Ms W's Sixth Form English Class

Bible links for "The World's Wife"

2010-01-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

This is a very useful website for quickly accessing relevant parts of the Bible to remind yourself of the contextual information for this group of poems:

http://www.biblegateway.com/

Use the Quicksearch from the main page, making sure "New International Version" is selected from the other side. (This is the most straightforward version to access)

Type in the following references to find the relevant characters:

Delilah - Judges 16: 4-20 (OLD TESTAMENT)
Salome - Mark 6: 17-8 OR Matthew 14:1-12 (NEW TESTAMENT)
Queen Herod - Matthew 2
Pilate's wife - Matthew 27: 19
Mrs Lazarus - John 11

(Don't forget, the names refer to a book of the bible. The first number is the chapter, the second number is the verse)

Some of these figures appear in history or are significant in art. It is worth having a quick browse online or in an encyclopaedia to find out more about them.

Welcome to the class of 2009/10!

2009-09-14T12:53:00.000-07:00

Please use this space to share your thoughts about "Spies." What do you like? What aren't you keen on? Any predictions or questions?

Get posting...

P.S. Here is a page which contains lots of weblinks for "Spies". They are mainly reviews. DON'T READ THEM TOO SOON AS THEY MAY SPOIL THE STORY FOR YOU but the link will be here when you come to forming your own views about the book towards its end.

http://thehieroglyphicstreets.wordpress.com/category/england/

The Kray Sisters - the real life inspiration

2009-03-22T13:54:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Kray

This article gives you a good insight into the sort of men Duffy based her "unusual us" girls on.

Myra Hindley - The Devil's Wife?

2009-03-01T06:52:00.001-08:00

To find more out about Hindley, read her obituary on the BBC website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/452614.stm

This is the famous photograph of her taken during her time in police custody. What does the expression suggest to you? How do you think the public and media would have responded to such an image when put together with a consderation of her crimes?

This 1997 painting by Marcus Harvey took the iconic image of Hindley and reproduced it with children's hand prints. What is your opinion of this piece of art?

HOMEWORK due on Monday 2nd March

2009-02-26T11:21:00.000-08:00

Do you agree with the following statements? Explain why in your comment, referring as closely as possible to the poems concerned.

1: "In "Mrs Quasimodo", Duffy doesn't do women any favours. She portrays them as bitter, shallow and complying with the way they are mistreated by men."

2: "Duffy is wrong to have written from the viewpoint of a notorious murder in "The Devil's Wife."

I have left you an example of the sort of level of detail that you should aim for. You need to have the poems in front of you while you answer, ideally.

Queen Kong - the original film

2009-02-22T08:17:00.000-08:00

Here's a clip of the iconic finale to the 1933 film. (It won't play in school, sorry).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qBA750YNiE

Think about who it encourages us to sympathise with, who wields the power and influence, and how the film depicts women.

HOMEWORK due Thursday 26th February: How did you vote in the poll and why?

2009-01-27T10:51:00.001-08:00

Vote in poll on the right hand side, then leave a comment explaining why you chose a particular poem as your favourite so far. I have left an example to get you started.

Hints:
Try to think about HOW the poems are written, not just their plot/characterisation.

If you have trouble with the poll, just write your vote in as a comment.

Aesop - tell us a story...

2009-01-25T09:16:00.001-08:00

http://www.aesops-fables.org.uk/

The Hare and the Tortoise is probably the most famous but have a look at some others.

You can also enter proverbs on this site to find their meanings and origins:

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/proverbs.html

Sisyphus - nearly there... oh no.

2009-01-25T09:10:00.000-08:00

Sisyphus is one of the most discussed and debated of all of the Greek myths. It is a simple tale of eternal punishment.

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was the King of Corinth1, the son of Aeolus2, King of Thessaly. After enraging Zeus, Sisyphus was condemned to Tartarus, the part of Hades reserved for particularly wicked people. There he was compelled for eternity to roll a stone to the top of a steep hill, but before he could get it to the top, it rolled down again.

Others have written that for betraying the gods in favour of the mortals, Sisyphus was condemned to punishment. He was sent to perform the task of pushing a huge rock along a steep slope. Before he could topple the stone on the other side of the peak of the mountain he could not be free. Each time Sisyphus neared the peak the stone rolled back to the ground leaving him tired and throwing him in despair again and again. In pursuit of the realisation of his own will against the will of the gods Sisyphus is thus still undergoing the perpetual punishment.

Darwin - going ape?

2009-01-25T09:09:00.001-08:00

http://darwin-online.org.uk/biography.html

Think about what Darwin was famous for. Duffy's poem is set 7 years before he published "The Origin of Species," his most famous and controversial work.

Midas - all that glistens is not gold...

2009-01-14T08:20:00.000-08:00

Wikipedia has a helpful summary of the background to "Mrs Midas". Look for the section entitled 'the myth'; remember, Midas, like Herod, was both a real king and a figure from myth/legend. Duffy focuses on the fictional.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midas

Queen Herod weblinks

2009-01-11T10:52:00.000-08:00

BBC website about the real King Herod (comparing him to the character he is given in the Bible)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/history/herod.shtml

This page discusses the Massacre of the Innocents, the event for which Herod is notorious. Notice what he did to his own sons and wife:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Innocents

More detail about the real Herod:
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/e-h/herod.html

Please add your own as a comment if you find anything useful.

Coursework Help

2008-12-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

If you are really struggling, post me a comment here and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can. Alternatively, come and see me in school. I can probably help more quickly and more effectively if I can see your drafts and understand your difficulty.

Coursework Mark Schemes

2008-11-30T14:43:00.003-08:00

In case you lose your copies, this link will take you to the mark schemes

http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-2740-W-TRB-CGU2.PDF

CREATIVE WRITING: pages 9-12

ESSAY: pages 13-16

The drama task markscheme follows those two; you may find that useful when you are further on with "Top Girls".

Social and Historical Context - Wider Reading. DEADLINE MONDAY 17th NOVEMBER

2008-11-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

You need to read a book which is set during the Second World War (1939-1945) and refers to life on the Home Front. Post a comment to show what your book has taught you about this period in history. Please include:

Author, title and basic plot summary (2-3 sentences)
Details of what the book revealed to you about

behaviour
relationships
attitudes

in the 1930s and 1940s and how these are different to 2008. Be specific, giving a short quote to help others understand your observations.

For bonus points, could you also comment on how the book is narrated, as this is a common theme in our study of "Spies". First person or third person? Tense? Structure?

Commenting on creative writing...

2008-10-25T09:43:00.001-07:00

See lower down for the instructions.

Please give Gemma A some feedback

2008-10-25T09:41:00.001-07:00

I spot Stephen disappearing into the bushes near his house. I've seen him and Keith hiding there, watching me. At first, i thought it was sweet of them, having fun, playing spies. I suspect they might have took it too far now. They might stumble upon things that i'd prefer to be left alone. I must put a stop it. Now.I go into the house and place two chocolate digestive biscuits that i bought from Paradise on Wednesday, onto a plate, one of the older ones of course, and head for the door."Where are you going now?" Called Ted form the garage.I sighed, straighted the hem of my skirt, and adjusted my hair.I take a deep breath and open the side door to the garage."I'm just popping to Dee's, Darling." I lied."I thought you just came back from there?" He said quizzically, barely looking up from is cricket bat. He was oiling it. Again.I froze."Well, she's forgotten to put eggs on the shopping list, you know what she's like, so I thought she could have some of ours, as we have some extra?" I felt rotten for blaming Dee."Typical" he grunted.I took that as my cue to exit, and left.Gemma A. :)

Sorry Gemma... your paragraphing disappeared when I copied and pasted.

Commenting on each other's writing.

2008-10-23T02:13:00.002-07:00

I have posted some of the creative responses below. Please give them some feedback so that they have the experience of response from real readers.

What features of Frayn's style have they used? How have they captured a sense of character? Are there particular words or features that you think are very successful. Is there anything that isn't as convincing.

Please be positive, constructive and give specific examples.

Have a good half term,

Ms W :-)

Please give Sumera some feedback

2008-10-23T02:13:00.001-07:00

Father wondered off his nose continously aroused by the familiar scent, which seemed to interest and help fixate his penetrating gaze.Far too many a time I often thought deeply on how his endless observance had affected my childhood. How his ever enquiring mind constantly drifted off, practically walking off this Earth as we knew it. Like a dreamer, being led; surrounded by an array of adventure, child-like mischief & longing that seemed to marinate the air, a world in which he liked to call his own.I wonder what it led him to? What memories spiced his mind? Was it that he was just a senile, old age man trying to regainr long forgotten things constantly popping into his mind? Or An untalked about family secret? Who knew.. I thought hardly. Why when on those endless, mosquito dancing summer evenings, as Father & I had liked to retire to the park. Yet, depending on his mood at any moment he would either enthusiastically motion to me, to entrance with him into a most enjoyable game of football. Or there were those times when precious father-son moments like these had gone wasted to his mind in a sudden, dream-like state. Just sitting, silent his mind paralysed from the rest of his body. Liguster prioritised his mind, Father as usual seemed to be eloping into thought, hoping to uncover some hidden secret behind this all, that only he knew, or was it that he was the only one who thought it actually existed?Maybe, this was his own, little, childish secret that only he knew in this complex world, that only he like a child was not willing to share..Something that he could take his mind off of, something to think about, somewhere to go, escaping his lack of interest in a job evidently took because of his spoken tongue. German. Coincedentally, Father had just announced that he was off to London for a few days. A bulb flashes in my mind, maybe, just maybe London & Germany to him are more closely linked than I think. ''Do we have a contact for you there by any chance?'' My wife enquires being the well organised female that she is. We have all engaged in English now. ''Yeah, Father's off too memory lane.'' I remark, whilst staring at my alienated Father all the while hoping I get a reaction from his one too often visits to memory lane.''Exactly.'' He states with a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice, but I can really see that a cool wave of recollections & remenisents are swimming in his mind.I wonder. Just stop & stare. If father we'll ever lead me into that world, the world that stole that innocent union in which we once shared. -

Sumera

Please give Teya some feedback

2008-10-23T02:10:00.000-07:00

Everything altered after I uttered those six words. I uttered the words and it's his fault he heard them.I sigh, "My mother..." followed by another large sigh "...is a German spy." I regret those words and he regrets hearing them, he stands there glaring at me, his mouth open.He's surprised, like he is with everything I say, my annoucement is just as shocking as the time I announced Mr Gort, who lives alone at number 11, was a murderer.I think this time, I have well and truly intrigued Stephen, for I can see the envy in his eyes and I can see him wearing the moustaches and beards in my disguise kit and examining things under my microscope daddy makes me keep in such prestine condition.

TEYA

Please give Harry (hungry) some feedback

2008-10-23T02:09:00.000-07:00

1100 hours. Stephen and I carefully edge around a horrid looking lake, with that unpleasant smell like you get in public toilets, avoid the slime as I had only had my clothes washed the day before and if I even got a speck of dirt on my clothes, mother would not be amuse about it no matter how exciting the story is. Speaking of mother whenever I heard drop of water falling from the roof, I felt certain energy of her presence, but not as cowardly like old bean behind me. I had taken the front leader position with the other rank old bean right behind me. At this moment I had a range of mixed feeling, at one point I was excited it was like a game that could be taken as real…. But then again I’m not looking forward to this game because it is real. I could not face the fact that if my mother is a German spy… I can’t bare to think about it.Me and old bean reporting our status. We had emerged into “the other side” with the revolting smell of cow parsley. Where to start?....where? Old bean was firing me various suggestions about my mother like “ she may have a transmitter here” or that there maybe a secret research laboratory. No wonder old bean the other ranks. I felt like shouting out but I had remembered my father words and remained calm. The only thing recognisable was the tunnel with it big dark mouth opening wide Flies…everywhere. The scenery remind me of father story of the Warfield during the war. Then a figure caught my eye…. It was mother.Harry (now hungry)

Please give Gemma S some feedback

2008-10-23T02:08:00.001-07:00

Stephen said sorry but I didn’t care. He was going to be sorry once I’d spoken to him. I had thought of something. I new it would make Stephen unhappy, but again, I didn’t care. I could see it in his face, he knew he was going to be humiliated. So I asked him.“so he saw you, but you didn’t him”“it was dark” he said“it was moonlight. You said it was moonlight.”“not then” he said“when?” I asked him.He replied with “when he saw me. When I didn’t see him”That answer. The weakness of that answer made my smile become even more narrower.“you weren’t really hiding were you?”“you were just hiding your face”He pleaded with me to go home.“you were just putting your hands over your face. So you couldn’t see. Like Milly playing hide-and-seek. Like a little baby.“

gemma s

Creative Transformational Writing - DEADLINE THURSDAY 23rd OCT

2008-10-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

•Choose a moment from the text so far and narrate it from the point of view of another character. (Approx 2 paragraphs)
•Capture that character’s personality/attitudes/background etc. as well as some of the typical features of Frayn’s style.

HINTS:
What is your character doing at this moment in the text? Are they involved in the event or an external observer? What are their attitudes to the other characters?

What sort of words would your character use? (Positive? Negative? Judgemental? Complex? Simple? From any particular semantic field?)

What is your character's state of mind and how could this be reflected in the structure of their narrative voice? (Calm? Angry? Biased? Confused? Scared?)

What shall I call the cat?

2008-10-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Any suggestions? Stephen? Keith? Barbara?

Michael Frayn weblinks

2008-10-03T09:37:00.001-07:00

http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth114

http://books.guardian.co.uk/graphic/0,,1989160,00.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Frayn

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/jan/31/artsfeatures.whitbreadbookawards2002

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/johntusainterview/frayn_transcript.shtml

Welcome to all members of 12EN

2008-10-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

Please leave a comment to show you have accessed the site. To do this, click on the post heading, enter your comment, SIGN IT WITH YOUR FIRST NAME ONLY, click on 'anonymous' at the bottom, then send your comment.

It won't appear until I moderate it. You don't need a Blogger account to post comments.

Good luck!
Ms W

P.S. Please vote in the survey on the right hand side too.