Thursday 22 September 2011
Wednesday 14 September 2011
Year 13 Homework By Mr Sadgrove
English Homework set by Mr Sadgrove on Wednesday 13th Sept 2011
Date due: Wednesday 21st September 2011
Two pieces of homework that needs to be handed in:
1 - Bronte- collected poems - This was a sheet given by Mr Sadgrove in the lesson...
Questions: How do these extracts relate to the idea of the Gothic? What links can we draw between the poetry and Withering Heights?
2 - Write your own poem, expressing the views of the character just using the words within
the sheet given by Mr Sadgrove...
What did we learn?
Topic of the lesson: Elements of the Gothic
- Women= victims
- This idea of EXCESS
- Supernatural
- Terror and Horror
- Ambiguity
- Isolated settings
- Hero/villain
- Bynaric hero
- Violence
What is the narrative of Withering Heights?
FRAGMENTED NARRATIVE:
TWO NARRATORS: Lockwood and Nelly
Why is more than one narrator significant?
The whole action of Withering Heights is presented in the form of eyewitness narrations by people who have played some part in the narration they describe.
Song by KATE BUSH about Withering Heights
TASK: What is Kate emphasizing in this song? What aspects of the novel is she focusing on? Whether the Gothic/or love elements?
These are some of the answers that we came up with as a class in lesson:
- FAILED LOVE "...when i was going to lose the fight.." perhaps the "fight" refers to the conflict/dilemma between Catherine's heart and mind......
MIND: She chooses to love Linton for his status, and justifies herself throughout the novel
WHEREAS:
HEART: She loves Heathcliff deeply, her childhood mate who grew into her soul mate.. although she clearly dislikes him for how unclean and dirty he is.
Catherine see's Linton as superior to Heathcliff due to the reason that Linton comes from a high status family, whereas Heathcliff is an orphan.
In my personal opinion, I think perhaps Emily Bronte is emphasizing the social obstacles/barriers that existed at that time (A04), and how they destroyed the lives of many young women & men, with regards to deceiving them that REAL happiness can be achieved by how far you are up the social hierarchy or the amount of money you gain...
Which ultimately leads to the downfall of Catherine, as well as the other characters for marrying Linton for these reasons.
- REGRET: "...his side to put it right"
- supernatural elements
-she is reassuring herself
-passion
-EXCESS LOVE "let me grab your soul away"
These our some of the interpretations we came up with in class, please be free to post any other interpretations that you may have (A03)
Withering Heights can be interpreted either as a novel:
about a LOVE STORY, or either having some elements of the GOTHIC
GOTHIC : Withering Heights
- Settting- desolate area (Wuthering Heights)
- the idea of ghosts/supernatural
-violence/revenge- between Heathcliff and Linton
-excess with regards to the love Catherine has for Heathcliff
LOVE STORY: Withering Heights
- Jealousy
- Battle between the heart and the mind
- Different relationships that exist in the novel - Catherine and Heathcliff or Catherine and Linton and many others
- Dark side of 'love' that exists when love doesn't happen for the right reasons, if you get what i mean.. because clearly Catherine loves Linton for 'status', hence the wrong reasons.. whereas Heathcliff she loves him 'deeply, like true love', for who he is...
she even states she sees herself in Heathcliff (so they're similar) compared to Linton..
Defining TERROR and HORROR
Horror: is more to do with the physical fear, e.g- when you jump up if someone scares you for example
Terror: is more to do with the mental mind/ psychological fear.
BLURB TASK:
Mr Sadgrove gave us a sheet that consisted of three blurbs taken from three editions of Withering Heights
Some of the blurbs focused more on the GOTHIC ASPECTS of the novel whereas the other the FAILED LOVE aspects.
We were then set a task to write our own blurbs, however focusing more on the Gothic elements within this novel. This is my example:
Withering Heights, a fragmented narrative, explores the epic fatal failed love between Catherine and Heathcliff; that ultimately defines the destiny of the awaited doom of the other characters.
Revenge, obsession, and terror are key themes that bring this novel alive. Catherine's continuous struggle to determine her true soul mate, is faced with a battle between the heart and the mind. One one hand, there's Linton- a man with a high status, and on the other hand, there's Heathcliff- a man with a low status, the man that she truly loves. Will she choose Heathcliff or Linton?
THE GOTHIC ELEMENTS/ASPECTS I have mentioned in my blurb for example are the following:
- Isolation
- terror
- revenge
- obsession
- awaited doom
- epic fatal failed love
- fragmented narrative- this causes terror within the readers, because we get confused..
- this idea of ambiguity- like we don't know whether she's going to choose Linton or Heathcliff
EXAM INFORMATION: 2 hour exam
The exam is in January, whereas the coursework is in June
- We have to study 3 texts to study for the exam:
1- Withering Heights- Taught by Mr Sadgrove
2- Bloody Chambers - We have completed this study of the novel.
3- Macbeth - Taught by Ms Knight
SECTION A-We only write about ONE TEXT
SECTION B- We compare one Gothic element in all 3 texts
NOTE: We are assessed in all of the AO's in both sections
This exam is a closed book exam, therefore you have TO START MEMORIZING QUOTES from the 3 texts you have to study now!
Withering Heights- an Audio version for those who haven't read the book yet.
BYE, hope you guys enjoyed my blog :)
Tuesday 24 May 2011
Friday 21 January 2011
Good Luck
Should be revising but I wanted to take the time out to wish everyone except Shaun the best of luck for the exam on Monday. It's been a great year and I truly can't wait to begin the coursework with all you guys except Shaun. All of these posts have been great in helping me revise, except Shauns, and I love you Guys.
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