AHWOSG - Continuing Chapter 1

Morning everyone,

Term is almost over!


Here are the tasks I would like you to do whilst we have the computer room today. This week we will finish Chapter 1 and do some preparation for an essay you will be writing over break.

Ongoing tasks: Continue to find quotes relating to Eggers' mother, and post them to the Padlet wall.

Today: Do some analysis of the 2 extracts we read at the start of the lesson, and address the following points:

• Page 21-23: Discuss the juxtaposition of how Eggers' father approaches the subject of death to the family, compared to how Beth and Dave approach the subject to Toph. How do they protect Toph from the reality? Think about the following, and write a paragraph of analysis in response to the extract, looking closely at the language used i.e. sentence mood, sentence structure, verbs, nouns etc.: 

The relationship with Toph is introduced in the turbulence of the mother’s death. The whole point of the novel is for Dave to save his own sense of self and innocence through redeeming his brother’s childhood just before it is totally destroyed. This extract reveals a sullen and monosyllabic Toph, and Dave’s inability to articulate or connect with his emotions well enough to reach him.

• Page 23-27: This is a long extract, and represents Eggers' internal battle with himself as he tries to confront the reality of his mother's inevitable death. Analyse his language here, again looking at sentence structure, mood etc., but also any other language features you can identify. Can you identify more than one voice at work here? How does he vocalise his feelings of anger/fear/annoyance/helplessness/lack of control/panic through his imaginings and internal monologue?