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Wellington Secondary CollegeLiterature Handbook 2016
Units 1 & 2
[email protected]@edumail.vic.gov.au
M1 Staffroom
TextsVCAA Literature Course StructureTimelinesExpectationsLiterature Essay WritingAssessment CriteriaUseful PhrasesVocabulary
Texts:The Collector John Fowles ISBN 978-0-099-47047-2Amadeus Peter Schaffer ISBN 978-0-141-18889-8A selection of poetry (provided by the College)Persepolis Marjane Satrapi (provided by the College)King Oedipus Sophocles (The Theban Plays) ISBN 0-14-044003-8Greek Steven Berkoff (provided by the College)
VCAA Literature Course Structure:
Unit 1 Approaches to LiteratureAoS1 Reading practicesAoS2 Ideas and concerns in texts
Unit 2 Context and ConnectionsAoS1 The text, the reader and their contextsAoS2 Exploring connections between texts
Term One
WEEK UNITS OF WORK ASSESSMENTS0
27/1/2016(Students start on Friday)
11/2/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OnePoetry
28/2/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OnePoetry
Class-written essay examining two poems
315/2/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OneThe Collector
422/2/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OneThe Collector
529/3/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OneThe Collector
Oral analysis
67/3/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OneThe Collector
714/3/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OneThe Collector
821/3/2016
Unit One, Area of Study OneThe Collector
Term Two
WEEK UNITS OF WORK ASSESSMENTS1
11/4/2016Unit One, Area of Study Two
AmadeusOutcome: The Collector
218/4/2016
Unit One, Area of Study TwoAmadeus
325/4/2016
Unit One, Area of Study TwoAmadeus
42/5/2016
Unit One, Area of Study TwoAmadeus
59/5/2016
Unit One, Area of Study TwoAmadeus
616/5/2016
Unit One, Area of Study TwoAmadeus
Outcome: Amadeus
723/5/2016
Unit One Exam Preparation
830/5/2016
EXAMS (TBC)
96/6/2016
EXAMS (TBC)
1013/6/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study OnePersepolis
1120/6/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study OnePersepolis
Term Three
WEEK UNITS OF WORK ASSESSMENTS1
11/7/2016Unit Two, Area of Study One
Persepolis2
18/7/2016Unit Two, Area of Study Two
King OedipusOutcome: Persepolis
325/7/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoKing Oedipus
41/8/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoKing Oedipus
58/8/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoGreek
615/8/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoGreek
722/8/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoGreek
829/8/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoKing Oedipus and Greek
95/9/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoKing Oedipus and Greek
1012/9/2016
Unit Two, Area of Study TwoKing Oedipus and Greek
Outcome: King Oedipus and Greek
Term Four
WEEK UNITS OF WORK ASSESSMENTS1
3/10/2016Preparation for Unit Three
210/10/2016
Preparation for Unit Three
317/10/2016
Preparation for Unit Three
424/10/2016
EXAM REVISION (TBC)
531/10/2016
EXAMS/EXAM REVISION (TBC)
NB: These timelines are a guide only. Modifications to assessments, text order, study duration, etc. may need to be made during the year. Please see your teacher if you have
any questions or concerns.
VCE Literature Units One and TwoCourse Expectations
Those who wish to study Literature are expected to do the following:
Be open: to new ways of working, new ways of thinking, new ways of looking at texts, and being exposed to new types of text.
Be organised: like all VCE study designs, the Literature timelines are quite tight. We have attempted to ensure some ‘buffer time’ in the timelines, but this may be eaten up quickly. You must read the allotted materials for homework. You must complete the required tasks; if this cannot be done in class time, it must be completed, by negotiation, for homework.
Be mature: the texts we read in VCE Literature contain many mature themes; these include coarse language, sexual themes, violent themes, and complex political and religious themes. You will need to approach these issues with maturity and respect; this includes respect for authors, characters, cultures and each other.
Be honest: each student will experience VCE differently, and each student will have different responsibilities to deal with. Please be honest about how you are coping, what you’d like help with and your overall needs. If something is challenging, makes you uncomfortable or makes you feel a certain way, express these thoughts and allow your peers, teachers and other school staff to assist you whenever needed.
Literature Essay Writing
We will work extensively on perfecting your literary analysis and essay writing skills over the course of the year. If the following seems sightly strange to you now, don’t panic – it will become clear.
The style of assessment and essay writing we will focus on in Units One and Two Literature is called ‘passage analysis’. It is quite different to the styles of essay writing used in English, but many of the skills you have learnt in English are transferable to Literature.
Topic: passage analysis essays do not have a set topic. For most outcomes, you will be given three passages (~1-2 pages each in length) from the text(s) being assessed. Students decide what ‘key idea’ their essay will focus on based on the passages they are given.
Structure: paragraphs in a passage analysis essay do not need to follow a set structure, e.g. TEEAL, but elements of TEEAL are a part of all good essay paragraphs, for example, using examples to support your ideas and analysing these examples. To begin a passage analysis essay, you should introduce your key idea, but a lengthy introduction paragraph introducing the text and outlining three main points is unnecessary. Your introductory remarks should be limited to a few sentences, at which point you should launch into your analysis. Similarly, a passage analysis conclusion does not need to summarise the entire
essay; your concluding remarks should provide a final, original insight into the key idea that your essay has been building towards.
Remember, you must start with the passages. What do the passages suggest about the themes and ideas of the text? Then discuss those themes and ideas in a broader way regarding the entire text.
You should not go into an outcome or exam knowing exactly what you will write. Be prepared to write about a number of major themes and see which one(s) the passages relate to the most. Once you have chosen your key idea, explore what the passages and the text suggest about it.
The following are ideas and skills to consider when writing your passage analysis essay (credit to Glen Pearsall):
Views and values embedding:
Views: perspectives or opinions; values: ideas/principles/etc. which the author thinks are important.
Establish what the text suggests or puts forth to the reader. What ideals and beliefs does the text support, refute, protest or demand? What elements of the individual, society and life itself does the text suggest are the keys to sustaining a meaningful, peaceful and fulfilling human existence?
You must also consider the context of the text. Think about where and when the text was produced. Are there specific views and values that are more relevant to its context than they would be today (or in another context)?
Views and values should be the heart of your essay as it is what you will be discussing. All the other aspects of your essay discuss how the author creates the text to demonstrate their views and values.
First and Second Thoughts:
To establish an in depth interpretation it is important to emphasise that you are not merely taking a superficial look at the passages and the text, that you have looked deeper into them and have noticed the important nuances of the text and what the author is really suggesting and how they are actually doing it.
The way you do this is to first discuss the obvious very briefly, what is on the page that everyone can see. Then, you should begin to either discuss what you think the author is suggesting between the lines or discuss the subtle and clever ways that the author expresses their views in the construction of the text; what the reader might miss on a first read.
Linking Form & Meaning:
This is when the meaning (content or ideas) of the text is connected to or supported by the text’s construction, i.e. you show how the way the text is written links to the overall meaning of the text (views/values). This is the essence of literary analysis; you are not simply identifying and then listing techniques, you are showing why the use of these techniques matters.
Grouped Evidence:
Evidence from the text may be quotes or examples, quotes being the preferred method. The more evidence you have to prove a point, the stronger that point becomes. When you integrate three or more quotes from the passages into a sentence, this is called ‘grouped evidence’.
Grouped evidence can be in the form of short phrases or individual words, and can be quotes from several passages or just the one.
Ranging across the passages:
This technique is used to show complexity in your passage analysis by looking at multiple passages simultaneously. Looking at the passages individually is satisfactory, but it does not show great skill. By comparing and contrasting separate passages or showing how a single idea or theme is relevant to multiple passages, you are demonstrating greater analytical skill.
Evaluative word phrase:
This is where you prepare and use your powerful and inspiring language. A hint: ‘powerful’ and ‘inspiring’ are examples of evaluative language. By using evaluative phrases you are not only improving your vocabulary, but you are automatically demonstrating knowledge and interpretation.
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Using Quotes in Literature Essays:
In Literature essays, it is important to use quotes from the text to support your analysis. In order to use these quotes correctly, you should follow these guidelines:
Integrate quotes into sentence structure: rather than constantly writing that a character ‘said’ this or ‘confessed’ that, take the quote and insert it into your sentence like so:
By begging his brother not to “hold [Rita] too close”, Kelly is implying that the poem’s narrator, Joe, fears that he will be replaced by Dan.
By doing this, you are ensuring that your audience is not taken ‘out of the moment’ when reading your essay, while still utilising the words of another as quoted evidence.
Use ellipses to tailor quotes: you may sometimes find that the ‘perfect quote’ is several lines long (quotes used as evidence should generally be no longer than one line); in order to still use the quote, you may need to clip it by deciding which phrases are essential to the point you are trying to support. When removing words or phrases from the middle of a quote, use an ellipsis to show the reader that something has been removed, for example:
Larkin shows his narrator’s disgust at those who attempt to ‘to create…a life reprehensibly perfect’ by using an oxymoron to conclude his poem.
When tailoring a quote to your needs, it is essential to maintain the author’s intent/meaning. For example, you cannot replace the word ‘not’ with an ellipsis to create the opposite meaning. Such a rule also applies to any use of quotes.
Change the quotes to third person (if necessary): all Literature essays must be written using formal language and in third person, however, often you will be quoting from texts written in first person, or the grammar of your selected quote will prevent you from maintaining correct sentence structure. Such quotes need to be modified. To do this, delete the word that is in first person or undermines the grammatical structure of your sentence and replace it with something more appropriate. Make sure you surround the replacement word with square parentheses, like so:
By asking Dan to ‘kiss [his] kids’ and not ‘let them cry for [him]’, Joe is asking Dan to be a surrogate father.
Further notes on Literary essay writing:
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Assessment Criteria
The following is an example of a Literature assessment rubric. Different tasks may require slightly different rubrics. We will examine each of the criteria in detail over the course of Unit 1.
MARK RANGE DESCRIPTOR: typical performance in each range
33–40 marks Comprehensive discussion of the significance of the passages.
Highly-developed and subtle interrelationships between selected passages and text as a whole.
Highly-developed interpretation of the text.
Very perceptive selection and use of textual detail to support the interpretation.
Thorough discussion of the language, tone and construction of the text, using appropriate terminology.
Very coherent and logical organisation of ideas.
Highly expressive and fluent writing.
25–32 marks Adequate discussion of the significance of the passages.
Clear connections between selected passages and the text as a whole.
An established interpretation of the text.
Appropriate selection and use of textual detail to support the interpretation.
Discussion of the language, tone and construction of the text, using appropriate terminology.
Coherent and logical organisation of ideas.
Expressive and fluent writing.
17–24 marks Only minor discussion of the significance of the passages.
At times selected passages are referred to in support of analysis as a whole.
An interpretation that lacks depth.
Limited use of textual detail; text is often retold and recalled rather than used to support interpretation.
Some discussion of the language, tone and construction of the text, using relevant terminology.
Mainly coherent organisation of ideas.
Fluent writing that lacks expressiveness.
9–16 marks Passages are rarely referred to at all.
Very little connection between selected passages and text as a whole.
No interpretation of the text.
Text is retold and recalled rather than used to support interpretation.
A lack of understanding as to how form is linked to meaning.
A lack of clarity.
Simple expression of ideas.
1–8 marks No references to passages.
No understanding of how passages link to each other or the text as a whole.
No interpretation.
Only retelling the story.
No understanding of form and construction.
Very unclear and difficult to understand.
Simple expression of ideas.
Useful Phrases
The text explores the concept of…These ideas are signified…The author creates…The author communicates……emphasises the idea of……communicates the author’s concern with……continues the theme of……draws a parallel with……suggests the idea of…The audience is made to…The audience is put into the position…The author implies…This highlights the importance of…This suggests the author’s preoccupation with…It is limiting to suggest…It is misleading to suggest…Other features of the text suggest…The language evokes…This language suggests…This alienates the audience by…This imparts a sense of…
The image creates…The author confronts…The author challenges…The text challenges…These words capture…The reader is drawn in by…This allows readers to…This conjures up images of…This technique develops the…The author emphasises his/her concerns…Parallels are created by…The reader is directed to…The portrayal of this character at this point of the text…The author’s central concerns are typified…The sensory impact of……summons readers to…The narrator’s change in tone indicates…The narrator pauses to…Placing an emphasis on words such as…
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Vocabulary List:
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Wellington Secondary CollegeLiterature
Unit OneHoliday Homework
[email protected]@edumail.vic.gov.au
M1 Staffroom
PoetryStop all the clocks, cut off the telephone WH AudenHow to make gravy Paul KellyThe charge of the Light Brigade Alfred, Lord TennysonDulce Et Decorum Est Wilfred OwenPoetry of Departures Philip Larkin
The Collector John Fowles
Read the first four attached poems twice. Answer the following questions about each poem:
1. What views and/or values are being presented by the poet?
Poem A:
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Poem B:
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Poem C:
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Poem D:
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2. Choose one technique that is being used by the poet; give an example of the technique and explain why you think the poet has used it (this is your opportunity to practice embedding quotes and linking form with meaning).
Poem A:
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Poem B:
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Poem C:
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Poem D:
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Poem A
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone W. H. Auden
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,Silence the pianos and with muffled drumBring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overheadScribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,My working week and my Sunday rest,My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.For nothing now can ever come to any good.
Poem B
How to Make GravyPaul Kelly
Hello Dan, it's Joe here I hope you're keeping well It’s the 21st of December now they’re ringing the last bells if I get good behaviour I'll be out of here by July Won't you kiss my kids on Christmas day
Please don't let them cry for me
I guess the brothers are driving downfrom QueenslandStella's flying in from the coast They say it's gonna be a hundred degrees,even more maybe,but that won't stop the roast
Who's gonna make the gravy now? I bet it won't taste the same Just add flour, salt, a little red wine and don't forget a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang
And give my love to Angusand to Frank and Dolly, Tell 'em all I'm sorryI screwed up this time And look after Rita,I'll be thinking of herearly Christmas morning When I'm standing in line
I hear Mary's got a new boyfriend,I hope he can hold his own Do you remember the last one?What was his name again? (Just a little too much cologne)
And Roger, you know I'm even gonna miss Roger 'Cause there's sure as hell no one in here I want to fight
Oh praise the Baby Jesus,have a Merry Christmas, I'm really gonna miss it,all the treasure and the trash And later in the evening,I can just imagine, You'll put on Junior Murvinand push the tables back And you'll dance with Rita,I know you really like her, Just don't hold her too close, oh brother please don't stab me in
[the
back
I didn't mean to say that,it's just my mind it plays up, Multiplies each matter,turns imagination into fact You know I love her badly,she's the one to save me, I'm gonna make some gravy,I'm gonna taste the fat Tell her that I'm sorry,yeah I love her badly,tell 'em all I'm sorry, And kiss the sleepy children for me You know one of these days,I'll be making gravy, I'll be making plenty,I'm gonna pay 'em all back
Poem C
The Charge Of The Light BrigadeAlfred, Lord Tennyson
Half a league half a league, Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred:
'Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
'Forward, the Light Brigade!' Was there a man dismay'd ?
Not tho' the soldier knew Some one had blunder'd: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do & die, Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them Volley'd & thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred.
Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack & Russian Reel'd from the sabre-stroke,
Shatter'd & sunder'd. Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse & hero fell,
They that had fought so well Came thro' the jaws of Death, Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them, Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd. Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred!
Poem D
Dulce Et Decorum EstWilfred Owen
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,Till on the haunting flares we turned our backsAnd towards our distant rest began to trudge.Men marched asleep. Many had lost their bootsBut limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hootsOf disappointed shells that dropped behind.
GAS! Gas! Quick, boys!-- An ecstasy of fumbling,Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;But someone still was yelling out and stumblingAnd floundering like a man in fire or lime.--Dim, through the misty panes and thick green lightAs under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could paceBehind the wagon that we flung him in,And watch the white eyes writhing in his
face,His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;If you could hear, at every jolt, the bloodCome gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cudOf vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,--My friend, you would not tell with such high zestTo children ardent for some desperate glory,The old Lie: Dulce et decorum estPro patria mori.
(Translation: it is sweet and honourable to die for one’s country)
Poem E (We will study this one as a class in Semester One)
Poetry of DeparturesPhilip Larkin
Sometimes you hear, fifth-hand,As epitaph:He chucked up everythingAnd just cleared off,And always the voice will soundCertain you approveThis audacious, purifying,Elemental move.
And they are right, I think.We all hate homeAnd having to be there:I detest my room,It's specially-chosen junk,The good books, the good bed,And my life, in perfect order:So to hear it said
He walked out on the whole crowdLeaves me flushed and stirred,Like Then she undid her dressOr Take that you bastard;Surely I can, if he did?And that helps me to staySober and industrious.But I'd go today,
Yes, swagger the nut-strewn roads,Crouch in the fo'c'sleStubbly with goodness, ifIt weren't so artificial,Such a deliberate step backwardsTo create an object:Books; china; a lifeReprehensibly perfect.
The Collector and Post-colonialism
About the authorJohn Fowles (1926-2005) was born in a small town in the county of Essex, England. He described his suburban upbringing as “oppressively conformist”1 and “intensely conventional.”2
At university, Fowles became very interested in the writings of Albert
Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre, who were existentialist3 philosophers with whom Fowles shared many ideas about the dangers of conformity and the will of the individual.
In 1960, Fowles completed his initial draft of The Collector in just four weeks. It was not his first novel, but after revising it for two years, it was the first he ever sent to a publisher. After its publication in 1963, it became a best seller, and with the revenue Fowles was able to devote himself to writing fulltime.
Fowles continued to write novels and several non-fiction texts for the rest of his life, as well as publishing three photographic books.
He died of an illness in 2005, aged 79.
Context: England in the 1960sWhile people in general, women in particular, were gaining more rights and freedoms in the 1960s, it was a time when the old ideals of those who had lived through at least one world war clashed with modern ideas, art, music, popular culture and sexual morality. Many young people felt torn between the ideals of their parents and those of their contemporaries.
A new sub-culture emerged in the 1950s/early 1960s called ‘Beatniks’ (sometimes also referred to as the ‘Beat Generation’). Beatniks (stereotypically) were people in their late teens to early 30s who enjoyed post-modern art (e.g. Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali) and music (e.g. contemporary jazz). They would hang out in coffee bars and listen to experimental jazz or original poetry. They are
1 http://www.fowlesbooks.com/biography.htm2 http://www.fowlesbooks.com/biography.htm3 Existentialists considered the meaning of life and what it meant to be human.
often caricatured wearing black turtleneck jumpers, berets and sunglasses. The Beatnik philosophy was liberal (in favour of personal freedom), in favour of peace, against materialism and aimed to oppose the traditional culture of their time (and their parents).
Above: Picasso’s Woman with a Flower;right: Dali’s Persistence of Time
Post-colonial literaturePost-colonial literature is literature written as a reaction to (or some would say against) colonialism and colonial literature. We are going to be studying The Collector as a post-colonial text, which means we will be viewing many aspects of it as metaphors for colonialism, and closely examining the post-colonial views which are presented in and through the novel.
Colonialism is based on the notion that a less ‘sophisticated’ civilisation can only benefit from the education and ‘enlightenment’ of a more ‘advanced’ society. It also believes that the land on which these ‘uneducated’ and ‘backward’ people live is not being properly utilised, and is therefore not owned by anyone. Thus, it can be colonised by another country which considers itself more advanced. Examples of countries which have been colonised include the United States of America, Australia, India and Vietnam.
Post-colonial literature opposes these notions; it aims to highlight colonial injustices and how power can be exercised and abused. While the idealised intention of colonialism is to benefit the colonised nation and its people, post-colonialism attempts to demonstrate that in actuality, the beneficiaries are the imperialist nation.
The most important and critical aspect of post-colonial literature is its function as a commentary on the history of the imperialist nation eradicating the culture (language, customs, etc.) of the colonised nation. Many see this as a form of cultural genocide.
Below are some examples of how the following forms of power may be exercised; how might these be viewed?
Power andAction:
Colonial/Imperial Perspective:
Post-colonialPerspective:
Financial Power:USA loans money to a South American nation. The South American nation spends the next few decades only able to repay the interest by exporting more than half of their production to the US.Educational/Intellectual Power:British colonists traded simple goods with Indigenous Australians in exchange for ownership of the land; not only could the Indigenous Australians not read the contract they were agreeing to, they had no concept of land ownership.Physical/Military Power:USA gave military aide to Kuwait
as protection from Iraq. After Iraq’s defeat, the USA had a continual presence in Kuwait and thus had control over their oil fields.
One can attain power over another by other means, such as communication and technology, which can be seen in The Collector.
By having the power, the powerful become the moral authority*. It’s important to notice that with these examples and with The Collector, these actions are arguably moral or immoral. What must be noticed is that the person/group in power is the one that makes the decision whether the action is ethical or not. This creates an unfair situation where physical/military, financial, educational/intellectual power rather than ethics creates morality.
* The moral authority is the notion that they are in the position to decide what is morally right or wrong for all people.
Read The Collector and answer the following questions as you read:
1. As you read, annotate each example of: post-colonialism, power, distorted sense of reality.
2. What is unusual about the way this novel opens? Why might Fowles have chosen to do this?
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3. What are we explicitly told about Frederick in the first eight pages (pg. 9-16) of the novel?
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4. What does Fowles imply about Frederick in the first eight pages of the novel?
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5. In what ways do Frederick and Miranda exhibit power over one another? Who do you think is more powerful?
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6. What are some things Fowles implies through Miranda’s first diary entry?
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7. Describe Miranda’s personality from Frederick’s perspective, and then from her own. Which of these (if either) is a more genuine account of Miranda?
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8. In what ways is Frederick detached from reality? How does Fowles show this in The Collector?
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