YEAR 13 Wed 25th May 2016

Today's final official session considered the question:
TO WHAT EXTENT CAN THE GOTHIC TEXT BE CONSIDERED A REBELLIOUS TEXT?

WE agreed that next THURSDAY 12.30/2.30 we will meet to have our final group discussion. Students need to be sending me essays so I can determine the content of this final session. I expect ALL students to send me two essays before Thursday's session. Any student who fails to send me two essays before this session will not be allowed to attend the session!! So get writing the essays. The content and quality of the essays will inform the content of this two hour session.
I am perfectly happy with the level of textual understanding but I need to see more written work. You lot need to be developing the ability to write a precise and appropriate critical argument in timed conditions so you need to be writing '60 Minute' essays. YOU HAVE ALL THE PAST QUESTIONS. FEEL FREE TO ANSWER ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS and stuff them down my digital pipe.

SEE YOU THURSDAY....IF you have handed me two essays. The essays are your entry ticket. If you can't be arsed, neither can I!

YEAR 13 Wed/Friday 18th/20th May 2016

Both these sessions considered Section B of the exam. The Wednesday session considered the question:
WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT BEING HUMAN WHEN ENGAGING WITH THE GOTHIC TEXT?
Class discussion, as it always is with you lot, was perceptive, challenging, and precise. The recent 'SHOCK' essays were okay but it is important that the Section B written work reflects the insight and critical sophistication that is evident in class discussion.
The Friday session considered the question:
'Gothic settings are desolate, alienating and full of menace.' In the light of this comment, consider some of the ways writers use settings in the gothic text that you have read.
Again, class discussion was superb. The lesson concluded with Lauren's request to consider the Frankenstein question:
To what extent do you agree with the view that, in Frankenstein, Mary Shelley is exploring 'the dark side of the human psyche'?

HOMEWORK: Complete a Section B essay. At this point in the course students need to be attempting ONE HOUR essays. If you have the time to produce more than one essay...then produce more than one essay!! STUDENTS HAVE ALL THE PAST QUESTIONS so students need to be attempting some essays.
REMEMBER...attack the section B essay as a BLOCK RESPONSE that considers each text individually. Offer a brief introduction that reflects your line of argument, deal with each text individually, then offer a conclusion that offers an evaluative overview that uses a gothic quote to weave the clarity through your critical conclusion.
KEEP READING  KEEP READING  KEEP READING.

LINK TO BRITISH LIBRARY GOTHIC RESOURCES. THIS IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR DEVELOPING A CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF GOTHIC LITERATURE:
http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/themes/the-gothic

YEAR 13 Friday 13th May 2016

This session considered two pages from Chapter Four of Shelley's Frankenstein and students were asked to construct a 30 minute response to the question:
In what sense is this extract from Frankenstein significant?

HOMEWORK: Keep reading the texts and read the SIX Section B questions I gave the class.
Here is a link to a fantastic resource from the British Library. Fill your GOTHIC boots:
http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/themes/the-gothic

YEAR 13 Wednesday 11th May 2016

Today's session considered possible content for the essay title:
'GOTHIC TEXTS STILL HAVE THE POWER TO SHOCK.'
To what extent do you agree with this view?

The discussion began with a consideration of the why the three texts need to shock the audience or the reader. Macbeth and Faustus may have been written to terrify the audience and warn them against transgressing the accepted boundary between Humanity and God so have these texts lost their philosophical power if the audience fails to feel a sense of fear? Are these three texts less successful if they fail to shock?

Class discussion considered possible content and the notes below will assist construction of the essay.
STRUCTURE:

• Introduction that allows the examiner to comprehend how you will approach the question.

• The first section could examine the final soliloquy in Marlowe's Faustus. Obviously this would be a terrifying and shocking conclusion to the play for an audience who believe in the idea of heaven and hell. Faustus having sex with a devil may have also been perceived as quite shocking!! Also..the murder of The Old Man! A sixteenth-century Christian audience would certainly 'regard' the 'hellish fall' of Faustus but is this final scene less shocking for a twenty-first century audience? Check your notes. Class discussion was excellent. The fractured use of language that moves from melancholy to defiance, from begging for forgiveness to panic and terror, is a powerful dramatic spectacle. Is Marlowe's aim still apparent? Is this still a powerful didactic fable? Does the play have any power at all? If the final section is not shocking....what is it? What is the value of the play if the final section fails to shock? This is still a play about a man begging for his life having been punished for his ruthless ambition and transgression of the accepted moral code. 

• The essay could move into a consideration of Lady Macbeth's final speech. Is this still shocking? If it is..why is it? How should the audience react? Author's aim? There were some excellent comments today about the rapid decline of Lady M from position of defiant strength to fragile vulnerability being both shocking and disturbing. What is Shakespeare's aim here? Reference could be made to Faustus' language in this paragraph and compared with the language used by Lady Macbeth. Both scenes contain hallucinations and fractured language. Discussion considered why Shakespeare is suggesting that Lady M's guilt and conscience have caused this psychological carnage. Remember, this is a play concerned with reassurance and discouraging any form of rebellion. What is the purpose of this scene? How does it allow Shakespeare to explore the theme of crime and punishment? Check your notes.

• The final paragraph could consider the creature's suicide at the end of Shelley's novel. Why is the creature's decision so SHOCKING??? Is this moment still shocking for a contemporary audience? This moment could compare similarities/differences with Macbeth's 'Tomorrow' soliloquy. Both moments explore the futility of life. Students should have enough content if they want to concentrate on the creature. Language focus needs to be precise.

• CONCLUSION needs to use a gothic quote to weave the argument together.

HOMEWORK: Complete the essay. See you Friday.

I expect a three paragraph and conclusion response.

YEAR 13 Friday 6th May 2016

The session began with a consideration of the similarities and differences between Lady Macbeth's final speech and Faustus's final soliloquy. Then we moved on like intellectual bullets to consider the essay title:
'The gothic text still has the power to shock.' To what extent do you agree with this view?
We will continue to discuss possible content for this essay in Wednesday's lesson.
HOMEWORK: Consider possible content for the essay. I expect the essay to be handed to me before Friday's lesson.

YEAR 12 Monday 9th May 2016

This LAST official session involved The Fat Boy running through the key areas of the text that students need to be aware of as we sprint towards the exam.
Class discussion began with a consideration of  ESSENTIAL GATSBY KNOWLEDGE before moving into a consideration of  THREE KEY QUESTIONS.
These questions are:

1. WHY DOES CARRAWAY ADMIRE GATSBY?
2. HOW DOES FITZGERALD WANT THE READER TO VIEW CARRAWAY?
3. HOW DOES FITZGERALD WANT THE READER TO VIEW GATSBY? 

We then considered the CONTENT that must be visible in the exam essay. STUDENTS MUST OFFER THIS CONTENT WHEN PRESENTING THEIR IDEAS IN THE EXAM ESSAY. The Assessment Objectives demand that essays must include:

• An understanding of AUTHORIAL METHOD. Students must show an understanding of how Fitzgerald uses Caraway's narrative and SYMBOLISM to shape and present his ideas.
• Make CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE NOVEL. Students must show the examiner that they can connect ideas with reference to different moments from the text. We discussed how Myrtle and Gatsby seem linked to the ASH that pollutes the Valley of Ashes. We also discussed the significance of the green light at the end of the opening chapter and the green light at the end of the novel...'Gatsby believed in the green light.' Students must also use the comments of critics to connect ideas...Trilling's 'Gatsby is America' ...etc
• Reference to HISTORICAL CONTEXT. Students must reflect an understanding of how the novel reflects its own time and the relevance of the novel in OUR time. Remember, the Declaration of Independence and the aspirational narrative of the American Dream are extremely important when considering Fitzgerald's aim. 
• Reference to the genre of TRAGEDY. Students must consider the novel within the context of tragedy. Is Gatsby a tragic hero? I've just marked a superb essay that suggests Gatsby IS a tragic hero because he is trapped by his origins. He is the victim of forces beyond his control. He is trapped by his origins and can never access the lie of the American Dream. Tom is not a conventional tragic villain as he does not receive any moral punishment for his vile behaviour. Students must refer to the novel within the context of tragedy. YOU HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES TO HELP YOU WITH THIS ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVE.

HOMEWORK: Please feel free to attempt any of the essays posted to the last Year 12 blog entry. If you want to meet me Thursday period two/three as we move toward the exam...drop me an email. Or pop in to the department. Come and speak to me about any issues linked to  FITZGERALD'S AMERICAN DREAM.

On Monday I will be discussing the significance of Chapter 7 and the significance of the opening section of Chapter 8. And other stuff. Bring some questions. See you there.

YEAR 13 27th/29th April 16

These two sessions considered Marlowe's THE TRAGEDY OF Dr. FAUSTUS and also considered issues linked to Section B of the Gothic exam. The Wednesday session considered to what extent gothic texts can be considered SHOCKING and discussed the blasphemous content of the narratives. The discussion considered the distinction between the conservative Christian philosophy being promoted by the authors through textual content that is philosophically confrontational and challenges the accepted social conventions of the world within which they were first performed or published. FAUSTUS remains a RIOT of a play. The first CHORUS provides Marlowe with the moral and legal protection he needed to avoid being accused of blasphemy. Obviously, some critics still consider the play to be a blasphemous text written by a rebellious atheist!! What do you think?

Macbeth and Frankenstein were also considered within the framework of 'SHOCK' and class discussion was, as it always is at the moment, bloody fantastic. The recent written work is also very impressive. KEEP IT UP.

The Friday session was a consideration of FAUSTUS. The class were asked to consider the question:
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE WITH RICHARD BAINES THAT MARLOWE 'PERSUADES MEN TO ATHEISM'.
The class then offered a 30 minute written response with the critical focus being the final section of each paragraph and clear explanation of how textual reference supports the critical argument. The final section of the paragraph is important because this is the section that fuses question focus and author's aim. Students were also encouraged to produce an evaluative conclusion that weaves an argument through a critical comment. I gave the class the following comments...

William Vaughan in 1600 stated that Marlowe was a 'blasphemous sinner'......
Judith Weil in 1977 described Marlowe as 'a dogmatic moralist'....
Clayton Mackenzie in 2010 described Marlowe's work as 'a carnival of savagery'....
These are the kind of quotes that will allow you to construct a more sophisticated response and show the examiner that you are confronting the 'significance and influence of context/explore connections informed by views of other readers' assessment objectives.

THE RSC are performing the play as we breathe...here are some links. The audio file is a cracker.
RSC Faustus Trailer:
https://www.rsc.org.uk/doctor-faustus/trailer
The Director of the 2016 RSC version of FAUSTUS discusses the play..45 minute audio file.
https://www.rsc.org.uk/doctor-faustus/listen-to-the-director-s-talk

HOMEWORK: KEEP READING. KEEP THINKING. ALL students should have completed a Section A Faustus essay and the Section B 'transgression' question. Our next lesson will focus on the significance of Walton's introduction in Frankenstein and his concluding role in the novel.

YEAR 12 Monday 25th April 2016

This session considered a series of past questions and pondered the text as a work of tragedy. The class were given the AQA overview of the text. Note how the notes suggest that Tom's character does not follow the normal conventions of a tragic villain as he does not receive any form of moral justice.

Questions considered in this session included:

'The Great Gatsby is a simple Love story'. To what extent do you agree with this view of the novel?

The questions below are all past AQA Gatsby questions. Students can attempt any of these questions and send me the essay. Today's session was the final 'official' session but I will continue to offer a Gatsby session every morning in our usual Monday slot. The exam is on 26th May. You begin exam leave on Friday 6th May. I will be available on Thursdays period 2/3 leading up to the exam and also at dinnertime if any students want to meet and discuss the text.

'Gatsby is a tragic hero'. To what extent do you agree with this view of the novel?
To what extent is THE GREAT GATSBY a 'rags to riches' story?
How far do you agree with the view that THE GREAT GATSBY presents the virtue of living a moral and decent life?
'In THE GREAT GATSBY the lower social classes are presented as being crude and vulgar'. How do you respond to this view?
'THE GREAT GATSBY presents a vicious world of deception and corruption.' How do you respond to this view?
'Since its publication THE GREAT GATSBY has been banned in many states in America. This is the correct decision because it presents the reader with an amoral and disgusting world'. How do you respond to this view?

REMEMBER...the focus of the course is to consider HOW THE AUTHOR SHAPES MEANING and to what extent the novel can be considered a TRAGIC text. BE AWARE OF ALL THE ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES.
CARRAWAY is the key symbolic feature of the text so make sure you are fully aware of HOW Fitzgerald uses this narrative voice and WHY he chooses this subjective voice to present the narrative to the reader.

Feel free to attempt any of the essay titles posted to this blog. READ THE TEXT.

Now is the time to read all your notes, look at your past essays, digest my exemplar essays, read the book, create intellectual clarity, and consider how you would answer the questions posted to this blog entry.

STUDENTS NEED TO USE THE MASS OF GATSBY RESOURCES THAT I HAVE POSTED TO THIS BLOG. USE THE BAR IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE PAGE. I HAVE POSTED SSSSOOOOOOOO MANY RESOURCES. USE THEM.

Toodle Pip.