sentence -and a sense of excitement.

Father is efficiently characterised at this stage – “fixedly, sneered” and the pair disagree about the story. Swami simply does not believe it. Father is using it to help Swami grow up.

As passage goes on there is a large amount of direct speech which carries the narrative , apart from the descriptive writing of the events of the night which have a mysterious effect, redolent of a ghost story. NB, this is not really going to be a focus of this question.

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L: Language

Use the next bullet point to start this section.The pair disagree about where SWAMI should sleep – currently next to his Granny. Father wishes to make him an adult by making him sleep alone.

Father sees this as a way to “prove” courage and his language is forceful and brief. He uses the verb “must” when discussing the proposition, turning the idea into a necessity much to the alarm of Swami who sees it as a “frightful proposition”.

His wife rejects any accusation of spoiling the boy and the Granny is introduced – she is raised in importance by the mother referring to her as “your mother” to the father who “gloomily” reads his newspaper, being somewhat wary of confrontation.

A contrast has been established between the father’s treatment of Swami and his mother.

Father is victorious and care is taken to establish Swami’s reaction via the choice of verbs- “slunk,” “head bowed”, “pained and angry”… Father does try to be kind - “little fellow”.

The relationship is not as cruel and harsh as we might think at first.

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I: imagery

Use the third bullet here.The focus of the third bullet is the effect of the incident on the relationship.

THUS – what is the state of the relationship before the evening – anger, dissent, a lack of understanding.

How does this change by the end? To Dad, Swami has proved himself and is allowed to sleep by his Granny.

SO, a need to heighten the language is required…

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I: continued

The passage shifts to SWAMI’s perspective and lacks dialogue.

The atmosphere is developed by a number of devices :

Short sentences starting …”and” to increase pace and urgency

The personification of the ray of light which “strayed in” foreshadowing the burglarSonic sensory imagery is used to introduce sounds into a silent and still atmosphere

As the night advanced and the silence in the house deepened, his heart beat

faster

. He remembered all the stories of devils and ghosts he had heard in his life.

How

often had his chum Mani seen the devil in the banyan tree at his street-end. And

what

about poor

Munisami’s

father, who spat out blood because the devil near the

river’s

edge slapped his cheek when he was returning home late one night. And so on

and on his thoughts continued. He was faint with fear. A ray of light from the street lamp strayed in and cast shadows on the wall. Through the stillness all kinds of noises reached his ears — the ticking of the clock, rustle of trees, snoring sounds, and some vague night insects humming. He covered himself so completely that he could hardly breathe. Every moment he expected the devils to come up to carry him away; there was the instance of his old friend in the fourth class who suddenly disappeared and 80 was said to have been carried off by a ghost to Siam or Nepal …

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I: continued

All serve to build tension in the manner of a ghost story.WHY?

To increase the sense of SWAMI’s heroism after the event.

Followed by swift conclusion – held as a hero by father and headmaster…

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M: Meaning

Now answer the question…There is humour here – he is not a hero but is treated as one – the most notorious housebreaker has been bitten on the ankle and caught – all as a result of a panic induced by fear of a Devil or monster…

Father wanted to see “proof” of bravery and is happy that he has done so. His motives are not unkind even if his actions are insensitive.

Swami is no longer a coward or a baby but a “clever boy”.

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E: Effect

The overall effect is of a level of respect being engendered by a series of unintentional events.Swami is not newly brave – he wants to be an engine driver, not a policeman, but his father has new admiration for him and the relationship has moved on.

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PAPER 2 Q1

Each story requires this treatment.The focus may well be on characterisation - look at each and chart the progress of characters…

Sympathy for the boys is generated….

Contrast between the boys and the older prisoners….

Mrs

Loisel

as a sympathetic character…

How is the relationship of the Loisels

altered by the events of the story….

How is bravery and determination of Scheherazade shown?....

Contrasts in Veronica….

Attitudes to women in the countryside and the city….

Whatever you are asked, apply a structure and remember to engage with the text throughout.

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