P.E.E. Paragraphs

English Homework - Gabriella Parker

Write a P.E.E Paragraph Identifying Literary and Linguistic Techniques for Teacher and Student Extract and Pages 53-57 (Drummer Hodge)

Teacher and Student

In the discourse between the teacher and the student named Alex, the teacher uses the rhetorical interrogative “ Is that a threat?” in order to take control of the power balance between the two in response to Alex’s ‘cheekily’ phrased interrogative “What if I don’t answer?”. This shows the assertion of dominance the teacher is applying over the student, challenging his disobedient behaviour in order to imply that there will consequential repercussions if Alex is in fact challenging his authority.

Drummer Hodge 

In direct contrast with the Teacher and Student, Hector uses a much more relaxed approach to analysing poetry. By using the loose interrogative, “ Any thoughts?” as an agenda-setting coax, his teaching style is more of a gentle encouragement that allows Posner’s personal interpretation to be expressed. In this way, it is clear to infer that there is an almost symmetrical power balance between Hector and Posner in their discourse, and it appears to be more of a conversation than a lesson.

Relationship Bewteen Irwin and Posner

English Homework - Gabriella Parker

Discuss how Irwin and Posner’s relationship is presented in this exchange.

Discuss how Irwin and Posner’s relationship is presented in this exchange

It is clear from Irwin and Posner’s colloquy in the beginning of Act Two that the underlying tension caused by their shared interest in Dakin still plays a major role in their relationship and how they interact with each other.The ellipsis used in Posner’s question “He liked you…didn’t he?” creates a feeling of anticipation, whilst the following tag question adds an insistent nudge of doubt which has the overall effect of Posner gently drawing a response out of Irwin. In retrospect of Posner’s motivation of getting information out of Irwin for a potential article, the audience/reader begins to understand that Posner has become more astute in his ability to manipulate people for his own gain. It becomes clear that Posner would like the answer to the question for more than his article, however, with his insistent drive to gain a response and his use of the word “need” when referring to why he wants the information. The word gives connotations of a more desperate desire to have his questions answered. Their rivalry over Dakin’s affection is a heavy underlying subtext that runs throughout their conversation. In this way it is possible to infer that Posner has learned from Irwin’s examples, taken on his ideologies and is now using it against him.

Impactful linguistic techniques are used often in their exchange to accentuate the barely constrained resentment that is apparent between the two. An example of this is the forceful interrogative “You’re miked, aren’t you?” which borders on being declarative in the context as it is a rephrasing of a previous question, which shows Irwin’s shocked anger at Posner’s attempt to exploit him, by repetitive inquiry, almost like an interrogation. Posner responds in kind to Irwin’s curt dialogue, using simple sentences such as “It didn't work out.” when asked sensitive questions, which portrays Posner as being to-the-point and nonchalant, much like Irwin’s detached approach to anything emotional. The most prominent example of impact is when Irwin uses the taboo language; “Now fuck off.”, which almost comes as a climatic point to their contention, as the language is as shocking as it is contemptuous. This slip of professionalism and aggression shows the audience/reader that Irwin feels threatened and is lashing out in contrast to Posner’s carefree attitude.

The use of elevated lexis plays with Irwin’s tendencies as a teacher, as Posner needs to ask the definition of “meretricious”. Irwin's response of “eye-catching, showy, false”, an asyndetic listing of synonyms which is often associated with teachers explanations, is very reflective of Irwin’s own personality. The overall effect of this exchange shows the power imbalance between the two, with Irwin seemingly more superior in intelligence. This misleads the audience into resuming their usual impression of Posner, an unassuming person with very little manipulative intent. In effect, the revelation that Posner is in fact trying to trick Irwin becomes even more of a shock, and draws attention to the change in their relationship.

Vocatives are also very powerful in expressing the relationship between the two. Whilst in the previous section of the book, Posner seldom took part in taunting Irwin with the title “sir”, as the other boys did, in this exchange Posner uses the vocative to sound ‘appealing’ and to remind Irwin of their previous relationship as teacher and student - almost mocking, now that it is clear that Irwin is no longer a teacher. In response, Irwin refuses to sign Posner’s book with his first name David, and instead with his last; a very impersonal gesture, which he acknowledges pointedly as “unfriendly”.

In conclusion, it is both ironic and slightly upsetting for an audience member/reader to find that Posner has become most effected by Irwin’s teachings, and has turned into a manipulative person who tricks people for his own gain. This mirroring of Irwin’s personality, and the fact that Posner uses Irwin’s own tricks against him, shows that Posner has adopted the traits of a person he dislikes in order to get what he wants. It might even be possible that Posner became like Irwin because Dakin was interested in him. It is obvious Posner loathes Irwin’s teaching style by his comment on Cambridge; “I thought I’d got somewhere, then found I had to go on.” which reflects Hectors sentiments about examinations and education, and how it would be more helpful to prepare them for life rather than an exam. Despite his distaste for the man and his methods, Posner has become exactly like Irwin in order to survive the harsh realities of the world. This might be a reflection of Irwin’s own development of personality, and in this way their relationship is an interesting yet bitter portrayal of two men who never got what they wanted even though they fought for it, so instead turn to manipulation.

Tasks A,B and C

English Literature and Language Homework - Gabriella Parker

Friday 16th October 2015

Task A

Write an opening to a dystopian novel where you imagine your school in the distant future.

It’s 2235. My name is Resident 451, faction number 19. This is my story.

DO NOT IGNORE THIS MESSAGE

Day 623, Post Neurone Sector, 

If you are receiving this, my theory was correct.

595 days after the war broke out, I was taken out of Holding. For those of you receiving this in Cent. 021, Holding refers to the process of “cryogenic freezing”, a phrase used by your century according to my data core. They year is 2224, I am registered as 372, faction number 18.

 This message is the first attempt to contact prior residents.

Attached to this message is the mathematical theorem for what a person of your century would call “time travel” or “inter-dimensional skip”, as is the most recent translation.

My reason for this is simple: I ask that you stop the events that will occur on May 16th, 2045.

If I have calculated this correctly, this will reach Sarah H.Blackwood at co-ordinates 45.7° latitude, 122.3° longitude, on February 24th, 2015.

Do not ignore this.

Do not give up.

Your task is imperative to ending this war.

Good luck.

• 2224

I was 15 when I received this message. Half way through an episode of The Simpsons with an empty can of Coke in my right hand. What would you have done? Exactly. I trashed the email and updated my firewall, didn’t think much of it. It took 8 days for the next message to come through. Same anonymous sender, same absurd bullshit. Again, I ignored it.

Except, it didn't end with my ignorance.

It didn’t end when I got a new laptop, set up a new account. It didn't end when my parents decided the best thing for a healthy growing teenager was to move country.

It didn't end when I moved out, or when I got my degree in Astronomical Physics. It didn’t end when I was offered a job at the most prestigious Astronomical Research lab in the world.

It took 5 years for me to realise that the messages were right.

The heavy glaze of the sun creates a dazed shimmer around the glass dome, which splinters the light into shards. There are no birds here. No trees. No wind.

The air is thick, humid with the sticky heat, it consumes me, makes me heavy as I take my first step, my second.

I stagger, right myself, try again. Carry on down the path I’ve walked so many times, but never like this.

It’s dizzying, how much has changed, whilst still looking familiar. It’s like a disarray of dreams sewn on in patches to the sight in front of me, little sections of normality pressed into the cement of bizarre.

The key card is in my hand, a little slash of plastic, pressing into the flesh of my palm. It feels exactly like a lie you’d tell your parents, a little rectangle of guilt and nervousness denting my hand. I knew what I was here for, what I had to do.

It felt like getting away with the lie when the key card slipped through the machine, and the button flashed green.

I pushed through the doors, keeping my head high, taking slow, practiced steps. She’d told me this is what I had to do. Nervousness would get me killed. Doubt would get me killed. Anything that differed from precision would get me killed.

I knew this, but my eyes drifted. Looked through the glass to my right.I saw Charlie out of the corner of my vision. Kate. Andrew. Hooked up to those vile machines, faces gaunt in the sterile glow of the screens. To think this is where I learned what would save them. Some kind of sick irony to it, I’ll admit.

I didn’t let myself get distracted again.

I know what I have to do.

It was 2023 before I had programmed the technology necessary to respond.

By then it was far too late.

Task B

Write a TV documentary voice over where you introduce your school or college.

Survival 101: College

I’m sure you’ve all heard advice from parents, teachers and friends exactly what to do to prepare for college.

You’ve seen the magazine articles, and the back-to-school adverts and the posters and the check lists.

But are you ready for the wilderness? Are you ready to drink your own pee to survive? Or carve out a camel to keep warm?

Okay, so I’m kidding.

 Maybe. 

But in all seriousness, you’ll need more than your pencil case and a rough knowledge of how enzymes work in order to survive this place.

Is everybody sitting comfortably?

Then I’ll begin.

This is St Brendan’s Sixth Form College.

Oh, yes, it looks lovely and welcoming from the outside.

But don’t be fooled.

Here be dragons.

Wait.

Wrong movie.

Ignore that.

Where was I.

Ah, yes.

Don’t be fooled, young ones.

This is a dangerous wilderness where you need your wits about you.

You’ll need a strategy. A back up strategy. You need it all planned out for optimum chances of success.

Luckily for you we’ve got it all figured out.

The perfect formula for college survival.

Step one….

Task C

Write an analytical commentary where you compare choices of languages, style and form.

In both pieces, I attempted humour in order to engage my young adult audience. However, in my novel introduction I used more complex lexis and descriptive language in order to create visual imagery in the audience. I ranged between complex and simple sentence structures in order to avoid a monotonous tone. In my documentary piece, I kept a light-hearted tone and simple sentences to avoid overloading my audience with information. In my dystopian piece, I switched between time periods to keep the audience’s attention and open questions they’d want answers to. I also alternated between high frequency and low frequency lexis in order to add character to the first person. I used modern references that would be appropriate to my audience in both pieces. In my documentary I included relatable experiences that would engage the audiences attention.

Key Genre Conventions of an Interview

Thursday 8th October

Meryl Streep Interview 

http://www.timeout.com/london/film/meryl-streep-on-feminism-family-and-playing-pankhurst-in-suffragette

Key Genre Conventions of an Interview

• Intriguing headlines

• “feminism, family and playing Pankhurst” = alliteration, along side “Suffragette”, a fricative noun = gives more impact due to repetitive sounds and harsh vowels 

• Subtitle summary sentence to further inform the reader of content/ blurb 
• Name 
• Date 

• Picture

• Smiling
• Relaxed 
• Approachable = someone you want to know more about 
• T-shirt as mentioned in title 
• Paints positive, quirky picture of her 

• Current events

• Streep in a new film, public more aware of her in media
• Feminism = controversial topic, debated more often recently, given historical context with Suffragettes 

• Begins with inspirational topic = very influential woman, successful, interesting 

• mottos, background, advice, personal relationships 

• Quote to introduce new topic of discussion (“Being lady like is underrated”) = readers want to know reason and context

• Swaps between easy, mild questions and quite invasive questions to keep reader interested 
• Questions and answers range in complexity, avoids monotone 
• Controversial, intriguing topics e.g feminism, imposter syndrome 
• Satisfies morbid public interest = questions that fans and general public would want answered, sense of uncovering secrets

• Simplistic layout, gaps between each question = easy to digest, doesn't drag
• Different shades of font = alternating between faded and bold to avoid confusion as to what is the question and what is the answer
• Answer in quotations marks = direct speech, not reported 
• Formal questions, elevated lexis
• Jargon appropriate for acting field of work e.g “colleagues”
• Passive voice, only expressing interviewee’s opinion 
• Interrogative sentences e.g “What…?”  and imperative sentences e.g “Describe…”
• Ends with a humorous comment from Meryl Streep, a sarcastic, rhetorical question that leaves the reader on an amused, open note

How does the Interview inform and entertain its reader? 

The text is initiated with an intriguing headline and an interesting insight in the form of a summary subtitle, which offers slightly more information to entice the reader but not give everything away.

Alliteration and a fricative  noun are used in the title, “Meryl Streep on feminism, family, and playing Pankhurst in Suffragette.”, which is a clever dynamic of linguistic techniques used to deliver the most impact with repetitive and forceful sounds. This creates a punchy, to-the-point effect, engaging the reader with a direct approach.

A picture is used as a representation of the interviewee; in this case Meryl Streep is shown smiling and relaxed, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a powerful quotation from the movie ‘Suffragettes’, as promised in the subtitle. This presents Streep in an approachable light, further drawing in the reader with her pleasant and characteristic image.

The author entertains the reader with up to date information, circulated around current events, straight from the horses mouth, as it were. A simplistic layout is used to keep the information quick-fire and therefore keep the reader engaged, using alternating colours to avoid confusion between the interviewers questions and the interviewees answers.

The questions range in complexity and topic in order to capture a wide scope of interests, with information on her home life mixed in with her innermost opinions and views. The questions are kept at a heightened lexis, as a planned script, whilst the answers are more free speech and humorous in some cases, as expected from an interview.

Article - Gabriella Parker

Article - Garbiella Parker

70th Wonder of the World 

When people say "city life", you think the big apple. You think New York, Seattle, Vegas.

It's hardly surprising that Bristol doesn't appear in the immediate foreground, alongside the greats. But maybe it should.
Maybe Dismaland and the SS Great Britain should be on your Bucket List, right underneath the Taj Mahal and the Empire State Building.

Alright, I admit it, @Bristol is no Seventh Wonder of the World. It might not even be the 70th, if I'm being completely honest. But that's besides the point. The point is Bristol tends to be swept under the carpet quite a bit nowadays. A sort of footnote in the Great Big Book of Sightseeing, as it were.

And, I mean, fair enough. We're not the friendliest bunch, and the weather tends to suck nine times out of ten. There's pigeons and chewing gum and litter...but I'm getting a bit carried away.
Pushing all of that aside, there's a heart to this place.
No, no, I'm serious. It might be a little slow at times, a few beats out of place here and there, but it still works. Under the commuters and cars and the slice of cement, it pumps culture into the very outskirts. The creative scene alone is enough to inspire, if you know where to look.
With art and music and film pouring out of the very cracks in the pavement, it's hard to hate this place. It's hard to hate anywhere if you look hard enough.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. 'But Bristol always has so many tourists!'. I know, I know. I'm getting there, I promise. Because when I think of tourists in Bristol, I think packs of people in caps, snapping pics on their iPhones. I don't think it's quite the same experience in other cities; the overwhelming intensity of New York, the playfully scandalous atmosphere of Vegas. When I visit somewhere, I want to experience it, not just have a picture of me pretending to push the Leaning Tower of Pisa back into place.

For me there's a line between being a tourist and being a visitor, and it's about as thick as my arm.
I'm not asking for the same emotion you'd get at the top of Everest having gotten to the top of Parks Street. And I doubt you're going to have the same epiphany you'd have in Tibetan Monastery in the kebab shop on the corner. But a little enthusiasm would be appreciated. Just go that little bit further, you might be surprise at what you find. 

Though, maybe I'm biased. I have lived here my entire life. I know the record store my friend's grandfather works at, and the book shop up the road wherein I stumbled upon my love of words.
I know the cafe my friend showed me, tucked between a tattoo parlour and jewellery store.
I know the bus stop where I will spend half my day waiting, and where I pierced my ears, and where I bought my first guitar. I've gone to birthdays and festivals and going away parties. I've had some of my best memories here.    

All I'm saying is, the outside is fairly unappealing. Even the next layer down is pretty dull, in all fairness. But if you take the time to explore, find your bookstore, and your cafe - maybe you'll find that "city life" was here all along.

The History Boys - Notes

Introduction to The History Boys

• Written by Alan Bennett 
• Premiered in 2004, 18th May (Lyttleton Theatre)
• Set in grammar school, North of England, 1980s
• Centred around 8 sixth form boys who are applying to Oxford, 3 teachers and Headmaster
• Have to sit extra exam besides A-levels to get in ( reason it's set in 1980s)
• When applying to Oxbridge - in 80s students return to school for an extra term
• Alan Bennett went through this process 

Posner

• Quiet, small
• Jewish 
• Loves singing show tunes, hymns
• Revealed later on in the play that he is in love with Dakin
• Struggling with emerging homosexuality

Dakin

• Attractive, very aware of it
• Posner and Irwin interested in him
• Headmaster secretary, Fiona - in relationship 
• Enjoys indulging in Irwin's interest 
• Inspired by Irwin, tries to impress him
• Gets close to Irwin, compliments him  
• "Never wanted to impress anyone the way I do him" (about Irwin) 
• Likes to flirt with Irwin 
• Uses subjunctives as sexual subtexts towards Irwin 

Scripps

• Predisposed with explored Christianity 
• Budding writer
• Records events in his notebook
• Posner confides in him 

Rudge

• Star rugby player, ability surprises everyone 
• Finds Irwins teaching style difficult 
• Unassuming but only person to be authentic in practice interview 
• "If they like me they'll take me"
• Stands up to the system 

Akthar

• Muslim (often brought up)
• Happy to get involved in the teasing of Irwin

Crowther

• Keen actor
• Friends with Lockwood 

Timms

• Joker of the pack
• Struggles with poetry 
• Often hit by Hector for his humour
• Enjoys teasing Irwin

Lockwood

• Shrewd film buff
• Interested in politics

Headmaster

• Typical 
• Focused on good results/ making his school look good/ reputation
• Quite corrupt - lecherous towards Fiona 
• Limited understanding of the arts 
• More of a pantomime character - inauthentic, swearing 
• Utilitarian 
• Only good if you can use it - doesn't see any value in the way Hector teaches 

Mrs.Lintott

• Traditional History teacher 
• Teaches plain facts
• Gets excellent results 
• Does not allow emotions to interfere with her teaching 
• Only woman on staff - overlooked, frustrated with gender inequality 
• Facts and figures
• Gives first human response to Hectors abuse, didn't know - shocked, dismayed 
• Tells it straight 
• Describes history as men's incapabilities 

Irwin

• Young History teacher
• Innovative approach to education
• Teaches boys to find original and interesting arguments, flare
• Believes in presentation and history as a performance
• "What's truth got to do with it"
• Students tease him 
• Interested in Dakin
• Motif or ruins and ruination is associated with him ( ruined church, underlying meaning) 
• Disabled 
• Thinks about education as a game - how to win it 
• "Not clever enough, not anything enough actually" 

Hector

• Eccentric English teacher 
• Close to retirement 
• Teaches students to learn by heart
• Believes in the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake
• Allows emotions to affect his teaching 
• Life lessons, not information for exam 
• "All knowledge is precious, whether it serves a purpose or not"
• Free, liberal, open, no clear path
• Sexual harassment of students
• Crosses line between student/teacher 

General

• Boys act like a pack, respect each other, celebrate each other's achievements 
• Respect Hector and Mrs, Lintott ("a nickname is an achievement")
• Headmaster doesn't want to fire Hector because what he was doing was morally wrong, but because he doesn't want a scandal - reputation 
• Hector tries to defend what he was doing with historical reference - doesn't excuse what he's done (Hodge, Thomas Hardy - talks about characters who can't help themselves from meeting a tragic end "a saddish life, thought not unappreciated"
• Posner relates to Hector - "unkissed", "unembraced"
• Hector and Irwin have two opposing views
• Students don't know where to stand in shared lesson 
• Students treat the sexual harassment like its a joke
• Posner knows Irwin likes Dakin - catches him looking 
• Plays on "what ifs" of history and life (subjunctives)
• 80s boundaries with abuse were blurry, only morally correct person is Mrs.Lintott

History 

• Henry VIII - took wealth and power from the church ( took timber and lead, smashes up artwork from churches) 
• "No better way of forgetting something than commemorating it." - in reference to WWI, desensitised, bitter political point - was our fault
• Posner has connection with Holocaust - Jewish 
• Irwin - "This is history - distance yourselves" 

Language Differences

My Unique use of Language

Gabriella Parker

1. I'm often told I use a lot of American words, pronunciations and spelling. (e.g using 'z' instead of 's' and saying phrases such as 'high school' instead of 'secondary school' - probably due to the terrible American TV shows I watch)

2. Like most people, the way I speak depends heavily upon whom I'm speaking to - my friends often tease me about how eloquent I tend to get around adults in comparison to when I'm speaking to them - the more comfortable I am, the more casual I tend to be.

3. I've noticed I tend to use more complex words in conversation after reading or writing for long periods of time.

4. Sometimes I accidentally refer to hands as 'donnies' because my mother comes from Birmingham.

5. My family use spoonerisms a lot because they find them amusing, so I sometimes do the same.

6. A lot of the jargon my friends and I use comes from the comics we read or the TV shows we watch.

7. I pronounce the word 'apparatus'  differently to my friends and family and they usually tease me for it (the way I pronounce it sounds like more of an obscure spell from Harry Potter than an actual word  but I find it difficult to pronounce it any other way).

8. I often get similar sounding words mixed up. (e.g terminology and termination, implies and implicates e.t.c)

9. I refer to my mother as 'Mama G' because my fathers friend spent some time in India and told us about it (how it is part of their culture to add 'Ji' to the end of someones name to convey respect), and I found it fitting simply because my name begins with 'G'. I also refer to my grandmother as 'Gram Gram' and my late grandfather as 'Pampi'.

10. I get personally offended when I see the wrong use of the words 'their', 'they're' and 'there' and 'you' and 'you're'  even though I'm sure I've made the same mistake many times before, and will continue to do again without realising.