Natasha Bowen's ‘Skin of the Sea’: understanding the extract | English

Starter quiz

The extract from 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') is written in the first person. Match each perspective to its definition.
- first person
  
  ⇔
  
  the narrator is a character in the story using pronouns like 'I' ✓
- second person
  
  ⇔
  
  the narrator speaks directly to the reader using pronouns like 'you' ✓
- third person
  
  ⇔
  
  the narrator isn’t a character in the story using 'he', 'she', 'they' ✓
The extract from 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') is from a novel. Match each word which helps us understand the form of a novel to its definition.
- extract
  
  ⇔
  
  a short section of a text ✓
- author
  
  ⇔
  
  the person who wrote the story ✓
- narrator
  
  ⇔
  
  the person telling the story ✓
- blurb
  
  ⇔
  
  a short description on the back of a book giving an overview ✓
- chapter
  
  ⇔
  
  a way of dividing stories into sections ✓
Match each technique, all important to 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') to its definition.
- flashback
  
  ⇔
  
  a transition to a time earlier in the life of one or more characters ✓
- personification
  
  ⇔
  
  when an object is given human characteristics ✓
- simile
  
  ⇔
  
  a method of comparison using the word 'like' or 'as' ✓
- first person
  
  ⇔
  
  a narrative perspective in which the narrator is a character ✓
The extract from 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') is set in the sea. Match each word, all of which help us understand the setting, to their definition.
- current
  
  ⇔
  
  a body of water moving in a specific direction ✓
- swell
  
  ⇔
  
  waves created by the sea rather than the wind ✓
- scales
  
  ⇔
  
  the overlapping plates that protect the skin of fish ✓
- coral
  
  ⇔
  
  hard, colourful substance created by some marine life ✓
The extract from 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') is based on West African mythology and myths. What are myths?
- stories written by famous writers
- stories about historical figures
- stories about the monarchs or rulers of a particular land
- religious poems
- stories which explain how the world began and what the world is like and why ✓
To ______ means to make short notes on, or about, a text.
- 'annotate' ✓

Exit quiz

The main character in ‘Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') is a ______ who lives underwater.
- 'Mami Wata' ✓
What is true of Simidele, the main character in Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')?
- She was once mortal. ✓
- She was once a goddess.
- Yemoja transformed her into a Mami Wata. ✓
- She has no purpose as a Mami Wata.
In 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), what is Simidele's role as a Mami Wata?
- to punish slavers
- to transform others into Mami Watas
- to remember her time as a mortal
- to try to become mortal again
- to gather the souls of enslaved people who die at sea ✓
Match these sentence stems to their endings 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').
- Simidele is a Mami Wata because
  
  ⇔
  
  Yemoja transformed her into one. ✓
- Simidele is a Mami Wata but
  
  ⇔
  
  she was once mortal. ✓
- Simidele is a Mami Wata so
  
  ⇔
  
  she gathers the souls of enslaved people. ✓
Starting with the first plot point, put these events from the opening of 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') into chronological order.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele is circling a ship which holds enslaved people.
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele has a flashback and is angry she can't remember more.
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele dives down deep into the water.
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele sees a woman thrown overboard.
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele orders the sharks to leave the woman alone.
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  Simidele sees that the woman has been badly beaten.
In the opening of 'Skin of the Sea' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), the main character Simidele doesn't want to be seen by the "______" on the ship.
- 'men' ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

'Skin of the Sea' centres around a protagonist called Simidele who is a Mami Wata, in this instance a mermaid.
As a Mami Wata, Simidele must collect souls of enslaved people who die as they are transported across the Atlantic.
Natasha Bowen makes use of flashback in the opening chapter to hint at Simidele's life before she became a Mami Wata.
When annotating a text, you can use a range of symbols and notes to help develop an understanding of the text’s ideas.

Common misconception

A Mami Wata is always presented as a mermaid who saves the souls of enslaved people.

Mami Wata is a water spirit and has a rich tradition in West, Central and Southern Africa. Bowen has used the deity in her novel and presented her as a mermaid with a specific task, but the goddess is presented in different ways in other art.

Keywords

Mami wata - a water spirit or deity (god) sacred to West, Central and Southern Africa
Flashback - a transition in a story to an earlier time in the life of one or more characters
Mortal - human
Annotate - to make short notes on, and about, a text