“The Merchant of Venice”
Main characters:
Antonio, the Christian merchant
Shylock, the Jewish moneylender
Bassanio, Antonio’s friend
Portia, Bassanio’s wife
Set in Venice, Italy in the 1500s.
Venetian society in Elizabethan times was anti-semitic.
Shylock and Antonio draw up a “bond”.
Friday, 29 October 2010
Ways to say "said"
Following on from my challenge to S3 and S5/6 here is my own list. See if you can add any to it in the comments box.
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
First World War Poetry
Please have a quick read and see if there are any of the following you would like to have a look at. Dulce et decorum est is compulsary.
For a wee prize, tell me what the latin phrase dulce et decorum est pro patria mori means.
Rouen by May Wedderburn Cannan
Early morning over Rouen, hopeful, high, courageous morning,
And the laughter of adventure and the steepness of the stair,
And the dawn across the river, and the wind across the bridges,
And the empty littered station, and the tired people there.
Can you recall those mornings and the hurry of awakening,
And the long-forgotten wonder if we should miss the way,
And the unfamiliar faces, and the coming of provisions,
And the freshness and the glory of the labour of the day.
Hot noontide over Rouen, and the sun upon the city,
Sun and dust unceasing, and the glare of cloudless skies,
And the voices of the Indians and the endless stream of soldiers,
And the clicking of the tatties, and the buzzing of the flies.
Can you recall those noontides and the reek of steam and coffee,
Heavy-laden nontides with the evening’s peace to win,
And the little piles of Woodbines, and the sticky soda bottles,
And the crushes in the “Parlour”, and the letters coming in?
Quiet night-time over Rouen, and the station full of soldiers,
All the youth and pride of England from the ends of all the earth;
And the rifles piled together, and the creaking of the sword-belts,
And the faces bent above them, and the gay, heart-breaking mirth.
Can I forget the passage from the cool white-bedded Aid Post
Past the long sun-blistered coaches of the khaki Red Cross train
To the truck train full of wounded, and the weariness and laughter
And “Good-bye, and thank you, Sister”, and the empty yards again?
Can you recall the parcels that we made them for the railroad,
Crammed and bulging parcels held together by their string,
And the voices of the sergeants who called the Drafts together,
And the agony and splendour when they stood to save the King?
Can you forget their passing, the cheering and the waving,
The little group of people at the doorway of the shed,
The sudden awful silence when the last train swung to darkness,
And the lonely desolation, and the mocking stars o’erhead?
Can you recall the midnights, and the footsteps of night watchers,
Men who came from darkness and went back to dark again,
And the shadows on the rail-lines and the all inglorious labour,
And the promise of the daylight firing blue the window- pane?
Can you recall the passing through the kitchen door to morning,
Morning very still and solemn breaking slowly on the town,
And the early coastways engines that had met the ships at daybreak,
And the Drafts just out from England, and the day shift coming down?
Can you forget returning slowly, stumbling on the cobbles,
And the white-decked Red Cross barges dropping seawards for the tide,
And the search for English papers, and the blessed cool, of water,
And the peace of half-closed shutters that shut out the world outside?
Can I forget the evenings and the sunsets on the island,
And the tall black ships at anchor far below our balcony,
And the distant call of bugles, and the white wine in the glasses,
And the long line of the street lamps, stretching Eastwards to the sea?
…When the world slips slow to darkness, when the office fire burns lower,
My heart goes out to Rouen, Rouen all the world away;
When other men remember I remember our Adventure
And the trains that go from Rouen at the ending of the day
Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, –
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
For The Fallen
Composed on these cliffs 1914 by Laurence Binyon
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Dulce et decorum est by Wilfred 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 backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines 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 stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As 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 pace
Behind 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 blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Subalterns by Elizabeth Daryush
She said to one: ‘How glows
My heart at the hot thought
Of battle’s glorious throes!’
He said: ‘For us who fought
Are icy memories
That must for ever freeze
The sunny hours they bought.’
She said to one: ‘How light
Must your freed heart be now,
After the heavy fight!”
He said: ‘Well I don’t know…..
The war gave one a shake,
Somehow, knocked one awake…..
Now. life’s so deadly slow.’
The General by Siegfried Sassoon
“Good-morning; good-morning!" the General said
When we met him last week on our way to the line.
Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of ’em dead,
And we’re cursing his staff for incompetent swine.
"He’s a cheery old card," grunted Harry to Jack
As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.
But he did for them both by his plan of attack.
For a wee prize, tell me what the latin phrase dulce et decorum est pro patria mori means.
Rouen by May Wedderburn Cannan
Early morning over Rouen, hopeful, high, courageous morning,
And the laughter of adventure and the steepness of the stair,
And the dawn across the river, and the wind across the bridges,
And the empty littered station, and the tired people there.
Can you recall those mornings and the hurry of awakening,
And the long-forgotten wonder if we should miss the way,
And the unfamiliar faces, and the coming of provisions,
And the freshness and the glory of the labour of the day.
Hot noontide over Rouen, and the sun upon the city,
Sun and dust unceasing, and the glare of cloudless skies,
And the voices of the Indians and the endless stream of soldiers,
And the clicking of the tatties, and the buzzing of the flies.
Can you recall those noontides and the reek of steam and coffee,
Heavy-laden nontides with the evening’s peace to win,
And the little piles of Woodbines, and the sticky soda bottles,
And the crushes in the “Parlour”, and the letters coming in?
Quiet night-time over Rouen, and the station full of soldiers,
All the youth and pride of England from the ends of all the earth;
And the rifles piled together, and the creaking of the sword-belts,
And the faces bent above them, and the gay, heart-breaking mirth.
Can I forget the passage from the cool white-bedded Aid Post
Past the long sun-blistered coaches of the khaki Red Cross train
To the truck train full of wounded, and the weariness and laughter
And “Good-bye, and thank you, Sister”, and the empty yards again?
Can you recall the parcels that we made them for the railroad,
Crammed and bulging parcels held together by their string,
And the voices of the sergeants who called the Drafts together,
And the agony and splendour when they stood to save the King?
Can you forget their passing, the cheering and the waving,
The little group of people at the doorway of the shed,
The sudden awful silence when the last train swung to darkness,
And the lonely desolation, and the mocking stars o’erhead?
Can you recall the midnights, and the footsteps of night watchers,
Men who came from darkness and went back to dark again,
And the shadows on the rail-lines and the all inglorious labour,
And the promise of the daylight firing blue the window- pane?
Can you recall the passing through the kitchen door to morning,
Morning very still and solemn breaking slowly on the town,
And the early coastways engines that had met the ships at daybreak,
And the Drafts just out from England, and the day shift coming down?
Can you forget returning slowly, stumbling on the cobbles,
And the white-decked Red Cross barges dropping seawards for the tide,
And the search for English papers, and the blessed cool, of water,
And the peace of half-closed shutters that shut out the world outside?
Can I forget the evenings and the sunsets on the island,
And the tall black ships at anchor far below our balcony,
And the distant call of bugles, and the white wine in the glasses,
And the long line of the street lamps, stretching Eastwards to the sea?
…When the world slips slow to darkness, when the office fire burns lower,
My heart goes out to Rouen, Rouen all the world away;
When other men remember I remember our Adventure
And the trains that go from Rouen at the ending of the day
Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons.
No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, –
The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles calling for them from sad shires.
What candles may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.
For The Fallen
Composed on these cliffs 1914 by Laurence Binyon
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Dulce et decorum est by Wilfred 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 backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines 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 stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As 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 pace
Behind 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 blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Subalterns by Elizabeth Daryush
She said to one: ‘How glows
My heart at the hot thought
Of battle’s glorious throes!’
He said: ‘For us who fought
Are icy memories
That must for ever freeze
The sunny hours they bought.’
She said to one: ‘How light
Must your freed heart be now,
After the heavy fight!”
He said: ‘Well I don’t know…..
The war gave one a shake,
Somehow, knocked one awake…..
Now. life’s so deadly slow.’
The General by Siegfried Sassoon
“Good-morning; good-morning!" the General said
When we met him last week on our way to the line.
Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of ’em dead,
And we’re cursing his staff for incompetent swine.
"He’s a cheery old card," grunted Harry to Jack
As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.
But he did for them both by his plan of attack.
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Family Guy/ Abbot and Costello Joke
Okay, the quality isn't very good but you can see this is the same joke, more or less, as the Abbot and Costello "Who's on first" clip I put up before the holidays. The confusion here is between Peter's name and the organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
It shows how well-known the joke has become that Stewie considers it to be too common, saying, "Are we *really* doing this?"
It shows how well-known the joke has become that Stewie considers it to be too common, saying, "Are we *really* doing this?"
Friday, 22 October 2010
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Intermediate 2 - Consider the Lilies - Quotes
The quotes for the text are here. However, you'll have to consult the text for quotes earlier in the book. There are plenty here to help you, though.
If you have any specific questions, I'll be online throughout the weekend. At this stage you should have the majority of your writing done.
DO NOT LEAVE IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.
This is an assessed essay and must be as good as you can make it. Be warned.
If you have any specific questions, I'll be online throughout the weekend. At this stage you should have the majority of your writing done.
DO NOT LEAVE IT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.
This is an assessed essay and must be as good as you can make it. Be warned.
Monday, 18 October 2010
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Saturday, 16 October 2010
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Amnesty International
A short film about the work carried out by human rights charity, Amnesty International.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Phenomenal Classic Wordplay
This is a very old sketch by American comedians, Abbot and Costello. It has been referenced in Family Guy, the Simpsons and hundreds of other comedy shows over the years.
The basic idea is that there are a variety of baseball players with unusual names ("Who", "What", "I Don't Know", and so on) and Lou Costello is trying to find out the names of the players. Bud Abbot tells him the names but Lou gets increasingly confused when the names seem to be questions back to him.
It takes a while to get going but this is a classic act of wordplay.
Enjoy your holidays.
The basic idea is that there are a variety of baseball players with unusual names ("Who", "What", "I Don't Know", and so on) and Lou Costello is trying to find out the names of the players. Bud Abbot tells him the names but Lou gets increasingly confused when the names seem to be questions back to him.
It takes a while to get going but this is a classic act of wordplay.
Enjoy your holidays.
Of Mice and Men - MIssing Section
George - Caring, often frustrated by Lennie.
Sometimes feels Lennie is a burden.
Ultimately he loves his friend.
He says that “guys like us that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world… they ain’t got nothing to look ahead to”. He and Lennie are different because they have each other.
George understands how destructive loneliness can be, saying
“I seen the guys that go around ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time.”
We can see he knows the value of a good friend.
Sometimes feels Lennie is a burden.
Ultimately he loves his friend.
He says that “guys like us that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world… they ain’t got nothing to look ahead to”. He and Lennie are different because they have each other.
George understands how destructive loneliness can be, saying
“I seen the guys that go around ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time.”
We can see he knows the value of a good friend.
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Of Mice and Men - Step-by-step Essay Plan
Question
Consider the theme of loneliness in the novel, Of Mice and Men. How does it affect the friendships and relationships of the characters in the novel? Make sure that you support your ideas with quotes and explanations.
Introduction
• What is the title of the book, and who wrote it? When was it written?
• Where and when is the novel set?
• Where did the inspiration for the novel come from?
• Who is the book about?
• What kind of life do these people have?
• There are other characters in the novel who are also lonely.
• What makes them lonely? (Age, race, sex.)
• What is your essay going to do?
Paragraph 1
• Discuss the central characters - George and Lennie.
• Who are they?
• What do they do?
• “guys like us that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world…” “they ain’t got nothing to look ahead to”
• What do they look like?
• Describe their personalities - what are they like?
• “watch out them cats don’t get the little rabbits’. Lennie breathed hard. “You jus’ let ‘em try to get the rabbits. I’ll break their god-damn necks.”
• “I seen the guys that go around ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time.”
• What do they like to do?
Paragraph 2
• Discuss the relationship between George and Lennie - what is it like?
• “If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us."
• What does George think of Lennie?
• “God, you’re a lot of trouble… I could get along so easy if I didn’t have you on my tail.”
• “If I was alone I could live so easy…” “you do bad things and I got to get you out”
• How does Lennie feel about George?
• "We could live offa the fatta the lan'."
• “I didn’t mean no harm, George.”
• Who is in control?
• Why do they travel together?
Paragraph 3
• Discuss the character of Candy.
• Who is he?
• What does he do?
• What does he look like?
• What is he like?
• Who is his 'friend'?
• “…at the old man’s heels there walked a drag-footed sheep-dog, grey of muzzle and with pale blind old eyes… “I had him ever since he was a pup”
• What happens to it?
• “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.”
• What does this show about Candy?
• How does it affect George?
• What does the future hold for him?
• “When they can me here I wisht somebody'd shoot me. But they won't do nothing like that. I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get no more jobs “
• How does he try to stop this?
• Relationship with George and Lennie? (Buys into a friendship – how does he do this?)
Paragraph 4
• Discuss the character of Crooks.
• Who is he?
• What does he do?
• What does he look like?
• Where does he live?
• How does he describe his past?
• How does he describe his present life?
• “…a guy talking to another guy and it don’t make no difference if he don’t hear or understand. The thing is they’re talking, or they’re settin’ still not talkin’.”
• How is he treated?
• How is he forced to spend his time?
• “I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick."
• Relationship with others?
• Why is he so bitter?
Paragraph 5
• Discuss the character of Curley's wife.
• Who is she?
• What does she look like?
• What do all the farm workers say about her?
• Why are all of the workers frightened to talk to her?
• Why does she marry Curley?
• What does she feel about him?
• How does she describe her life on the ranch?
• “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while?.. I tell you I could of went with the shows… An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers…”
• How does she behave - what things does she say and do in order to befriend the men?
• Why does she do this?
• Is she really 'a tart'?
• “I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”
• At the end of the novel, what does her loneliness cause?
Conclusion
• Summarise your findings.
• As a guide, think about writing one or two sentences for each paragraph in the main body of your essay.
Consider the theme of loneliness in the novel, Of Mice and Men. How does it affect the friendships and relationships of the characters in the novel? Make sure that you support your ideas with quotes and explanations.
Introduction
• What is the title of the book, and who wrote it? When was it written?
• Where and when is the novel set?
• Where did the inspiration for the novel come from?
• Who is the book about?
• What kind of life do these people have?
• There are other characters in the novel who are also lonely.
• What makes them lonely? (Age, race, sex.)
• What is your essay going to do?
Paragraph 1
• Discuss the central characters - George and Lennie.
• Who are they?
• What do they do?
• “guys like us that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world…” “they ain’t got nothing to look ahead to”
• What do they look like?
• Describe their personalities - what are they like?
• “watch out them cats don’t get the little rabbits’. Lennie breathed hard. “You jus’ let ‘em try to get the rabbits. I’ll break their god-damn necks.”
• “I seen the guys that go around ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time.”
• What do they like to do?
Paragraph 2
• Discuss the relationship between George and Lennie - what is it like?
• “If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us."
• What does George think of Lennie?
• “God, you’re a lot of trouble… I could get along so easy if I didn’t have you on my tail.”
• “If I was alone I could live so easy…” “you do bad things and I got to get you out”
• How does Lennie feel about George?
• "We could live offa the fatta the lan'."
• “I didn’t mean no harm, George.”
• Who is in control?
• Why do they travel together?
Paragraph 3
• Discuss the character of Candy.
• Who is he?
• What does he do?
• What does he look like?
• What is he like?
• Who is his 'friend'?
• “…at the old man’s heels there walked a drag-footed sheep-dog, grey of muzzle and with pale blind old eyes… “I had him ever since he was a pup”
• What happens to it?
• “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.”
• What does this show about Candy?
• How does it affect George?
• What does the future hold for him?
• “When they can me here I wisht somebody'd shoot me. But they won't do nothing like that. I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get no more jobs “
• How does he try to stop this?
• Relationship with George and Lennie? (Buys into a friendship – how does he do this?)
Paragraph 4
• Discuss the character of Crooks.
• Who is he?
• What does he do?
• What does he look like?
• Where does he live?
• How does he describe his past?
• How does he describe his present life?
• “…a guy talking to another guy and it don’t make no difference if he don’t hear or understand. The thing is they’re talking, or they’re settin’ still not talkin’.”
• How is he treated?
• How is he forced to spend his time?
• “I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick."
• Relationship with others?
• Why is he so bitter?
Paragraph 5
• Discuss the character of Curley's wife.
• Who is she?
• What does she look like?
• What do all the farm workers say about her?
• Why are all of the workers frightened to talk to her?
• Why does she marry Curley?
• What does she feel about him?
• How does she describe her life on the ranch?
• “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while?.. I tell you I could of went with the shows… An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers…”
• How does she behave - what things does she say and do in order to befriend the men?
• Why does she do this?
• Is she really 'a tart'?
• “I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”
• At the end of the novel, what does her loneliness cause?
Conclusion
• Summarise your findings.
• As a guide, think about writing one or two sentences for each paragraph in the main body of your essay.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Consider the Lilies - Sample Introduction/ Summary
Consider the Lilies was written by Iain Crichton Smith in 1968. It is a novel about the fortunes of an elderly highland woman during the clearances of the eighteenth century. Over the course of this essay I will try to show how a single moment of realisation turns the novel completely and send the character of Mrs Scott in a different direction.
The novel takes place in Sutherland and focuses on Mrs Scott, an elderly and religious woman who is being evicted from her home. Her past has defined her and having watched her mother go mad and die, and her husband and son both leave her, she feels she is losing all control of her own happiness. In desperation, she seeks the help of her minister but he rejects her, claiming that the power of the law is more powerful than the law of God, and that she would have to be evicted. This betrayal by the church leads to her changing her entrenched views dramatically and learning to accept life one day at a time, without the religion that has sustained her.
The novel takes place in Sutherland and focuses on Mrs Scott, an elderly and religious woman who is being evicted from her home. Her past has defined her and having watched her mother go mad and die, and her husband and son both leave her, she feels she is losing all control of her own happiness. In desperation, she seeks the help of her minister but he rejects her, claiming that the power of the law is more powerful than the law of God, and that she would have to be evicted. This betrayal by the church leads to her changing her entrenched views dramatically and learning to accept life one day at a time, without the religion that has sustained her.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Consider the Lilies - Quotes
Luke Chapter 12 Verses 27-28
27: Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28: If then God so clothe the grass which is today in the field and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith.
• “He has to be hard on all sinners.” – Mrs Scott
o A very unforgiving attitude – hard-hearted?
• “the eyes, which remained cold though they appeared to twinkle… or the way his head was cocked, or perhaps because of the buzzing of a fly on the window-pane”
• “The minister knows best” – this marks Mrs Scott’s beginning to reject the authority of the church.
• “Its tranquillity belied its depth” – the sound of the water evoked memories of her mother’s voice. The sunlight reminds her of the moonlight of the night her mother tried to kill herself.
• “A child’s face smiling up at her slightly distorted.”
• “Could she begin again, miraculously transformed, be neither too hard nor too soft, learn to love and be loved, escape the voices screaming out of the darkness?”
• "So it all began again"(last line of the chapter)
• “she couldn’t stop it”
• “…she leaned back on the pillow, completely relaxed…
• “She felt it was dangerous to think too much at this time…”
• “whatever cloth is”/ “if you try to come into my house I’ll do you bodily harm”/ “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time”
• "the sea steadied"?
• "it was too late and too early to begin"?
• “Too late” – she had begun to soften.
• “Too early” – she did not have the strength to be as severe as she once was.
• “You can’t kill all of them”.
• “…my husband used to have a uniform like that.”
• “I could do nothing about it.” Mirrors Mrs Scott’s powerlessness about her son.
• “…to tell the truth of what is happening to us.” To spread the word about the clearances.
• “That’s “what I think of Patrick Sellar and his kind.”
• “…you’ll find my father’s Bible in the drawer if you need it.”
• “…her poor husband whom she had driven off across the seas.”
• “…the way she had brought up that son, always interfering.”
• “Not a word about God from beginning to end.”
• “…all the pain, and all the dead, and all the sorrow of those who had lived in this world.” He realises the suffering Mrs Scott has endured because she couldn’t express her emotions.
• “…who evicted emotions and burnt down love.” He feels that religion had bottled up the emotions these people wanted to express, and made them feel “…such pure horror that his head ached.”
• “She couldn’t understand all this for she hadn’t been taught to think on general lines.”
• If he told her it would destroy her world, “and she would hate him for this…”
• Sellar thinks the truth can change. It’s “…what we care to make it.”
• “…you’ll thank me for having put you in the way of making a fortune.”
• “You will become a legend. You have become a legend… your name will be on people’s lips.”
• “Why hadn’t he seen that Mrs Scott wasn’t herself, they say.”
• “They had to build them themselves.”
• “…they had to make a boat.”
• “You and I will be outcasts
• “…she couldn’t tell a proper story.”
• “She had no stories. She couldn’t remember any stories.”
• “Imagine all these children by the sea…”
• “…if the rain comes on, then I don’t know what will happen.”
• “I used to envy the way you used to dress Iain with all those lovely woollen suits.”
• “…he too was gone, abashed and happy.”
• “…presences on the moor and at the end of the road…”
• “There was no music tonight. Perhaps there would never be music again.”
• “I’m too old for fairies.”
• 'Take no thought for tomorrow, for the morrow will take care of itself'”
• “This is utterly inexcusable Mr Sellar, I told you to go and tell Mrs Scott immediately…”
• “…we know that under normal circumstances this acquaintanceship would not be voluntary…”
• "It is too late for the pension?"
• "stranded on a rock. Safe for the moment."
• “I wouldn’t be good for the children.”
• "things came in on the high tide which you could keep when the tide was going out again"
27: Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28: If then God so clothe the grass which is today in the field and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith.
• “He has to be hard on all sinners.” – Mrs Scott
o A very unforgiving attitude – hard-hearted?
• “the eyes, which remained cold though they appeared to twinkle… or the way his head was cocked, or perhaps because of the buzzing of a fly on the window-pane”
• “The minister knows best” – this marks Mrs Scott’s beginning to reject the authority of the church.
• “Its tranquillity belied its depth” – the sound of the water evoked memories of her mother’s voice. The sunlight reminds her of the moonlight of the night her mother tried to kill herself.
• “A child’s face smiling up at her slightly distorted.”
• “Could she begin again, miraculously transformed, be neither too hard nor too soft, learn to love and be loved, escape the voices screaming out of the darkness?”
• "So it all began again"(last line of the chapter)
• “she couldn’t stop it”
• “…she leaned back on the pillow, completely relaxed…
• “She felt it was dangerous to think too much at this time…”
• “whatever cloth is”/ “if you try to come into my house I’ll do you bodily harm”/ “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time”
• "the sea steadied"?
• "it was too late and too early to begin"?
• “Too late” – she had begun to soften.
• “Too early” – she did not have the strength to be as severe as she once was.
• “You can’t kill all of them”.
• “…my husband used to have a uniform like that.”
• “I could do nothing about it.” Mirrors Mrs Scott’s powerlessness about her son.
• “…to tell the truth of what is happening to us.” To spread the word about the clearances.
• “That’s “what I think of Patrick Sellar and his kind.”
• “…you’ll find my father’s Bible in the drawer if you need it.”
• “…her poor husband whom she had driven off across the seas.”
• “…the way she had brought up that son, always interfering.”
• “Not a word about God from beginning to end.”
• “…all the pain, and all the dead, and all the sorrow of those who had lived in this world.” He realises the suffering Mrs Scott has endured because she couldn’t express her emotions.
• “…who evicted emotions and burnt down love.” He feels that religion had bottled up the emotions these people wanted to express, and made them feel “…such pure horror that his head ached.”
• “She couldn’t understand all this for she hadn’t been taught to think on general lines.”
• If he told her it would destroy her world, “and she would hate him for this…”
• Sellar thinks the truth can change. It’s “…what we care to make it.”
• “…you’ll thank me for having put you in the way of making a fortune.”
• “You will become a legend. You have become a legend… your name will be on people’s lips.”
• “Why hadn’t he seen that Mrs Scott wasn’t herself, they say.”
• “They had to build them themselves.”
• “…they had to make a boat.”
• “You and I will be outcasts
• “…she couldn’t tell a proper story.”
• “She had no stories. She couldn’t remember any stories.”
• “Imagine all these children by the sea…”
• “…if the rain comes on, then I don’t know what will happen.”
• “I used to envy the way you used to dress Iain with all those lovely woollen suits.”
• “…he too was gone, abashed and happy.”
• “…presences on the moor and at the end of the road…”
• “There was no music tonight. Perhaps there would never be music again.”
• “I’m too old for fairies.”
• 'Take no thought for tomorrow, for the morrow will take care of itself'”
• “This is utterly inexcusable Mr Sellar, I told you to go and tell Mrs Scott immediately…”
• “…we know that under normal circumstances this acquaintanceship would not be voluntary…”
• "It is too late for the pension?"
• "stranded on a rock. Safe for the moment."
• “I wouldn’t be good for the children.”
• "things came in on the high tide which you could keep when the tide was going out again"
Amazing Maurice - Finishing the short essay
Who is your character?
What do they look like?
What is their personality like?
What problems do they face in the play?
How do they overcome these problems?
What do you think of them overall?
Conclusion
1. Did you enjoy the play?
2. What was your favourite part? Why?
3. Who was your favourite character? Why?
4. Do you wish there were more of these books?
5. Would you recommend it to someone else? Why?
What do they look like?
What is their personality like?
What problems do they face in the play?
How do they overcome these problems?
What do you think of them overall?
Conclusion
1. Did you enjoy the play?
2. What was your favourite part? Why?
3. Who was your favourite character? Why?
4. Do you wish there were more of these books?
5. Would you recommend it to someone else? Why?
Of Mice and Men - Sample Paragraph
Start with either:
a) George Milton and Lennie Small are unusual travelling companions…
b) The two protagonists (George Milton and Lennie Small) are an unusual combination…
• Full names?
• What do they look like?
• Lennie – Tall, strong, big-built, “shapeless of face”
• George – Shorter, thin, “sharp-featured”
- CONTRAST
Continue with either:
a) The two men are also different in their personalities…
b) The men are not just different in their physical appearance…
• Describe their personalities - what are they like?
• Lennie - Simple/ mind of a child/ unintelligent,
• remembers everything George says,
• can’t always remember what he has to do,
• good-natured, no malice in him,
• likes soft things – rabbits, velvet, mice, puppies.
• Lennie’s love of soft things becomes clear when he says, “watch out them cats don’t get the little rabbits… You jus’ let ‘em try to get the rabbits. I’ll break their god-damn necks.”
The relationship between these characters seems at first to be imbalanced. However, there is real friendship between the men. “If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us." This demonstrates that George and Lennie are different to other men because someone else cares for them. S George’s affection for Lennie is tempered by the reality that his friend makes his life significantly more complicated. George’s frustration with Lennie often emerges in anger, saying, “God, you’re a lot of trouble… I could get along so easy if I didn’t have you on my tail.”
a) George Milton and Lennie Small are unusual travelling companions…
b) The two protagonists (George Milton and Lennie Small) are an unusual combination…
• Full names?
• What do they look like?
• Lennie – Tall, strong, big-built, “shapeless of face”
• George – Shorter, thin, “sharp-featured”
- CONTRAST
Continue with either:
a) The two men are also different in their personalities…
b) The men are not just different in their physical appearance…
• Describe their personalities - what are they like?
• Lennie - Simple/ mind of a child/ unintelligent,
• remembers everything George says,
• can’t always remember what he has to do,
• good-natured, no malice in him,
• likes soft things – rabbits, velvet, mice, puppies.
• Lennie’s love of soft things becomes clear when he says, “watch out them cats don’t get the little rabbits… You jus’ let ‘em try to get the rabbits. I’ll break their god-damn necks.”
The relationship between these characters seems at first to be imbalanced. However, there is real friendship between the men. “If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us." This demonstrates that George and Lennie are different to other men because someone else cares for them. S George’s affection for Lennie is tempered by the reality that his friend makes his life significantly more complicated. George’s frustration with Lennie often emerges in anger, saying, “God, you’re a lot of trouble… I could get along so easy if I didn’t have you on my tail.”
Monday, 4 October 2010
Podcast Cheats!
A couple of people were expressing fears and anxieties about tomorrow's pods, mostly I suspect due to low confidence, so for a brief time only (until I get a message from one pin particular) I am putting up a handful of ideas for you to scrawl down and take into the pod. You'll still have to have some ideas of your own prepared but this should give you some ammunition to get you started.
1) Whether Shylock is a good or positive character is almost irrelevant. Shakespeare's real achievement is making him a believable, complex character. The same person can be prejudiced enough to say "I hate him for he is a Christian" and later deliver his amazing "hath not a jew eyes" soliloquy. We like him because, like all human beings, he is not perfect, and we can all relate to that.
2) Portia is interesting because she defies the expectations of her own period. In Shakespeare's day women were not expected to be strong characters, indeed they were even forbidden from acting on the stage. But here we have a female character with wit, intelligence and cunning. It is a woman that undoes Shylock's bond - a radical idea at the time. Remember, none of the men knew how to get Antonio out of his situation.
3) The prejudice in the play is quite appalling to us as modern readers, but the play was written as a comedy so the audience of Elizabethan London were expected to laugh at Shylock as a pathetic, money-grabbing character. It reveals a lot about Shakespeare's society, and how far we have progressed, that Shylock can now provoke ANY sympathy in the audience.
4) Shakespeare show his genius in writing almost the entire play within a rigid iambic pentameter, a foem of poetry that must have every line go de-dum, de-dum, de-dum, de-dum, de-dum. How remarkable that even within this tight frame he manages to create such colourful and provocative characters.
5) Should we really be delighted that Shylock's daughter not only wants to leave him, but also to rob him and disgrace her mother's memory? She's no better than her father in seeking revenge but we still seem to think she's the one who has been wronged.
6) The punishment of the court is grotesque. How can it ever be considered fair that, after a man has had all his money taken off him in punishment, he must also give up his religion. This cannot ever be acceptable. If it happened in today's courts the media would go absolutely bananas at the disregard for his right to personal faith.
7) Shylock becomes blinded by revenge. In the court scene, this is what causes his downfall. His desire for revenge is greater than his desire for money, and if he had been able to let the offences against him go he would have been much richer and justice would have been done.
I hope these are of some use. Remember, it's only a conversation and EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion. You can always finish a point by saying, "That's a fair point but I disagree."
Don't panic.
Consider the Lilies - Some Quotes
• “the eyes, which remained cold though they appeared to twinkle… or the way his head was cocked, or perhaps because of the buzzing of a fly on the window-pane”
• “The minister knows best” – this marks Mrs Scott’s beginning to reject the authority of the church.
• “Its tranquillity belied its depth” – the sound of the water evoked memories of her mother’s voice. The sunlight reminds her of the moonlight of the night her mother tried to kill herself.
• The white light reflected from a trout evokes thoughts of her son’s clothing when he was a child, then of her son himself. “A child’s face smiling up at her slightly distorted.”
• “Could she begin again, miraculously transformed, be neither too hard nor too soft, learn to love and be loved, escape the voices screaming out of the darkness?”
• "So it all began again"
• It is going away from her and “she couldn’t stop it”
• “…she leaned back on the pillow, completely relaxed…
• “She felt it was dangerous to think too much at this time…”
• “whatever cloth is”/ “if you try to come into my house I’ll do you bodily harm”/ “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time”
• “the sea steadied”
• “Too late” – she had begun to soften.
• “Too early” – she did not have the strength to be as severe as she once was.
• “…my husband used to have a uniform like that.” Use of past tense – he is dead.
• “I could do nothing about it.” Mirrors Mrs Scott’s powerlessness about her son.
• “…to tell the truth of what is happening to us.”
• “If you came here to keep us healthy so you can put us out at the end you can keep your medicines.”
• It shows the wealthy have no real care for the highlanders. That’s “what I think of Patrick Sellar and his kind.”
• “…her poor husband whom she had driven off across the seas.”
• “…the way she had brought up that son, always interfering.”
• “Not a word about God from beginning to end.”
• “…who evicted emotions and burnt down love.” He feels that religion had bottled up the emotions these people wanted to express, and made them feel “…such pure horror that his head ached.”
• “She couldn’t understand all this for she hadn’t been taught to think on general lines.”
• Sellar thinks the truth can change. It’s “…what we care to make it.”
• “…you’ll thank me for having put you in the way of making a fortune.”
• “The question doesn’t arise for me.”
• “She had no stories. She couldn’t remember any stories.”
• To salve his conscience. “…he too was gone, abashed and happy.”
• “I’m too old for fairies.”
• "It is too late for the pension?"
• "stranded on a rock. Safe for the moment."
• "things came in on the high tide which you could keep when the tide was going out again"
Metaphors based on water/ the sea.
• “The minister knows best” – this marks Mrs Scott’s beginning to reject the authority of the church.
• “Its tranquillity belied its depth” – the sound of the water evoked memories of her mother’s voice. The sunlight reminds her of the moonlight of the night her mother tried to kill herself.
• The white light reflected from a trout evokes thoughts of her son’s clothing when he was a child, then of her son himself. “A child’s face smiling up at her slightly distorted.”
• “Could she begin again, miraculously transformed, be neither too hard nor too soft, learn to love and be loved, escape the voices screaming out of the darkness?”
• "So it all began again"
• It is going away from her and “she couldn’t stop it”
• “…she leaned back on the pillow, completely relaxed…
• “She felt it was dangerous to think too much at this time…”
• “whatever cloth is”/ “if you try to come into my house I’ll do you bodily harm”/ “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time”
• “the sea steadied”
• “Too late” – she had begun to soften.
• “Too early” – she did not have the strength to be as severe as she once was.
• “…my husband used to have a uniform like that.” Use of past tense – he is dead.
• “I could do nothing about it.” Mirrors Mrs Scott’s powerlessness about her son.
• “…to tell the truth of what is happening to us.”
• “If you came here to keep us healthy so you can put us out at the end you can keep your medicines.”
• It shows the wealthy have no real care for the highlanders. That’s “what I think of Patrick Sellar and his kind.”
• “…her poor husband whom she had driven off across the seas.”
• “…the way she had brought up that son, always interfering.”
• “Not a word about God from beginning to end.”
• “…who evicted emotions and burnt down love.” He feels that religion had bottled up the emotions these people wanted to express, and made them feel “…such pure horror that his head ached.”
• “She couldn’t understand all this for she hadn’t been taught to think on general lines.”
• Sellar thinks the truth can change. It’s “…what we care to make it.”
• “…you’ll thank me for having put you in the way of making a fortune.”
• “The question doesn’t arise for me.”
• “She had no stories. She couldn’t remember any stories.”
• To salve his conscience. “…he too was gone, abashed and happy.”
• “I’m too old for fairies.”
• "It is too late for the pension?"
• "stranded on a rock. Safe for the moment."
• "things came in on the high tide which you could keep when the tide was going out again"
Metaphors based on water/ the sea.
Essay-writing for Beginners
The following instructions are intended to give a broad first-level introduction to the mechanics of writing about texts. They will NOT instruct in how to produce a Higher grade A essay.
Put simply, these are basic principles for people who lack confidence in their writing at Standard Grade and Int 1 or 2.
Introduction
A solid introduction sets the scene for your reader. It gives an indication of what you’re writing about, and where you think the essay will lead you. There are five things you must include in your introduction:
1. The name of the text.
2. The name of the writer.
3. The date of its writing.
4. A very brief (one or two sentences) idea of the plot.
5. A statement showing what your essay intends to do.
Summary
Not all essays require you to summarise the plot of the text. However, at this level, a good eight to ten line overview of the text goes some way to showing that you know the story. This will, in turn, prove to your reader that you know what you are talking about. In the summary try to point out any themes that apply to the question you are answering.
Paragraphs
The main body of the essay will be a series of paragraphs that address the question directly. You should be prepared to talk about a point of the question in some depth, and use references to the text throughout. For convenience, try to remember the S.Q.C. process.
S – Statement – Make a statement in support of your argument. (Racism is another cause of loneliness in Of Mice and Men.)
Q – Quotation – Use a quotation from the text that backs up this first point. (“I ain’t allowed in the bunkhouse… because I’m black.”)
C – Comment – Comment on how this links to your question. (Clearly, for Crooks, the racial segregation of his society has left him without any friends.)
Each paragraph should try to address three or four of these points, all connected to roughly the same point.
You might need a look at this to learn how to embed quotations.
Conclusion
This is the final part of the essay and should try to tie-up the main points you have made. There is a quick, albeit somewhat mechanical, way to do this.
1. State what the question was asking you to do.
2. Briefly recap the main incidents from the text that you have used to explore the question.
3. Give a final opinion of the issue.
These points will give your essay a structure and make sure it is relevant to the question, which is a good place to start.
However, this will not improve the fluency of your writing, nor polish your expression. These are best learned by reading other essays so that you can steal ideas on how to start sentences, how to develop your ideas, how to build your critical vocabulary and so on.
Finally, essay-writing takes practice. You cannot expect to improve by only writing a couple of essays. They might seem time-consuming but with greater familiarity you can really push yourself, and from here the best grades come.
Put simply, these are basic principles for people who lack confidence in their writing at Standard Grade and Int 1 or 2.
Introduction
A solid introduction sets the scene for your reader. It gives an indication of what you’re writing about, and where you think the essay will lead you. There are five things you must include in your introduction:
1. The name of the text.
2. The name of the writer.
3. The date of its writing.
4. A very brief (one or two sentences) idea of the plot.
5. A statement showing what your essay intends to do.
Summary
Not all essays require you to summarise the plot of the text. However, at this level, a good eight to ten line overview of the text goes some way to showing that you know the story. This will, in turn, prove to your reader that you know what you are talking about. In the summary try to point out any themes that apply to the question you are answering.
Paragraphs
The main body of the essay will be a series of paragraphs that address the question directly. You should be prepared to talk about a point of the question in some depth, and use references to the text throughout. For convenience, try to remember the S.Q.C. process.
S – Statement – Make a statement in support of your argument. (Racism is another cause of loneliness in Of Mice and Men.)
Q – Quotation – Use a quotation from the text that backs up this first point. (“I ain’t allowed in the bunkhouse… because I’m black.”)
C – Comment – Comment on how this links to your question. (Clearly, for Crooks, the racial segregation of his society has left him without any friends.)
Each paragraph should try to address three or four of these points, all connected to roughly the same point.
You might need a look at this to learn how to embed quotations.
Conclusion
This is the final part of the essay and should try to tie-up the main points you have made. There is a quick, albeit somewhat mechanical, way to do this.
1. State what the question was asking you to do.
2. Briefly recap the main incidents from the text that you have used to explore the question.
3. Give a final opinion of the issue.
These points will give your essay a structure and make sure it is relevant to the question, which is a good place to start.
However, this will not improve the fluency of your writing, nor polish your expression. These are best learned by reading other essays so that you can steal ideas on how to start sentences, how to develop your ideas, how to build your critical vocabulary and so on.
Finally, essay-writing takes practice. You cannot expect to improve by only writing a couple of essays. They might seem time-consuming but with greater familiarity you can really push yourself, and from here the best grades come.
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Concentration and how to read.
Following on from a few things some pupils have told me recently, I just want to put a wee bit up here about concentration.
Some have said that they struggle with concentrating on reading for sustained periods of time, and that they find it difficult to develop a reading habit as a result. Don't fret. There's nothing out of the ordinary there for most of you.
If you imagine that you wanted to run a marathon, you would not think "I'll just pop out and do that now". No. You'd have to start training and building your strength a little at a time, gradually building to marathon fitness.
Reading and concentrating are very similar: you have to build your strength gradually.
So, here's a plan for you to have a go at.
Day One: Turn off your phone, PC, etc and sit down to read for TEN minutes. No more than that.
Day Two: Same again, but this time try for fifteen minutes.
Build up by five minutes each day until you can read for forty minutes.
I'm not promising it will definitely work, but it will start you in the right direction. It will be easier if you choose something to read that you might enjoy. You'd get nowhere if you sat down to read "War and Peace" on day one, but there are other books that you will cope with. Use your own judgment, or ask a teacher or librarian.
I make one condition for this program:
You must do this EVERY day. Like fitness, if you don't use it you lose it. Try not to miss a session and you will feel the benefits much more quickly.
Some have said that they struggle with concentrating on reading for sustained periods of time, and that they find it difficult to develop a reading habit as a result. Don't fret. There's nothing out of the ordinary there for most of you.
If you imagine that you wanted to run a marathon, you would not think "I'll just pop out and do that now". No. You'd have to start training and building your strength a little at a time, gradually building to marathon fitness.
Reading and concentrating are very similar: you have to build your strength gradually.
So, here's a plan for you to have a go at.
Day One: Turn off your phone, PC, etc and sit down to read for TEN minutes. No more than that.
Day Two: Same again, but this time try for fifteen minutes.
Build up by five minutes each day until you can read for forty minutes.
I'm not promising it will definitely work, but it will start you in the right direction. It will be easier if you choose something to read that you might enjoy. You'd get nowhere if you sat down to read "War and Peace" on day one, but there are other books that you will cope with. Use your own judgment, or ask a teacher or librarian.
I make one condition for this program:
You must do this EVERY day. Like fitness, if you don't use it you lose it. Try not to miss a session and you will feel the benefits much more quickly.
Friday, 1 October 2010
6,000 Hits!
Just a wee note to say "thank you" to the many users who have taken my hit-counter up past 6,000 since July. The data reveals these users come from all over the world - USA, Australia, China and more - and I am delighted that the site could be useful to so many people.
Once again, a big thanks.
Once again, a big thanks.
Mortal Engines - Book Review Plan
In terms of lay-out, try to use the following structure:
Para 1) Introduction to the essay.
Para 2) Quick summary of the book - about ten sentences.
Para 3) Tell us about Tom - what happens to him and how does he change?
Para 4) Tell us about Hester - what happens to her and how does she change?
Para 5) Tell us about either Anna Fang OR Valentine. What kind of character are they? What do Tom and Hester think of them? How do their views of them change?
Para 6) Did you think the book was an interesting view of the future? What things in the book do you think are realistic, and which things aren't.
Para 7) Conclusion - tell us what your overall thoughts are. What did you enjoy most about the book and why? What did you think of the relationships between Tom and Katherine, and Tom and Hester? Do you think the book had a happy ending?
Para 1) Introduction to the essay.
Para 2) Quick summary of the book - about ten sentences.
Para 3) Tell us about Tom - what happens to him and how does he change?
Para 4) Tell us about Hester - what happens to her and how does she change?
Para 5) Tell us about either Anna Fang OR Valentine. What kind of character are they? What do Tom and Hester think of them? How do their views of them change?
Para 6) Did you think the book was an interesting view of the future? What things in the book do you think are realistic, and which things aren't.
Para 7) Conclusion - tell us what your overall thoughts are. What did you enjoy most about the book and why? What did you think of the relationships between Tom and Katherine, and Tom and Hester? Do you think the book had a happy ending?
Amazing Maurice - Paragraph Notes from Class
• Likes money.
• Talking cat – Additives at the University.
• A conniving/ devious cat.
• Doesn’t eat talking rats – he knows the difference between right and wrong.
• Doesn’t want to kill anything with a consciousness.
• Self-centred.
• Assumes that Keith’s stupid but he’s not. Maurice misjudged him.
• A very strong personality.
• Persuades people very well – strong-willed.
• The gift of the gab.
• A friend of the rats.
• Talking cat – Additives at the University.
• A conniving/ devious cat.
• Doesn’t eat talking rats – he knows the difference between right and wrong.
• Doesn’t want to kill anything with a consciousness.
• Self-centred.
• Assumes that Keith’s stupid but he’s not. Maurice misjudged him.
• A very strong personality.
• Persuades people very well – strong-willed.
• The gift of the gab.
• A friend of the rats.
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