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Year 10
AQA

Winsome Pinnock’s ‘Leave Taking’: the character of Enid

I can explore how Pinnock presents Enid’s past and Enid’s present.

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Year 10
AQA

Winsome Pinnock’s ‘Leave Taking’: the character of Enid

I can explore how Pinnock presents Enid’s past and Enid’s present.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Enid faced hardship growing up in Jamaica.
  2. Enid experienced a strong sense of community growing up in Jamaica.
  3. Enid’s life in England is still characterised by hardship.
  4. Arguably, Enid is more isolated in Britain than in Jamaica.

Keywords

  • Hardship - A synonym for difficulty or suffering.

  • Destitute - A synonym for extreme poverty

  • Isolated - Being alone, without friends, help or support.

Common misconception

Enid's life in Jamaica was terrible. It wasn't hard for her to leave.

Enid faced limited opportunities in Jamaica, but leaving also meant she forever altered her relationships with her family and community.

Enid's life in Jamaica is presented as impoverished. Consider how you will engage with the reasons for this, articulated by Brod as "colonialism. Imperialism. Vampirism. They [the British colonisers] suck blood outta the island, suck them dry".
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

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Enid tells Del: "I work jobs seven days a week."
Correct Answer: two, 2, Two, two., 'two'
Q2.
In 'Leave Taking', what is true of both Brod and Enid?
Correct answer: They both migrated from Jamaica.
Correct answer: They both have children.
They both suppress their memories of Jamaica.
They both dream about Jamaica.
They both work two jobs in England.
Q3.
In Scene Four of 'Leave Taking', Enid tells Viv, "I come from the family in the whole a Jamaica."
Correct Answer: poorest, Poorest, Poorest., poorest., "poorest"
Q4.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Brod talks about Jamaica's poverty. He says, "And why they [Jamaicans] poor? Because a . Imperialism."
Correct Answer: colonialism, Colonialism, "colonialism", Colonialism., colonialism.
Q5.
Pinnock's parents migrated from Jamaica to England. They faced hostility. In her introduction to 'Leave Taking', Pinnock says her parents "didn't and rarely discussed hardship."
Correct Answer: complain, Complain, "complain", Complain., complain.
Q6.
In her introduction to 'Leave Taking', Pinnock says her parents and their generation "had been indoctrinated by a colonialist that lionised (celebrated) all things British."
Correct Answer: education, Education, "education", education., Education.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Scene Eight of 'Leave Taking', what do we find out about Viv's future plans?
She is going to study English Literature at university.
Correct answer: She is going to study Black Studies at university.
She is going to take a gap year before university.
She has decided against university.
She wants to become an obeah woman, like Del.
Q2.
In Scene Four of 'Leave Taking', Enid tells Viv that, when she was growing up in Jamaica, people used to make fun of her family. Why did they make fun of them?
because Enid wanted to migrate
because they were proud
because they enjoyed talking in tongues
Correct answer: because of their poverty
because they trusted obeah men and women
Q3.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Enid says to Brod, "I proud a my girls."
Correct Answer: English, English., "English", english, english.
Q4.
In Scene Eight of 'Leave Taking', Enid compares the rural poverty she faced in Jamaica to the poverty she faces in England. She says, "In a way, we poorer than them. Them all in it ."
Correct Answer: together, "together", Together., Together, together.
Q5.
In Scene Three of 'Leave Taking', Enid recalls a church service in Jamaica. She says, "That service was ."
Correct Answer: sweet, Sweet, sweet., "sweet", Sweet.
Q6.
In 'Leave Taking', how does Pinnock present Enid's life in England, compared to her life in Jamaica?
Correct answer: Enid feels more isolated in England.
Enid was unemployed in Jamaica, unlike in England.
Enid faces destitution in England, like she did in Jamaica.
Correct answer: Enid feels her children have better opportunities in England.
Correct answer: Enid faces hardships in both Jamaica and England.