Language Paper 1:Tess of the D’Urbervilles

Wednesday 10th November 2021

Learning Purposes

• To evaluate how effectively the writer creates strong feelings.

• To explore how to write an effective opening in our imaginative writing.

• To practise the skills needed for Imaginative Writing (Section B) of Language Paper 1.

Recap of previous learning:• What did we learn about Angel

Clare?• What are the benefits/limitations of

each narrative perspective?• Why is it important to plan our

imaginative writing?

Future learning:We are continuing to develop our Language Paper 1 skills: identifying quotations, analysis, evaluation and imaginative writing.

Exploring Language: Word Classes

• Within your extended responses, you will always be asked to consider the language used.

• Language, very simply, is looking at the words or phrases that have been used and why.

• Whilst it is beneficial to consider techniques such as metaphors and similes, you also need to be prepared to go back to basics and identify which word class a particular word belongs to.

Quick Recap

1. What do pronouns replace?

2. When would we use second-person pronouns?

3. Give three examples of first-person pronouns and three examples of third-person pronouns.

Exploring Language: Determiners

• In the previous session, we looked at pronouns and how they change between the first, second and third-person.

• This session will focus on determiners.

• Determiners are words placed before a noun to modify our understanding of quantity, ownership and specificity.

Exploring Language: Definite Articles

Articles link to how specific we are being when discussing a noun.

There is the definite article, ‘the’, which is used to refer to a particular, known noun.

The cat sat on the couch.

We use the definite article when there is only one of something or when we know what is being referred to.

Exploring Language: Indefinite Articles

On the other hand, we have the indefinite article, ‘a/an’, which is more vague in its use. It doesn’t refer to a specific noun.

Do you have a pencil I can borrow?

We use ‘a/an’ before a singular noun – where there is only one. ‘A’ is used if the following word begins with a consonant; ‘an’ is used if the following word begins with a vowel.

Exploring Language: Determiners

Fill in the following sentences with the correct article.

1. _____ apple a day keeps the doctor away.

2. Mount Everest is in _____ Himalayas.

3. Peter lives in _____ biggest house.

4. I bought _____ pair of shoes.

5. Look at _____ woman of there.

Exploring Language: Quantifiers

Quantifiers are used to show quantity. This includes ‘any’, ’all’, ’many’, ’much’, ’most’, ’some’, ’a few’, ‘and a lot of’, ‘a little’, ‘a large amount of’ and ‘none’.

Many people died in the calamity.

Additionally, numbers can also be used as quantifiers.

Five children were absent yesterday.

Exploring Language: Determiners

Identify all of the determiners.

1. The girl has a brand new bike.

2. The capital of Ireland is Dublin.

3. Look at that balloon high up in the sky.

4. There is milk in the fridge.

5. The student went to an open evening.

6. Sally had an omelette for breakfast.

7. I saw the film yesterday.

8. Andy bought a cake in the bakery.

9. Go and get another one.

Recap

• Mind map what you can remember about Tess Durbeyfield from last lesson.

How does she feel towards her father?

Why?

What is her personality

like?

What is her appearance

like?

How does she feel towards

Angel Clare?

Extract 2- Chapter 4 (page 37)

• In this extract, Tess helps out the family business and delivers beehives to Casterbridge and a tragic event occurs.

• Read the extract together now.

Glossarythither- towardskip- keephastily- quicklytwain- twovigour- good physical strengthsomnolent- sleepyengirdled- surroundblighted- prevent growthsuperfluous- unnecessaryreverie- daydreamingconterminous- sharing a common boundaryconsternation- a feeling of anxietybide- remain or stay somewhereextemporized- perform something without preparation/improvise

1) How does the reader feel towards Tess in this extract, why?

2) Why is the death of Prince all the more tragic for the Durbeyfield's?

AO1 questions

• Between lines 1-3 identify one quotation which shows what time the Durbeyfield's went to bed.

• Between lines 3-5 identify two quotations which suggest the journey to the market will be difficult.

• Between lines 6-14 identify one quotation which shows what will happen if they don’t take the hives to market.

‘eleven o’clock’

‘lying by bad roads’ ‘the horse and waggon being of the slowest’

‘the call for ‘em will be past’ ‘they’ll be thrown on our hands’

Reread Extract 2 lines 121- 170.

• In this extract, there is an attempt to create strong feelings in the reader. Evaluate how successfully this is achieved.

1. Work through the extract chronologically and make comments from the beginning, middle and end of the extract.

2. Consider how the writer has created strong feelings.

3. Then consider how well they have done this. Think about why they have included particular ideas/settings/events/themes.

Areas to consider

1. At the start of the extract the narrator states that ‘Something terrible had happened.’ How does this make the reader feel?

2. Why does the writer offer such a detailed description of Prince’s death? What strong feelings are created?

3. How does the writer describe the change in the atmosphere in the paragraph beginning line 143? What does this suggest?

4. How does the writer create sympathy for Tess and Abraham in the paragraph beginning line 150-160?

5. How does the image of Prince in the wagon at the end of the extract create strong feelings? (line 170)

In the extract (lines 126-170), there is an attempt to create strong feelings in the reader. Evaluate how successfully this has been achieved.

Produce a plan for this question. Remember, you should evaluate how well the writer has shown the narrator’s thoughts and feelings.

What are the strong feelings that are created?

1. In the first paragraph, the narrator describes how Tess had fallen asleep whilst delivering the bees and awakens suddenly as ‘Something terrible had happened.’

2.

3.

Why are these strong feelings included?

1. The use of simple sentence builds tension and foreshadows the importance of the tragic event which is to follow.

How do they impact the reader?

1. Suggest to the reader that a disastrous event has occurred, the reader is encouraged to connect emotionally whilst wondering about the nature of the event.

In an assessment, you should aim to produce 3-4 detailed and developed paragraphs and cover the whole extract.

Write your evaluation.

Remember to :

• Write about the extract chronologically.

• Use evaluative language.

• Comment on how well you think the writer has created strong feelings, rather than just explaining what they are.

• Explain the writer’s intention.

Plot update

• Tess’s parents decide to send her to the d’Urberville mansion in order to claim their relation.

• They hope Mrs. d’Urberville will make Tess’s fortune following Prince’s death.

• Mrs. d’Urberville’s son, Alec, gets Tess a job tending birds on the d’Urberville estate.

• Tess has no choice but to accept since she blames herself for Prince’s death, who was the family’s only means of income.

Read Extract 3.

• In this extract, Tess meets Mrs D’Urberville and her son Alec D’Urberville at their estate.

• Mrs D’Urberville tells Tess that she needs to learn how to whistle in order to tend to the birds.

• Alec watches Tess practising and attempts to teach her.

Character: Alec D’Urberville

What do we learn about this character in the extract?

Discuss the following quotations:

1. “There was never before such a beautiful thing in Nature or Art as you look, ‘Cousin’ Tess (‘Cousin’ had a faint ring of mockery).”

2. “I have been watching you from over the wall.”

3. ‘But he persisted in his demand, and at last, to get rid of him, she did put her lips up as directed for producing a clear note’

4. “I said I would not come near you; and in spite of such temptation as never before fell to mortal man, I’ll keep my word…”

Imaginative Writing

Focus on lines 84 - end of the extract and make notes on the following questions:

• How does Tess feel towards Alec?

• Why do you think she feels this way?

• What does this reveal about her character?

Section B: Imaginative Writing (40 marks)

• So far we have looked at Section A of Language Paper 1.

• In Section B you will be asked to produce a piece of imaginative writing.

• You will be asked to respond to a statement such as: • Write about a time when ………

• Your responses can be real or imagined.

Imaginative Writing

• In the extract we have read Tess feels nervous and uncomfortable.

• Write about a time when you felt nervous. It could be real or imagined.

• We are going to be planning and writing an answer to this question.

Narrative structure

• In order to produce an effective piece of imaginative writing, you should follow this structure.

• Why is this an effective structure to follow?

Ext. Can you think of any examples of texts which follow this structure?

Effective openings

• Discuss the following:

• Why is the opening of a text important?

• What do you think makes an effective opening? Think about books you have read and what they did well.

• The opening of a text is important in order for you to ‘hook’ the reader and to establish key characters/themes and settings.

• Your opening sentence or paragraph should encourage them to continue, perhaps by making them laugh, or exciting their curiosity, or just making them want to find out what happens next.

Top tips for effective openings

• Start in the middle of the action (in medias res) - you don’t have to start at ‘the beginning’.

• Use a powerful line of dialogue- an interrogative, exclamative or simple sentence for example.

• Show rather than tell.• Don’t give away too much information- keep the reader guessing what will

happen.• Use an impressive range of vocabulary- avoid using ‘good’ ‘bad’ ‘went’

etc. Aim to build a clear image in the reader’s mind.• Vary your sentence openings – start each sentence in a different way, try

not to overuse ‘I’.• Use a range of sentence types- simple/compound/complex sentence,

interrogative, exclamative.

How is this an effective opening?

Planning

• Write about a time when you felt nervous. It could be real or imagined.

Spend 5 minutes planning your ideas.

• You should decide what event you are going to write about –characters/setting/themes.

• Are you going to start at the beginning/middle/end of the action?

• List some impressive vocabulary/phrases.

Writing

Write about a time when you felt nervous. It could be real or imagined.

• Now write your opening section, remember to use the top tips to help you.

Heart pounding. Knees trembling. Palms sweating. My hand reluctantly reached for the door handle. As my fingertips brushed the metal I heard ………………..

Plenary: Proofread

• It is very important to proofread and redraft your work. The best writers don’t get it right the first time!

Self-assessment

• Proofread your opening section, checking for spelling and punctuation.

• In one colour where you have used the top tips we discussed.

• In another colour, highlight your least effective sentence and rewrite.