Today's session continued to examine the significance of the final two scenes of the play and considered whether Faustus is a sympathetic figure at the end of the play. Class discussion considered the view that the play is much more shocking and terrifying within the context of the sixteenth century as the representation of HELL would have been extremely challenging for a Christian audience. The class watched a version of the play and discussed the director's motivation.
HOMEWORK: Complete Coursework. Next Wednesday is a series of one to one tutorials. See you there chimps.
Friday, 4 March 2016
Thursday, 3 March 2016
YEAR 13 Wednesday 2nd March 2016
This session consisted of the Fat Bloke offering the usual Hull accent-based reading of Marlowe's Faustus. The last session considered the significance of the penultimate scene and explored the symbolic significance of the Old Man. Today's session contained a reading of the final scene and students were encouraged to compare the defiant death of the Old Man with the helpless fear and terror that Faustus experiences before he is dragged screaming into his eternal hell. Students need to be aware of the need for this final scene to be visually dramatic and shocking. Imagine witnessing a character being dragged to HELL in the 1590s!! This should be a terrifying conclusion to the play.
The class were asked to consider the symbolic significance of soliloquy, the fact that Marlowe subverts the narrative expectation of the morality play, the significance of Faustus' final words [..I'll burn my books. Ah, Mephistopheles!], and the significance of the final Chorus.
It is really important that students listen to an audio version of the play or grab a video of performance as, obviously, reading the play in E4 is hardly the most appropriate way to appreciate the genius of Marlowe.
HOMEWORK: Students need to be creating second drafts of the coursework. Students also need to keep visiting Marlowe's magnificent play.
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
YEAR 12 Monday 29th February 2016
Today's session considered the significance of the final page and explored possible interpretations. Class discussion also considered why Fitzgerald presents Carraway as a more self-assured character as he organises Gatsby's funeral, confronts Wolfsheim, confronts Tom, and concludes his relationship with Jordan. His character, unlike Tom's character, appears to transform. WHAT IS AUTHOR'S AIM HERE?
The final section of the lesson considered the key symbols used by Fitzgerald to shape meaning. Class discussion included reference to the the following symbols:
- The Green Light and the colour green.
- The motor car.
- The symbolic nature of character.
- The symbolic significance of location.
- Gatsby's house.
- The eyes of T.J.Eckleburg
- The symbolic significance of Music.
HOMEWORK: Our next essay will explore the significance of symbolism so students need to read the book, consider how Fitzgerald uses symbolism to shape meaning, and bring some opinion to the next session. If your last essay was a D grade, you need to send me one paragraph of rewritten material from the essay. I want to see students responding to my marking and improving the quality of the paragraph.
Some resources to digest.
John Green Resources
My podcast from a time now forgotten:
GUARDIAN article:
Baz Luhrmann discusses Gatsby:
http://www.channel4.com/news/baz-luhrmann-the-great-gatsby-film-director
The Washington Post: Why Gatsby is the great American novel:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/achenblog/wp/2015/03/20/why-the-great-gatsby-is-the-great-american-novel/
The Washington Post: Why Gatsby is the great American novel:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/achenblog/wp/2015/03/20/why-the-great-gatsby-is-the-great-american-novel/
Saturday, 27 February 2016
YEAR 13 Friday 26th February 2016
Today's session was a series of one on one tutorials that offered feedback to the first drafts of the coursework. Some of the work is excellent and some of the work needs some serious improvement. ALL students need to make sure that conclusions are considering the purpose of literature, the purpose of metaphor, and why your text remains a relevant and creative work of literature. I went to feel some passion blasting from the concluding comments.
HOMEWORK: Attempt to improve drafts. Send me any paragraphs or improvements that you would like me to mark. Below are some relevant resources for specific students.
Simon Armitage..'POETRY IS A FORM OF DISSENT':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvFcbedyQ0A
HOMEWORK: Attempt to improve drafts. Send me any paragraphs or improvements that you would like me to mark. Below are some relevant resources for specific students.
Simon Armitage..'POETRY IS A FORM OF DISSENT':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvFcbedyQ0A
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
YEAR 13 Wed 24th Feb 2016
Today's session considered the significance of the OLD MAN in the penultimate scene of the play. THIS IS A HUGE MOMENT as Marlowe introduces the OLD MAN as a symbol of the power of faith. Class discussion also considered the purpose of the 'Horse-Courser' scene and the HILARIOUS leg pulling slapstick moment. O how we laughed!!
HOMEWORK: Keep reading the play. On Friday we have a series of one to one tutorials that will provide feedback to the first drafts of the coursework. The first drafts look really promising. See you Friday.
YEAR 12 Monday 22nd February 2016
APOLOGIES for the lack of BLOGGAGE over the past couple of months but I have been recovering from a chronic drug problem and some quite alarming haircuts. Or my workload became quite hectic...YOU DECIDE.
So...here we are again. Over the last half-term we have moved through the issues being explored by Fitzgerald in THE GREAT GATSBY and today's session considered the significance of the penultimate chapter. Students were asked to consider the significance of.. 'Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor'...and Carraway's last comment to Gatsby that
'They're a rotten crowd..You're worth the whole damn bunch put together.'
Chapter 8 is also MASSIVELY significant for the 'GOD SEES EVERYTHING' moment and the murder of Gatsby. Students really need to be aware of the significance of this chapter. Discussion also considered why Carraway seems to be a stronger character in the final chapter of the novel. Isaac's comments continue to be perceptive and inspirational! Good work young man!
The final section of the lesson involved students constructing a HAIKU that captures some feature of the novel. Some of the work is ace. I'll share in the next lesson.
HOMEWORK: Students need to read the final chapter and also capture a photograph from Beverley that relates in some way to an aspect of the novel. The photograph needs to be emailed to me before Monday so I can post the images to the blog. I WANT A PHOTOGRAPH THAT YOU HAVE COMPOSED. I DO NOY WANT A GOOGLE IMAGE. TOTAL CREATIVITY is required.
Students should also be dipping in to the mass of resources that can be found on this blog that relate to the novel. Here is the link to Father Barron's comments that link to the TJ Eckleberg symbol:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSVx84uPrY
Below are the resources used in today's session:
He looked...as if he had killed a man...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgBYfCVFedU
Gatsby's death:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfNE-pTRTH8
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