Starter quiz
- The central character in 'Leave Taking' is Enid. Which of the following are important in terms of Enid's identity?
- her Jamaican roots ✓
- drinking after her mother dies
- her British citizenship ✓
- being a mother ✓
- being an obeah woman
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- In her introduction to 'Leave Taking', Pinnock describes Enid as "______ between two worlds."
- 'caught' ✓
- In 'Leave Taking', many themes are explored. What is a theme?
- A theme is a character the writer creates.
- The dialogue a writer includes to express their characters thoughts and feelings
- A synonym for a motif - a recurring symbol in a text.
- A theme is the plot the writer creates.
- An idea that is explored in a text in a number of different ways. ✓
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- In 'Leave Taking', why might Enid's sense of identity be fragile?
- she has migrated ✓
- her mother dies ✓
- her children are about to leave home ✓
- she argues with Brod
- she wants her husband to return
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- In her introduction to 'Leave Taking', Pinnock says she became "fascinated" by the character of Enid. Why?
- her complex relationship with England ✓
- her complex relationship with her daughters ✓
- her role in the NHS
- her divorce
- as a way to explore the historical figure, Nanny of the Maroons
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- Why did Pinnock want to make Enid the lead and heroine of her play, 'Leave Taking'?
- Previously, only Shakespeare's plays had heroes and heroines.
- Pinnock had not seen a single mother in a lead role in a play before.
- Pinnock had not seen a heroine talk in tongues on stage before.
- Pinnock wanted to establish the idea of a Black British experience. ✓
- Pinnock had not seen a character portrayed as a cleaner in a lead role before. ✓
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Exit quiz
- You will write a number of essays about the play 'Leave Taking'. Match the essay term to its definition.
- essay⇔A piece of writing that explains and develops an argument. ✓
- thesis⇔Overarching argument to an essay, supported by whole text. ✓
- topic sentence⇔First sentence of a paragraph, giving it direction/purpose. ✓
- When given an essay question about 'Leave Taking', you should annotate it. What does it mean to annotate an essay question?
- To write topic sentences you can use in an essay
- To make and add notes or short explanations ✓
- To create a thesis statement
- To write down the notes you made on the play onto the essay question
- To re-write the essay question in your own words
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- Many essay questions about 'Leave Taking' will start with the word "How". What does the "How" in an essay question refer to?
- themes
- dramatic methods ✓
- annotations
- the writer
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- Here is an essay question about 'Leave Taking': 'How does Pinnock use the character of Brod to explore ideas about isolation?' What are the key words in the question?
- How ✓
- Pinnock
- Brod ✓
- ideas
- isolation ✓
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- In what ways is a thesis statement different to a topic sentence?
- a thesis statement is shorter
- a thesis statement is supported by the whole text ✓
- a thesis statement must include quotations
- a topic sentence will focus on one specific idea in a text ✓
- a topic sentence shouldn't be argumentative, unlike a thesis
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- ''Leave Taking' begins with a conflict between Del and Enid, immediately establishing the idea that intergenerational conflict is important to Pinnock's play.' Is this sentence a thesis statement?
- Yes - it looks at dramatic methods
- Yes - it looks at an important theme
- No - it is not supported by the whole text ✓
- No - it mentions Pinnock's name
- No - it doesn't include quotations
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Essays are extended pieces of writing in which you establish and explain your own ideas.
- Underlining keywords and annotating an essay question helps direct your thinking.
- It is useful to connect keywords to plot points and themes.
- Essays begin with a thesis.
- A thesis is an idea supported by the whole text.
Common misconception
Thesis statements and topic sentences are synonymous.
Thesis statements are supported by the whole text. Topic sentences give direction and purpose to individual paragraphs.
Keywords
Thesis - The overarching argument to an essay, supported by the entire text.
Essay - A piece of writing that explains and develops your own argument.
Dramatic methods - The tools a playwright uses to create drama. Examples are setting, stage directions, dialogue and language choices.
Annotate - To make and add notes or short explanations to texts or images.
Theme - An idea that is explored in a text in a number of different ways to fully explore the complexity of that idea.
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