the narrator of the story is a character in the story, using pronouns like ‘I’ and ‘me’.

what readers feel when they start to anticipate something bad is going to happen.

the state the reader is held in as they wait for an anticipated conflict, event or outcome to occur.

to make short notes on, and about, a text.

'The Silence of the Girls': understanding the extract

English

In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils explore how they can alter traditional stories to convey modern ideas and morals. In 'Animal Farm: the Pigs and Power', pupils learn about Orwell's allegory and understand how he uses an apparently simple fairy story to convey a political message. 

In 'Step Into the Unknown', pupils look at the ways in which famous children's writers create convincing settings, particularly through descriptions of windows and doors. In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils take inspiration from the ways in which writers and poets use powerful imagery and symbolism, to inspire their own writing. 

Myths, legends and stories that inspire

Discriminatory behaviour or images, whether on the grounds of race, gender, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation, or otherwise.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction of scary, confusing or unsettling events or characters placed in danger, including creation of a scary atmosphere through the use of music and sound.

Depiction or discussion of upsetting content

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Depiction or discussion of sexual or domestic abuse or violence, including  threats of or the aftermath of.

Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

Whose perspective is Pat Barker's ‘The Silence of the Girls’ told from? (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’) 

highlight the whole of the first and last paragraphs

write short notes at the side of the text

write one or two analytical paragraphs at the bottom

When annotating Pat Barker’s ‘The Silence of the Girls’ (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’), what are some of the things you might do?

Which words does Pat Barker use to describe Achilles in ‘The Silence of the Girls’ (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’).

by listing all of the ways people praise Achilles

by describing the sounds of the battlefield

by making it clear that Briseis is vulnerable

by adding a new character to the myth: that of Briseis

Which of these are examples of the way Pat Barker creates tension and suspense in ‘The Silence of the Girls’? (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

a renowned warrior; claims Briseis after raiding Lyrnessus

Match each character, all from Pat Barker’s ‘The Silence of the Girls’ (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’), to what we know about them.

Briseis explains what she knows of Achilles.

Briseis describes journeying to the tower in Lyrnessus to be kept safe.

Briseis and others arrive in the tower where they are to be kept safe.

Briseis describes the atmosphere in the tower where women and children are held.

We learn of the brutal punishments awaiting the women and children of Lyrnessus.

Briseis realises Ismene, who is enslaved, isn’t sympathetic about her future.

Briseis realises she is about to be enslaved.

Starting with the first, put these plot points from Pat Barker's ‘The Silence of the Girls’ (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’) in chronological order.

Achilles was known as a brutal warrior. She feared him hugely.

Match each term to its example sentence (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’).

What is true of Achilles, a character from Greek mythology? (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

narrator is a character in the story, using pronouns like "I" and "me"

what we feel when we anticipate something bad is going to happen

the state we are held in as we wait for something bad to occur  

to make short notes on, and about, a text

Match each word to its definition (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’).

What does it mean to be renowned? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

Complete the sentence: A {{ }} is a method of comparison by which a writer compares two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’. (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

Which of the examples below are similes? (‘Myths, legends and stories that inspire’)

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of upsetting content

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

Adult supervision required

Starter Quiz