Hello and welcome to today's lesson.

Thank you so much for joining me.

It's great to have so many of you here.

My name's Ms. Halliday, and I'll be teaching you today.

In today's lesson, we are going to start refining our creative writing skills as we work towards creating our very own Gothic description.

So really exciting content in today's lesson, and I can't wait to get started.

So let's do just that now.

So today's lesson is called Planning Descriptive Writing for "A monster within." And by the end of today's lesson, you'll have generated ideas for your very own Gothic description, which I'm so excited to read.

So I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the incredible ideas and suggestions that you come up with in today's lesson.

So here are some keywords that we will need to unlock today's learning, starting with Gothic literature, because if we don't know what it is, how can we possibly write it? So Gothic literature is any literature that evokes feelings of mystery, fear, and terror.

Now, if something is reminiscent of something else, it means that it reminds us of something else.

So we need to think very carefully about our word choices and make sure that they are reminiscent of kind of horror or dread off fear so that we are creating this really Gothic atmosphere.

Now, if something is concealed, it is hidden or disguised in some way.

The word dingy is a very good Gothic adjective because it means gloomy, dark, and very drab.

And finally, the very aim of Gothic literature is to mystify readers, which means to utterly bewilder and shock someone or to make them very, very confused.

So these are the keywords that you will need for today's lesson.

Please do feel free to pause the video and jot the definitions down if you think that you might forget 'em because they are really important and we will be referring back to them throughout the learning.

So here's today's lesson outline.

We're gonna start off with a bit of ideation, where we're going to generate loads of ideas and share them together to give you the best possible starting point from which you can start to plan your Gothic description.

So the second learning cycle is then going to focus on refining those ideas and making sure that we've taken the best ones forward.

So let's start, first of all, by generating some ideas.

Let's begin with a discussion.

I would like you to recap, well, what is Gothic literature? And what do you think that it offers readers? So here I'm going to invite you to pause the video while you discuss those two questions either with the people around you, if that's possible, or if it's not, just jotting ideas down independently.

So pause the video and do just that now.

Fantastic discussions and a really positive and promising start to the lesson because many of you were able to remember that Gothic literature is literature that evokes feelings of mystery, fear, and terror in readers, and that it's very much characterised by this sense of dread or threat.

So we always have to get this feeling that something bad might happen throughout Gothic texts.

Now, reading Gothic literature is a really thrilling experience if it's done well.

And the very goal of Gothic literature is to unsettle or to mystify the reader, and that's what makes it such an adrenaline-pumping and thrilling experience for the reader.

And that's why I love Gothic literature so much, to be honest.

Who needs a fair ground when you've just got a really good Gothic novel? That's my views.

So well done if you've got any of those ideas.

And let's continue.

Let's check for understanding before we move on.

What will be your key aim as a Gothic writer? Is it going to be, A, to create a really dynamic plot? Is it going to be, B, to unsettle or to mystify your reader? Will it be, C, to create horrifying characters for your reader? Or will it be, D, to terrify your reader so much that they can't read on? And remember, you're trying to identify your key aims, so the most important thing here.

So I'm gonna invite you now to pause the video while you make your answer selection.

Off you go.

And a massive well done if you correctly identified that your main aim as a Gothic writer should be to unsettle or mystify your reader, as that is what characterises a text as Gothic, it's the sense of dread, the sense of anticipation, and this kind of thrill that we get from being anxious or in a state of uncertainty or mystification.

So well done if you got that.

Let's move on.

Here is a short extract from "The Mysteries of Udolpho" by Ann Radcliffe.

And this is a really famous Gothic text that was published in 1794, so the 18th century, so a little earlier than the other text that we have looked at together.

Now, the novel follows the tale of Emily St.

Aubert, who is an orphan who finds herself imprisoned in a mediaeval fortress by her evil guardian Count Montoni.

Now, in this scene, Emily stumbles upon a very mysterious black veil.

Now, for those of you that don't know, a veil is something that is used to conceal, so one of a key words, to hide something, okay? In weddings or funerals, it's often used to conceal somebody's face, but it can also be a larger object that is used to conceal a coffin or a painting, or just something that is used to conceal something else, a piece of fabric thrown over something.

So that is what a veil is, and that is what Emily finds.

Now, Sophia would like to know, well, "How might a black veil be considered a very Gothic object?" So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you ponder that question with the people around you or just bullet point some ideas if you're working independently.

So off you go.

Brilliant suggestions.

And great to see so many of you thinking back to those Gothic conventions that we know and love so well.

Now, Sophia points out that black is a very Gothic colour that is reminiscent, so reminds us, of death or evil.

Now, a veil is used to hide or conceal something, as we've said, and that is suggestive of secrecy or mystery.

And both of those themes are very, very key in Gothic literature.

So we're already starting to see, just from the very basic plot of this story, how Gothic it is and how successful it thrilled and excited readers in the 18th century, and still today.

So here's our extract from "The Mysteries of Udolpho." I'm going to read it and you need to be following along please.

"She then hastily entered the chamber, and went towards the picture, which appeared to be enclosed in a frame of uncommon size, that hung in a dark part of the room.

She paused again, and then, with a timid hand, lifted the veil; but instantly let it fall.

And before she could leave the chamber, she dropped senseless to the floor." Ooh, how dramatic.

So I'd like you to consider, well, what has happened in this extract? And I'd like you to discuss that with the people around you before Izzy offers her insight into what has happened here.

So pause the video and explain to somebody else what has happened in this extract.

Off you go.

Brilliant comprehension skills.

And many of you identify in this extract we see Emily has entered the room where the veil is kept, and she's lifting the veil and she sees something, so she drops the veil.

And unfortunately she's so horrified in this moment that she actually faints before she can leave the room.

So well done if you got that.

Great reading.

Now, Sophia asks you this question, well, "Where do we see Gothic conventions in this extract?" And she would like you to discuss this and provide your suggestions.

So pause the video and do just that now.

And a huge well done if you identified that actually we see this kind of mystery that is very typical of Gothic literature in this extract because we're not told here what she finds under the veil.

But we also see that darkness, okay? We have the dark part of the room, we have the black veil, and we also have these extreme emotions that are very typical of Gothic literature because Emily faints at the sight of whatever is under this veil.

So well done if you got those ideas, and great work.

So I would like you to think, well, what do you think that Emily might have seen under the veil? And remember, it was so bizarre or so mysterious or so horrifying that it caused her to faint.

So you might want to think about that as well.

So with the people around you, or again, working independently, if you're on your own, have a think about what you think Emily might have seen under this veil.

And remember, it does need to be something Gothic because we are in the Gothic genre right now.

So pause the video and off you go.

Brilliant suggestions.

And so many people having so many different ideas, which is fantastic to see.

And we're going to have a look at some of those ideas that I heard right now.

So as Sophia points out, she says, well, "I think that she saw a portrait of herself from thousands of years ago." And I heard at least one person say this.

And I think this is a lovely idea, because that would be so creepy, wouldn't it? Imagine seeing a portrait that looks exactly like you from thousands of years ago, okay? That would be enough to stop me from sleeping ever again.

So that would be really creepy, wouldn't it? Jacob adds, well, "I think that she saw an enormous mirror with a demonical reflection of herself in it." Again, that would be very disturbing and very typically Gothic.

Andeep adds, well, "I think that she saw some writing in blood and it said, 'He shall have your soul.

'" Ooh, that is probably the scariest answer option that we've seen so far, because I think, yeah, I think I would faint if I saw that written on the wall in blood as well.

So really not pleasant there, but very, very Gothic.

So thank you to Andeep.

And Izzy adds, well, "I think she saw a blood-stained dagger underneath the veil," which, again, would be very Gothic.

And remember that this was set in, you know, she is in a mediaeval fortress and therefore, you know, I think a dagger is probably the most appropriate weapon that she might have seen in this instance.

And finally, Sam adds, well, "I think that she saw an opening to a long and dingy corridor." And remember that word dingy means really dank and dark and damp, okay, so very unpleasant place to be there.

So thank you very much to our Oak pupils for their fantastic suggestions as to what Emily might have seen under the veil.

And I definitely heard many of you coming up with very similar suggestions.

So really well done there.

Now here's the exciting part.

So for your Gothic description, you are going to be writing a description of what it is that Emily sees under the lifted veil.

Now, in order to do that, you will have to decide exactly what it is that you want to describe.

So what is it that she sees under the veil? Now, you can either use your own idea or you can use one of the ideas from our Oak pupils; it is completely up to you.

If you are struggling to come up with something, then please do feel free to steal one of our Oak pupils' ideas.

But equally, if you'd already come up with an idea that you really liked and you thought would be, worked really well, then obviously go with that one.

So once you've decided what you're going to describe, I'd like you to answer the questions in full sentences.

So I'd like you to answer: What does Emily see when she lifts the veil? And how does this sight a adhere to Gothic conventions? So what makes this a very Gothic sight that she sees? So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you decide what you're going to be describing and then use it to answer the two questions on screen.

So pause the video, and off you go.

Fantastic work, and some great suggestions there.

However, I am still hearing some suggestions that I'm not sure are as Gothic as they should be.

So what I'm going to do is I'm going to show you some different suggestions.

And in order to make sure that you have chosen something appropriate and something that is very true to the Gothic genre, I would like you to discuss these questions with the people around you.

So first of all, why can't Emily see a brand-new car under the veil? Why can't Emily see a person holding a knife ready to stab her? Why wouldn't that be that Gothic? Why can't Emily see a pile of money behind the veil? Why might it not be effective for Emily to see a monster behind the veil? And finally, why might it not be effectively Gothic for Emily to see a dead body under the veil? So what I'm going to do now is invite you to pause the video and allow you to have discussions about why these might not be the best suggestions as to things that she might find under the veil.

So pause the video and have those discussions, either, you know, with the people around you or just thinking to yourself, if you're working independently.

Off you go.

Fantastic work.

Now, some of you are understanding straight away why these perhaps wouldn't make the best Gothic descriptions.

So let's have a look at why some of these might not have worked.

So first of all, some of them simply just don't adhere to Gothic conventions.

So, for example, discovering a car or a pile of money would not fit the Gothic genre, okay? It also wouldn't fit the time at which this story is set, which is in the 18th century, because we didn't have cars in the 18th century.

So seeing a new car or a pile of money would not make someone faint with horror because I think most people would be delighted if they stumbled on a brand-new car or a pile of money.

So these wouldn't be appropriate sights for this task.

Now, as I said, some of the other suggestions, like a dead body or a person waiting to stab you, we have seen similar kind of characters or themes in the Gothic literature that we have studied thus far.

I'm thinking particularly of "Frankenstein," in which obviously we see a monster.

However, remember that the key aim with Gothic literature is to unsettle and to mystify readers, okay? You are not writing a written version of a horror film.

That is not what the Gothic genre is.

It is not: "How many scary things can I put into one story?" That's absolutely not it, okay? We do not necessarily need countless murder victims and people with weapons running around to unsettle readers, okay? That is not unsettling, that is terrifying.

So often in Gothic literature, describing something that is mysterious in a dark way is actually often more unsettling, okay, than somebody jumping out with a knife, because that kind of shock or fear is over in a second when that person gets stabbed.

Whereas if you describe, for example, a mirror that has, you know, a reflection of a demonical version of you, that is much more unsettling.

Or, you know, a painting or a portrait of you from thousands of years ago, that's more disturbing because we're not sure why it's there, okay? Whereas a person running out with a knife, we know why they're there, and it's to kill somebody.

So it's less mysterious.

It's obviously frightening, but it's much less mysterious, so it's therefore less Gothic, in a sense, and more horror.

And there is a distinction there between the two.

So often.

I want you to remember this really carefully when you are writing your Gothic descriptions.

Often, with Gothic literature, what is left unsaid, so what you do not say, can actually be more frightening than than what you do say.

And I really want you to bear that one sentence in mind when you are writing a Gothic description.

Don't get too carried away, okay? We are not writing a horror story or the written version of your favourite horror film.

Less is more with Gothic literature, and it's all about how you use vocabulary and how you combine vocabulary together to create a mysterious atmosphere and not how horrifying the actual events are, okay? So remember what is left unsaid can be more frightening than what is actually said.

Please remember that.

But well done if you managed to identify that actually those suggestions were not appropriate.

And therefore, if you did come up with one of those suggestions, you might want to rethink that.

So well done.

Great work.

So let's move on to the second part of the lesson now, where we're going to have a look at refining our ideas.

So I would like you to discuss, well, when Emily lifts the veil, in your description, that she's going to see, what will you be describing? And I'd like you to share your idea with somebody else.

So pause the video and enjoy the moment where you get to share your fantastic idea with another person and perhaps get a bit of feedback from them on what they think and how they think that might work.

So pause the video and do just that now.

Fantastic discussions.

And great to see so many of you being really respectful when you are listening to other people's ideas.

Great, great work.

So as I said, good Gothic writing makes use of methods to create a tense and mysterious atmosphere.

It doesn't have to be horrifying at every point, but you do have to have that constant sense of threat or dread in some way, and tension.

So I'd like you to think, well, what methods have we seen and used really effectively in the Gothic literature that we have studied thus far? So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you consider that question with the people around you.

Fantastic discussions.

And great to see so many of you talking so enthusiastically and in a very knowledgeable way about some of the Gothic texts that we have looked at together.

It's lovely to see that you've enjoyed them as much as I love them.

So first of all, as Izzy points out, well, we saw Shelly using colour symbolism really effectively in her description of Frankenstein's creature.

And Sophia adds, well, we also saw Bronte using semantic fields really effectively in her description of the red-room and Lowood.

So an example there from "Frankenstein" and an example from Jane Eyre, two of my very favourite Gothic texts.

So great to see people enjoying them.

And as Jacob adds, well, we actually experiment in using figurative language ourselves in our own descriptions of setting as well.

So Jacob there adding you guys to the list of fantastic Gothic writers that have used methods effectively to create a tense and mysterious atmosphere.

So you 100% have the capability to do that again in this description and use the knowledge that you've already learned to really kind of elevate this new description and make it the best one that you've ever written.

So thank you to our Oak pupils for that recap and their suggestions.

So another quick discussion.

And I'd like you to make a list of Gothic colours, and I'd like you to think, well, how do writers use these Gothic colours in their Gothic descriptions? So pause the video and consider that question with the people around you now.

Brilliant discussions.

And again, great to see so many of you actually giving concrete examples, from some of the texts like "Jane Eyre" and "Frankenstein" that we have studied, of writers using Gothic colours effectively.

So as Izzy points out here, and many of you said, well, red, white and black are very Gothic colours: red because it's reminiscent or it reminds us of blood; black because it can be representative of death, evil, or decay; but also white because it can symbolise purity, that is often corrupted by evil, or coldness.

Because remember, we see that battle between good and evil.

So in Gothic texts there is usually some kind of good character and there's also a very evil and wicked character.

Now, I think one misconception that a lot of students tend to have is that white is a Gothic colour.

Because a lot of people think, well, you know, white is purity, it's innocence, it's peace, and those aren't Gothic ideas.

Ad you're right.

However, remember that we have that battle between good and evil.

And actually Gothic writers often contrast colours.

And we saw this in "Jane Eyre" when Bronte contrasted the pale, white moon with Rochester's dark features, you know, in the chapter when Jane meets Rochester for the first time when she's out walking.

And the colour contrast, so the stark colours, often represents that battle between good and evil that is so, so typical of Gothic texts.

So that is the reason as to why white is a Gothic colour, despite the fact that it usually has positive connotations, because it's used in contrast with the black, okay, to represent these wider themes.

So that is one misconception students tend to have.

But I hope you can see now that actually white is a real Gothic colour and it should be used almost in juxtaposition with the colours black and red.

Now let's think about semantic fields.

So let's recap, well, what is a semantic field? And again, how were they used in the texts that we have studied? So at this point we're just trying to generate more ideas and think about how we can really, you know, bring our ideas to life using some of the examples that we've looked at together before.

So I'm going to invite you now to pause the video while you discuss those two questions, again, with the people around you or just jotting ideas down if you are working on your own.

Off you go.

So really well remembered if you remembered that actually we saw Bronte using a semantic field of control to characterise Lowood Institution as really oppressive and miserable.

We also saw her using a semantic field of luxury in her description of the red-room to portray it as really grand and impressive.

And we also read a description of the moon, which used a semantic field of control to characterise the moon as threatening and intimidating, because remember that a semantic field is a group of words that are all linked together by meaning.

And within that, they often, but not always, share similar connotations.

So that is what a semantic field is.

And well done if you remembered that and were able to provide some of the examples above of writers using semantic fields really effectively in their Gothic work.

So one more discussion here.

You're probably sick of doing discussions by now, but they are really important in English and I think they are a great way for you to share ideas and kind of, you know, develop your own ideas and really find them, which is exactly what we're aiming to do in this learning cycle.

So we are having another discussion.

When using an extended metaphor in your Gothic description, why is it so important to make the object of comparison something that people tend to fear or associate with darkness in some way? So Sophia has given you a little bit of help here.

So she has asked this question which might help you to think about why it's so important to make the object of comparison something that people fear.

So she asks, well, "Why wouldn't it be appropriate to compare a yellow jewel to the sun or a primrose in a Gothic description?" So what I'm going to do now is invite you to pause the video while you discuss those few questions on screen either with the people around you or just thinking about them independently if you're working from home on your own.

So pause the video and consider those questions now.

Some really brilliant discussions there.

And many of you really clearly demonstrating an understanding of how extended metaphors work and how you might want to use them within the Gothic genre.

So it's really promising to see that.

And it make just makes me really excited to read your Gothic descriptions because I think the knowledge that you already have of the Gothic genre is going to really motivate you to create such vivid and fantastic Gothic descriptions.

So I'm very excited.

So in response to these questions, well, Izzy points out that we know that Gothic literature aims to unsettle the reader.

So therefore, comparing something to a primrose, which is a type of very pretty little flower, in a Gothic description would reassure the reader by making them imagine something pleasant.

Now, this isn't that productive because it wouldn't help you to achieve the unsettling and ominous atmosphere that you should be trying to create.

So here, describing something as a yellow jewel or a primrose, that's not a very Gothic image to kind of bring into your reader's mind, is it? And it would actually contradict kinda the aim of what you're trying to achieve, which is to unsettle your reader, and it would go against the atmosphere that you are trying so hard to create.

So that wouldn't be the best choice, would it? And well done if you recognise that.

Great work.

So let's check for understanding before we move on to our last task of the lesson.

True or false? If we were describing a decaying wall, it would be very Gothic to compare this to peeling human skin and flesh.

Now, I'd like you to take a moment to decide whether you think that's true or whether you think it's false.

So pause the video and do just that now.

And a massive well done if you correctly identified that it is in fact true.

Now, what I'd like you to do next is justify why you think that is true.

So I'm going to give you a moment, again, to pause the video while you read both justifications, and decide which you think is the correct one for that statement being true.

So pause the video and off you go.

And a massive well done if you correctly selected A.

This would make really gruesome imagery for the reader because it would be very unsettling to think of somebody's skin peeling away.

Ugh, how disgusting would that be? That would be such a Gothic image, okay? So well done if you selected A.

You are absolutely right.

That would be vile and therefore it would fit really nicely within the Gothic genre that we are writing in.

So as I said, we are now onto our last task of the lesson where we're going to start refining our ideas by planning your use of methods that will enable you to make your Gothic description really vivid.

So to help you do this, I'd like you to make notes on the following questions.

And by make notes, I don't mean full sentences, I just mean really quick bullet points or a mind map.

However you want to present it is fine.

I'm not looking for full sentences.

I'm just looking for really kinda quick ideas, and as many ideas as you've got.

So what colours will you use in your Gothic description and why? What figurative language do you think that you might use? So what might you compare an aspect of your description to? And what kind of atmosphere are you going to create? So what semantic field might you use in order to do that? So what I'm going to do now is invite you to pause the video while you make notes on those questions and refine your ideas from earlier in the lesson further.

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Off you go.

Fantastic planning there.

And great to see so many of you taking different elements from the Gothic texts that we've looked at thus far and the discussions that we've had this lesson to really refine your ideas effectively.

So what we're going to do now is undertake the following peer assessment, okay? So you need to get into pairs, ideally.

If you can't get into a pair because you're working on your own, you can just do this independently and you can be both person A and person B.

So don't worry if you're working on your own, it's not going to stop you from doing this self-assessment.

So person A will share your ideas and notes with person B.

So you'll say, you know, "This is what Gothic colours I think I might use.

This is what figurative language I'm planning to use, et cetera, et cetera." Person B will then identify one of person A's ideas that they really liked, that they thought was the best idea, and they're going to explain why they liked it and why they think it will be really effective used in a Gothic description.

You are also, person B, going to identify one idea that you think that person A could improve.

Tell them how you think it could be improved.

So an example of this might be, for example, instead of the word frightened, you might say, "I actually think that the word aghast or petrified would work better there.

So I would change that if I were you." Then person A is going to make changes to their notes based on person B's feedback.

And then obviously you are going to swap roles and repeat the process.

Now, as I said, if you are working independently, you will do this as self-assessment and you will basically just self-assess your own plan using the prompts on the screen now.

So either way, whether you're working with somebody else or working independently, you can absolutely have a go at reflecting on your ideas.

So pause the video now and undertake the peer or self-assessment depending on your situation.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what changes you make.

So off you go.

And enjoy this process.

Brilliant group work there.

Fantastic to see so many of you being really respectful when you were giving feedback and saying, "Well, I do like this; however, I think it might be better to do it like this." And that's exactly how to interact respectfully with one another, so well done.

So to summarise the learning from today.

Well, first of all, your Gothic writing should absolutely not simply be a horror story.

You can create fear through atmosphere and mood.

Remember that Gothic literature is characterised by a sense of threat, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a very violent threat, it can be a more subtle or a supernatural threat.

Semantic fields, pathetic fallacy, and figurative language are methods that Gothic writers can use to create atmosphere.

And hopefully you will have started to think about how you're going to use them in your own writing today.

And finally, it can be really useful to plan your use of methods before you begin writing to make sure that you are using them effectively.

Thank you very much for coming to today's lesson and engaging so actively in your learning.

It's been fantastic to share ideas and kind of share feedback with one another, and it just makes me super excited to see your Gothic descriptions when they are all written up.

Thank you very much for attending.

It's been lovely to speak with you.

And I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.

See you later.