At the start of the play, Del appears uninterested in obeah and her cultural roots.
At the start of the play, Del’s relationship with Enid is full of conflict.
Del develops over the course of the play.
Pinnock links Del’s development to Mai, obeah and Del’s new found understanding of her mother.
The closing stage directions establish the depth of Del’s development.

Common misconception

You can't analyse stage directions in depth.

The closing stage directions of 'Leave Taking' are integral in understanding Pinnock's final messages about the characters and themes.

Keywords

Obeah - A series of spell-casting and healing traditions found in the Caribbean.
Development - The process by which something may change over time, including people understanding and accepting who they are.
Identity - Who you are; the qualities that make you. Understanding, finding and accepting your identity can be a life’s work.
Topic sentence - The first sentence of a paragraph. It states the paragraph’s main idea.

In learning cycle 2, students are directed to write an introduction and a main body paragraph for the Practise Task. Consider how long your students need for this, and plan the timings for the rest of the lesson accordingly.

Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' published by Nick Hern Books.

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Worksheet

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

If you were writing an essay on 'Leave Taking', you would start each paragraph with a topic sentence. What makes a good topic sentence?

one that summarises each of the ideas that you will write about

one that includes quotations from the text

one that summarises the text you are writing about

Correct answer: one that has one main idea, which will be the focus of your paragraph

one that analyses, at word level, a quotation

Q2.

How does 'Leave Taking' end?

with Mai reading Enid's palm

with Viv getting her exam results

with Brod telling Del about her father's abuse of her mother

with Del deciding to visit the West Indies

Correct answer: with Del reading Enid's palm

Q3.

In scene eight of 'Leave Taking', Enid comes to Mai's house for an obeah reading. Who does she find there?

Mai, very ill.

Correct answer: Del, an obeah woman.

Viv, rejecting university.

Brod, drunk.

Q4.

In scene five of 'Leave Taking', we find out Del has moved in with Mai. What inferences could we make about Del given this plot development?

Correct answer: She feels some kind of connection with Mai.

Correct answer: The friends she spoke of in scene one are not reliable.

Enid asked Mai to look after Del.

Del is determined to become an obeah woman.

Del knows Mai is ill and needs her.

Q5.

In scene seven of 'Leave Taking', what does Brod tell Del?

where her father is

that Viv is going to study Black Studies at university

that Mai is ill

Correct answer: that her father used to beat her mother

that he is going to return to Jamaica

Q6.

In scene seven of 'Leave Taking', Brod accuses Del of thinking of her mother as what?

a joker

a victim

ungrateful

evil

Correct answer: a monster

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Match Del's scenes from 'Leave Taking' to their plot points.

Correct Answer:Scene One,reluctantly taken to an obeah reading

reluctantly taken to an obeah reading

Correct Answer:Scene Two,leaves home after Enid slaps her

leaves home after Enid slaps her

Correct Answer:Scene Five,moves in with Mai; increasing interest in obeah

moves in with Mai; increasing interest in obeah

Correct Answer:Scene Six,continues living with Mai; believes her mother "hates" her

continues living with Mai; believes her mother "hates" her

Correct Answer:Scene Seven,finds out her father used to beat her mother

finds out her father used to beat her mother

Correct Answer:Scene Eight,becomes an obeah woman and reads Enid's palm

becomes an obeah woman and reads Enid's palm

Q2.

'Leave Taking' ends with a set of stage directions. Who and what is the focus?

The deep relationship between Viv and Mai.

Correct answer: The more positive relationship between Enid and Del.

Enid's anger at her mother.

Correct answer: Del's actions, establishing how much she has developed.

Enid's desire to help and support her daughter.

Q3.

In scene eight of 'Leave Taking', the final stage directions see Del do an obeah reading for her mother. It says, "[Del] examines the palm for a moment then into her mother's eyes."

Correct Answer: looks, Looks, looks., Looks., "looks"

Q4.

In scene eight of 'Leave Taking', Del struggles with the idea of doing a palm reading for Enid. Still, the stage directions read, "[Del] Enid at the table" and Del begins the reading.

Correct Answer: joins, Joins, joins., Joins., "joins"

Q5.

In scene six of 'Leave Taking', Mai tells Del about her own son's unhappiness, saying "If instead a going round like a madman he could find some peace in himself, inside himself".

Correct Answer: journey, Journey., journey., "journey", Journey

Q6.

At the end of 'Leave Taking', Pinnock establishes that the characters of Enid and Del have what in common?

Correct answer: complicated relationships with their mothers

experience of domestic abuse

a desire to become an obeah woman

complex relationships with their children

Correct answer: complex relationships with identity