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The thing around
your neck.
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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.
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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.
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'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
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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;
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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.
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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.
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&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(.
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E3am Essay To(ics A"S 1
haracter
Theme
Metalanguage.
$re(are under each heading so you can easily organi/e
your kno%ledge.
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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.
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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;
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&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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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" 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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$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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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;