St Ninian’s High SchoolEnglish Department

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National 5 English

Revision Pack

Mrs Paul – 2017

Contents

Exam outline………………………….......……..3

Reading for U, A and E……………......……….. 4Understanding Questions………......…..… 4Analysis Questions………………......…..… 5Evaluation Questions……………….......….8

Scottish set text – MacCaig poems.............…. 9

Critical essay……………………………........… 13‘The Pedestrian’………..………………….. 14‘The ballad of the Sad Cafe’……….........….17

Revision tasks..........................................17

Revision websites......................................17

‘MacCaig’ revision – general analysis..........18

Annotating newspaper articles..................19

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Exam Outline

Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation (30%)

Read a passage and answer questions 30 marks 1 hour

Critical Reading (40%) – 1 hour and 30 minutes

Part 1 – Scottish set texto MacCaig poetryo Answer questions on one of the poems – this will be provided for youo 8 mark question linking the printed poem (i.e. primary text) to other poemso 20 marks

Part 2 – Critical essayo Texts studied in classo Write an essay with no notes or textso 20 marks

Portfolio (30%)

Worked on in class and at home before being sent to the SQA Two essays to be included One broadly discursive, one broadly creative 1000 words each Each essay is marked out of 15

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Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation

Understanding Questions

The purpose of understanding questions is to check that you have understood the passage.

You MUST answer these in your own words – you will get no marks for quoting from the passage.

It is important that you check the number of marks available for each question – each point is worth one mark.

Question Types

Identifying Points/Explaining Key Ideaso For these questions, you need to pick out the part of the passage you are

being asked about and explain the main points in your own words.o Try to explain the ideas rather than just ‘translating’ the phrase word-for-

word.

Summarisingo These questions often ask about the main points in a paragraph or passage. o This question is often featured at the end of a passage and asks you to

summarise the main points of the article.o To help with this, you should highlight the main ideas as you read through,

using topic sentences to help you work out key points.o Make sure you check the number of marks available.

Linking Questionso Linking questions usually ask about one sentence which acts as a link

between two paragraphs.o You need to show how the sentence links back to the ideas of the pervious

paragraph, and also how it links forward to the ideas in the next paragraph.o These questions always contain the word ‘link’ or ‘linking’.

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o How to answer: Step 1: Quote the words from the linking sentence which refer back to

the previous paragraph. Step 2: Explain what the previous paragraph is about. Step 3: Quote the words from the linking sentence which refer

forward to the next paragraph. Step 4: Explain what the next paragraph is going to be about.

o Formula: “______” links back to __________ which was discussed in the

previous paragraph. “_______” links forward to ___________ which is going to be

discussed in the next paragraph.o Example:

“to explain this” links back to the harmful effects of always being connected which was discussed in the previous paragraph.

“my efforts” links forward to the writer’s attempt to explain the value of having an interior life, which is going to be discussed in the next paragraph.

Key words of Question• Explain... (what/why)• Summarise the main points/key ideas• What does the writer describe...• Identify...• In your words...• What difference/contrast does the writer identify...

Analysis Questions

The purpose of analysis questions is to explore HOW the writer has chosen to give you certain information – what techniques has he/she used?

These questions are asking about the WRITER’S USE OF LANGUAGE. To answer these questions, you should focus on the main language techniques.

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Analysis Techniques

Word Choiceo This focuses on why a writer has chosen a particular word over any other –

i.e. you have to comment on CONNOTATIONS (what is suggested by a particular word?)

o You should pick only one or two words – do not quote a whole sentence.o How to answer:

1. Quote the word (1 mark)2. Write “suggests”3. Give the connotations (1 mark) – must be directly linked to the

questiono Example

o Explain how the writer’s word choice in paragraph 1 helps to show that the gancheros’ job is tiring (2)

“Hauling” suggests the bags are heavy and awkward to move, which would make this job exhausting.

Imageryo In this question, you have to analyse images – i.e. simile, metaphor,

personificationo To do this, you need to identify what two things are being compared and why

– what do they have in common?o How to answer:

1. Quote the example of imagery2. Name the technique3. Explain what two things are being compared and why, using the

phrase “just as…so too…”o Example

How effective is the writer’s use of imagery in describing the tidal wave of muddy water following a dam bursting. (2)

“water advancing like a wall of lions” is a simile which compares the waves to a pack of lions. Just as a wall of approaching hunting lions is terrifying, so too is the advancing, unstoppable water, which is dangerous and can cause great damage. The image is effective because we understand just how aggressive the waves are once they are compared to a pack of lions.

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Sentence Structureo These questions ask you about how a sentence is made and built up.o This means you have to identify FEATURES of the sentence, not content, but

is not enough to merely point out the feature of sentence structure – you have to explain how it helps emphasise the writer’s point.

o Aspects to comment on: Punctuation

Parenthesis ( ) , , - - To add in additional information Dash (single) – To introduce a list, example or explanation

OR for a dramatic pause Colon : To introduce a list, example or explanation Semi-colon ; Separates items in a complex list OR

introduces a balancing point Quotation marks “ ” To show exact words spoken OR

to cast doubt on what was said Ellipsis … To show that words have been missed

out OR that a list carries on. Lists Repetition Sentence type Word order Sentence length

o How to answer:1. Step 1: Identify the feature of sentence structure (either quote or

explain)2. Step 2: Explain what purpose that feature has in this passage.3. Step 3: Explain why it is effective in enhancing their point.

Toneo Tone tells us the emotion or feeling of the writer.o It is not a technique in itself – it is created by other techniques, i.e. word

choice, imagery and sentence structure.o How to answer:

1. Step 1: State what the tone is2. Step 2: quote the words/explain the technique used to create that

tone.3. Step 3: Explain how the words you have quoted/techniques you have

explained create the tone.

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Key words of the Question

• Choose and explain examples of language• The writer’s use of language• Explain how/show how...• Explain the function of...• How does the writer’s language make clear• Explain fully ways in which the writer...• Explain the writer’s word choice/sentence structure/imagery/tone...

Evaluation Questions

The purpose of evaluation questions is to explore how effective the passage is.

To answer these questions, you need to identify either key ideas or techniques, or both, used by the writer.

If you are picking key ideas, you need to explain these in your own words and explain why these ideas are effective.

If you are writing about techniques, you analyse them as normal, adding on a comment explaining why you find that technique effective in emphasising the writer’s point.

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Scottish Set Text – MacCaig Poetry

AssisiSummary:

o The narrator visits a church in Assisi build in honour of St Francis. He notes how no one acknowledges the dwarf sitting outside it.

Theme:o Hypocrisy o Suffering

Character:o The narrator can’t believe that no one is helping the dwarfo The dwarf is described as being in terrible physical conditiono The tourists are described as being mindless and thoughtless

Notable features:o Use of imagery to describe the dwarf and the touristso Use of contrast to highlight the condition of the dwarf

Aunt JuliaSummary:

o The narrator describes visiting his Aunt Julia on the Isle of Harris when he was a child. She spoke Gaelic and wasn’t able to understand her until it was too late. He describes her as a very strong, unusual woman.

Theme:o Regreto Lack of communication

Character:o As a child, the narrator struggles to understand his aunt, which irritates him.o When he gets older he is saddened by the fact that he does not have the

opportunity to communicate with her.

Notable features:o Use of imagery to describe the dwarf and the tourists

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o Use of contrast to highlight the condition of the dwarf

Basking SharkSummary:

o The narrator describes an encounter he has while out at sea – he hits his oar on what he thinks is a rock, but then realises it is actually a basking shark. This causes him to consider our origins and he questions who the real monster is.

Theme:o Evolutiono Relationship between humans and creatures

Character:o The narrator is initially scared by his encounter, but he then ponders over the

origins of man and the origins of animals.

Notable features:o Three line stanzas with regular rhythm and rhyme scheme

MemorialSummary:

o This poem is a lament for someone who has passed away. It details how difficult he finds it to cope with the death of a loved one and the struggle he has to move on.

Theme:o Grief

o Loss/impact of loss

Character:o The narrator is clearly struggling to get over the death of a loved one – he

describes how everything he sees reminds him of her death. He obviously loved her and is not coping well in the wake of this loss.

Notable features:o Repetition of ‘death’/‘dying’o Descriptive language in all the things that remind him of her death

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Sounds of the DaySummary:

o The narrator in Sounds of the Day reflects upon a parting. Though the poem descriptively begins with the interpretation of sounds, it moves onto examine the impact of the separation on the narrator.

Theme:o Regreto Lack of communication

Character:o The narrator begins by describing the variety of sounds, and then contrasts

this with the silence that comes with the separation. o Clearly this has had an impact on him and he sees this more as time goes on.

Notable features:o Use of contrast to show lots of noise / absolute silenceo Metaphorical language to describe the sounds/silence and the pain this

causes

Visiting HourSummary:

o The narrator describes his visit to a hospital in which he visits someone close to him. The patient is very weak and close to death, which the narrator finds very difficult to deal with.

Theme: o Facing up to deatho Fear

Character:o The narrator clearly finds this a difficult experience, and even tries to hide his

emotions completely. By the end, he is unable to do this anymore.o The patient is very ill, getting weaker by the end of the poem.

Notable features:o Turning point when the narrator finally reaches the ward of the patiento Variety of images used to describe the weakening patient

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Question Paper

• In this part of the exam, you will be given a printed copy of one of the poems (i.e. the primary text).

• You will be asked 3-4 questions worth 12 marks in total about this poem – these can focus on content and/or language, so read each question carefully and check the number of marks available.

• The final question will be an 8 mark question asking how that poem links to other poems, with reference to a particular key idea.

8 mark Question

Use headings to help you lay out your answer correctly. Use the following as a guide for how to correctly structure your answers to 8 mark questions:

Commonality

• How is the key idea shown in the primary text? (1) • How is the key idea shown in other poems (secondary texts 1 and 2)? (1)

Primary Text

• QUOTE (1)• This shows … – explain how this quote links to the key idea (1)

Secondary Text 1 – name the poem

• QUOTE (1)• This shows … – explain how this quote links to the key idea (1)

Secondary Text 2 – name the poem

• QUOTE (1)• This shows… (1) – explain how this quote links to the key idea

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Critical Essay

In this part of the exam, you will be given a list of essay questions to choose from.

You pick ONLY ONE and write ONE essay within 45 minutes.

Make sure you choose from the correct section:

You can answer in Prose (‘The Pedestrian’, ‘Ballad of the Sad Café’) – ignore all other sections.

Make sure you read all questions carefully before deciding on your question.

Once you have decided, make a plan using the following outline for your essay:

• Introduction Title of text Type of text (short story or Novel) Name of author Short summary of text Link to the question using the key words

• Critical paragraphs PEAR (4-6)

o Point sentence – make clear what your paragraph will be abouto Evidence – give a relevant quotationo Analysis – explain, in detail, what this quotation tells us and the techniques

used to make this clearo Refer to question – use the key words of the question

• Conclusiono Sum up your main points

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'The Pedestrian' by Ray Bradbury

Overview

Setting: city street at night; 2053; totalitarian, restrictive society; a society in terminal decline

Characters: Mr. Leonard Mead, a writer who 'dearly loves' to walk the streets of the city at night – 'just to walk' ; the police car, which has no human drivers and dismisses Mr. Mead's profession and lifestyle before arresting him

Plot: Mr Mead goes for a walk, and heads off alone into the night. He passes rows of houses, all with the televisions on, and whispers to them as he goes past. As he turns to head for home, a police car appears and interrogates him. Dismissing his professional as non-existent, and regarding his lifestyle to be ‘regressive’, the police car takes Mr Mead away.

Themes:

dehumanisation of society through over-dependence on technology the impact of television on the lives in individuals the roots and effects of loneliness

Notes

Setting: City street at night◦ cities are generally imagined to be busy, energetic places, even at

night. This expectation is completely contrasted with the reality of the setting in the story, which is portrayed as deserted and, indeed, desolate.▪ “To enter out into that silence that was the city at eight o'clock of a

misty evening in November...”▪ “...peer down long moonlit avenues of pavement in four directions,

deciding which way to go, but it really made no difference...”▪ “...on his way he would see the cottages and homes with their dark

windows, and it was not unequal to walking in a graveyard where only the faintest glimmers of firefly light appeared in flickers behind the windows.”

▪ “The street was silent and long and empty, with only his shadow moving like the shadow of a hawk in mid-country.”

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▪ “...he could imagine himself upon the centre of a plain, a wintry, windless Arizona desert with no house in a thousand miles, and only dry river beds, the streets, for company.”

▪ “But now these highways, too, were like streams in a dry season, all stone bed and moon radiance.”

▪ “...leaving the empty streets with the empty pavements, and no sound and no motions all the rest of the chill November night.”

Setting: A society in terminal decline◦ several recurring details and examples of imagery add to the

impression that the society in which Mr. Mead lives is in decline▪ “...step over grassy seams...”▪ “...not unequal to walking in a graveyard...”▪ “Sudden grey phantoms seemed to manifest upon inner room walls

where a curtain was still undrawn against the night, or there were whisperings and murmurs where a window in a tomb-like building was still open.”

▪ “He stumbled over a particularly uneven section of pavement. The cement was vanishing under flowers and grass.”

▪ “...tomb-like houses...where people sat like the dead... Theme: Dehumanisation of society

◦ as people become more and more dependent upon technology, society becomes less and less human▪ “ 'No profession,' said the police car, as if talking to itself.”▪ “Magazines and books didn’t sell any more. Everything went on in

the tomb-like houses…”▪ “The tombs, ill-lit by television light, where the people sat like the

dead, the grey or multi-coloured lights touching their faces, but never really touching them.”

▪ “ 'Your name?' said the police car in a metallic whisper.”▪ “The light held him fixed, like a museum specimen, needle thrust

through chest.” Theme: The result of such an inhuman society is loneliness

◦ Mr. Mead's actions, and the situation in which he finds himself, repeatedly highlight his loneliness▪ “ 'Hello, in there,' he whispered to every house on every side as he

moved.”▪ “ ‘Nobody wanted me,’ said Leonard Mead with a smile.”▪ “He was alone in this world of A.D., 2053 or as good as alone…”▪ “...through the silences.”

▪ “would walk for hours and miles”

▪ “it was not unequal to walking through a graveyard”

The Pedestrian – Character Essay

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Question: Choose a novel or short story in which you feel sympathy for one of the main characters.

Plan: Introduction (Use TAGL- Title, Author, Genre, Link) and briefly describe the character and why you feel sympathy.

Main Body: USE PEAR STRUCTURE IN ALL MAIN BODY PARAGRAPHS

1: Describe how Bradbury creates a sympathetic portrayal of Leonard Mead when we first meet him.

Focus on LONELINESS here – the empty streets, the lack of company and the length of time he has been lonely.

2. Discuss the theme of Society in Terminal Decline using the setting (the broken pavements and street lights and grassy seams) to show how society has broken down. This makes us feel sympathy towards Mead as he has no place in society now.

3. TURNING POINT: the police car arrives. At this point his life changes forever. Discuss the brutal questioning and the dismissal of his way of life as another tragedy in his life.

4. Finally, the climax. Leonard Mead will not be allowed to continue with his harmless life. Tragically, he is being taken to a research facility. Think of the tragic scene of him being driven past his house, knowing he will not return there. This makes you feel sympathy towards him.

CONCLUSION – TAGL plus a quick summary of your answer in relation to the question.

ALWAYS ENSURE YOU ARE FOCUSED ON THE ANSWER AND CHOOSE APPROPRIATE QUOTATIONS TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWERS.

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Carson McCullers’ The Ballad of the Sad Café:

Summary The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers is a story of love illustrated through the romantic longings and attractions of the three eccentric characters; Miss Amelia, Cousin Lymon, and Marvin Macy. McCullers depicts love as a force, often strong enough to change people’s attitudes and behaviors. Yet, the author seems to say, if the love is unrequited, individuals, having lost their motivation to change, will revert back to their true selves. The allure of the different characters, which is never revealed by the author, seems to indicate that feelings of love and attraction are not necessarily reasonable or understandable to others. Miss Amelia is self-reliant, outspoken and very much a loner.

She stands six foot one inch tall and has a strong, masculine build. Her grey eyes are crossed, and the rest of her features are equally unattractive. Yet, the people of the small, southern town of Cheehaw accept her quirkiness because of the exquisite wine that she sells in her store and for her free doctoring and homemade remedies. Still, everyone is shocked when the handsome outlaw, Marvin Macy, falls in love with her. Marvin is a “bold, fearless, and cruel” man who changes his unlawful ways to win Miss Amelia’s love. Rather than robbing houses he begins attending church services on Sunday mornings. In an effort to court Miss Amelia, he learns proper etiquette, such as “rising and giving his chair to a lady, and abstaining from swearing and fighting”. Two years after Marvin’s reformation, he asks Miss Amelia to marry him. Miss Amelia does not love him but agrees to the marriage in order to satisfy her great-aunt. Once married, Miss Amelia is very aloof towards her husband and refuses to engage in marital relations with him. After ten days, Miss Amelia ends the marriage because she finds that she is unable to generate any positive feelings for Marvin. Several months after the divorce, Marvin reverts back to his initial

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corrupt ways and is “sent to a state penitentiary for robbing filling stations and holding up A & P stores”. Just as love had changed Marvin, so too did it change Miss Amelia. In the mid 1930’s, several years after Miss Amelia’s divorce, Lymon, a hunchback, comes to Miss Amelia claiming to be a distant cousin. She readily provides Cousin Lymon with food and board, and eventually any material object that he desires. The people of the town grow very curious of her new guest and of Miss Amelia’s hospitality towards Lymon which is contrary to her characteristic untrusting and remote ways.

The townspeople gather in her store one evening to meet Cousin Lymon. Unlike Miss Amelia, Cousin Lymon is very sociable and enjoys entertaining the townsfolk with his patently tall tales. In a short period of time, Miss Amelia’s store is converted into a cafe where people gather for food, drink, and gossip. They would discuss Miss Amelia’s love for Cousin Lymon, indicating that they thought love between cousins is forbidden and incestuous. Her changed behaviour, in Lymon’s presence, preoccupied and baffled them. Ever since Cousin Lymon’s appearance, Miss Amelia would regularly wear a red dress that had previously been worn exclusively on Sundays. They also noted that, before he arrived, she would only leave her house to go to church or to pick up supplies for her store. While, when Cousin Lymon moves in, realizing that he loves to travel, she would often drive with him into the city and go to see “movie-flicks” with him. Before the story ends, Marvin Macy is released from prison and returns to Cheehaw. Cousin Lymon, unaware of Miss Amelia’s short- lived marriage to the criminal is fascinated by Marvin’s adventurous life. He leaves Miss Amelia, never having returned her love, to travel with Marvin. Broken-hearted, Miss Amelia returns to her original reclusive style of living. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe enjoyably and precisely portrays the irrational nature of love in the ill-fated love triangle of Miss Amelia, Cousin Lymon, and Marvin Macy. None of the three characters are portrayed as particularly appealing people, yet they were loved. People love for very different reasons, ” A most mediocre person can be the object of a love which is wild, extravagant, and beautiful as the poison lilies of the swamp.”

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The Ballad of the Sad CaféUseful Quotations

Man and Masculinity

“He did not wear trousers such as ordinary men are meant to wear, but a pair of tight-fitting little knee-length breeches. “

In this story, manhood has expectations, not simply about conduct. Breeches are something children wear. Clothes can make the man a boy.

“He regarded each person steadily at his own eye-level, which was about belt line for an ordinary man. “

The narrator can't stop putting in digs like this, lest we forget that Lymon is as petite as Miss Amelia is tall.

His large, pale ears seemed to grow on his head and stiffen. (Ballad.137)

Cousin Lymon's ears seem to be the most expressive and masculine part of his person, almost aggressive as he listens in.

“He and the man stared at each other, and it was not the look of two strangers meeting for the first time and swiftly summing up each other. It was a peculiar stare they exchanged between them, like the look of two criminals who recognize each other.”

Do you think they're recognizing each other, or simply recognizing that neither is a respectable man in the eyes of the town?

Women and Femininity

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“If a patient came with a female complaint she could do nothing. “

Does Miss Amelia's inability to take care of "women troubles" reflect her discomfort with her own womanhood?

“[...] she would stand there craning her neck against the collar of her shirt, or rubbing her swamp boots together, for all the world like a great, shamed, dumb-tongued child.”

Just like less-than-hyper masculine Cousin Lymon is compared a boy, unladylike Miss Amelia is reduced to a "a great, shamed, dumb-tongued child" in the eyes of the narrator.

“Now, of course, Miss Amelia was a powerful blunderbuss of a person, more than six feet tall—and Cousin Lymon a weakly little hunchback reaching only to her waist.”

By choosing a love object that is not masculine, Miss Amelia looks even less womanly

“Yet in spite of his well-known reputation he was the beloved of many females in this region—and there were at the time several young girls who were clean-haired and soft-eyed, with tender sweet little buttocks and charming ways. These gentle young girls he degraded and shamed.”

More conventional women are more vulnerable to Marvin Macy's evil, handsome charms. Not Miss Amelia!

“Anyway, she strode with great steps down the aisle of the church wearing her dead mother's bridal gown, which was of yellow satin and at least twelve inches too short for her.”

The narrator doesn't ever seem to miss a chance to call Miss Amelia on her un-womanly awkwardness.

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“For some reason, after the day of Marvin Macy's arrival, she put aside her overalls and wore always the red dress she had before this time reserved for Sundays, funerals, and sessions of the court.”

“[...] from a salesman who passed through the town she bought a great bunch of paper roses that looked very real”

Despite her mannish qualities, she can be vaguely feminine – especially when there is the influence of a man at work!

Theme – LOVE

“Often the beloved is only a stimulus for all the stored-up love which has lain quiet within the lover for a long time hitherto.”

In Ballad, a tall mannish (possibly lonely) woman falls in love with an ageless, sickly hunchback. Love, in McCullers's estimation, is much more about the lover, and what he needs, than the beloved, and what he is.

“He must house his love within himself as best he can; he must create for himself a whole new inward world—a world intense and strange, complete in himself. “

Loving is a form of isolation, which makes us wonder if Miss Amelia a "complete" woman herself, in her boarded-up building, at the end of the story

“That solitary, gangling, queer-eyed girl was the one he longed for. Nor did he want her because of her money, but solely out of love.”

It's interesting here that the narrator doesn't seem much interested in explaining why Marvin Macy falls in love with Miss Amelia. But this isn't the first time they refuse to explain the emotions or interior motivations going on in a character's head. We can assume it’s the Power of Love!

“For two years he loved Miss Amelia, but he did not declare himself. He would stand near the door of her premises, his cap in

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his hand, his eyes meek and longing and misty gray. He reformed himself completely.”

This is the kind of love that we're used to pop culture: love that can reform a criminal, and make a frog a prince.. Love changes everyone.

“An old couple who had come in from the country hesitated for a moment at the doorway, holding each other's hand, and finally decided to come inside. They had lived together so long, this old country couple, that they looked as similar as twins.”

Unlike Miss Amelia and Marvin Macy, or Miss Amelia and Cousin Lymon, or Marvin Macy and Cousin Lymon, this old couple resembles each other. They are truly equal and truly in love.

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‘Macbeth’

Summary

• Macbeth, a Scottish Thane, meets three witches who give him predictions about his future – that he will become Thane of Cawdor and then King.

• Having ignited his ambition, Macbeth and his wife hatch a plan to kill King Duncan. Lady Macbeth is very much in control of her husband and convinces him to carry out the murder when he hesitates.

• Fearing their lives, Duncan’s sons flee Scotland and Macbeth is crowned king.• Banquo, Macbeth’s friend, was also given predictions that his sons would

become king. Macbeth organises to have Banquo and Fleance (his son) killed, but Fleance escapes.

• At a banquet, Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo and Lady Macbeth has to make excuses for his erratic behaviour.

• Macbeth returns to the witches and is shown three apparations which suggest that he cannot die.

• Macduff (a Thane) and Malcolm, Duncan’s son, organise the English army to attack Macbeth and take back control over Scotland.

• Macbeth has Macduff’s entire family murdered.• Lady Macbeth, who has been sleepwalking and speaking of the murders, has

gone mad as her husband no longer needs her and kills herself.• Macbeth realises the witches were only speaking half-truths and that he is able

to die, eventually being killed by Macduff.

Themes

• Ambition• Relationships• Appearance and reality

Key Question Types

• Key theme/issue – ambition• Interesting/important character – Macbeth or Lady Macbeth• Key scene – Act 3, Scene 4• Character relationships – Macbeth and Lady Macbeth

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‘Lord of the Flies’

Summary

A group of boys crash-land on an uninhabited island while being evacuated. They begin to make rules and a structure for life on the island, with Ralph being

elected leader. Jack’s group become the hunters and are responsible for keeping the signal fire

going. Some of the smaller boys (littluns) are frightened by a ‘beastie’ they think they have

seen in the jungle at night, but the older boys dismiss this idea. Following an unsuccessful challenge for the leadership, Jack sets up his own ‘tribe’ at

Castle Rock, which hunts and kills a pig and leaves its head as an offering for the beast.

Simon climbs the mountain alone and sees ‘the beast’ for what is really is – their own potential for evil.

Jack’s tribe holds a great feast and performs a ritual dance, during which Simon returns. He is attacked and killed as ‘the beast’ by the dancing, chanting boys.

Ralph’s small group tries to keep the signal fire alight. Jack’s tribe attacks the group and steals Piggy’s glasses to make fire with. Ralph’s group goes to demand Piggy’s glasses back, taking the conch with them.

During the confrontation with Jack’s tribe, Piggy is killed and the conch is smashed. Ralph escapes, but the rest of his group are captured.

Jack’s tribe hunts Ralph, intending to kill him and, during the hunt, sets fire to the island. A naval officer, whose ship has been attracted by the smoke, rescues them.

Themes

Everyone has the potential for evil Good versus Evil Loss of innocence

Key Question Types

• Story with a key incident• Interesting character/character who provoked an emotional response• Important theme/issue• Conflict

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‘If I Quench Thee’

Summary

Arthur Stern goes to visit his daughter for her birthday He is extremely critical of where she lives and what she does – he is obviously

annoyed that she left the family Monica mentions a surprise she has for her father, but doesn’t tell him what it is Throughout their conversation, Arthur reveals himself to be incredibly racist A man names Tod Humbert comes to the apartment. Monica introduces her dad to

Tod, but doesn’t say who Tod is The way Tod speaks makes Arthur think that he is Monica’s boyfriend. Disgusted,

Arthur leaves the apartment Arthur Stern realises he doesn’t want to be distanced from his daughter, so he goes

back to the apartment, where he overhears Tod telling Monica that marrying her will be the greatest thrill of his life

In a rage, Arthur leaves When Tod leaves the apartment, Arthur speaks to him under the pretence of

apologising He attacks him, and ends up killing him, while making it look like Tod attacked him In the police station, Monica tells Arthur she knows what really happened – Arthur

killed Tod – and she is willing to testify against him Monica reveals that Tod was the minister and her fiancé is actually in the army – the

kind of man Arthur would be proud of

Themes

Racism Prejudice Family relationships

Key Question Types

• Story with a twist/key incident• Interesting character/character who provoked an emotional response• Important theme/issue• Conflict

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Revision TasksYou can complete the following tasks to help with your revision:

Planning critical essays

Writing critical essays (timed/not timed)

Revision of text notes

Mindmapping character, theme, key incident notes for class texts

Annotating newspaper articles

Reading for U, A and E questions/full papers

Analysis of MacCaig poems

Re-reading all texts

Revision Sites

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45674.html - past papers and marking instructions

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zmcrd2p - RUAE, critical essays and

MacCaig

http://www.myetutor.tv/national-5/ - RUAE, critical essays and MacCaig poems

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MacCaig Revision – General analysis of poems

Complete the following tasks on each of the MacCaig poems:

1. Overview

a) What is this poem about? Summarise in no more than 4 bullet points.b) Write a one-sentence summary of each stanza.

2. Characterisation

a) Which characters are involved?b) What do we learn about each of these characters? Give 3 quotations to

describe each of the main characters and analyse them in detail.

3. Theme

a. What themes are presented in this poem? b. Give at least three quotations to back up each theme and analyse them.

4. Structurea. Is there anything significant about the structure of this poem? Explain in detail.

5. Poetic techniquesa. What techniques does MacCaig use in this poem? Give 5 examples and analyse

their effect.

6. What links does this poem have to any of the other poems?

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Annotating Newspaper Articles

Find a newspaper article and answer the following questions on it:

1. Read the article and summarise the main points (3-5 bullet points).

2. Identify the purpose of the text: To entertain To inform To persuade To examine/explore an issue To describe/report / To instruct

3. Highlight and annotate 5 examples of effective word choice.

4. Highlight and annotate 5 examples of sentence structure.

5. Highlight and annotate 3 examples of imagery.

6. Write down 3 words that you do not know the meaning of and work out their definitions (no dictionaries).

7. What is the tone of the article? Give evidence to support your choice.

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