The Thing Around Your Neck study notes

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The thing around

your neck.



About me.

Annabel Aldous

Taught Year 12 English and EAL 25 years- Monterey S!

South "akleigh S! #ohn Monash Science School.

$ublished %ith &nsight! Edited 'ea( Encountering

on)lict *uide! 'elson English Manual.

15 years +AA English Assessor.

$resenter at +ATE Student ,eision ays! +ATE English

and EAL days.



The thing around your neck- some

adice and actiities )or students.

Getting into the text.

himamanda 'go/i Adichie %as born in 'igeria in 10 to Igbo

(arents %ho both %orked at the niersity o) 'igeria! her

)ather as e(uty +ice hancellor! and her mother as ,egistrar.At the age o) nineteen! she gained a scholarshi( to study

communication at re3el niersity in $hiladel(hia )or t%o

years! and she %ent on to com(lete a masters o) reatie

4riting at #ohns o(kins niersity. She has %ritten t%o

a%ard %inning noels and this collection o) stories.

Students- Search )or her biogra(hy on her %ebsite! and makenotes in your reading 6ournal o) the 6ourney she took to

become a %riter. Also! re)lect on some areas o) ins(iration

she may hae deelo(ed! liing so much o) her li)e bet%een

America and 'igeria.



'igeria.

'igeria is the most (o(ulous country in A)rica! and has a aried history o)

colonialism! (olitical con)lict and ethnic tension.

Students- hoose t%o o) the )ollo%ing categories! and (ut together an

in)ormatie (aragra(h on each based on research! to be shared %ith your

small grou( o) eight. You %ill (resent your )indings to the grou(! and eachstudent %ill take their o%n notes o) each other7s %ork.

Colonialism in 'igeria

Military ,ule

&nde(endence

Coup d’état

,eligion

,esources

Chinua Achebe

Biafran War



How authors construct meaning.

Getting into the text.

As you read the collection! kee( a reading 6ournal! either in an

e3ercise book or digitally! using any other a(( or (rogram thatallo%s you to continually u(date ideas! images! links! audio )iles and

ideo cli(s. 8or each story! make sure you include the )ollo%ing

in)ormation9 it %ill be ery use)ul in discussing metalanguage-

haracter names and descri(tions

:ey issues and ideas o) the author

4hat narrative point of view is being used; <8irst (erson! second(erson! third (erson narration=

Setting

4hat does it hae in common %ith other stories;



o% should you (re(are )or

the e3am;A"S 1- *et eerything in one (lace- notes! >uotes! analysis.

A"S 2- ecide on ?-@ models and cra)t them until they are (er)ect.

A"S ?- o (ractice e3am(les and get )eedback. Aim )or detail! then

s(eed.

&nsight! 'ea(! te3t books.



T e)ore you attem(t

(ractice essays- A"S 1.

You must consolidate your notes and ensure that you hae a

thorough kno%ledge o) the te3t. $re(are the te3t your are

most enthusiastic about! the one you understand best.

arderBMore (o(ular;

se notes books <&nsight! 'ea(! class notes! discussions

%ith teacher and reliable )riends. Look at (ast e3am to(ics

reak your notes into themes and characters.

&nclude obserations o) metalanguage techni>ue- )ilm and

te3t. 1B(aragra(h.



&nclude >uotes in your notes.

*o through the te3t one last time.

est case scenario-

nder haracters and Themes! %rite do%n eerything thatcould be use)ul. &nclude main and minor characters.

A)ter this )inal reie%! you %ill not need to return to the

te3t. se class notes! &nsightB'ea( to add detail. o

mind ma(s.

4orst case scenario-

4hat i) & don7t kno% ery much to begin %ith and my

notes are ho(eless;

Summarise notes! learn >uotes. S(ecialise in C- short

stories. ra% links to other stories! dra% a mind ma(.



E3am Essay To(ics A"S 1

haracter

Theme

Metalanguage.

$re(are under each heading so you can easily organi/e

your kno%ledge.



Taking 'otes.

4hen you %rite a SA or e3am ans%er! you %ill hae the

o((ortunity to select )rom the stories you hae studied.

+ery o)ten you %ill include )our or )ie in detail! and so

%ill need to grou( them in your mind in terms o) %hatthey hae in common. You could make this task easier

by using key %ords in your %riting 6ournal to describe

each story as you )inish it- such as Dcon)lict7!

Drelationshi(s7! D)amily7! Dhusbands7! Dloneliness7!

Disolation7! D%riting7! Dracism7! Dsimilarities7. A short

descri(tion o) the story %ould also hel(! making iteasier to remind yoursel) o) %hat ha((ened in each

(iece.



uestions to ans%er about

each (iece. 4hat ha((ened in that story;

&s there anything & don7t understand or that & can7t make sense o);

4hat issueBs is the author (resenting;

4hat is the author7s o(inion on the issue! ho% does she )eel about

the characters and their behaiour;

an & link the story to other stories & hae read in this collection;

Are there similar themes! characters and (roblems being (resented

in di))erent %ays;

an & relate the characters and issues to my o%n e3(erience or the

e3(erience o) (eo(le & kno% in Australia;

Are the (roblems Adichie is identi)ying and e3(loring international!

or limited to a (articular time and (lace in history;



&n each story! look )or and

highlight the )ollo%ingF

structures! )eatures! conentions chosen by the author- )lashbacks! a

circular narratie! time shi)ts! Dstory %ithin a story7.

te3tual elements such as language and images- the language characters use

re)lects their state o) mind and (ersonality. e on the lookout )or ho%

language has been selected to reeal the status or (osition an indiidualhas in relation to other characters.

the %ays in %hich authors e3(ress or im(ly a (oint o) ie%- Adichie

e3(resses some key concerns through her short stories. ,e)lect on ho% shes(eaks through her characters and their res(onses to each other.

use o) metalanguage-consider ad6ectie choices! conersations bet%een

characters! internal dialogue! >uestions! relationshi(s bet%een characters.



Themes. &solation

Tradition

8amilies

"utside De3(erts7

8amily relationshi(s.

ciil %ar and its long- and short-term im(acts

gender and (o%er dynamics

(ostcolonial identity

%ealth and (oerty

regret and lost o((ortunities

immigrant e3(erience and negotiating multi(le cultures

agency and )ate.



ell "ne.

GCell OneG9 An over indulged brother is sent to prison and has

experiences that change his life.

This story describes the troubles %ithin the )amily! %ith the%ay%ard son 'namabia stealing his mother7s 6e%ellery! through

to the more menacing descri(tion o) his incarceration and test

o) his character in an isolated! a((arently la%less (rison.

Group discussionF Adichie is interested in the e))ect an

undisci(lined and oer indulged generation o) young (eo(le has

on a nation. iscuss ho% she communicates this %ith thereader. o you think she is 6usti)ied in being concerned )or the

)uture;

ThemeF +iolence! siblings and )amily dynamics.



A rivate !xperience" p. ##$%&.

" A Private Experience"; two women with different

backgrounds hide together during a riot between

Christians and Muslims.

Group discussionF 4hat is the im(act on the reader o)

6u3ta(osing the su((ort the t%o indiiduals gie each

other! in the midst o) horri)ying threat and )ear;

,eligion! con)lict! identity.



Ghosts' A retired professor reflects on

his life.

Group discussionF &) the (resent is too (ain)ul to co(e

%ith! is there any harm in liing %ith an alternate

reality; Must all our realities be the same! i) %e are totruly understand each other;

ThemesF 'ostalgia! the (ast! identity.



" On (onda) of *ast +ee,"

Kamara, a igerian woman , has finall! oined her

husband in America but struggles with her new life, she

works as a nann! to a !oung bo! and develops a crush

on his artist mother. Group discussion' iscuss the role )riendshi( and

su((ort )rom others can (lay in hel(ing an indiidual

deal %ith loneliness and isolation.

Marriage! identity! (arenting.



G-umping (on,e) HillGF

#t is the venue for the African $riters% $orkshop in Cape

&own, where !oung writers from different African ations

write and have their work criti'ued b! (dward, an )expert%

on African *iterature. Group discussion' The Dreal A)rica7 is a((ro(riated by a

range o) characters in Adichie7s stories. iscuss ho%

you %ould )eel about your %riting being criticised )or

not being re(resentatie o) the culture you identi)y

%ith by someone your (erceie to be an outsider.

A)rican %riters! identity.



GThe Thing Around our

/ec,GF After winning an American visa, Akunna leaves her

)uncles% house after he sexuall! assaults her. +uffering

from crushing loneliness, she forms a relationship with

a man at the restaurant where she works, but finds heis unable to reall! understand her.

Group 0iscussion' Loneliness and isolation are key

themes in Adichie7s stories. o% do her characters

struggle to )ind their (lace in a ne% enironment;

ThemesF identity! cultural di))erence.



GThe American !mbass)GF

A woman seeks an American visa, da!s after soldiers killed

her son, looking for her ournalist husband in their home.

Group 0iscussion' Adichie creates characters %ith strong

conictions and standards o) moral behaiour. 4hat aluesare a((arent in this story! %hy doesn7t the mother make

the best o) her situation;

ThemesF +iolence! immigration.



GThe ShiveringG

A woman and man support each other on the da! of a

plane disaster in igeria; she worries that her ex

bo!friend ma! have been killed. &he! reveal some of their

true selves to each other. Group 0iscussion' ,eligion o))ers solace to those liing

a%ay )rom home! but Adichie em(hasi/es the

di))erences bet%een 'igerian and American

atholicism. oes )aith make it easier or more di))icult

)or Adichie7s characters;

&mmigrants e3(erience.



GThe Arrangers of (arriageG

#t describes the difficulties a igerian woman faces

when starting a new life in America with her husband

who reects all reminders of home.

Group 0iscussion' Marrying a doctor and liing inAmerica is seen by those back home as the (assage to a

(ros(erous li)e. 4hat do you think Adichie is suggesting

about the sacri)ices necessary to achiee this goal;

ThemesF &dentity! marriage! cultural di))erence.



GTomorrow 1s Too 2arGF

A stor! about a secret kept from a famil! about a precious

son%s death.

Group 0iscussion' Adichie e3(lores the sibling 6ealousy

that emerges )rom )amilies %here (arents )aour sonsoer daughters. 4hat is your understanding o) this; &s

the narrator to be condemned;

8amily! gender! the(ast.



GThe Headstrong HistorianG

#t tells a famil!%s stor!, from grandmother through to

granddaughter, of women who fight to gain respect and

their due in a world of domineering men.

Group 0iscussion' o% do you think Adichie )eels aboutcharacters like '%amgba; 4hy do you think she has

created a story %ith a circular theme! the (ast leading

to the (resent; onsider ho% this re(resents her ie%s

on the deelo(ment o) 'igeria and her (eo(le.

ThemesF religion! identity.



$re(are introductions in adance. Aim

)or ? sentences! general to(ic-te3t.

Memorise (arts o) an introduction-&n her 2II0 collection o) short

stories! The thing around your

neck! himamanda 'go/i Adichie

e3(lores the >uestionBissue o)J.



How texts can be

interpreted. 1nfluences on interpretation.

himamanda 'go/i Adichie is a 'igerian %oman born in

10! )rom a middle class )amily as the )i)th o) si3

siblings! %ho gre% u( in a house %here the )amousA)rican %riter hinua Achebe used to lie. er mother

and )ather %orked at the niersity o) 'igeria! and she

studied medicine be)ore she le)t to study creatie

%riting in the .S.

onsider those )acts )or a minute. an you guess ho%each may hae had an im(act on her attitudes and

alues; All o) our e3(eriences! (ositie and negatie!

contribute to the (erson %e become and the lens

through %hich %e see the %orld.



Essay to(ics.

3. Adichie4s stories show that isolation and loneliness are

often the result of mismatched expectations.

2. Adichie7s characters con)ront a range o) obstacles in

(ursuing ha((iness and )ul)ilment.

-. elationships give us the strength us to overcome

hardships. /iscuss.

@. DAdichie7s stories suggest that there is al%ays more than

one (oint o) ie%.7 iscuss.



5. Dislocation and e3ile )orce the characters in &he

&hing Around 0our eck to con)ront truths about

themseles.7 o you agree;

C. D'one o) the characters in this collection eer really)ind ha((iness.7 iscuss %ith close re)erence to three o)

the stories.

. DAdichie7s stories e3(ose the %ay that %omen are

de(ried o) (o%er in society.7 iscuss.



K. DAll o) the characters in &he &hing Around 0our eck!

een the children! are motiated by the desire )or (o%er.7

o you agree;

0. DAdichie7s stories are highly critical o) 4estern society.7

o you agree;

1I. DThe characters in Adichie7s stories are directionless

and disconnected )rom the society in %hich they lie.7

iscuss.

11. D'one o) the characters in &he &hing Around 0our eck

esca(e the harm)ul e))ects o) stereoty(ing.7 o you agree;

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The Thing Around Your Neck study notes