Shakespeare, Auden, Austen

Hello all

We are at the mid-point in terms of texts - finishing Shakespeare, doing Auden and looking forward to Austen.

Hamlet: final drafts of all essays to be handed in next week - see the email I sent you all reminding you of this.

Auden: we've looked at three of the seven poems now. After we've done no. 4, we'll think about how those poems relate to the topic of narrative.

Austen: you should all be reading Pride and Prejudice now and over the next 3 weeks. Please finish reading it by March 20th at the latest.

See you soon

Dr S

STILL no baby...

Right, looks likely that I'll be with you tomorrow and this is what we'll do:
- aim to achieve an overview of the ways that the narrative develops by working in pairs to complete chapter summaries for particular sections of the novel. We'll need to include details about the main plot points, obviously, but also consider other points of narrative interest, eg where we find strong characterisation, where the narrator changes etc.
see you then!
Mr Boulter

E-magazine

Hi all,
Just a reminder of the emagazine subscription that we currently have, and how it might help you. I've just been on and found a few articles about lots of the texts you are reading (including Enduring Love), so if you have time, do go on and have a look. You need to go to www.emagazine.org.uk, use the username: emagazine6 and the password: y37k42 to get at all this stuff. Obviously this means a bit of extra effort, but reading around the subject is invaluable if you are looking to push yourself and want your study to be a really enriching, interesting process.
Mr Boulter
ps still no baby.

Enduring Love prep

Hi all,

Further to the post below about coursework, you need to make sure that you have completed the following by the first Monday back please:

1) Read Enduring Love in its entirety. I know that some of you have completed this already; if you haven't yet read the novel then you really need to get on with it, ie make a good start this weekend and then read consistently through the week.

2) Completed the questions and tasks on my original EL post, including the 500 words.

I know that you have Hamlet work to complete as well, but if you have time and have completed 1 and 2, please have a go at this also:

3) Make brief notes on the main events of Chapters 1-5. For each chapter, select and explain 5 quotations which you think are most helpful in showing different elements of narrative technique (go back to the work we've completed on Keats for ideas here, eg time and sequence, characterisation etc).

While I'm here, thank you for your work on Monday, when we discussed some themes related to both EL and Keats, focusing on Science / Rationality vs Religion / Art, and the different ways in which they seek to explain existence. We then moved on to consider the opening page of EL, identifying ways in which McEwan begins his narrative through, for example, establishing a strong narrative persona, holding back key information and setting questions in the reader's mind. Also, we considered some of the main options available to novelists in choosing their forms of narration, and discussed the opportunities and limitations presented by each.

Finally, on what is turning into a longer than expected post, a note about wider reading to support us with this text. I would recommend reading one or two other McEwan texts; Atonement usually goes down well, I can't get going with Saturday but I hear it's very good when you do, and some people like Amsterdam but I didn't! Black Dogs is short and pretty dark, so if you are feeling gloomy, start there. Also, that reminds me, I've photocopied an article for each of you on Lamia - if you do get read this in time to come and get it from me on Thurs, please do!

Have a wonderful break Year 12, and further congratulations on your efforts this term. It's very possible that I will not be in school after half term as you know, but do come to the lessons as either myself or Mr Marshall (or both) will be there to take them.

Ta ta,

Mr Boulter

Coursework deadlines

Hi all,
In the light of recent disruption to our lessons, I've decided to extend the coursework deadline to Monday 23rd March. It may be that I'm not in school at this time, so please email me the work on or before that date. If you need to discuss the work with me beforehand, please email me with suggested times- it may need to be after school.
Mr Boulter

Into many a green valley / drifts the appalling snow

Disappointed that nobody has responded to Mr Boulter's challenge to recognise the source of the quote on his post a few days ago. I will be particularly upset if no-one can spot where it comes from!

And you should also recognise the quote in the title of this post. Very appropriate, I feel. Auden is quite keen on images of snow and glaciers to represent the chill of human failure, as you'll see.

We've made a good start on Auden. We'll finish looking at 'As I Walked Out' after half term, and move on to others. Meanwhile, through our reading of some introductory poems, you should have become aware of the 'lyric' form and style of much of Auden's poetry, and his use of modernist modes of imagery - often surprising and ambiguous, but also powerful and moving. We have talked a lot about the musical qualities of modernist poetry - the importance of sound - as well as the importance of visual imagery.

Work for half term will be redrafts of your Hamlet coursework

Mr S

Here we snow again...

Right, so Snow Day II it is! I'm a bit worried at missing all this time, particularly as we have an INSET day next Friday and I'm going to disappear soon anyway. As a result, I'm going to set you some work to do over the weekend, and I'll also try to come in for at least a couple of the lessons I'll miss when I'm on paternity leave- I'll let you know the details of this as soon as I can.

In time for Monday's lesson, could you make sure that you have:

- re-read Chapter 1 of Enduring Love

- Made notes on the ways that McEwan begins his narrative. In particular, I'd like you to focus on the following questions:

- what is the form of narration? To answer this you'll need to read this page: http://www.ehow.com/how_2064037_identify-narrative-style-literature.html

- What does McEwan suggest about the characters of Joe and Clarissa in the opening chapter? Find 3 pieces of evidence for each and discuss.

- What style of language is employed in the chapter? Find examples and comment on them

- How does McEwan attempt to engage our interest in the opening chapter? Write about 500 words on this please.

OK, that should keep you busy and prepare us for a very focused 'catch-up' lesson on Monday- please make sure that you bring books and your homework with you.

Have a great weekend,

Mr Boulter

ps- surely we'll be in on Monday???! It is forecasting Heavy Snow at the moment though, and I really will get worried if we miss that as well! But don't panic. We'll catch up with everything, as long as you apply yourselves properly at home.

Friday (fingers crossed!)

Hi all,

Well, I'm not quite sure if Friday's lesson is going to go ahead - the weather forecast does not look good - but if so, here's what I'd like us to achieve. I know I've not set you your Keats presentations homework yet, and I'm actually going to wait a little while for this, giving us a chance to get the groups properly sorted. I think we should get going with EL, certainly before I go off on paternity leave, which could be any time (yikes). Therefore:

• We'll aim to understand the various narrative approaches available to novelists, and the advantages or uses of each.


• We'll then apply this to looking at the opening of Enduring Love, considering how McEwan begins his narrative and looking for links to the work we've done on Keats.


• We'll also consider the theme of science / rationality vs art / religion / emotion, which we've looked at with Keats and which is continued by McEwan

Hope to see you in the morning, and that you all enjoyed the unexpected day off!

Mr Boulter