Hello, and welcome to today's lesson.

My name is Ms. Watson, and I'm so glad that you've decided to join me today when we will be analysing the poem "Walking Away." Just to remind you, you will need a copy of the "AQA Love and Relationships Anthology," so make sure you have that, and then we'll get started.

So the outcome of today's lesson is that you will be able to explore how Day-Lewis uses language and structure to show the complexities of a father-son relationship.

As ever, we will begin with the keywords.

They are rhyme scheme, resolution, sacrifice, nurturing, and unconditional.

Let's look at what they mean.

The rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes or similar sounds at the end of each line in a poem.

The resolution is the point in a narrative where conflicts stop developing and are resolved.

To sacrifice something means to give up something valuable or important for the sake of others or for a greater cause.

If you are nurturing, you are providing care, support, and encouragement to promote growth and development.

And something that is unconditional is absolute, not subject to any kind of limitations or requirements.

If you would like a little bit of time to familiarise yourself with the keywords, please feel free to pause the video and do that now.

Join us when you're ready.

So, we're going to be analysing the poem "Walking Away," and we're gonna start by looking at Day-Lewis's use of language, and then we are going to look at Day-Lewis's use of structure.

So, Day-Lewis's use of language.

I'd like you to discuss and see if you can define the following terms, simile, metaphor, and natural imagery.

Okay, did you say that simile is comparing two things using "like" or "as" to illustrate those similarities? And that a metaphor is to describe one thing as though it is something else? Also, that is about similarities.

And natural imagery is descriptive language that calls on elements of nature.

Very good.

Now, the next thing I want you to do is to match each of those methods to an example in the poem.

Have a think.

So is this what you came up with, that on line 12, "seed" or "stem"? There's a great picture of dandelion seeds.

Did you have from line 15 "fire" or "clay"? Another great image just to get your imaginations going.

And on line eight, "half-fledged," the little baby birds.

Now, the next point of discussion is this.

What deeper meanings can we read into Day-Lewis's use of these methods? You can pause the video while you have a think about that.

We are looking at what is the meaning behind those, that imagery.

Off you go.

So did you say something like this? That for the "seed," "stem," the father's support has enabled the son to grow.

He is part of the father, and the son is now ready to be free of this support.

That's the complex image around growth and independence.

And the "fire," "clay," the painful experiences that have "burned" the father emotionally have hardened his resolve.

He has learned from that experience.

And "half-fledged" suggests that the son is vulnerable, like a little baby bird, like a chick, but only partly; the father thinks that he is maturing but maybe not quite ready for independence.

So, there we have what we have just looked at, what the methods are, the quotations from the poem, and what Day-Lewis might be saying by using those methods and writing and using those quotations.

Now I want you to think about why.

What's his intentions behind using those methods? What does he want us to think and feel? You can pause the video while you have that discussion.

Really interesting discussion I heard there, and I'm gonna share some of the ideas that have come out.

One of them is that for this, you might say that the father-son bond is nurturing.

It is supportive.

They are close.

The son is part of the father, literally part of him, made by him.

And that the "fire, "clay," he may be saying that parenting is painful.

It involves the experience of being rejection, it involves sacrifice, but ultimately that it is very, very rewarding.

And it might be saying from the half-fledge that the father isn't ready to let his son go and maybe he will always see him as a vulnerable chick.

Parents often do struggle with seeing that their children are growing up.

We're gonna recap what we have been doing while we looked at those key questions and looked at the key quotations.

We have selected evidence from the poem.

We have identified the poet's use of methods.

We have commented on the effect and meanings created.

We have justified this by linking them to the writer's intention.

And those are some of the building blocks we need to write analysis paragraphs.

Now I want you to think about and discuss what other three things might we need to complete our paragraph? You can pause the video while you think about what's missing.

Yes, so we need a clear topic sentence and a concluding statement which sums up our arguments and links to the wider context because everything else that we have there is the supporting detail.

Now, it's important to consider this, that while you do need to link to the wider context in your response, you don't actually need to do it in every paragraph.

It's more effective to make relevant links and avoid the temptation just to bolt on the context, just because you know it, so you add it on.

You need to think of links where it's really, really important, the context is really significant to the message.

Okay, well done.

Let's move on.

Now, true or false, check for understanding.

Day-Lewis uses a metaphor to suggest the speaker's son is part of his father and has relied on his support to grow.

Is that true or false? It's false, but why is it false? Is it A, while the analysis is correct, Day-Lewis actually uses a simile on line 12.

We know this because he uses the word "like." Or is it B, while the.

Beg your pardon.

Is it B, while the identification of the writer's method is correct, the analysis is inaccurate.

On line 12, Day-Lewis is implying that parenting can be painful and involves sacrifices.

Which one is right? It's the first one.

The analysis is correct, but it's a different method used.

Well done.

Let's move on.

Now, Sam has written about Day-Lewis's use of language, and the feedback he was given said what went well, that it had a clear topic sentence and great use of embedded evidence.

Well done, Sam.

Here is a section of the essay: Day-Lewis suggests that the father-son relationship is something he values since the speaker describes how his son's independence has caused him to drift away from the father by comparing him to a "seed" coming away from a "stem." Now, we need to help Sam improve her work by including deeper analysis.

We need to include, or rather Sam needs to include, identification of writer's methods, comments on the deeper meanings and the effects of the methods on the reader, and links to the writer's intention, and a link to wider context if, and only if, it is relevant to your main point.

Now let's look at the new, improved answer: Day-Lewis suggests that the father-son relationship is something he values since the speaker describes how his son's independence has caused him to drift away from the father by comparing him to a "seed" coming away from a "stem." This simile emphasises the nurturing, supportive nature of a parental relationship since it implies that the son is part of the father that, through his support and love, has grown and flourished.

Now he has matured, the son is ready to detach from his father and make his own way in the world.

Day-Lewis was raised solely by his father after the death of his mother and himself was father to three sons, so perhaps his description reflects the importance of the father-son relationship in his own life.

Now let's unpick that paragraph.

Does it now include identification of writer's message, methods? Yes, it does.

It clearly says that the simile is being used.

And does the response comment on the deeper meanings? Yes, it does.

It talks about how the son has been part of the father.

He has grown and flourished, and now that has changed, and the son is moving away.

Very good.

Does it link to the writer's intentions? Yes, it does.

It's showing that he wanted to talk about the importance of the father-son relationship.

And does it link to the wider context? Well, it does because it shows an understanding of how Day-Lewis's family life might be relevant to the poem that he wrote.

So that's a really, really good paragraph now.

So, now I want you to check your response.

Have you included identification of writer's methods, comments on the deeper meanings and effects of the methods, links to the writer's intentions, and a link to a wider context, always assuming that it is relevant to your main point? Did you include all of the above? And if not, take some time to redraft your answer further, adding in anything you've missed.

You need to pause the video while you do that, and join us when you're ready.

Off you go.

So let's look again at the lesson outline.

You've done some fabulous work on use of language, and now we're gonna look at Day-Lewis's use of structure.

So let's start with discussing terminology to do with structure.

Can you define the following terms? Resolution, rhyme scheme.

Have a think.

Good, so for resolution, you're saying something like this, that the resolution is the point in a narrative where conflicts stop developing and are resolved, and that leads on to the conclusion.

And that rhyme scheme is a pattern of rhymes, similar sounds, at the end of each line in a poem.

So what we are going to be looking at now is finding evidence for the resolution.

Now, here is a visual representation of the structure of "Walking Away." Each stanza is represented by a box.

And this is the question, where will we find the resolution of the poem? Where do you think it is? That's right, it's in stanza four.

How do we know that? Well, time shifts forward.

The speaker is now reflecting on that memory.

And what do we learn from that stanza, from the resolution in that stanza? Well, we learned that the parting was painful for the speaker and has stayed with them, but they've come to learn something from the experience.

Really good discussion and thinking about the resolution of the poem.

Shall we move on? Let's continue our examination of resolution.

This time, I want to look at what deeper meanings we can infer.

Now, we could infer that the speaker has learned from the experience, that allowing someone their independence is an important part of loving them.

And what do we think the writer's intentions were? Well, you might say that it's perhaps to highlight the complexities, apologies, the complexities of parenthood.

There is a fine line between supporting and controlling someone.

It is worth noting here that Day-Lewis was raised by his father, who was rumoured to be strong-willed and possibly overbearing.

So, there we have the points that we have made about structure, and now we're going to look at rhyme scheme.

Pattern of rhymes, similar sound, at the end of each line in a poem.

So now we're going to return to the visual representation of the poem to track the rhyme scheme.

I'd like you to think about and discuss which words in each stanza rhyme, and can you spot any patterns? You might like to pause the video while you do that.

So what did you notice? "Day" in line one, "play" in line three, and "away" in line five.

That's stanza one.

And in stanza two, "see" in line six, "free" in line eight, and "be" in line 10.

And in stanza three, "away" in line 11, "convey" line 13, and "clay" in line 15.

And in stanza four, "so" in line 16, "show" in line 18, and "go" in line 20.

So what do we learn? Well, we learn that the rhyme scheme is a regular ABACA pattern.

And what deeper meanings could we infer from that rhyme scheme? Pause the video while you have that discussion.

And I'd like you to give me your answer in this form, this regularity could link to parental love because.

Give me an answer that uses that sentence starter.

That's right, you could say that it could symbolise how regular and unconditional parental love is.

Well done, really good thinking about rhyme scheme and how it links to the meaning of the poem.

So, we have gathered all the ideas about resolution.

We've looked at the pattern of rhymes.

We've looked at the regular ABACA rhyme scheme.

We've looked at how it could symbolise the regular, unconditional nature of love.

It goes on, continues without changing, even when the parent isn't needed anymore.

And Day-Lewis dedicated this poem to his son, and perhaps that was a way of wanting to emphasise that he would always be there for him.

So there is a really great collection of ideas about the structure of the poem.

Now, here, Jun is attempting to analyse Day-Lewis's use of structure, and he writes: Day-Lewis uses a regular ABACA rhyme scheme in "Walking Away" to symbolise the unconditional love between a parent and child.

For example, in stanza one, lines one, three, and five rhyme, "day," "play, and "away." And this implies that parental love is important to the speaker and continues even when the parent is rejected by the son, who's striving for his independence.

Now, Jun's response uses evidence effectively, and it identifies the writer's method.

Now, let's check that you understand what is missing from that paragraph.

So what "even better if" feedback would you give to Jun? Would you tell him A, add another quote and link to the wider context, or B, lead with key ideas and inferences rather than feature-spotting methods? What would be the best feedback you could give him? Have a think.

That's right, it would be to lead with key ideas.

Just adding more and more quotations is not going to improve that paragraph.

Really well done.

Let's move on.

So now it's your turn.

You are going to write an analytical paragraph, answering the following question, how does Day-Lewis use structure to present the parental relationship in "Walking Away"? Here's a checklist, which includes identification of writer's methods, comments on the deeper meanings/effects of the methods, links to the writer's intentions, and a link to wider context, only if it is relevant to your main point.

So you're going to use that checklist to ensure that you provide a detailed analysis.

So now you need to pause the video and write that paragraph.

Off you go.

Well done.

Welcome back.

What great focus you showed there.

So you're gonna check your response.

The checklist is there, and I want you to ask yourself, have you included everything on the checklist? As you read through your response, I'd like you to label methods, meanings, effects, intentions, and context to ensure that you have included everything that's on the checklist.

And then I'd like you to set yourself an "even better if" for next time.

You need to pause the video while you do that.

Join us when you're ready.

Now, before we say goodbye, I'd like to summarise what you have been learning today, which is that Day-Lewis uses a simile to show the overwhelming pain he feels initially at the separation from his son, that Day-Lewis uses natural imagery to convey how he feels his son is not yet ready to be independent, that Day-Lewis uses a metaphor to suggest that although this is a natural process, it can be painful and deeply impactful, that Day-Lewis uses the resolution in the poem to reveal how, since the moment of parting, he has learned the significance, the importance, of that parting, and that Day-Lewis's use of a regular rhyme scheme could mirror the stable nature of parental love.

Thank you for your hard work today.

You've been fantastic in your learning.

I'd like to wish you a brilliant rest of the day, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Bye for now.