English Language and Literature Prelim Lesson:

Investigating Language Use in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

• Combined (English Language and Literature

• Combination of linguistic and literary terminology

• What is the difference between two approaches?• Linguistic – features of language using specific

terminology (The mechanics of language generally)• Literary – focus on literature using lexicon of

poetry, drama and literary prose (i.e. novel and short story)

• (Ways of interpreting and analysing texts written with an ‘artistic’ aim)

Divide these into literary and linguistic:• Noun, modality, narrative, pronoun, low

frequency lexis, alliteration, semantics, symbolism.

Linguistic:• Semantics• Low Frequency

Lexis• Noun• Modality• Syntax

Literary:• Symbolism• Narrative• Alliteration• Setting

• Title: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ – any reference to other literature in this title?

• Any sense of what it might be about?• Do you have any questions at this stage?

• First section is called ‘Night’ and is divided, like other sections, into chapters.

• What might this sub-heading suggest to the reader just before beginning to read the novel?

• Any other ways of partitioning texts?

As we read through the first chapter you will feed back on the following areas:

• Setting• Use of syntactical variation• Pronoun and verb use• Semantic fields• Symbolism

In pairs, you will be given one of these to feed back on but first we will read this section…

Spend five minutes doing the following with your allotted linguistic or literary focus:• Select three quotations that you feel are

relevant to your area.• For each one, be able to explain how, as an

example of your focus, it contributes to the opening as a whole.

• Power is an important idea in this novel. Try to connect all your findings to this.

• Feedback your best example to begin with – we’ll do the others if time!

• Summary of how the following areas contribute to a piece of writing:

• Setting• Use of syntactical variation• Pronoun use• Semantic fields• Symbolism

• Bridging Task – to be handed in first lesson in September

How is language used to present the idea of power in two chapters of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ at least one of which should be from the second half of the novel?You could take the following areas into account:• Presentation of time• Use of syntactic variation• Verb use in establishing a sense of hierarchy• Naming of roles

Word count – 1000-1500 words