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Year 10
AQA

Analysing the concepts of strength and resistance in Dharker's 'A Century Later'

I can explain how Dharker uses natural imagery, personification, caesuras and enjambment to express the concepts of strength and resistance in ‘A Century Later’.

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Year 10
AQA

Analysing the concepts of strength and resistance in Dharker's 'A Century Later'

I can explain how Dharker uses natural imagery, personification, caesuras and enjambment to express the concepts of strength and resistance in ‘A Century Later’.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Dharker’s use of natural imagery may connect to the growth of the girls’ resistance and fight against their oppressors.
  2. The image of the poppy may acknowledge that sacrifices will be made but that there is hope for the girls’ protest.
  3. The “bullet” may symbolise their failure to not only kill her but also their failure to silence the movement.
  4. Potentially, the enjambment in the poem links to the continuation of the girls’ fight.

Keywords

  • Natural imagery - the use of images of animals, landscapes and nature in a poem

  • Symbolise - where an image, object, idea or symbol is used to represent something other than its literal meaning

  • Bloom - to produce flowers; to grow or develop successfully

  • Personification - attribution of human characteristics to non-human things

  • Conceptual - considering ideas and delving into philosophical issues

Common misconception

That natural imagery always links to the relationship between humanity and the environment.

Natural imagery can also be used to show that a concept or idea is natural or that it is flourishing.

You could remind them of the contextual links to Malala Yousafzai and how her story feeds into ideas of continuing to fight and resist.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to a copy of the AQA World and Lives anthology for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

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.
Which of the following is an example of personification?
'The bullet had a dull metallic gleam.'
Correct answer: 'The bullet swerved to intercept her.'
'The bullet exploded into tiny fragments.'
Q2.
Which of the following contains natural imagery?
"As they approached the City, the noise and traffic gradually increased."
"... a man in a velveteen coat, drab shorts, half boots and stockings."
Correct answer: "The flowers that sleep by night, opened their gentle eyes."
Q3.
What is an "orchard"?
Correct answer: a piece of enclosed land planted with fruit trees
a large public garden or area of land used for recreation
a large natural elevation of the earth's surface
Q4.
A pause or a break in a line of verse, often marked by punctuation is called a...
Correct Answer: caesura
Q5.
Which of the following is a contextual event for Dharker's 'A Century Later'?
Correct answer: the shooting of Malala Yousafzai
the Industrial Revolution
the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst
Q6.
What might enjambment symbolise in a poem?
the ending of something
Correct answer: the continuation of something
the static nature of something

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does "bloom" mean?
to become limp through lack of water
Correct answer: to grow or develop successfully
to take pollen from one plant or part of a plant to another
Q2.
Where an image, object, idea or symbol is used to represent something other than its literal meaning then it is said to __________ it.
Correct answer: symbolise
signify
present
create
Q3.
Which of the following natural images from Dharker's 'A Century L' generally symbolises death?
"orchard"
Correct answer: "poppies"
"bloom"
Q4.
Match the natural image with the symbolism.
Correct Answer:apple,knowledge

knowledge

Correct Answer:bee,collaboration

collaboration

Correct Answer:poppy,hope

hope

Q5.
Considering ideas and delving into philosophical issues is being...
literal
Correct answer: conceptual
practical
logical
Q6.
In Dharker's 'A Century Later', which of the following could be reasons for not naming the attackers?
Dharker likely doesn't know their names
Correct answer: Dharker likely wants the focus to be on the girls
Dharker may want to represent how the girls are consumed with rage
Correct answer: Dharker may want to represent the lack of humanity in the attackers