Technical Terms

Alliteration:the repetition of the same consonant sound in two or more word.

Allusion:A reference to another event, place, person, or piece of literature.

Ambiguity:Words or phrases in which the meaning is unclear or which has more than one possible interpretation.

Archaic:old-fashioned language; used to describe words which are seldom used any more.

Assonance:The repetition of similar vowel sounds.

Blank Verse:Unrhymed poetry in iambic pentameter.

Cliche:A phrase, idea or image that has been used so much that it has lost its original meaning and significance.

Climax:Building up to a high point or important moment.

Colloquial:Ordinary, everyday speech.

Connotation:The implication or suggestion attached to a word or phrase.

Couplet:Two consecutive lines of verse that rhyme.

Dialect: a way of speaking in certain areas of the country.

Enjambement:A line of verse that flows on to the next line without pause.

Euphemism: A softer, less harsh way of expressing something unpleasant.

Extended Image: A comparison that is repeated in more than one place in a poem or is continued throughout the writing.

Feminine Rhyme: Rhyme of more than one syllable (eg. constitution)

Figurative Language: Language which is symbolic or metaphorical; not meant to be taken literally, such as similes, metaphors and personification.

Hyperbole: elaborate exaggeration.

Imagery: The use of words to create pictures or images for the reader.

Infinitive: "To" plus a verb form, such as "to jump" or "to swim".

Internal Rhyme: Rhyming words within a line rather than at the end of lines.

Inversion: Word order which places the verb before the subject or otherwise "inverts" the usual structure of a sentence with which we are familiar - subject, verb, object - and thereby puts emphasis on the word which is out of order.

Irony: Saying one thing while meaning another: a word or phrase has a surface meaning but the opposite, often contradictory, meaning is implied.

Jargon: Language which is particular to a particular profession or occupation.

Juxtaposition: Placing togther two items which are not usually placed together to create a striking combination.

Masculine Rhyme: Rhyme of one syllable.

Metaphor: A comparison of two things to make a description more vivid. the metaphor states that one thing is the other; whereas, a simile would say that it is "like" or "as" the other object.

Metre: Regular use of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.

Monosyllabic: Single syllable.

Mood: THe overall emotional feeling or atmosphere communicated by a piece of writing.

Octave: The first eight lines of a Petrarchal sonnet.

Onomatopoeia: The use of words whos sound copies the sound of the thing they describe.

Oxymoron: A figure of speech which joins together words of opposite meanings.

Paradox: A puzzle; a statement that appears contradictory, but when it is considered more closely it is seen to be true.

Parallel Sentence Structure: Two sentences follow the same structure of syntax or pattern. usually used to show either a contrast in the ideas of the two sentences or a similarity. (Also known as a balanced sentence or "antithesis")

Parenthetical: from paraenthesis: a word or phrase which gives extra information and is not strictly speaking necessary for the sense. These phrases are placed within brackets or commas.

Parody: A work that is written in imitation of another work, usually written to make fun of the original work.

Pejorative: A negative suggestion or implication of a word.

Pentameter: A line of verse containing five feet.

Persona: The "person" in the poem - not necessarily the poet; it is the perspective or point of view from which the poem is written.

Personification: Giving human qualities to an inanimate object. A metaphor in which an inanimate object is likened to a person.

Polysyllabic: Made up of more than one syllable.

Polysyndetic: The joining of words in a list with "and" between each of the items. Usually this is used to emphasise or draw attention to some feature of the list.

Pun: a play o words: two words that have similar sounds but different meanings.

Quatrain: A stanza of four lines which rhyme.

Refrain: Repetition throughout a poem of a phrase, line or verse.

Rhetorical Question: A question which does not require an answer because the answer is obvious or because it is implied in the question.

Rhyme: Corresponding sounds in words, usually at the end of lines.

Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of rhyme in a poem.

Sarcasm: Usually a very cruel or cutting remark.

Satire: The exposing of human failings by ridiculing them.

Sestet: The last six lines of a Petrarchan sonnet.

Sibilants: Words which begin with "s" or soft "c", like "soft shoes".

Simile: A comparison of one thing to another in order to make a description more vivid. Similes use the words "like" or "as".

Simple Sentence: A sentence which has one clause with a subject and verb.

Sonnet: A fourteen line poem. A petrarchan sonnet has an octave and a sestet which is often a puzzle followed by an "answer" or a resolution. A Shakespearean sonnet is three quatrains plus a couplet. The quatrains are often related and an idea is developed throughout the quatrains reaching a climax or conclusion in the final couplet.

Stanza: The blocks of lines into which a poem is divided.

Stream of Conciousness: A technique in which the writer writes down thoughts and emotions as they come into mind without seeming to bother about an order or structure.

Structure: The way that a piece of writing is put togther.

Style: The individual way in which a writer uses language to express ideas.

Symbol: A physical object representative of something else.

Syntax: The way in which sentences are constructed.

Theme: the central idea or ideas that are explored in a piece of literature.

Tone: The author's voice or overall impression created in the poem. it is created in a combination of ways, such as word choice, sentece structure, rhythm, rhyme.

Transferred Epithet: An adjective which is usually applied to a person is applied to an object to draw attention to the quality.

Verse: A unit of Poetry

Villanelle: A verse form which is complex and artificial. It has a very tight rhyme scheme: aba aba aba aba aba abaa. Certain lines are repeated entirely: line 1 is repeated in lines 6, 12, 18; line 3 is repeated in lines 9,15 and 19.

danielle locke

Specialist Study

A Critical Review of
“Butcher Boy”
By Patrick McCabe

The novel “Butcher Boy” by Patrick McCabe is a novel which revolves around the central character Fancie Brady. This study will look at how an incident reveals a flaw in Francie’s character. The study will discuss the importance of the flaw in our understanding of Francie. I will be looking closely at the text and at least two of the key incidents.

The troubled character of Francie Brady was provoked by two key incidents in the novel “Butcher Boy” by Patrick McCabe. His story is one of unfortunate events which lead too the complete and utter break down of the character Francie Brady and eventually to his insanity. I will look at whither there was already a flaw in his character waiting to surface or whither he only became mad because of these events. The key events that I will be looking at are;
· The suicide of his mother.
· Being sent to a borstal and subsequently being sexually abused there.
· His best friend disowning him.

Firstly, we will look at his life before the events. He lived in a small town in Ireland at the beginning of the Second World War. He had an alcoholic father “ …what else would you expect from a house where the father’s never in, lying about the pubs from morning to night…”said Mrs Nugent when talking to Francie’s mother. This bought shame to the whole family as the whole town new it. His mother was very depressed “Francie you would never let me down would you?... that was all there was in this world people who let you down.” She puts a lot of responsibility onto a little boy who should never be given that kind of responsibility. His mother blames his father for the way she feels “she meant you wouldn’t let me down like da did” and Francie’s father blames his own Father for leaving him and his brother “he was off into the speech about his father leaving them when he was seven and how nobody understood him…” His family was already troubled and Francie was already showing signs of being mentally ill by obsessing over what Mrs Nugent (a school mates mother) had called them, “Pigs”. He is always fantasising or imagining what Mrs Nugent is saying about him and his family or what she said to him “Please Francie, I’ll give you anything she’d say.” This is what France is fantasising Mrs Nugent would say. He longs to have some sort of power over her.

When Francie is first told about his mother’s death he doesn’t even take it in. He is to busy looking at Mrs Nugent’s appearance he doesn’t even listen to what she is saying and when he did, he didn’t want to believe it.
…I couldn’t get a word in she was talking away nineteen to the dozen your this and your mother that. She wouldn’t shut up about ma. What would you know about ma I was going to say only what you did on her talking behind her back you shut your mouth Nugent. But I didn’t get the chance she was talking so much if you didn’t know you’d think I was her lifelong friend…she was so close I could see the wiry hairs on her chin and the pink make-up and powder on her cheeks. The smell of it turned my stomach .I could barley hear what she said she dropped her voice so low.
She was staring at me to see what I would do. I did nothing. I tried not to look at the stringy mouth or smell the powder. I said to myself; do nothing Francie…It’s ok. Everything’s ok now.
He did not believe his mum was dead as he reassures himself its ok. However he did hear Mrs Nugent tell him as he says he could “barely” hear her but didn’t say he couldn’t. It also says “She was staring at me to see what I would do.” He felt paranoid that it was maybe a cruel joke to see his reaction, earlier on it said “to see was there anyone else with her some trick she was playing” this show he was paranoid at the beginning of the situation. When he is told the second time from his father there’s no avoiding her death.
O didn’t you hear? He says with a bitter smile. Then he told me they had dredged the lake near the garage and found her at the bottom of it,”
Francie was now in contact with feelings of blame from his father. His father cruelly enjoyed telling his son that his mother was dead. Francie was never consoled or comforted for the death of his mother. In fact his only source of love that he had ever had was from his mother and now she was gone and he was blaming himself for it. Instead of grieving for his mother he began to become obsessed and terrorise the Nugents family. The first thing he did when he had the news of his mother’s death was go round to the Nugent’s house. He attempted his first murder the day after with Philip Nugent (his school mate) it seemed like it was premeditated. He stayed very calm and chatted away nicely to Philip before hand. He becomes extremely jealous of Mrs Nugent and Philip’s mother son relationship. We know he feels guilty for leaving his mum as while he had ran a way he imagined talking to her
“I don’t know what made me do it ma, I said. An old fellow stop and says to me are you alright your shaking all over. Then ma smiled and said she understood, she knew it wasn’t my fault. Come home Francie she said. I’m sorry ma, I said again then she said it again ,come on home, I’m waiting for you.”
He wanted to tell his mother he was sorry. He relates his mum to being understanding, warm and loving.

He is sent to a borstal, to begin with he feels guilty towards Joe his, old best friend, as he had promised before to Joe that he would leave the Nugents alone and the reason he was at the borstal was for breaking into their house and vandalising their property. “There was a gapping hole in my stomach for I knew Joe would have heard all about the Nugents by now. I had let him down.” He also says “I had nobody now that was for sure and it was all my own fault.” This could be Francie admitting that the death of his mother was also his fault. He begins to feel completely powerless again and so tries to commit suicide because at least he will have that power yet that doesn’t even work, he can regain no power. “I tried to get at my wrist with the jaggy bit of the statue.” When he receives a letter from Joe so he decides he will be good. He begins to fantasise about the saints and instead of the priests looking into it as Francie may be going mad they make Francie think that he has some sort of special gift and one priest in particular takes a big liking to Francie. This is when the “Tiddly Show” started to happen. He called the Priest ‘Tiddly’ and he would make Francie play parts in Tiddly’s sick fantasies. Tiddly claimed he loved Francie. Eventually Tiddly was found out, nobody talked to Francie about and so Francie became more and more inside his own head.

When he is released from the borstal he returns home to his father, who was slowly drinking himself to death. He drops out of school because he does not want to have to do school with a whole year group younger than him. His best friend Joe was very close with Philip Nugent when Francie returned. Francie tried to talk to Joe about what happened in the borstal he changed it into a joke “I fairly fooled you there Joe. Tiddly! Imagine someone doing the like of that. Tiddly!” he felt embarrassed, alone and he had noone to confide in. Joe was also his childhood and when Francie started loosing Joe he was saying goodbye to his childhood. It was never going to be the same as it had been.
I wanted to talk about the hide and the old days and hacking at the ice and whose turn it was to toss the marble and all that, that was what I wanted to talk about. They were the best days. You could see through them days as clear as polished glass. But Joe didn’t want to.
Francie feels Joe has moved on and completely left him behind. He wishes he was back in those days when he was completely innocent and he still has his mother and before he was ever a “pig”. He relates Joe to when everything was as good as his life gets. He does everything to try and be his friend again “I was going to go right in and say hello to Joe and them all sitting there and if they wanted me to sit beside them then all the better…” he imagined what it would be like being able to be friends with Joe again.

I believe that Francie had a flaw in his character waiting to surface and these unfortunate events provoked this flaw to come to surface. Yet each event made Francie more isolated and more in his own head. His mother dying, he blamed himself for the most part, he also hated his father and believed he was also to blame. He lost his only source of love also. Being sent to the borstal and being abused, He lost his innocence, his childhood and he did not talk to people about it. Finally, he lost his best friend, his last sense of sanity. He lost his friend and who he related when his life was good with.

...............................................................................................

Hope your gratefull it took me ages to get on to this bloomin site! Ur directions were rong! Grrrrrrr!

McCarthyism

If you are interested in finding out more about McCarthyism then check out this site:

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/McCarthyism/McCarthyism.html

Remember if you are writing about "The Crucible" as an allegory then it is important that you know about this!!!

ARTHUR MILLER: WHY I WROTE THE CRUCIBLE

…by 1950, when I began to think of writing about the hunt for Reds in America, I was motivated in some great part by the paralysis that had set in among many liberals who despite their discomfort with the inquisitors’ violations of civil rights, were fearful, and with good reason, of being identified as covert Communists if they should protest too strongly.


When Gentiles in Hitler’s Germany, saw their Jewish neighbours being trucked off…the common reaction, even among those unsympathetic to Nazism, was quite naturally to turn away for fear of being identified with the condemned. As I learned from non-Jewish refugees, however, there was often a despairing pity mixed with “Well, they must have done something.” Few of us can easily surrender our belief that society must somehow make sense. The thought that the state has lost its mind and is punishing so many innocent people is intolerable. And so the evidence has to be internally denied.

In any play, however trivial, there has to be a still point of moral reference against which to gauge the action. In our lives in the late nineteen-forties and early nineteen-fifties, no such point existed anymore…The days of “J’accuse” were gone, for anyone needs to feel right to declare someone else wrong. Gradually, all the old political and moral reality had melted like a Dali watch. Nobody but a fanatic, it seemed, could really say all that he believed.


I visited Salem for the first time on a dismal spring day in 1952…in the gloomy courthouse there I read the transcripts of the witchcraft trials of 1692…It was from a report written by the Rev. Samuel Parris, who was one of the chief instigators of the witch hunt.

“During the examination of Elizabeth Proctor, Abigail Williams and Ann Putnam (both teenage accusers) both made offer to strike at Elizabeth Proctor; but when Abigail’s hand came near, it opened, whereas it was made up into a fist before, and came down exceedingly lightly as it drew near to said Proctor, and at length, with open and extended fingers, touched Proctor’s hood very lightly. Immediately Abigail cried out her fingers, her fingers, her fingers burned…”

In this remarkably observed gesture of a troubled young girl, I believed, a play became possible. Elizabeth Proctor had been the orphaned Abigail’s mistress and they had lived together in the same house until Elizabeth fired the girl. By this time, I was sure, John Proctor had bedded Abigail, who had to be dismissed most likely to appease Elizabeth. There was bad blood between the two women now. That Abigail started, in effect, to condemn Elizabeth to death with her touch, then stopped her hand, then went through with it, was quite suddenly the human centre of all this turmoil.

All this (the human centre of this turmoil) I understood…my own marriage of twelve years was teetering and I knew more than I wished to know about where the blame lay. That John Proctor the sinner might overturn his paralysing personal guilt and become the most forthright voice against the madness around him was a reassurance to me, and, I suppose an inspiration; it demonstrated that a clear moral outcry could still spring even from an ambiguously unblemished soul….a play began to accumulate around this man.


I was also drawn to The Crucible by the chance it gave me to use a new language – that of seventeenth century New England. That plain, craggy English was liberating in a strangely sensuous way, with its swings from an almost legalistic precision to a wonderful metaphoric richness. Deodat Lawson, one of the great witch-hunting preachers said in a sermon,

“The Lord doth terrible things amongst us, by lengthening the chain of the roaring lion in an extraordinary manner, so that the Devil is come down in great wrath.”
…The problem was not to imitate the archaic speech but to try to create a new echo of it which would flow freely off American actors’ tongues.


On opening night, January 22 1953, I knew the atmosphere would be pretty hostile. The coldness of the crowd was not a surprise; Broadway audiences were not famous for loving history lessons, which is what they made of the play…Meanwhile the remoteness of the production was guaranteed by the director, Jed Harris, who insisted that this was a classic requiring the actors to face front, never to each other. Arthur Miller

Due Friday 10th November

Choose a poem with an impressive opening. Explain why you think the opening was so impressive and discuss how effectively it prepared you for the rest of the poem. In your answer you should refer closely to the text and to at least two of: theme, imagery, sound, development, form or any other appropriate feature.

OR

Choose a poem in which the poet creates a picture of a heroic or corrupt figure. Discuss the means by which the personality is clearly depicted. In your answer you must refer closely to the text and to at least two of imagery, tone, rhyme, word choice or any other other appropriate feature.

Anyone...?

Hey, i wasn't at school yday and i forgot to ask.. when is the reflective essay due in??

And just for the sake of telling ya'll *lol i sed ya'll* I'm eating monkey nuts :D

Fi Jojji xx

and p.s to the ppl in my german class... I wunder wot the fit boys will have under their kilts? Wooot! lol! xxx

Daddy essay

Kirsty says: Are you going to put the essay questions up here? I don't want to have to write them down! :(

hey this is also lucy, i am STUCK to the point of tears with the stupid reflective essays...i mean...those lovely essays what we have to write. any advice for a poor starving 16 year old??????

hugs and kisses

Lucy and Kirsty
xxxx

Apostrophes!

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!

WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS USE APOSTROPHES? WHY? WHY? WHY?

I think you do it on purpose to drive me crazy!!

Here's how to use them correctly!!



Apostrophes are used to indicate possession (the girl's book) and to indicate missing letters (I won't forget). Sometimes people forget to include the apostrophe, and it is also very common for people to use an apostrophe when it is not necessary (for example, many people are tempted to use an apostrophe when creating the plural form of a noun).


POSSESSION

INCORRECT
the creatures fur
the ladies' hand
my wifes diamond ring
George and Marthas dinner
a room of ones own
all the boy's guitars
my grandparents house
three days journey
He stole other peoples' money.


CORRECT
the creature's fur
the lady's hand
my wife's diamond ring
party George and Martha's dinner party
a room of one's own
all the boys' guitars
my grandparents' house
three days' journey
He stole other people's money.

ITS = BELONGING TO IT (it's = it is)

INCORRECT
I want to know it's meaning.
Do you think its going to rain?

CORRECT
I want to know its meaning.
Do you think it's going to rain? (Do you think it is going to rain?)

APOSTROPHE FOR MISSING LETTERS & NUMBERS

INCORRECT
Its happening really fast now!
I cant do that.
Whose going to the store?
Lets go out of here now!
I gave it to him cause he asked me to.
so I decided to fess up.
She was born in 72.

CORRECT
It's happening really fast now! (it is)
I can't do that. (can not)
Who's going to the store? (who is)
Let's go out of here now! (let us)
I gave it to him 'cause he asked me to. (because)
so I decided to 'fess up. (confess)
She was born in '72. (1972)

INCORRECT USE OF APOSTROPHE

INCORRECT
Bahama's
the 1960's

CORRECT
Bahamas
the 1960s

The Crucible - Act by Act Analysis

Act 1

First performed in January of 1953, The Crucible is first and foremost an allegorical tale relating the Salem witchcraft trials to their contemporary equivalent in Miller's time, the McCarthy hearings. The figurative Œwitch hunt' of McCarthyism becomes literal in Miller's play, which is constructed to illustrate how fear and hysteria mixed with an atmosphere of persecution may lead to tragically unjust consequences. Miller presents the play with traditional theatrical devices, relying on the dialogue and situations to illustrate his themes, but finds these somewhat insufficient; in the first act the play therefore contains a number of historical digressions that reveal the motivations of each character and which cannot be accurately conveyed through a strict stage interpretation.
Through these prose passages that interrupt the dialogue and action of the play, Miller establishes the particular quality of Salem society that makes it particularly receptive to the repression and panic of the witch trials. The Puritan life in Salem is rigid and somber, allowing little room for persons to break from the monotony and strict work ethic that dominated the close-knit society. Furthermore, the Puritan religious ethic informed all aspects of society, promoting safeguards against immorality at any cost to personal privacy or justice. The Puritans of Massachusetts were a religious faction who, after years of suffering persecution themselves, developed a willful sense of community to guard against infiltration from outside sources. It is this paradox that Miller finds to be a major theme of The Crucible: in order to keep the community together, members of that community believe that they must in some sense tear it apart. Miller relates the intense paranoia over the integrity of the Puritan community to their belief that they are in some sense a chosen people who will forge a new destiny for the world. This relates strongly to the political climate of the early 1950s in which Miller wrote The Crucible. After the end of the second world war, the United States found itself engaged in a struggle for political supremacy with communist forces, in particular the Soviet Union; just as the Salem authorities believe that witchcraft threatens their community, many Americans during this time saw communism as a threat to the American way of life.
However, the Salem witch trials as described by Miller have a sexual element that runs concurrent with the political aspects of the allegory. The community is one that promotes interference in all personal matters and intensely frowns upon any sinful conduct without allowing for any legitimate expurgation of sin. The witch trials serve as a means to break from this stifling atmosphere and publicly confess one's sins through accusation. This simultaneous fear of and fascination with sexuality is a theme that predominates throughout The Crucible, as demonstrated by the particular relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor and the sexual undertones of the dancing that instigates the witchcraft trials, and it also relates to the quality of 1950s culture in which the play was written.
The first act establishes the primary characters of the play who instigate the Salem witch trials. Each has his particular obsessions and motivations that drive him to push for the trials. The first and perhaps most reprehensible of these characters is the Reverend Samuel Parris, a man who symbolizes the particular quality of moral repression and paranoia that characterize the trials. Miller immediately establishes Parris as a man whose main concern is his reputation and status in the community and not the well-being of his daughter, for whom he shows little emotion. It is Tituba who shows more concern for Betty Parris than her father, who rules his household as an autocrat. When he discusses finding Abigail and Betty dancing in the woods, his concern is not the sin that they committed but rather the possibility that his enemies may use this sin against him. Parris will manifest a sharp paranoia concerning possible enemies, even when they may not exist. The particular quality of Parris that renders him dangerous is his strong belief in the presence of evil; even before the witchcraft paranoia, Proctor indicates that Parris showed an obsession with damnation and hell in order to strike fear into his parishioners. With the seeming presence of witchcraft in Salem, Parris now has a concrete, physical manifestation of the evil he so fears.
Abigail Williams is a less complex character whose motivations are simple; she is a clear villain with straightforward malicious motivation. Miller establishes that Abigail is suspected of adultery with John Proctor, a rumor that is confirmed later in the first act, while Abigail physically threatens the other girls if they disobey her. Abigail demonstrates a great ability for self-preservation: she admits what she must at appropriate times, and places the blame for her actions at the most convenient source, Tituba, when she realizes that it is the most savvy course of action. Abigail's lack of any morality renders her able to charge others with witchery no matter the consequencesThe third character who serves as a proponent of the witchcraft hysteria is Thomas Putnam. While Putnam's motivation is suspicion and paranoia and Abigail's is mere villainy, Thomas Putnam demonstrates that his motivation is his longstanding grudges against others; the witchcraft trials give Putnam an opportunity to exact revenge against others, and, as will later be shown, to profit economically from others' executions.
The final character who sets the witchcraft trials in motion is Reverend John Hale. Hale is perhaps the most complex character in The Crucible, a man who approaches religious matters with the conviction of a scientist and a scientific emphasis on proper procedure. Hale holds the contradictory belief that they cannot rely on superstition to solve the girls' problems but that they may find a supernatural explanation for the events. Since he lacks the malicious motivations and obsessions that plague the other instigators of the trials, Reverend Hale has the ability to change his position, yet at this point he finds himself caught up in the hysteria he has helped to create.
In contrast to these four characters stand the three main opponents of the witchcraft accusations. The Nurses are the most straightforward of these; Miller portrays Rebecca Nurse and her husband as near saints who rely on practical wisdom and experience. In contrast, Giles Corey has none of the noble character of the Nurses, yet he can oppose Parris and Putnam because of his contentious, combative manner. Giles Corey is a man who cares not for public opinion and may therefore choose whichever position he finds most suitable, even if it places him in danger.
However, Miller places John Proctor as the main protagonist of the story and its moral center. Proctor, as Miller writes, is a man who can easily discern foolishness and has the will to oppose it. He is a rational man with a brusque manner who, like Giles Corey, has no qualms about expressing his opinion. Miller portrays Proctor as a decidedly modern character, who eschews superstition for rationality and expresses skepticism for the trappings of organized religion, particularly the obsession with hellfire and damnation that Parris expresses. The particularly modern quality of John Proctor draws the audience sympathy to him, even if he is a self-professed sinner who had an affair with Abigail Williams. Yet this is the single sin that Proctor manifests and exists more as a plot point than as an organic character trait. The Proctor that Miller portrays throughout The Crucible seems hardly capable of giving in to lust for a manipulative and demonstrably wicked young girl.
Several significant themes emerge early in the play. One of these that Miller develops throughout the act is the capability for gossip and rumors to disseminate throughout the close-knit society of Salem. Miller establishes that Salem is a society in which little information is considered private; there is no line between public and private conduct, for all information is open to suspicion and question. This correlates to the McCarthy hearings, which probed into the lives of the suspected communists for evidence of their anti-American activity, no matter the actual relevance.
A second theme that Miller establishes is the ability of persons to choose whichever position suits their self-interest. Abigail Williams shows the ability to affirm or deny any charge against her based entirely on whether it serves her needs, while Tituba, when charged with witchcraft, denies it only until she realizes that admitting to the crime will save her from further punishment and that accusing others will shift the blame elsewhere. The shift of blame from one character to another will be a recurring plot point, as few characters will accept the consequences of their actions or directly confront the charges leveled against them.
Perhaps the most important theme that Miller develops in this act is the ability for accusations to snowball. The charges against the girls and Tituba become perpetually more significant: at first they are accused of merely dancing, then of dancing naked. The charges proceed until Tituba is deemed a witch and accuses others of conspiring with Satan. Legitimate charges of dancing and sinful activity increase in magnitude until charges of Satanism arise. The irony of this situation is that the fight against sinfulness in Salem will become more sinful and malicious than any of the actual events that occurred.

Act 2

While the first act takes place in the ostensibly Œpublic' setting of Reverend Parris' home, the second act moves into what should be considered the private sphere of the Proctors' home. The conversation between John and Elizabeth Proctor is intimate and even at times mundane, but there is a significant subtext of tension that remains between the couple that is undoubtedly caused by Proctor's affair with Abigail Williams. Elizabeth Proctor is intensely suspicious of her husband, worrying when he arrives at home late for dinner and adopting a condescending tone when her husband admits that he was momentarily alone with Abigail Williams. Miller establishes Elizabeth Proctor as a morally upright woman, respectable and dignified, yet with an air of superiority that renders her frigid and distant. Elizabeth has made her home into a repressive atmosphere, as she continues to punish her husband for his wrongdoing. Still, if Elizabeth Proctor adopts a tone of moral superiority it is because she is in a significant sense the superior of her contemporaries, with an unwavering belief in the capability of persons to remain moral.
Miller creates an atmosphere of guilt within the Proctor household that mirrors the similar conditions within the larger Puritan society. John Proctor has expressed contrition for his infidelity and asked for forgiveness, yet there is no sense of catharsis within his marriage nor ability for full reconciliation. The Proctor marriage is stagnant and stifling, as the weight of John's adultery is a perpetual consideration. Miller demonstrates this, in particular, when Proctor states the Ten Commandments; while John, likely motivated by guilt, wishes to forget the commandment against adultery, it is Elizabeth who offers him a sharp reminder. Miller seems to indicate that, like the rest of their Puritan society, the Proctors need an outlet to expiate John's sins and without this means for redemption they are committed to a perpetual obsession with the husband's infidelity.
Two major themes emerge in the second act of The Crucible. The first of these is the line between public and private. The chapter itself moves from the intimate conversation between husband and wife to more public matters, but the division between these two spheres becomes obscure. Even in setting, the public discussions of the Proctors' guilt or innocence occurs within the home. More importantly, Reverend Hale and the other court officials use private information for their public matters, such as information about the frequency with which they attend church and their belief in the validity of witches. The court officials investigate all aspects of the suspects' private lives. Under such intense scrutiny, these officials are able to find any information that may be may interpreted as evidence of guilt. This certainly relates to the intense public scrutiny of Miller's contemporary McCarthy hearings in which information about who was present at communist meetings years before was considered relevant.
The second major theme of the act is the ambiguity of evidence. This begins even before Hale arrives at the Proctors' home, when Elizabeth Proctor construes John's late arrival at home as possible evidence that he may be guilty of additional indiscretions. This continues with Reverend Hale's misinterpretation of John's forgetfulness of one of the Ten Commandments and the evidence against Martha Corey, which deems her a witch for reading books. The most significant symbol of this theme in the second act is Mary Warren's poppet. Although Miller makes it clear to the audience that Proctor did not use the poppet as a charm against Abigail Williams, its presence in the house certain attests to this conclusion.
The poppet demonstrates that Abigail Williams is more villainous than earlier indicated. In the first act she behaved solely out of self-interest. She was ready to do harm to others, but only to save herself. However, in this instance she purposely frames Elizabeth Proctor out of revenge, planting the poppet as a means to engineer Elizabeth's murder. This event even serves to break the icy exterior of Elizabeth Proctor, who deems that Abigail must be "ripped out of the world."
Miller creates a situation of bleak irony in this chapter with the arrest of Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor. These characters are the most upright in the play, yet are accused of witchcraft by the two most ignoble, Thomas Putnam and Abigail Williams. The dynamic of the witchcraft hysteria has created a situation in which the accuser of witchcraft is automatically presumed holy, as Proctor notes, while even the most spiritual character may be suspected of a Satanic alliance. In this situation the evil persons of Salem may raise their reputations at the expense of the good.
An additional irony that Miller constructs in the act is in the plot structure. The Proctors and their allies can rely on a single person to save themselves from Abigail Williams' treachery. Yet this person, Mary Warren, is the weakest and most pliable character in The Crucible. She alone has the power to stop the hysteria of the witchcraft trials, but neither the strength nor resolve to effect this act. Mary requires intense coercion from John Proctor to even consider admitting to the falsehood in court. However, despite her weakness Mary Warren is as dangerous as Abigail, for the guileless girl betrays none of Abigail's malicious bearing and thus appears more overtly innocent. She is a pawn who may be used by the Proctors to prove their innocence, but Miller foreshadows that Mary Warren may be used by Abigail to serve her own purposes.
Among the characters in the play, it is Reverend Hale who demonstrates the most prominent character development. While the other characters remain fixed in their particular allegiances and beliefs, Hale demonstrates the debilitating effects of the witchcraft trials by the change in his character. When he reappears in the third act he has none of the enthusiasm of before; although he clings to his belief in the absolute certainty of finding proof of witchery within Salem, Hale appears more tentative about the results. He demonstrates a strong feeling of guilt for his actions, as shown by his reliance on what he grasps as indisputable evidence; like Pontius Pilate, to whom Proctor compares Hale, he wants to play only a passive role in the proceedings without any feeling of personal responsibility. Hale's growing disillusionment foreshadows his later repudiation of the court's actions.

Act 3

Among the characters in the play, it is Deputy Governor Danforth who seems to provide the most obvious symbol of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Danforth rules over the proceedings as if he automatically has assigned guilt to the accused suspects, and adopts a harsh and vindictive air. However, Miller does not make Danforth a direct equivalent of the irrational demagogue McCarthy; rather, Danforth is a stern, cold man of unfailing faith in his judicial powers. He does not manifest any particular political ambition, but instead acts to preserve the strength of the court over which he rules. This does make Danforth suspicious of any attack on the plaintiffs and the proceedings, but does allow him some room for flexibility. He uses reason to persuade Proctor to drop his charges against Abigail, telling him that his wife is spared for at least a year and that he need not worry about her execution. It is Danforth's stern rationality that makes him a more disturbing figure; he is not a malicious villain equivalent to Abigail Williams or Thomas Putnam, but rather a man who operates out of intense faith in the integrity of his court. He operates under the assumption that good and evil can be clearly and intensely defined, a flaw of tragic irony. In his desperate hope to sharply delineate good and evil, Danforth becomes the willing accomplice of those who obscure this line.
It is Reverend Parris who appears as the demagogue in this act of the play, denouncing all challenges to the court as challenges to Christianity and God himself. Parris is paranoid and foolish, demanding that all ninety-one people who attest to the good name of the three accused women be brought in for questioning. It is Parris' rabid defense of the trials that finally causes Hale to break from the court and offer a defense of the Proctors, Coreys and Nurses. Parris' demagoguery is placed into even sharper relief when one the true reason for the girls' admission of witchcraft is revealed. Parris knows that the trials are a fraud and that the girls are lying, yet continues to push against witchcraft to suit his ends.
Miller develops the motivations of the proponents of the witchcraft trials in this chapter. Reverend Parris remains motivated by suspicion and paranoia, while Thomas Putnam moves from an original motivation of grudges against others to unabashed greed. Abigail Williams, in contrast, has moved from self-preservation to a more general lust for power. However, upon the arrest of Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale now eschews the supernatural explanations for more concrete, legal explanations. He redeems himself from his role as a Pontius Pilate by serving as an advocate for justice. This is significant, for it provides concrete evidence that opposition to the trials does not necessarily mean opposition to law and order.
Deputy Governor Danforth espouses the central irony of the witchcraft trials: because there can be no concrete evidence of witchcraft, one must automatically assume that accusations are true, for the only two persons who take part in the crime are the witch and the victim, and the witch will never accuse herself. This essentially negates the idea of evidence, taking opinion and allegation to be concrete fact. It is this flaw that on which Abigail Williams and the other girls capitalize when making their accusations.
Miller establishes that it takes only a simple accusation for a person to be convicted of witchcraft. Thomas Putnam uses this for economic gain, coercing his daughter into accusing George Jacobs so that he may purchase his land once Jacobs has been executed. Yet it is Abigail Williams who brings this particular quality into sharp relief. Abigail is intense and dramatic; she targets the weak-willed Mary Warren, knowing that she will easily break from her alliance with Proctor once challenged. When Abigail pretends to see a yellow bird attacking her, it is an obvious falsehood, yet the court accepts it as truth because they have established that such evidence is irrefutable proof.
The chapter culminates to encompass two central ironies. The first of these is that, to prove his own innocence and prove himself faithful to his wife, John Proctor must publicly declare his infidelity. To save Elizabeth and protect himself from an inevitable accusation of witchcraft, Proctor must tear down his name and condemn himself for the crime of lechery. Despite Proctor's obvious sin, this places Proctor as a martyr, sacrificing any chance for a good reputation in Salem, where public reputation is essential, in order to save his wife and others wrongly accused of witchcraft.
The second irony involves the testimony of Elizabeth Proctor. To save her husband from accusations of witchcraft, she must condemn him for lechery. Miller establishes that she is an honest woman who never lies, yet at the moment in which her honesty is most critical she chooses the noble yet practical lie that she believes will defend her husband. As Hale notes, it is a natural lie for Elizabeth Proctor to tell, yet an incredibly ill-timed one; Elizabeth Proctor chooses dishonesty at the precise moment that her integrity matters the most.
Miller continues the theme of revolving accusations in this act when Mary finally breaks down and accuses Proctor of witchcraft. Fearful of her own life, Mary realizes that the only way to save herself is to accuse Proctor of coercing her into attempting to overthrow the court. In this case the accusation contains some truth: Proctor did force Mary Warren into testifying, yet in this case the purpose is to promote true justice rather than to dispute it.
At the end of this chapter, Proctor condemns himself by claiming that God is dead. When he states this, he speaks metaphorically, lamenting a world in which a stock villain such as Abigail Williams may preside over the ostensibly just and moral society of Salem. Once again Proctor gives into melodramatics when faced with injustice. He may be correct, yet expresses his righteousness through means that make him an easy target for those such as Abigail and Reverend Parris.


Act 4

The fourth act of The Crucible largely concerns the perversion of justice that has occurred in Salem. Miller demonstrates this immediately in the comic interlude that opens the act. Tituba and Sarah Good are foolish comic foils whose claims of communing with Satan are intended to be absurd. Yet while these women are spared the gallows because they have confessed to witchcraft, persons such as Rebecca Nurse who refuse to admit to a crime they did not commit remain sentenced to execution. This large-scale inversion of justice is reflected in the larger workings of Salem society. As Parris claims, there is the possibility of rebellion because of the witchcraft trials, while the numerous people who remain in jail have caused the village to fall into shambles. This is yet another example of the irony of the witchcraft trials: while they meant to preserve the order of society, the trials throw Salem into a state of anarchy and rebellion.
However, since the previous act there has been a shift in the public opinion concerning the trials. Miller indicates that the citizens of Salem supported the trials when the victims were obviously disreputable members of the community, but now that the executions of the more respectable community members are imminent. This reinforces the idea that the Salem witch trials were in part vindictive; the purpose of the trials was not to remove witches from Salem, but rather to remove certain members of the community for other reasons. For the citizens of Salem, the executions only become unacceptable when they involve those honored members of the community, even if the charges against them have the same proof, or lack thereof, as those against the disreputable Bridget Bishop or Sarah Osburn. The implications of this are wholly cynical: the shift in public opinion is not a turn toward justice but rather an expression of personal preference.
If there is a sense of justice in The Crucible, it is meted out to Reverend Parris and Abigail Williams in this chapter. Reverend Parris reveals himself to be a fool capable of being easily manipulated by Abigail Williams, whose guilt seems obvious thanks to her sudden escape from town and theft of Reverend Parris' savings. However, even with these revelations which cast further doubt on the validity of Abigail's charges of witchery against others, the Salem court continues with the trials and executions. This demonstrates that the trials have taken on a life of their own separate from the accusations of the principles, who set legal machinations in motion that even they cannot stop. This therefore fulfills the theme of snowballing accusations that Miller established early in the play. The accusations began with Abigail Williams, but now, supported by the weight of the judiciary, the prosecution does not stop with her downfall.
Contrasting considerations of self-interest lead Danforth and Parris to beg John Proctor to confess to witchcraft. While Parris fears for his physical safety, Deputy Governor Danforth operates to defend the court from further attack. The change in Danforth's overt motivation is important: previously, Danforth meant to uphold the integrity of the court, but here he suggests corruption to simply preserve the political stature of the government; he even worries if postponing the executions might show weakness on the part of the court. By prompting Proctor to give an obviously false confession, Danforth indicates that he likely believes that the witchcraft allegations are false. This fully demonstrates how the witch hunts have gained a life of their own; considerations of reputation and the political dynamic lead the court to continue with prosecutions and executions even when the original proponents of the trials are proven disreputable and even when the political officials who run these trials show serious doubt concerning the validity of the charges.
The final passages of The Crucible concern ideas of martyrdom and justice. Miller places three of the accused as possible martyrs, each representing different methods and approaches to self-sacrifice. Giles Corey, the first of the noble victims of the trials, remains the comic tragedian even in the event of his death death. He does not passively accept the decision of the court, but struggles against the court's charges. Even when Giles Corey dies at the hands of the court, he chooses his fate, giving as his last words the order "more weight" when he is pressed by stones. In contrast, Rebecca Nurse accepts her fate passively, remaining consigned to her fate and thus placing herself as a long-suffering martyr to the court's injustice. Unlike the truculent Giles Corey, Rebecca Nurse only displays those most Christian qualities of resignation and turning the other cheek, but in behaving as such she does nothing.
The critical test for John Proctor in this act is whether he will accept the martyrdom of Giles Corey and Rebecca Nurse or choose self-interest. Proctor himself proposes the question of whether a sinful man may accept martyrdom by clinging to principles he has not always upheld. The saintly Rebecca Nurse may accept martyrdom because it suits her character, but the sinful Proctor questions whether or not it is hypocrisy to stand for his principles when he is an overt sinner. Miller implies that Proctor can choose self-sacrifice for his principles, for it is not a question simply of his reputation, but that of his family and his community. Proctor may not be an exemplar in all matters, but he could not serve as a father to his children if he were to so readily give up his name to preserve himself.
The second question of this chapter is whether it is a worse sin to lie to save oneself or to make a decision that directly leads to one's death. This is the fulfillment of the theme of self-preservation that has recurred throughout the novel. While Hale suggests that God damns a liar less than a person who throws one's life away, Elizabeth suggests that this is the devil's argument. Miller seems to support Elizabeth's position, for it is by giving self-preserving lies that Tituba and Sarah Good perpetuated the witch hunts.
Elizabeth Proctor serves as the moral conscience in this act of The Crucible. It is she who puts forth the most prominent arguments for Proctor accepting his own death, despite her stated wish that she wants her husband to remain alive. This could be interpreted as another manifestation of Elizabeth's cold nature, for she remains seemingly more concerned about abstract moral principles than her husband's life; Danforth even questions whether Elizabeth does have any sense of tenderness. However, Miller counteracts the possibility that Elizabeth Proctor is an unfailingly cold woman; she refuses to attempt to influence her husband even if her position is clear, and she even admits her failings, accepting some portion of the blame for her husband's infidelity. Elizabeth shows herself to be more fragile during this act of the play, allowing her to serve as the story's moral conscience rather than a proponent of abstract and harsh moral law.
The negotiations between Proctor and Danforth concerning his confession illustrate the theme of public versus private redemption. Proctor insists that his penitence remain private, while Danforth requires a public declaration of guilt and a further condemnation of other witches. It is this critical factor that turns Proctor to accepting his martyrdom when he chooses sacrificing himself to stop the perpetuation of the witchcraft accusations. Proctor thus answers his own concern about martyrdom, ending his life with an action that remains indisputably noble dispute the sins he has previously committed.

Ghost walk

Last year when we were looking at "The Crucible" the class and I went on an organised ghost walk which looked at the history of witch craft in Edinburgh and followed this with a meal at Jimmy Chungs. I was just wondering if any of you would be keen to do something similar?

Let me know your thoughts.

Evelyn

“Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit” by Jeanette Winterson


“Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit” by Jeanette Winterson is a semi-autobiographical novel about a girl growing up in an environment of obsession and religious extremism. This study will focus on how the author’s use of characterisation, word choice and imagery shows how this environment, which her mother brought her up in, makes an impact on Jeanette’s life.

Jeanette and her mother do not properly function socially within the public but instead within the confines of their own, religious community. From the very beginning Winterson shows through characterisation of her mother the snobbery which he has against certain people whom she considers heathens. Jeanette’s mother is seen to try to protect Jeanette from these people, as is shown from her attempt to stop her daughter from going to school, which she calls “the breeding ground”. This use of language makes the children seem like germs or animals through her eyes, and this opinion is in turn impressed on Jeanette. In the novel, Winterson provides no evidence to suggest that, as a child, Jeanette has ever socialised with children. All of her friends are within the church and share similar principles as her mother. Because of this, at school she has great difficulty communicating with the other children - owed a lot to the prominence and unintentional offence of her beliefs - and she is insecure. “It was clear and warm and made me happy. At school there was only confusion.” Winterson uses a blunt comparison with simple language to show the contrast of the cosy environment of the church to the complicated life Jeanette leads at school.

The idea of Jeanette’s mother sheltering her from the people and things that she considers impure is continued throughout the novel, and this ties in with the key theme of sexuality. The puritanical side of Jeanette’s mother is very evident in this area in particular. In the novel, she does not talk about sex other than when it is necessary for her to convey a negative idea of what she sees as a sin to her daughter. “we heard strange noises, like cries for help…My mother looked horrified. “They’re fornicating,” cried my mother, rushing to put her hands over my ears.” This is an example of her mother’s disgust at the thought of sex, her trying to hide her daughter from it, and Jeanette’s resulting naivety.

Crucially, her mother describes homosexuality as “unnatural passions”, when in fact there is evidence to suggest that she herself was once in a sexual relationship with a woman. “When I sat by her looking through the photograph album…she always stopped at the two pages called ‘Old Flames’….at the bottom of the page was a yellowy picture of a pretty woman with a cat…‘I don’t know why I put it there,’…Next time we looked, it had gone.” Winterson is implying that Jeanette’s mother herself may be in denial of her sexuality. She does not have an intimate but rather a convenient relationship with her husband and it seems merely a formality of having both a father and mother for her adoptive daughter. The church may also be a convenience for her, in the way of her being able to hide her sexuality.

The extremity portrayed of her mother’s negative, and perhaps hypocritical views on homosexuality make life difficult for Jeanette. When she herself begins to discover that she is gay, she is given the dilemma of accepting who she is, which would oppose what she has always believed in, or staying amongst the church community and struggling with her identity. This is evident firstly when she is confronted by the pastor at church about her relationship with Melanie, another girl at the church.
““I love her.” “Then you do not love the lord.” “Yes, I love both of them.” “You cannot.””

After her first relationship has been discovered by the church, Jeanette is unsure as to whether she is in the wrong and should repent for having felt this way for Melanie. The author uses a demon that Jeanette sees around her as a metaphor to convey this idea. “ “I want you to decide what you want.” And the creature hopped up on to the mantelpiece….“Demons are evil, aren’t they?” I asked, worried. “Not quite, they’re just different, difficult.” The demon in this instance is not seen as something evil, to be fought by Jeanette like she has been taught by her mother, but something that she has to deal with. By the demon saying that demons aren’t really evil, a change in her attitude is seen. This is an important turning point in the book, where the author is trying to represent Jeanette’s maturity – she is growing up and beginning to think more for herself and question the principles that she has always accepted in childhood. The demon that Jeanette sees is also an orange demon, which links back to the title, as her mother calls it “the only fruit”. Other fruit being - “Demon fruit, passion fruit, rotten fruit”. There is also imagery, such as “a wash of angry orange paint” to reflect this idea of evil and demons earlier in the book. Nearing the end of the book, however, once Jeanette has tired of the church people’s hatred for her “evil” and left the church, she sees oranges in a different light. “The only thing that worried me was the thought of having to work on a fruit stall. Spanish Navels, Juicy Jaffas, Ripe Sevilles.” Here, she is distressed at thought of having to work with the fruit, which her mother had identified as pure.

Winterson has crafted a novel that depicts effectively the effects on the life of a girl growing up amongst such extreme beliefs. They are, in turn, often detrimental to her and oppose her sexuality, a large part of her identity. The text shows how Jeanette grows up and begins to develop her own values and ideas, and not just believe in what the adults around her have taught her. This shift in the mind from the less questioning, more impressionable child into that of someone with opinions and values developed of their own accord is one that many readers can relate to. The novel, ultimately, portrays a heroine, she does not compromise her sexuality and live a lie for the church, though she loves her mother and she has spent years in her way of life, she will not deny her identity.

Iona

“Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen

“Sense and Sensibility” by Jane Austen, is a romantic novel which follows the story of the Dashwood family. The story focuses on the lives of the two oldest Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne. This essay will look at the contrasting personalities of these two sisters, and show how each one takes on the roles of “sense” and “sensibility”

Henry Dashwood, the girls’ father dies at the start of the book. He leaves his money to his son from his first marriage so Elinor, Marianne, their sister Margaret and their mother are left with no home and very little money. They are soon invited to stay with their relatives, the Middletons’ at Barton Park. Elinor is sad to leave their house in Norland because she has grown close to Edward Ferrars, the brother in law of her half brother John. Marianne, however, is not enamoured by her sister’s choice of partner and she doesn’t mix her words when expressing her opinion. “ At first sight, his address is certainly not striking; and his person can hardly be called handsome.” This reveals Elinor’s romantic side, and she is simply worried the Edward isn’t the right person for Marianne.

Whilst staying at Barton Park, Elinor and Marianne meet various acquaintances., including Colonel Brandon and John Willoughby. John rescues Marianne after she twists her ankle whilst running down a hill in Barton in the rain. Following this, Willoughby openly “courts” Marianne and the pair develop a growing likeness for each other. Understandably, Marianne is surprised when Willoghby suddenly announces he has to go to London on business, and she is left miserable.

Meanwhile, Anne and Lucy Steele, relatives of Lady Middleton’s mother, arrive to stay at the Middletons’. Lucy starts talking to Elinor, and she informs her that she has been secretly engaged to Mr Ferrars for a year. Elinor assumes that Lucy is talking about Edward’s younger brother Robert, but she is heartbroken when she finds out Lucy was actually talking about her beloved Edward.

Elinor and Marianne travel to London with Lady Middleton’s mother, Mrs Jennings. Colonel Brandon tells Elinor that everybody in London is talking about Marianne and Willoughby being engaged. Marianne has not told her family of the engagement and so the news comes as a surprise to Elinor. Marianne is anxious to see John Willoughby, but is left deeply hurt when she sees him at a party and he ignores her, and sends her a letter telling her he never had feelings for her.

Anne Steele, lets slip about the engagement between her sister and Edward Ferrars. Edward’s mother is not happy at all with the news and she decides to leave all her money to his brother Robert instead.

On their way home fromLondon, the Dashwood sisters visit family friends at Cleveland, where Marianne catches a cold from walking in the rain, and falls serioiusly ill. John Willoughby arrives to visit Marianne, seeking forgiveness. She forgives him, realising he wasn’t the one for her anyway.

Marianne is on her road to recovery when Mrs Dashwood and Colonel Brandon arrive, and they all return home to Barton Park. They are unsurprised when they are told Lucy Steele is engaged to Mr Ferrars, but they are gobsmacked when they hear it is the newly inherited Robert with whom she is attached.

This therefore leaves Edward free to propose to Elinor, and soon after Colonel Brandon and Marianne become engaged too.

The reader sees that Elinor, the older sister, represents qualities of “sense” as she displays reason, responsibility and a caring for the well-being of other people. In contrast, Marianne represents “Sensibility” as she displays emotion and impulsiveness. Also, where Elinor keeps her feelings for Edward Ferars relatively close to her chest, Marianne willingly flaunts her love for John Willoughby. These different attitudes towards the way they show their affection to the men they love, highlight the contrast in the sisters’ temperaments. However, despite this contrast, Elinor is not always sensible, and she can display passionate qualities, the same way that Marianne isn’t always foolish. This shows that the novel isn’t all about a simple contrast.

Austen uses a third person narrative which is effective in this context. The way the novel is written is very elegant, and this reflects the characters in the story. As well qs being split in to chapters, the novel is split into three volumes. Beginning, middle and end. This was effective in outlining the main events in the story.

Overall, the novel had a happy ending, and it also showed that while two people can be so different, they can learn from each other too.

Kris

Specialist Study

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ is the sixth book in J.K Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ collection. This book is sculpted around the idea of how you should not judge a book by its cover. The ‘Half Blood-Prince’ focuses on the presentation of the anti-hero/villain as much as it does around Harry. From the first book in Rowling’s collection we have been given a stereotypical villain which is Draco Malfoy. From the first to the fifth book Draco has been presented in the same way. A strong, competitive juvenile who has no respect for the rules of the school or for any of the teachers apart from one, Snape. Draco’s upbringing has influenced him into believing in superiority of pure wizards (like himself) over mud-bloods (wizards with human parents). He is always racist toward mud-bloods when the opportunity arises and he only ever shows his strong, superior side. However, in the ‘Half Blood-Prince’ Draco is presented in a different way and actually seems human.

‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood-Prince’ is a more mature and advanced book than the previous five as it has a lot of hidden messages and the language of the book incorporates more intellectual words. As a result of this the presentation of Draco is very complex and in-depth. The first few chapters of the book show Draco in the same view; a wicked, boasting juvenile. On the train to Hogwarts (wizard school) Draco boasts to his friends about how the Dark Lord has set him a task to complete knowing it will impress them and make them idolise him “Clearly relishing the effect he had created”. As the train arrives at its destination we see the first encounter between Draco and Harry in this book. Draco has Harry immobilised and at his mercy “You didn’t hear anything I care about, Potter. But while I’ve got you here…” taking advantage of the situation Draco fiercely stamps on Harry’s face spurting blood everywhere. After the battle the reader is left thinking that Draco will be presented in the same stereotypical manner.

However, as the book progresses we see a change in Draco. Whilst at a Christmas party, Harry, for the first time in ages sees Draco close up “He now saw that Malfoy had dark shadows under his eyes and a distinctly greyish tinge to his skin”. This is the first time in all of the books that Draco has looked genuinely unwell but doesn’t make a fuss out of it like usual. In a confrontation later we see the biggest change in Draco so far as the teacher he has always respected and sucked up to, Snape, requests a word with him. As Harry eavesdrops on the conversation we learn that Draco has been avoiding Snape for some reason and even shouts at Snape for the first time. Also Draco denies the offer of help from Snape in accomplishing his mission for the Dark Lord and finally walks away from Snape as a sign of total disrespect. This is the first real change in Draco's presentation. Usually Draco would be trying to get Harry into trouble for silly offences but Draco has kept away from Harry and everybody else at Hogwarts so he can complete his mission. His deteriorating health and confrontation with snape are the first signs that Rowling has changed Draco’s intentions and Draco even seems more mature now that he realises the consequences of his failure- death.

Up until the last six chapters of the book Draco’s presentation has been different. As his health gets worse he does not go to the nurse and make sure everybody knows he is not well. Also he stays away from Snape and even stops playing Quidditch for his house. But the real change in Draco is not seen until the end of the book. As harry and Dumbledore depart on a dangerous mission to try and uncover secrets about the Dark Lord, Dumbledore is severely hurt and left ineffective as protection for Harry. As they make there way back to the school they spot the dark mark (sign the Dark Lord has killed) over the Astronomy Tower. Dumbledore quickly regains control of himself and he and Harry quickly fly to the tower to investigate. As Harry is about to open the door to the staircase he hears footsteps, he retreats and someone bursts through the door shouting ‘Expelliarmus’ (a disarming charm). Harry falls back against the wall like a statue still underneath the invisibility cloak as Dumbledore’s wand flies from his grip. As Harry ponders on how he has been frozen it finally hits him that Dumbledore had wordlessly immobilised Harry, but by doing so Dumbledore had lost the ability to defend himself. Without panic or distress Dumbledore casually addresses his disarmer “Good evening Draco”. A conversation between the two follows as Draco boasts about how he completed his task and was able to smuggle the Dark Lords henchmen into the school. As Dumbledore calmly speaks to him his hands shake, he begins to sweat but tries to maintain the fact that he has the advantage over a wandless old wizard. As time goes on four of the henchmen get to the tower were they are met by the image of Dumbledore helpless. After another conversation Draco still cannot find it in him to kill Dumbledore. After all the work and effort he put in all year to kill him he just can’t murmur the words. His feelings get in the way and he realises he is not a killer after all the threats he gave Dumbledore. Finally Snape enters the scene. With the knowledge that Draco cannot complete his task snape points his wand at Dumbledore and announces the dreadful words of the killing curse. Dumbledore’s body flies over the edge and the henchmen flee the scene.


Through the book Draco is presented in the same way as the he always has been at some points but as the book progresses his old presentation deteriorates and we see a completely new person. A fragile little boy with emotional difficulty instead of the strong superior outer shell that Draco has always shown. We finally see Draco as a human being with emotions and even the ability to cry. Rowling’s presentation of good versus evil in this book is far more complex than black and white. It is the struggle between those who are not afraid of showing weakness against those who are disgusted with emotions and feelings. Draco has an inner conflict between good and evil in this book as we see him in both views; able to show emotion at some points but avoiding them at others. This effect makes the reader sympathise with Draco and in the end even pity him as he is still just a fragile child trying to grow up to quickly. The book is therefore sculpted around the idea of not judging a book by its cover. On the outside we see Draco as a strong-minded juvenile with no care for others feelings and forever wishing to hurt people. On the inside however Draco is just a little boy with the same emotions as everyone else. The only problem is he just can’t show them as easily which leads back to his inner conflict. The story shows us that people are complex and everybody has emotions but some find it easier to show them and others conceal theirs like Draco.

Jordan-Leigh

* You have no idea how much was against me trying to write this thing! I couldn't think of anything to write and then when i was nearly finished my power went out and i lost the whole thing!!!! But woooop here it is finally... better late than never... doubt it was worth the wait tho lol! *




'The Penelopiad' - Margaret Atwood

'The Penelopiad' by Margaret Atwood is part of the myths series. The myths series is a set of novels written by famous authors which tell a common myth in a new and up to date way. 'The Penelopiad' tells the tale of Odysseus (told in Homer's "The Odyssey") from the perspective of his wife Penelope and the maid's who he killed. Giving the masculine tale a feminine narrative creates a new level of understanding to the novel and is effective in presenting a new side to the story. But how does Margaret Atwood create this feminine narrative and how does it effect the reader's view of Odysseus?

The main form of narrative is simple first person told by Penelope. It is through this narrative that the characters are created, both Odysseus and Penelope herself. The frequent interjection of the maids conveys a contrasting view and creates a new form of narrative; verse. It is through these two types of narrative that the title of the novel originates - 'The Penelopiad' - being a mixture of both Penelope and maid.

Opening the novel with "Now that I'm dead I know everything" the witty character of Penelope begins to unfold. Resentment, loyalty, jealousy, insecurity and love are among many of the characteristics we witness in Penelope throughout the novel, and it is with these characteristics that Margaret Atwood creates a strong, feminine narrative through Penelope. Describing herself as "nothing special to look at" we see the insecure side to Penelope; one of her characteristics many women can relate to. Her insecurity is also shown through the jealousy she feels towards her cousin 'Helen of Troy' and the way that Penelope constantly compares herself to her. "A women who'd driven hundred's of men mad with lust" here Penelope talks of Helen in comparision to herself "a plain but smart wife" to depict the beauty of Helen and the power she has over men. In the novel Helen is also the figure of Penelope's resentment, Penelope blames Helen for Odysseus' departure from Ithaca "Helen the septic bitch, root cause of all my misfortunes." but this resentment can also be interpreted as Penelope's love for Odysseus. Loyal to Odysseus while he is in Troy, Penelope wards of the suitors - reluctant to leave without her hand in marriage, by using her wit. Most known for being smart Penelope cunningly weaves a shroud and tells the suitors she will not marry until the shroud is complete - secretly she undoes all of the weaving she has done at night while the suitors sleep. It is through this plan that we see Penelope form a strong bond with the maids, "I was spoiling them" - Penelope treats the maids in a way that is frowned upon. When Odysseus returns and kills the maids for 'playing about' while he was away we see Penelope grieve for them but still, she remains loyal to Odysseus.

Odysseus is portrayed in many ways by Penelope.At the begining of the novel, now that she knows what he has done, she resents him and he is portrayed as cunning and evil. "What a fool he made of me..It was a specialty of his, making fools.. I knew he was tricky and a liar.." Here we see how Penelope really feels about Odysseus while she reflects upon her time on earth. "Hadn't I been faithful? Hadn't I waited, and waited, and waited - despite the temptation?" This quote shows Penelope's hurt and resentment towards Odysseus. This tone towards Odysseus is not carried on throughout the novel however as when Penelope begins to tell us the story she talks of him fondly and lovingly, as she felt for him at the time. "Odysseus was not one of those men who, after the act, simply roll over and begin to snore...No Odysseus wanted to talk." This shows that Odysseus was loving and kind towards her and this is one of the traits that won Penelope over in the end, as it was an, in a way, arranged marriage Penelope and Odysseus took their time to get to know eachother and grew to love one another. Odysseus is portrayed as cunning when Penelope talks of his plan to get out of going to Troy and when she talks of his plan to get back into the palace unknown to the suitors. The interpretation of Odysseus in 'The Penelopiad' is different to in 'The Odyssey' because in 'The Odyssey' the story is told by him and is very masculine.

The maids' narrative creates a totally contrasting veiw of the events and the characters. The maids' narrative is presented in the form of verse and each of the different poems depicts a different part of the story and their feelings throughout. The maid's decribe Odysseus as a hypocrit:
"with every goddess, queen, an bitch
from there to here
you scratched your itch

we did much less
than what you did
you judged us bad"
The maids are talking about Odysseus while he was on his trip and they are presenting their case of unfair judgement upon them when he kills them. The maids depict Odysseus as cruel and unkind and Penelope as the woman who let them down. This narrative gives the reader a further version of events to listen to and compare.

The different feminine narratives are effective in telling this myth from a new perspective. They create a new version of events which are non-bias to Odysseus and allow Penelope's side of the story to be heard. The maids' input allow a further perspective to take into account and allow the reader a choice of who to sympathise with. Penelope can be seen as a heroine as she is just a typical woman trying to do right by her husband without being seen as having no mind of her own. The reader can sympathise with her as we see all of the hardship she is faced with and the way she feels within herself. Without her husband Penelope has to stand on her own two feet and make her own choices. 'The Penelopiad' is also a contrasting view of Penelope from 'The Odyssey' as she is given her own voice and is not just seen as "the plain wife." 'The Penelopiad' portrays the story of Odysseus in a way many people can relate to with humor throughout which is up to date and enjoyable, the perfect example of 'there are two sides to every story.'

comment on michael thomas

good essay Michael kept me entertained and now you know how my gran acts.lol.your focus was clear through the essay and even though it was short it had the information you needed for each story.use i in an essay i would not my friend but apart from that it was good.xxx

commenting "the bell jar"

dunno if this is how you do it but aye..
i thought this essay was fabby :)Wooooooooo! it answered the question well and it helped me understand the novel more. i thought the second paragraph was the best. it was strong. i can't really say anything bad about this. WELL DONE!
x

Steph x

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