Starter quiz
- What do we call a story that often begins with the words: "Once upon a time"?
- allegory
- fairy tale ✓
- anecdote
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- In the Victorian period, what were chimney sweeps?
- long brushes designed for cleaning chimneys
- small children employed to climb flues and clean chimneys ✓
- people who organised the cleaning of chimneys
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- Which of the following best characterises the Industrial Revolution?
- political upheaval and social unrest up to and including civil war
- an artistic and cultural movement that breaks with the past
- significant advances in technology, manufacturing and transportation ✓
- a religious movement that significantly changed personal behaviour
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- When we talk about the conventions of literature, what do we mean?
- the established expectations of genre of and style ✓
- the personal preferences of individual readers
- the historical events that influence a particular work
- the geographical location where events are set
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- Which of the following is the best definition of the phrase "rags to riches"?
- a struggle for survival in a hostile environment
- a tale of adventure and exploration
- a journey from poverty to wealth and success ✓
- a story of unrequited love and heartbreak
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- What word, beginning with G, refers to a type of literature?
- 'genre' ✓
Exit quiz
- Match the words on the left with their synonyms on the right.
- adapt⇔rework ✓
- noble⇔virtuous ✓
- transform⇔change ✓
- Freytag's narrative structure is which shape?
- circle
- square
- pyramid ✓
- spiral
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- Starting with the first, put the sections of Freytag's narrative in chronological order.
- 1⇔exposition
- 2⇔rising action
- 3⇔climax
- 4⇔falling action
- 5⇔resolution
- Match the sections of Freytag's pyramid with the correct definition.
- exposition⇔introduces the characters and settings ✓
- rising action⇔events and complications begin ✓
- climax⇔the turning point where conflict reaches its peak ✓
- falling action⇔tension begins to decrease ✓
- resolution⇔the conflict is finally resolved ✓
- What was Charles Kingsley's profession?
- a clergyman ✓
- a chimney sweep
- a novelist
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- What of the following best explains the popularity of stories about transformation?
- They provide an escape from reality and allow readers to imagine other lives.
- They reinforce traditional values and guidance on how to live a good life.
- They depict dramatic conflicts and suspenseful plots that engage readers.
- They champion the possibilities of personal growth and change. ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Fairy tales have specific conventions including noble heroes/heroines, magical transformations and happy endings.
- Charles Kingsley was a Victorian clergyman who took a stand against the use of children as chimney sweeps.
- Kingsley’s novel ‘The Water Babies’ adapted the fairy tale genre to protest the use of children as chimney sweeps.
- His novel was influential in raising awareness of the cruelty of child labour.
- Freytag’s narrative structure can be adapted by any writer.
Common misconception
Fairy tales are written solely for children.
Fairy tales are primarily stories about transformation and therefore this form appeals to many writers, especially those who are interested in social issues.
Keywords
Adapt - to change, or to alter something, to suit different conditions.
Clergyman - a man ordained into the church of England.
Noble - socially superior but also honest, brave, and kind.
Transform - change completely the appearance or character of something.
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