Literature -1.pdf

Introduction to Basic Literature: "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" by Paul Zindel

Review (Terms/Vocab)

Drama/play •Character list - Why are there character lists in plays while there is none in novels? •(There is character development throughout the novel, but for plays there is a need for character background) Set + setting - set is on the stage itself, while the setting is where the story is supposed to •be (time and place at which the story takes place) Acts & scenes •

Dialogue •Stage directions •

- with lightning (spot lights etc.) How should a student read a play? “A play is for performance, not for reading.” A literature student’s dual role when reading a play: you are both reader and audience (imagine) • Approach the play with an awareness of the DRAMATISTS’ TECHNIQUES • Make an immediate effort to put together a viable picture of the SETTING or environment of the play • Determine, as quickly as possible, who the CHARACTERS are and what their RELATIONSHIPS are to and with one another • Recognize that the PLOT is probably the most important element of the play and that it is constructed in some LOGICAL SEQUENCE of EVENTS • Be ready and willing to exercise the IMAGINATION – materialize the entire play in the mind’s eye. See and hear each character perform in a complete environment. In this way, the whole literary art work, the play, comes alive and is significant

Somebody reading it when it is meant to be acted

Different from novels, the way they set up the story is different

Student of literature

ACT a division, a name term

part of a bigger picture

Why does Paul write it in two acts?

Shakespeare plays are in 5 acts while modern acts are usually in 3 acts

Has scenes too (a smaller division)

for audience to catch a breath? (sections, divisions, like chapters in a novel)

Won't it be awkward/off balanced? And why does this not have scenes? Why are there scenes in eg. Shakespeare?

Different setting How does he change the setting?

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds by Paul Zindel

Summarize each scene by giving it a precise and concise heading:(Note: The following scene assignment is not Paul Zindel’s.)Pagination is based on HarperTrophy edition.

Act/scene – Plot (List key events) Scene heading:

I.i (pp. 6-23 Opening …Ruth: I can’t remember …this, that… Go to dark. Music in.)

* Prelude: Tillie marvels at the idea of the formation of the world and her own being

I.ii (pp.23-36 Tillie: Today I saw it… The set goes dark.)

I.iii (pp. 36-53 After a few seconds, the sound of someone dialing a phone… Beatrice: What’s left for me? The stage goes slowly to dark… disappears.)

I.iv (pp.53-63 When the light come up again NANNY is seated…end of Act I)

II.i (pp.64-73 About two weeks later… Tillie: Mother! The taxi will be here any minute.)

II.ii (pp.73-83 Beatrice comes to the top of the stairs… Ruth exits. Beatrice breaks into tears…Music in.)

NYGH/English/S1LA/ST/updated2015

An Introduction to the Hunsdorfer family

The Woes of Beatrice Hunsdorfer

Nightmares

The Phone Call

Betty the Loon

An Argument between Beatrice and Ruth

Music before vocals come in (instrumental)

SETTING

TIME

PLACE

Morning, 8.30, school day

Home of characters

SETTING

TIME

PLACE

Another day when Tillie got to go to school

School

SETTING TIME After school, probably the same day/close proximity

SETTING

TIME

PLACE

Another day

Home

SETTINGTIME

PLACE

2 weeks after it was announced that Tillie got into the finals

Room at home

SETTING TIME Same day

II.iii (pp.83-88 Suddenly a bolt of light strikes… Music in and lights fade.)

II.iv (pp.88-98 From the darkness a beam of light falls on Tillie… The End.)

NYGH/English/S1LA/ST/updated2015

The Appearance of Betty the Loon

Atoms



1. We look for insights, epiphanies, that shed light on humanness, tolerance, anguish, and compassion - an understanding of Beatrice 2. And the lesson I leaned by writing the play with thoughtfulness, honesty, amazement, and terror was that youth is resilient in the clutch of darkness. - a very optimistic statement - doesn't the play end on a very hopeful note as well? This shows how optimistic and hopeful the author is for the future generation. 3. Society was even harder on my mother for having no husband, and it helped to mold her into an eccentric, shrill woman who was frightened of the world. - emphathy. Why does the mother (and Beatrice) behave this way? 4. In retrospect, I understand that my sister and I were the ones who saw things as the way they were, not our mother - often true in children 5. She'd say that one day we'd have our own warm brick house and a new General Motors car and a House Beautiful garden filled with American Beauty roses and lilies of the valley. - she had dreams as well, similar to Beatrice in a sense (the connection) 6. Most teenagers today don't allow themselves to be profaned in silence. They refuse to allow anyone to pull down the shades and make them hide. They often shout with a startling honesty that signals that the humanness of all of us has crept boldly forward. I cheered recently when's kid I met told me matter-of-factly in front of his class: "Three of my parents are media specialists." - again, it ends on an optimistic and hopeful note and really shows the author's genuine optimism towards the future generation of our society.

His take on writing is for him and all authors alike to try and solve life's problemsSolve his childhood

problems

His love of science is reflected strongly in the book. (Background context: he was a previous science teacher.)

"We most basically, create and tell stories to solve problems." (From Marigolds... Revisited)

"It's important, too, that those who read and hear our stories find answers for their own lives." (From Marigolds... Revisited)

1. TILLIE 2. BEATRICE 3. RUTH 4. NANNY 5. JANICE VICKERY

"What does characterization do for a story? In a nutshell, it allows us to empathize with the protagonist and secondary characters, and thus feel that what is happening to these people in the story is vicariously happening to us; and it also gives us a sense of verisimilitude, or the semblance of living reality. An important part of characterization is dialogue, for it is both spoken and inward dialogue that afford us the opportunity to see into the characters' hearts and examine their motivations. In the best of stories, it is actually characterization that moves the story along, because a compelling character in a difficult situation creates his or her own plot."

-Karen Bernardo, Characterization in Literature In fictional literature, authors use many different types of characters to tell their stories. Different types of characters fulfill different roles in the narrative process, and with a little bit of analysis, you can usually detect some or all of the types below. 1) Protagonist - The protagonist is the central person in a story, and is often referred to as the story's main character. He or she (or they) is faced with a conflict that must be resolved. The protagonist may not always be admirable (e.g. an anti-hero); nevertheless s/he must command involvement on the part of the reader, or better yet, empathy. 2) Antagonist - The antagonist is the character(s) (or situation) that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend. In other words, the antagonist is an obstacle that the protagonist must overcome. 3) Anti-Hero - A major character, usually the protagonist, who lacks conventional nobility of mind, and who struggles for values not deemed universally admirable. Duddy, in Mordecai Richler's The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, is a classic anti-hero. He's vulgar, manipulative and self-centered. Nevertheless, Duddy is the center of the story, and we are drawn to the challenges he must overcome and the goals he seeks to achieve. 4) Foil - A foil is any character (usually the antagonist or an important supporting character) whose personal qualities contrast with another character (usually the protagonist). By providing this contrast, we get to know more about the other character. 5) Symbolic - A symbolic character is any major or minor character whose very existence represents

CAST LIST:6. MR. GOODMAN 7. MR. MAYO 8. MR. FRANK 9. BEATRICE'S HUSBAND 10. MR. BURG 11. MISS HANLEY

some major idea or aspect of society. For example, in Lord of the Flies, Piggy is a symbol of both the rationality and physical weakness of modern civilization; Jack, on the other hand, symbolizes the violent tendencies (the Id) that William Golding believes is within human nature. 6) Major or central characters - vital to the development and resolution of the conflict. In other words, the plot and resolution of conflict revolves around these characters. 7) Minor characters - serve to complement the major characters and help move the plot events forward. 8) Dynamic - A dynamic character is a person who changes over time, usually as a result of resolving a central conflict or facing a major crisis. Most dynamic characters tend to be central rather than peripheral characters, because resolving the conflict is the major role of central characters. 9) Static - A static character is someone who does not change over time; his or her personality does not transform or evolve. 10) Round - A rounded character is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person. 11) Flat - A flat character is the opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notable for one kind of personality trait or characteristic. 12) Stock - Stock characters are those types of characters who have become conventional or stereotypical through repeated use in particular types of stories. Stock characters are instantly recognizable to readers or audience members (e.g. the femme fatale, the cynical but moral private eye, the mad scientist, the geeky boy with glasses, and the faithful sidekick). Stock characters are normally one-dimensional flat characters, but sometimes stock personalities are deeply conflicted, rounded characters (e.g. the "Hamlet" type). 1) Direct presentation (or characterization) - This refers to what the speaker or narrator directly says or thinks about a character. In other words, in a direct characterization, the reader is told what the character is like. When Dickens describes Scrooge like this: "I present him to you: Ebenezer Scrooge....the most tightfisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!" - this is very direct characterization! 2) Indirect presentation (or characterization) - This refers to what the character says or does. The reader then infers what the character is all about. This mimics how we understand people in the real world, since we can't "get inside their heads". In other words, in an indirect characterization, it's the reader who is obliged to figure out what the character is like. And sometimes the reader will get it wrong *Things to Remember: 1. Literary characters may embody more than one of these character types at the same time. A dynamic character may also be the antagonist, and a protagonist can also be, say, a flat and stock character (i.e. the one-dimensional hero). 2. Here's a very common mistake: while characters are often round and dynamic, that does not mean these two terms mean the same thing. The former refers to a character's complexity, while the latter refers to a character's development over time. Students also make this mistake with flat and static characters.

MAIN QUESTIONS: Is Tillie/Ruth a dynamic character? What is that change in her? Is she a round character?

Tilllie starts off as a timid and shy girl, with a meek personality. Compared to Beatrice and Ruth's more "explosive" personality, she is often overlooked.

Is Beatrice a Good or Bad Mother?

Good Bad

She does not want Tillie to go through the same things that she did when she was younger. - In Act I, scene ii (pg 7-13), Beatice does not let

Tillie to go to school. - Although she says that Tillie has to stay at home

to do the chores, later on in the story, we find out that Beatrice was also made fun off and called "Betty-the-Loon" through the words of Ruth. (pg 92)

Beatrice sees her younger self in Tillie, and as she suffered a lot of humiliation from her peers when she was younger, she does not wish for Tillie to go to school and experience that. This shows her genuine concern for Tillie's wellbeing.

She denies Tillie the right to go to school. - In Act I, scene ii, Beatice does not let Tillie to go

to school and tells her to stay at home to finish the chores. (pg 7-13)

- "Matilda, if you can't get yourself dressed properly before going to school you're never going to go again. I don't like the idea of everyone laughing at you, because when they laugh at you they're laughing at me. And I don't want you cranking any more atoms..." (pg 17)

Although she may be genuinely concerned about Tillie getting mocked in school, it is not right for a mother to deny their child their right to go to school. Beatrice hinders Tillie's learning and education by not allowing her to go to school.

She does not like the idea of Tillie being made fun of in school. - "Matilda, if you can't get yourself dressed properly before going to school you're never going to go again. I don't like the idea of everyone laughing at you, because when they laugh at you they're laughing at me. And I don't want you cranking any more atoms..." (pg 17)Although her way of handling the news of Tillie being mocked in school is definitely wrong, she clearly does not like the idea of people laughing at her daughter like all mothers even going as far as threatening to not let her go to school.

She sets a bad example for her children. - "Why, what an outstanding event. If you had

warned me yesterday I would've gotten all dressed to kill and gone with you today. I love seeing cloud chambers being brought in." (pg 12)

- (Ruth) "Can I earn a cigarette this morning?" (Beatrice) "Why not?" Betrice offers her a back stretcher along with a cigarette. (pg 18)- She makes a motion behind Nanny's back as if

she's going to smack her on the head with the spoon. "Matilda! Watch me give an any her spoon. A SPOON FOR NANNY!" It manages to be slightly funny and Tillie yields to a laugh, along with her mother. (pg 30)

The above are part of many examples of how bad a role model Beatrice is for her children. From her sarcastic and snide tone of talking, to her allowing her underage daughter - Ruth to smoke, to her rude way of talking and her lengthy complains (Science, science, science), it is obvious that Beatrice is not setting a good example for her children to follow.

She tries hard to comfort Ruth after she had her fits. - "There, now, nobody's after you. Nice and easy. Breathe deeply... Did the big bad man come after my little girl?" She sits Ruth down and then put both hands up to her own face and pulles her features into a comic mask. Ruth begins to laugh at her. "That big bad bogey man?" (pg 42) The tone she uses when talking to Ruth is entirely different from a usual sarcastic and snide one. Her tone now is comforting add affectionate, as if talking to a small child, showing her motherly side.

She mocks her own daughters on the phone with their teacher, Mr. Goodman. - "She's (Ruth) a terrible snoop..." She takes a puff.

"Your attendance? Isn't that charming. And the cut cards! Imagine. You trust her with...why, I didn't know she could type at all...imagine. " (pg 37)

- "I mean, Matilda has enough problems to worry about without sterility..." (pg 39)

Beatrice tells Mr. Goodman that Ruth is a terrible snoop and implied that Matilda was unattractive. The fact that she says this to her own daughters' teacher in such a crude manner shows how she sees her daughters.

She is concerned about the welfare of Ruth. - "Why, Ruth - your skin just turned ice cold!" She rummages through one of the boxes and grabs a blanket. "This will warm you up... What's the matter?" (pg 43-44) The action of putting a blanket on Ruth shows her genuine concern for Ruth's wellbeing. If she had not been concerned for Ruth, she would not have bothered to even find a blanket.

From the start of the play, Beatrice's disinterest in Tillie's experiment and her reaction to Tillie bring one of the finalists is another example of her as a poor mother. - (Beatrice) "What does half-life mean?" Nanny is well into the room as Tillie speaks. (Tillie) "The half-life of Polonium-210 is one hundred and forty days. The half-life of Radiuj-226 is one thousand five hundred and ninety years. The half-life of Uranium-238 is four and one-half billion years." (Beatrice) putting away her newspaper "Do you know you're giving me a headache?" (pg 28)- "How could you do this to me? HOW COULD

YOU LET THAT MAN CALL OUR HOME! I have no clothes, do you hear me? I'd look just like you up on stage, ugly little you! DO YOU WANT THEM TO LAUGH AT US? LAUGH AT THE BOTH OF US?" (pg 60)

She shows no interest in Tillie's experiment, and even cuts her off when she is explaining. When Tillie got into the finals, she was not happy and even called Tillie ugly in her anger. Beatrice is unsupportive towards her daughter's passion and even scolds her.

She hugs Tillie after realizing how harsh she was. - Beatrice's face begins to soften as she glimpses what she's done to Tillie. "Oh, my God..." Tillie starts towards her. Beatrice opens her arms to receive her as music starts in and the lights fade. A chord of finality punctuates the end of Act I. (pg 61)Beatrice realizes how harsh she was to Tillie at the end of Act I and hugs her when Tillie runs to her. The phrase "Oh, my God..." shows how sorry Beatrice is and the action of hugging Tillie brings out the motherly side of Beatrice, showing the readers her genuine love for Tillie.

She directly says to Ruth that she was a liar in her anger. - "You're such a little liar, Ruth, do you know that's?

When you can't have what you want, you try to ruin it for everyone else."

The statement that Beatrice made was extremely harsh and cruel and she even said it directly to Ruth, causing her to be hurt.

In the end of the play, all of Beatrice's worst flaws comes out after she hears herself being called "Betty-the -Loon" by Ruth. - She calls the school management and gave a

very rude message. (pg 85-86) - She kills Peter, the rabbit causing Ruth to go into

a fit. (pg 92-93)The very act of killing Ruth's rabbit is already an indicator of her unstable mindset at that time. Not to mention, she made a few phone calls, all with very rude messages. The instability of her mind is what makes her such a bad mother.

Good Bad

What is a literary response?

YOUR informed personal response to a literary text

INFORMED

PERSONAL

RESPONSE

Take a stand — an opinion (PERSONAL RESPONSE) Defend your point (RESPONSE)

with evidence from text (INFORMED)

Statement of claim/stand/opinion |

Reasoning: explanation/elaboration |

Support: textual evidence/substantiation

Do you think Beatrice is a good or bad mother?

Textual evidenceShe keeps Tillie from school to keep house.

She looks for property to buy.

She intentionally kills her daughter’s

pet rabbit.She takes in sick

or old people.

She kicks Nanny out.She lies to Mr. Goodman.

She drinks and smokes.

She scolds Tillie for making the finals

of Science Fair.

She helps Tillie with her science project.

She finally refuses to go to the Science Fair.

She comforts Ruth after her nightmare.

She doesn’t keep a neat house.

She dresses strange.

She calls her daughters names & puts them down.

She is verbally abusive and could potentially scar her

daughters for life.

She is concerned about Ruth and Tillie’s health.

She is a terrible role model.

She tries her best to provide for her and her daughters.

She loves her daughters.She is inept as a mother.

Stand / Assertion / Claim

All can be divided into one paragraph

What is a paragraph?Essay

Paragraphs Sentences

Words

A paragraph is made up of sentences that form a group that addresses a

central topic.

Discourse - a line of argument that is there throughout

Sentences must be used to support key point

1. Key point Support your stand

Thesis statement/stand: Despite her actions being that of a bad mother, Beatrice is a good mother at heart.

Transition (firstly, in addition to, in contrast to)

Four criteria of a sound paragraph

UNITY

COHERENCE

COMPLETENESS

ORDER

Central topic/point

Can start with elaboration, evidence as well (from _____ I conclude that she is _____)

Go learn!

Each paragraph must give the feeling that it is complete

Supply all the materials needed to prove your point

*Make sure you're choosing relevant and most important information

Make sure to paragraph as well. It shows your planning.

*Logically linked from one point to another. (Requires functional vocabulary - logical linkers, transitional words or phrases. ) Paragraphs or points must be consistent in evidence

Summary: What is a literary response? 3 Main points: 1. Informed (not just an opinion but supporting your reason with evidence from the text) 2. Personal 3. Response

PERSONAL RESPONSE- statement of claim/stand/opinion. Take a stand (have an opinion)

Quote

RESPONSE- defend your point. What is your reasoning? Explanation & elaboration

Paraphrase

INFORMED - support your point with evidence from the text. Substantial

When to quote, when to paraphrase?

Analyzing text to arrive at conclusion

KEY QUOTE Memorable lines from individual characters

STAND •EVIDENCE/EXAMPLE •ELABORATE/EXPLAIN•

"What's left for me?" "I hate the world." The repetition renders it important

TOPIC •AUDIENCE •PURPOSE•

Narrating larger, significant scenes

Synthesis - piecing back the pieces examined

Ruth's convulsion *Know your text!

Picking out relevant, significant pieces to make a big picture

Cannot sit on the fence - take a stance 1.Do not play number games (3 points for bad, 4 points for good) 2.

3. *BALANCE OF ARGUMENT good argument will address/must counter argue the rest of the evidence (eg. Your stance is Beatrice is a bad mother. Although she tries hard to comfort Ruth after her convulsions, she...) BE FAIR TO THE TEXT

NANYANG GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

COMMUNICATE WITH STYLE AND GRACE !

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LA Notes File Term 2 Wk 1

SEC$1$LANGUAGE$ARTS$2015$

Organisation$of$a$Literary$Essay$

(adapted'from'Sharpening!the!Senses'by'Suzanne'Choo'and'Robert'Yeo)'

In!general,!a!good!essay!should!be!organised!into!three!distinct!sections.!!

The$Introduction$

Start!your!essay!with!a!statement!which!immediately!answers!the!question!and!which!states!your!standpoint.!Then,!summarise!the!key!points!you!will!be!making!in!the!body!of!the!essay.!!

For!example,!in!answer!to!the!question!“Examine!how!the!sense!of!tension!is!created!in!the!text”,!a!typical!introductory!paragraph!might!read:!!

! The!sense!of!tension!is!gradually!built!up!as!the!text!progresses.!Even!though!the!tone!is!lightEhearted!in!the!beginning,!a!disturbing!sense!of!coming!disruption!gradually!intensifies.!This!is!created!through!the!use!of!various!techniques!in!the!text!such!as!mood,!choice!of!words!and!setting.!!

Notice:!

• the!first!sentence!expresses!the!main!point!that!the!writer!is!going!to!make!in!the!essay!• the!second!sentence!states!her!overall!view!of!the!text!structure!!• the!third!sentence!summarises!the!evidence!in!support!of!her!view!

Thus,!an!organised!introduction!consists!of!three!components:!

1. clear'assertion!(forms!the!basis!of!your!essay)!2. overall'view!(of!point/issue)!3. summary'(of!key!points)!

The$body$

The!body!consists!of!the!main!points!you!mentioned!in!your!introduction.!You!should!organise!the!body!into!two!to!three!paragraphs,!with!each!paragraph!making!a!clear!point!supporting!the!initial!assertion.!A!useful!acronym!to!remember!when!writing!the!body!is!the!SEE!principle:!statement,'evidence'and'elaboration.!!



2!!

!!

(a) Statement!!Always!begin!your!introductory!paragraph!as!well!as!the!first!sentence!of!a!paragraph!with!a!point!that!answers!the!question.!One!method!of!ensuring!that!your!answers!are!to!the!point!is!to!underline!the!key!word!of!the!question!and!then!make!it!a!habit!to!repeat!that!key!word!in!your!point.!!!

(b) Evidence!Every!major!point!you!make!must!be!supported!by!evidence!from!the!text.!There!are!two!forms!of!evidence!you!can!use.!!!The!first!is!a!direct!quote!from!the!text.!For!example,!you!could!say:!“I!think!character!X!has!a!courageous,!admirable!personality!as!indicated!by!the!sentence,!‘Mr!X!stared!at!the!thief,!refusing!to!budge.’”!!!The!second!form!of!evidence!is!a!paraphrase!of!the!text.!For!example,!a!variation!of!the!previous!example!would!read,!“I!think!character!X!is!both!courageous!and!admirable!as!during!the!incident!he!firmly!stood!his!ground!in!spite!of!the!threats!he!faced!from!the!thief.”!!!Keep!in!mind!that!the!more!evidence!you!can!provide!to!support!your!point,!the!stronger!your!point!will!be.!Therefore,!in!your!planning!stage,!try!to!always!link!words!or!expressions!that!convey!a!similar!meaning,!mood!or!attitude!so!that!when!you!write!your!essay!you!will!be!able!to!easily!provide!more!than!one!example!to!support!your!point.!!!

(c) Elaboration!Besides!making!a!point!and!providing!evidence!to!support!it,!you!will!need!to!elaborate!on!your!point.!This!means!that!you!need!to!explain!how!your!evidence!links!to!and!proves!the!point!you!made.!!!An!example!of!such!a!statement!would!read:!!! My'impression'of'character'Y'is'that'he'is'an'insecure'person.'For'example,'he'constantly'looks'around'him'and'clutches'a'stick'as'if'expecting'someone'to'pounce'on'him'at'any'moment.'His'constant'uncertainty'shows'the'degree'of'tension'and'anxiety'within'him.''!



3!!

!!Notice!that!the!last!sentence,!the!word!“shows”!links!the!evidence!with!the!point.!Note!also!that!the!elaboration!sounds!logical!and!convincing.!If!the!writer!had!said,!“My!impression!of!character!Y!is!that!he!is!an!insecure!person.!For!example,!he!constantly!stares!at!the!floor.!This!shows!the!sense!of!tension!within!him”,!the!last!sentence!would!not!sound!convincing!for!two!reasons:!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(i)!There!is!no!logical!connection.!What!has!staring!at!the!floor!to!do!with!insecurity?!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(ii)!The!writer!failed!to!give!a!clear,!detailed!explanation.!!

Therefore,!the!more!detailed!your!elaboration!is,!the!more!convincing!your!point!will!be.!You!could!begin!your!elaboration!of!the!evidence!with!such!common!phrases!as!“This!shows”,!“This!reveals”,!“This!conveys!the!idea!that”,!etc,!and!then!go!on!to!explain!what!the!evidence!shows.!!

!

An$example:$

Statement:!The!king’s!horses!and!men!are!incompetent.!

Evidence:!This!is!because!“all!the!King’s!horses!and!all!the!king’s!!

men!couldn’t!put!Humpty!Dumpty!together!again”!after!his!fall.!$

Elaboration:!The!lack!of!expertise!on!the!part!of!the!King’s!!

horses!and!men!is!very!telling.!Humpty!Dumpty!only!fell!from!a!wall,!!

yet!the!King’s!horses!and!men!failed!in!their!reconstructive!efforts.!

$

Present$your$answer$in$one$paragraph:$

The!king’s!horses!and!men!are!incompetent.!This!is!because!“all!the!King’s!horses!and!all!the!king’s!men!couldn’t!put!Humpty!Dumpty!together!again”!after!his!fall.!The!lack!of!expertise!on!the!part!of!the!King’s!horses!and!men!is!very!telling.!Humpty!Dumpty!only!fell!from!a!wall,!yet!the!King’s!horses!and!men!failed!in!their!reconstructive!efforts.!

!



4!!

!

The$conclusion$

To!conclude!your!essay,!you!should!write!your!opinion!or!response!to!the!characters!or!the!main!issues!raised!by!the!text.!Basically,!you!should!state!how!you!feel!towards!the!character!or!event.!For!example,!do!you!sympathise,!admire,!feel!angry,!etc?!If!you!do,!explain!why!you!feel!this!way.!This!implies!that!you!must!employ!the!use!of!words!such!as!“admire”,!“dislike”,!“empathise”,!“sympathise”,!“identify”,!or!“disgusted”.!An!example!of!a!response!statement!would!read:!

I'think'character'X'has'a'courageous,'admirable'personality'as'indicated'by'the'sentence,'“Mr'X'stared'at'the'thief,'refusing'to'budge.”'This'illustrates'how'firm'he'is'even'in'the'midst'of'danger,'causing'us'to'admire'his'inner'strength.''!

Two$things$to$keep$in$mind:!

(1) It!is!not!necessary!to!give!a!response!at!the!end!of!every!paragraph.!However,!you!should!try!to!at!least!give!a!response!as!part!of!the!conclusion!to!your!essay.!

!(2) If!the!question!specifically!asks!for!a!firstEperson!response,!such!as:!“What!are!your!

feelings!for!the!main!character?”,!your!response!would!be!in!the!first!person,!for!example:!“I!feel…”!or!“My!impression!is…”!Otherwise,!state!your!response!in!the!third!person,!which!indicates!you!are!representing!the!views!of!the!general!reader.!Some!examples!of!phrases!you!could!use!are:!“This!causes!us!to!feel…”!or!“This!creates!an!upsetting!effect!on!the!reader…”,!and!so!on.!

QN. Is Beatrice a good or bad mother? Beatrice is inept at a mother. Although she tries hard to be a good mother, she is a terrible role model, she is still verbally abusive towards her daughters and she denies Tillie her right to go to school throughout the play. There are examples as to why Beatrice is a poor role model for her daughters. Firstly, she allows Ruth to smoke when she us under aged, even encouraging her to "earn" the cigarette by helping her with a back stretcher. Although the circumstances might be different in the past and smoking might not have been considered a vice, it does not change the fact that Ruth is under aged. Throughout the whole play, Beatrice is also rude to others and has a very sarcastic and snide tone of talking. This is shown especially when Beatrice interacts with Nanny. She talks to Nanny as if she was a child, disrespecting her and even pretending to hit her with a spoon. This teaches the wrong set of values to her daughters and the effects are apparent as Tillie laughs after seeing Beatrice "give" Nanny her spoon. Beatrice's tendency to complain a lot is also very apparent in the play. She has many lengthy monologues that reveals her bitterness and negativity for certain issues, again teaching her daughters the wrong thing. All this contributes to the way Beatrice's daughters may perceive as "right" or "wrong" and children learn best by mimicking the people around them. The way that Beatrice behaves is definitely not a good thing that her daughters should learn, making her a bad role model and a bad mother. Beatrice is also verbally abusive towards her daughters and could potentially scar them for life. From little things like putting down in a phone call to Mr. Goodman, calling Ruth a "terrible snoop" and implying that Tillie is unattractive, to more serious ones, where she is very harsh to her daughters, there is a very high possibility that she may hurt them. The statements "I'd look just like you up on stage, ugly little you! Do you want them to laugh at us? Laugh at the both of us?" was what she said to Tillie after hearing that Tillie was a finalist in the science fair. That is extremely harsh and cruel. The shock for Tillie must have been tremendous as she must have not been expecting that, causing her to be hurt even more. After Ruth calls Beatrice "Beatrice the Loon", Beatrice directly says to Ruth that she was a liar and always tried to ruin things for others. Although it is true that Beatrice said it in a fit of anger and instability after remembering her past, that very instability of hers is also what makes her unsuitable to be a mother as she very likely to hurt them, thus making her an inept mother. Last but not least, Beatrice denies Tillie the right to education. It is already bad enough that she is so disinterested in Tillie's passion and her science fair, but she also does not let Tillie go to school at the start of the play, telling her to stay at home and do the chores. She also threatens not to let Tillie go to school after hearing from Ruth that everyone at assembly was laughing at her. Later in the play, it is revealed that Beatrice was made fun off and called "Betty the Loon" through the words of Ruth. This may suggest that Beatrice might see her younger self in Tillie, and as she suffered a lot of humiliation from her peers when she was younger, she does not wish

for Tillie to experience that. Although she may be genuinely concerned about Tillie's wellbeing. It is not right for a mother to deny their child their right to go school and learn. By hindering Tillie's learning and education, it is a clear indicator that she is inept as a mother. In conclusion, although it is very clear that Beatrice loves and genuinely cares for her children, tries hard to be a good mother, it does not change the fact that she is inept as a mother. Her intentions might be just, but her way of doing things are often wrong, resulting in at least someone getting hurt.

When elaborating, be careful not to make things up

But infer from the clues in the passage

Can be considered an inference

*Prioritize the points! What is the worst thing Beatrice has done? 1. Smoking 2. Drinking Are they the worst?

Not moral wrong, but vicesSmoking without addiction, drinking without drunkenness

Does not thing about the effect she has on her children

Without thoughts of impact on daughters

So consumed by her own problems

-Abusive -Lying -Smoking in an abusive manner

Of all the things that makes Beatrice a bad role model, is it smoking and drinking or being abusive and lying that truly makes us say that she is a bad mother?

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What is the effect of gamma rays in man-in-the-moon? Theme: youth is resilient in the clutch of darkness, youth can overcome all the odds Radiation has caused most of the plants to die, but some of it survives, dwarfed by it. It still survives in the clutch of darkness Optimistic play - life is terrible but there is hope Nanny contrast with youth, shows Beatrice's personality Why did Paul not give Nanny a voice? Empathy. Nanny's voicelessness is a representation of Beatrice's voicelessness in society (social status, widow). Loud woman but in reality she forgets the things that happen to her. Nanny's role is underscore Beatrice's character

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Ironic

The house and money

Fluctuation: talking to herself, talking to Tillie

Shows that Beatrice does not finish what she starts

She finally does at the end

Typical cross communication between mother and child

Takes an interest in Tillie's education

Zindel is being very descriptive with Nanny. Why?

her time is going to end

Sarcastic

Emphasis on Nanny's disability 1. Draw pity from audience 2. Figuratively talks about Beatrice's inner self

Afraid that Tillie would get laughed at like she did in school

Notice how Tillie responds. How would Ruth respond? Daily routine

(1) By close impression of this passage, what impressions do you form of family life in the Hunsdorfer household. (2) How well do you think Beatrice takes care of her family? Refer to refer to your knowledge of the whole text to support your answer.

*Link everything together (like a spider web) (characters)

Evaluate, weigh in how well Beatrice takes care

*Don't do like comprehension questions, don't repeat the same things for both questions, don't repeat points. (Repeating evidence - write something like "just like part 1). Don't contradict what you wrote.

Abilities tested: 1. Close reading skills 2. Knowledge of whole text

LITERARY RESPONSE

Literature -1.pdf

Documents

Transcript of Literature -1.pdf