Monday 21st February 2011. Year 12 Aspects of Narrative; Year 13 Texts and Genres

FOR REVISION NOTES ON ALL A' LEVEL TEXTS LOOK AT THE ARCHIVE SECTION ----


The Rime of the Ancient Mariner  by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

 It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
'By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?

Homework: for Tuesday's class read Part 1 of 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' or TROTAM; remembering that this is one of Coleridge's poems of 'High Imagination' (along with 'Kubla Khan' and 'Christabel'). Look at the link below when reading the poem (in fact you can read it on this link) as it has some interesting images which correlate well with the poem: http://www.fantastichorror.com/02/coleridge-therimeoftheancientmariner123.html

 He holds him with his glittering eye
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years' child:
The Mariner hath his will.

If you'd rather hear someone else read the poem then follow this link to listen to the mellifluous tones of the great actor Richard Burton:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGH4p4z4s5A   

The poem is beautiful, compelling and confusing in equal measure; but let's just focus on the first two whilst we try to decide what type of text it actually is (for Kate Ashdown in emagazine it is a first-person narrative but with many different voices, within a third-person framework - so that's perfectly clear then?).

For contextual information, particularly social and cultural, then look at Peter Ackroyd's series on The Romantics: Liberty [part 6 of 6] this has important information on Coleridge and TROTAM which you absolutely must study: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NopnhintB48



 The Great Gatsby

For this first lesson after the 'break' we will be returning to Chapter 1 of TGG, looking specifically at the title and at the narrator Nick Carraway, through whose eyes we witness American society.  What is your opinion about the opening of the novel, how does it engage you, what and how does it tell us about Nick.

Hopefully, you will have gone through all the links that were sent to you, but if not then here they are again:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCWCcU8VNVw&feature=fvw

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_g-0u1wfNc&feature=related

Both of which will provide you with useful contextual material on F Scott Fitzgerald's life, his work and (as with Miller) the nature of society at the time of his writing, along with the sources of his inspiration.  These are all useful in enhancing your understanding of the text (remember AO4 - 'the significance and influence of the contexts...').

Looking back at our work on DOAS (which you should have been with completion of coursework!) and the American Dream, which  focused on the '20s and '30s; I'd like you to look at some current opinions from American  High School students on the contemporary relevance of The Great Gatsby: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/education/17gatsby.html?_r=1

Accompanied by an article in the Washngton Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/01/AR2007010100958.html

Homework:  read Chapter 2 and make a note, a list even, of particular themes that you think are beginning to come through.