Wider reading for the dedicated English Literature student with a Faustian thirst for knowledge.

Wednesday 25 February 2015

September 1st 1939: A Lecture

Oh hi,

Here's a very useful analysis of Auden's September 1st 1939.

Enjoy:



Mr M

Analysis tips

Hi Y12,

Here's that mnemonic to help you think about what to do with your quotes. This is a series of ideas for the E in PEE. The first set of bullets are about analysis (zoom in) and the second set are about interpretation and evaluation (zoom out).


Not sure how I feel about it yet. Might have to adapt.  

Remember: don't try to comment on all of these each time - just use whatever suits your quote.

Mr M

Monday 23 February 2015

The Road - McCarthy's style

Hi folks,

Here are a number of interpretations of the significance of McCarthy's style in The Road.

What do you think?


1. The limited linguistic palette and repetitive techniques echo the monotony of the post-apocalyptic world that is described.

2. The repetitive language echoes the idea of being on the road, constantly travelling.

3. The death of everything living – plants, trees, creatures and most other human beings – is evoked through the bleakness and ‘deadness’ of the language.

4. There is a powerfully poetic effect in the simplicity of the language. By avoiding rhetorical flourishes and elaborate language the writer makes a stronger impact. The pared down language of the narrative reflects the pared down life the characters have to live – essentials only.

5. Avoiding emotionally language and keeping it simple makes the narrative all the more emotionally engaging.

6. The pared down language of the narrative reflects the pared down life the characters have to live.

7. The limited palette makes the story more universal, a fable for all time, rather than pinning it down with lots of elaborate details describing specific places.

8. There’s something rather dull about the style that makes it hard to read and difficult to distinguish one part of the book from the next. All the events seem to merge together.

9. The lack of hyperbolic language highlights the extremity of the situation.


As I said today, you need to be ready to discuss what you know about McCarthy's language (+ structure and form) and relate it to the 'chapter' you are asked about. These general statements might help you to put together an argument about a particular section in your exam.



Mr M