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Year 11
AQA

In what ways is ‘Leave Taking’ a social commentary on 1980s Britain?

I can explain the ways in which ‘Leave Taking’ is a social commentary on aspects of 1980s Britain.

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New
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Year 11
AQA

In what ways is ‘Leave Taking’ a social commentary on 1980s Britain?

I can explain the ways in which ‘Leave Taking’ is a social commentary on aspects of 1980s Britain.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. 'Leave Taking' could be interpreted as social commentary on 1980s Britain, particularly racist and classist attitudes.
  2. It could be argued that difficulties the characters face are based on the colour of their skin and their social class.
  3. Arguably, Enid places so much value on education as she believes it is a way of escaping their social class
  4. Pinnock includes two minor, off stage characters to develop her social commentary.
  5. Pinnock’s exploration of racism could reference racial tensions felt in Britain after increased migration following WW2.

Common misconception

There is no point talking about the minor characters in a play - they are not important.

Each character, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is crafted by the writer and placed in the text for a specific purpose. It is your job to consider what their purpose is.

Keywords

  • Intersectionality - a term describing how certain social categories (for example ethnicity, class, gender) can combine to create unique combinations of disadvantage or advantage

  • Social commentary - a text which explores and critiques particular problems in society

  • Racism - the unjust treatment of people based on the colour of their skin

  • Classism - unjust treatment of people based on their social class

  • Ethnicity - a way of grouping people who share certain attributes for example ancestry or language

After learning cycle 2, pupils will have two topic sentences with multiple references to support these. Draw attention to the fact that they have about two thirds of an essay here, and consider how you want them to develop this - writing up the paragraphs as homework? Completing the plan?
Teacher tip

Equipment

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

Content guidance

  • Contains strong language
  • 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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
When and where is 'Leave Taking' set?
1960s Britain
1970s Britain
Correct answer: 1980s Britain
1990s Britain
2010s Britain
Q2.
Why did Enid, the heroine of 'Leave Taking', migrate to England?
She wanted to join her sister who already lived in London
Viv wanted the family to relocate so she could go to university
Correct answer: She and her husband dreamed of a better life in Britain
She wanted to join Mai who had already migrated
Correct answer: Migration served as one way out of rural poverty
Q3.
In Scene Two, Del reminds Enid about a work Christmas party Enid attended. What happened at this party?
Del was sick and Enid had to clear it up and then leave
Enid's boss wouldn't allow her to attend the Christmas party
Enid's husband faced racial discrimination at the party
Correct answer: One of Enid's colleagues was sick and Enid was told to clear it up
Brod turned up to the party drunk and embarrassed Enid
Q4.
In Scene Two, Brod and Enid discuss one of their mutual friends, Gullyman. What does Brod say about this character?
He is angry at the "police vans hunting" him down because he is Black
Like Brod, he is angry at having to pay to become a British citizen
He is moving back to Jamaica because Brod encouraged him to
Correct answer: He migrated to England with nothing, and slowly secured economic stability
Correct answer: He was the victim of a racist attack
Q5.
Pinnock includes a number of minor, off stage characters in 'Leave Taking'. Match each character to what we know about them.
Correct Answer:Gullyman,friend of Brod and Enid's; the subject of a racist attack

friend of Brod and Enid's; the subject of a racist attack

Correct Answer:British Pastor,Enid invites him over; Brod criticises him for lack of fervour

Enid invites him over; Brod criticises him for lack of fervour

Correct Answer:Pastor Chully Johnson,a Pastor who lives in Jamaica that Enid and Brod recall fondly

a Pastor who lives in Jamaica that Enid and Brod recall fondly

Correct Answer:Mooma,Enid's mother, with whom she had a difficult relationship

Enid's mother, with whom she had a difficult relationship

Correct Answer:Mai's son,a young man who is not comfortable with his British identity

a young man who is not comfortable with his British identity

Q6.
In Scene Four of 'Leave Taking', Enid tells Viv that "sometime I feel like a cat chasing him own tail. Going round and round and getting but dizzy".
Correct Answer: nowhere, "nowhere", Nowhere, Nowhere., nowhere.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', we hear out about a character called Gullyman. How could you refer to him in an analytical essay?
Correct answer: a minor character
an insignificant character
Correct answer: an off stage character
you can't refer to him because he isn't actually in the play
as one of the cast of six characters
Q2.
In Scene Six of 'Leave Taking', Mai tells Del that her son "always used to tell me how he never feel even a little bit ".
Correct Answer: British, "British", british., british, British.
Q3.
Some people argue 'Leave Taking' serves as a social commentary. What does it mean to be a social commentary?
A text which ignores particular problems in society
Correct answer: A text which critiques particular problems in society
A text which decreases particular problems in society
A text which celebrates particular problems in society
Correct answer: A text which explores particular problems in society
Q4.
In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Del recalls Enid's work Christmas party, saying that, after one of the nurses threw up, "in front of everyone, matron you to clean it up"
Correct Answer: tells, Tells, Tells., tells., "tells"
Q5.
In her introduction to 'Leave Taking', how does Pinnock describe the Britain that her parents migrated to in 1959?
often prosperous
often cold
often welcoming
Correct answer: often hostile
often angry
Q6.
In her introduction to 'Leave Taking', Pinnock tells us that her mother and father divorced at a time when "there was still stigma attached to divorce." What does the word stigma mean?
anger
Correct answer: shame
excitement
taboo
unhappiness