Hello and welcome to today's lesson.

My name is Ms. Watson and I'm so glad you're here with me today to learn some more about the novel, "The Twisted Tree" by Rachel Burge.

Today we are going to be exploring the theme of fate, which is a fascinating topic.

You find it in lots of literature, and Rachel Burge uses it really, really effectively in this novel.

Now for this lesson, you need a copy of the novel and it needs to be the 2019 edition published by Hotkey Books.

So when you have your book and you are ready, we can start.

So by the end of today's lesson, you will understand the plot and you will also understand Martha's consideration of the idea of fate.

Let's start by looking at the key words.

There are five key words today, all really useful for unlocking your learning today.

So the first one is wrenched, and that means pulled or twisted suddenly or violently.

And then we have exasperated, which is to be intensely irritated or frustrated, apparitions, that's another word for ghosts.

And a vortex is a whirling mass of fluid or air, and fate, you are going to be seeing that word a lot today.

Now this is the development of events outside a person's control, and it's regarded as being predetermined by a supernatural power.

So somebody else is in charge of our lives and our destiny.

Now, if you would like to have a little bit more time to familiarise yourself with the key words, please feel free to pause the video and join us when you are ready.

So here's our learning outline.

We are going to start by reading pages 154 to 171, and then we are going to explore the theme of fate.

Let's start with a picture discussion.

Look at these four pictures.

What do they suggest to you? And how might these images link to the themes, the characters and events of "The Twisted Tree?" You might think that some of them are actually to do with, "oh yes, that was the scene where such and such happened." Or they might be somehow in your mind, create a link to a character, or maybe they have something to do with the ideas and the atmosphere.

I'd like you to pause the video while you have that discussion, or if you are working by yourself, just pause a video and make a few notes about these four images.

Off you go.

Welcome back.

What a great discussion that was.

I can see from the way you approach that task that this is gonna be a great lesson.

Let's move on.

So let's have another discussion.

There's a lot you know about "The Twisted Tree." You have really good understanding of this novel, but I'm sure you have some unanswered questions and I'd like you to have a discussion about those, so pause the video and to discuss what unanswered questions do you still have about "The Twisted Tree." Again, if you are working alone, just pause the video and make a few notes.

Off you go.

Welcome back.

What a lot of great questions.

I think there's something about this novel that really, really gets people thinking.

Now I'm gonna share some questions with you that I had at this point when I first read this book and I'm interested to see if they are similar to the ones you had.

So you may have considered that who is the ghost or woman that Martha keeps encountering and what is its connections to her family? And who or what is trying to contact Martha? I remember the first time I read this being really puzzled, desperate to know who that person was or what that person was.

And what is the true significance of the twisted tree and its mysterious powers? And how did Martha acquire her unique abilities and what more can she do with them? That question, I mean, I really found myself thinking about superpowers and unique abilities and what an extraordinary power Martha had.

And what other secrets is Martha's family hiding that might be revealed later? And also, I really wanted to know what happened to Stig and why is he there.

Similar questions, different questions.

I'm really looking forward to having these questions answered, aren't you? Now, which of the following things has not seemed to try to communicate with Martha? Is it A, ravens? B, doll? Or C, runes? Have a think.

Make your choice.

Did you say runes? Yeah, they have not tried to communicate with Martha and the doll and the ravens seem to have.

Excellent, if you got that answer right, let's move on.

And now it's for you to do some reading.

I would like you to read "The Twisted Tree" from the beginning of page 154 to the end of page 171.

And I'd like you to answer these questions.

One, who does Martha hear? Two, what does she tell Martha? Three, how has Mormor been trying to communicate with Martha? Four, what is the Draugr attracted to? And five, who appears to Martha as apparitions? You are going to need to pause the video as you read and answer those questions.

So do that now.

Off you go and happy reading, Welcome back and a big thumbs up from me for the way you focused on that task.

Now I would like to share with you some suggested answers.

So who does Martha hear? Martha hears the voice of her great-grandmother Karina.

So give yourself a tick for that.

What does she, that is Karina, tell Martha? Karina tells Martha that Mormor is trapped in the tree.

She has regret that she did not convince Martha's mother to water the tree.

And Mormor feared that no one would continue to water the tree and the consequences that would follow.

She's really frightened of the consequences that might follow.

And number three, question number three, how has Mormor been trying to communicate with Martha? Well, Martha has realised that Mormor has been using the doll as a means to try to communicate and it makes Martha feel uneasy, but she also understands that it means no harm.

Quite complex feelings Martha has about this communication because the idea of a doll talking to you is very frightening.

But she has come to see that she's not in danger from it.

And question four, what is the Draugr attracted to? The Draugr is attracted to light and Martha and Stig initially thought it was darkness and they frantically attempted to extinguish all of the lights.

And there's a little bit of a twist here really, because often villains and bad characters are attracted to the darkness.

So it's understandable that Martha and Stig thought that, but this draw is very unpredictable and it's attracted to the light.

And the last question, question five, who appears to Martha as apparitions? And Martha recognises her family members, Karina, Gerd, and Trine.

There are also other women she does not recognise, but she knows that she is connected to them and that that they are her ancestors.

Really, really good focus on this task.

Well done.

If there's anything you need to add to your questions, please just use a little bit of time now to do that.

You can pause the video if you need to add to your answers and then we'll get going again.

So brilliant learning today.

We have read pages 154 to 171, and I am confident that you understand the plot.

And now what we are going to do is we are going to explore the theme of fate.

So now I'm gonna put up four expressions.

It is written in the stars.

What will be will be.

C'est la vie.

And tempting fate.

Have you heard these expressions before? And what ideas do they refer to? Pause the video while you have that discussion, or if you're working by yourself, pause the video and just make a few notes.

Okay, well done, welcome back.

And you all seem to have agreed something like this, that they all linked to the idea of fate.

Fate is only mentioned in one of those expressions, but they all linked to this idea.

They linked the idea that life is predetermined and that we have little control over what happens.

So it's written in the stars, and if it's written, it has a kind of permanence and C'est la vie meaning that's life.

You can't change it.

That's how it is.

And you can see how what will be will be, the sort of confidence and decisiveness of that modal verb there.

Okay, so let's move on and learn some more about fate.

Now, fate is a theme that appears in many literary works.

I'm confident that you will encounter the theme of fate again and again as you carry on reading books and plays.

And also as you watch films, can you think of any other examples of texts that use the theme of fate? And a secondary question, which is, why do you think fate is such a widely used theme? Please pause the video while you have that discussion.

Or just pause the video and make some notes.

What a fascinating discussion that was.

Well done.

I'm gonna share some ideas with you.

Like you might have considered this, that fate is a universal and timeless theme, and it connects diverse audiences through the shared experience of facing uncontrollable circumstances.

I think we've all probably understood what it is like when something feels huge and beyond us.

And also it's a very human quest, very human desire to understand what the purpose of our life is and what we are meant to be doing.

And it's really useful.

Fate is a really useful theme for character and plot development.

It can create conflict which leads to tension within the story.

And you can develop characters by exploring how individuals respond to the events and how their choices align with their destinies.

There will be characters who do not want the fate that has been set out for them and they fight against it.

And there you'll have really interesting drama and conflict.

Now let's have a check for understanding.

Is it true or false to say that writers use the theme of fate because it can be an effective way to create tension? Have a think.

Make your choice.

It's true.

Well done.

But why is it true? Is it true because A, it is also a universal and timeless theme that connects different audiences? Or is it B, that it is now outdated so it's really prominent in more old fashioned texts? What do you think? Make your choice.

It's A.

You'll find the theme of fate in the oldest text in the world and in some of the most recent.

Brilliant, let's move on.

And now we're gonna take a really focused dive into the theme of fate in the novel on page 168.

And I want you to reread from the second paragraph.

It begins with the word stick to the bottom of the page and it ends with the word made.

And then I would like you to have a discussion.

And the discussion is this.

Do you believe in fate? Do you agree with Mormor that half your actions determine half of who you are? Pause the video while you have that discussion, or pause the video and just make a few notes if you're working by yourself.

Off you go.

So now we are going to have the final discussion of the lesson.

And it's on this question, how is the theme of fate presented and explored in "The Twisted Tree?" And I'm gonna give you this discussion grid, 'cause I think it will help you develop your ideas and to use examples from the text.

Now, when you are you.

You want to develop your ideas and add emphasis, these are really useful phrases to use more specifically, more precisely, it is as if and in particular, that allows you to hone in on examples from the text and really clarify what it is you are saying.

And here is an example of what it might sound like.

You might say something like this, that Burge explores the connection between ancestry and fate.

More specifically, she focuses on how Martha's inherited abilities and her family's history are linked to her destiny.

The story reveals that the powers and curses passed down through generations shape Martha's identity and the path that she must follow.

So you can see that it's used the phrase more specifically there and explores is also a really useful phrase.

We've taken that from the question.

So time for your discussion.

Pause the video and have that discussion or pause the video and make a few notes.

Off you go.

What a great discussion that was.

What I really liked about it was the way that you listened so respectfully to each other's ideas.

I'm gonna put up some possible things that you may have discussed, and I want you just to reflect on whether or not you considered any of them.

So did you think about the connections to Norse mythology? For example, the Norns.

You know, the three women who weave our lives, the runes that tell the future and Yggdrasil the tree, the centre of the universe, and the island's name Skjebne and its meaning and the symbolism of the twisted tree.

And Martha's inherited supernatural powers and the power of ancestry and the role of watering the tree and the choices that both Stig and Martha make to run away from their families.

Now what I would like you to do is to extend that discussion.

I would like you to pick an idea that you didn't discuss and explore its connection to fate in the novel.

You're going to need to pause the video.

while you do that.

You're either going to discuss that if you are in class or if you're by yourself, you're just gonna make a few notes.

So pause the video and then rejoin me for the end of the lesson.

So that brings us to the end of the lesson.

But before we say goodbye, I would like to summarise what you have been learning today.

You've been learning that Martha falls into a dream and sees Karina, her great-grandmother.

And that Karina warns her that Mormor is trapped because nobody has watered the tree and the light attracts the Draugr.

And you've learned that fate is the idea that our lives are laid out for us before we are even born, and that it's a really strong and often repeated theme in many books.

And Martha believes that you can alter the course of your life through your actions.

Well done for your focus today, for your fantastic discussions.

It's been great listening to you.

I would like to wish you a brilliant rest of the day and I look forward to seeing you in another lesson about "The Twisted Tree." Bye for now.