Today's session was the beginning of our journey through HARD TIMES. Class discussion considered the philosophical context of the novel. Reference was made to Thomas Carlyle, Jeremy Bentham, The Great Exhibition of 1851, and the Chartist Movement. Students need to read the FACT sheet that I handed to the class at the beginning of the session.
At one point I made reference to SUMMERHILL. Click on link below to develop an understanding of this unique approach to education:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE20ylESsY4
AS Neill and Summerhill:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-C2i9Iq9vY
The point is that there is more than one way to educate children!!! This is a school with a unique philosophy that confounds OFSTED!!
This is a lovely 10 minute YOU TUBE film. Good introduction to the life, work and times of Dickens. ESSENTIAL VIEWING. WATCH THIS RESOURCE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9dB9BZWDBU
Armando Iannucci's BBC documentary. Watch if you have time...it is excellent. Iannucci states that 'Dickens' world is OUR world' :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZB6E0-yCk
WE need to understand CHARTISM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW_p3YLkScM
Good academic article about the novel...'Fire, Fancy, and Fairy Tale' :
http://portfolio.snc.edu/stephanie_kleckner/engl-489-advanced-seminar-charles-dickens-seminar-essay-research-assignment-fire-fancy-and-fairy-tales-in-dickens-hard-times/
In Monday's session I mentioned the filmmaker KEN LOACH and how his films highlight the flaws of government policy in the hope of encouraging political and social reform...in a similar way to Dickens and his use of the literary form. Here is LOACH on last week's question time discussing whether society is less compassionate than it has been in the past. His new film deals with how the benefits system is lacking empathy and humanity...he uses the phrase 'Conscious Cruelty':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOKRsrTavX0
KEN LOACH on Channel FOUR NEWS with TORY MP KWASI KWARTENG:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V7Iaycp5IU
This is the trailer for LOACH'S new film 'I, Daniel Blake':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWgxw9E_h4
REMEMBER...Dickens was inspired to create his work because he was appalled by human cruelty and he wanted to shame a political class who he believed had lost any sense of compassion for the vulnerable and instead harbour only heartless contempt for the less fortunate members of society. He wanted to use his art to encourage social change.
Film Critic Mark Kermode reviews Loach's film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=offpkwG9zbA
The Real Daniel Blakes.....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKaX5wMyMqQ
I expect students to synthesise the information contained within these resources as this will allow us to generate an informed and detailed A LEVEL class discussion. It is important that students understand the HISTORICAL CONTEXT that surrounds this fantastic novel and can comprehend the contemporary relevance of HARD TIMES.
HOMEWORK: We will be discussing the content of the first EIGHT Chapters of the novel. The next session will not involve group work it will be an open class discussion and I expect ALL students to contribute. The two key questions that we will be discussing will be:
- How does Dickens use language, structure and form to shape meaning?
- What is Dickens ATTACKING and why? What is his aim?
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