New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Analysing a dramatic description of an event

I can explain my response to a text and identify how imagery is used both descriptively and thematically.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel

Analysing a dramatic description of an event

I can explain my response to a text and identify how imagery is used both descriptively and thematically.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A dramatic account is likely to be full of emotion, danger and conflict.
  2. We expect an account of an event to be fact based and significant.
  3. When talking about our response to a text, it is important to reference details and explain how it affected us.
  4. Analysing language means looking at what it suggests.
  5. We an also link the writer’s choices to the wider themes and ideas.

Common misconception

Students may think that Lee's account is true of all North Koreans.

Draw attention to the fact the book is a memoir. It is personal and about what she recalls and what she felt. The context helps us appreciate her own experience.

Keywords

  • Memoir - a first person written record of a person's own life and experiences

  • Autocratic - demanding that people obey completely, without asking or caring about anyone else's opinions

  • Surveillance - the careful watching of a person or place, especially by the police or army

  • Encroaching - the act of gradually taking away someone else's rights, time, work or privacy

Show students where North Korea is on a map. It will help them understand the distance travelled when she made her escape.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to the book 'The Girl with Seven Names' by Hyeonseo Lee.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

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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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is the best definition of imagery in a text?
a figure of speech that involves an exaggerated statement
Correct answer: the creation of mental pictures in the mind of the reader
the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
the overall structure of a text
Q2.
What is the usual function of a prologue?
to introduce the main characters in detail
to concisely summarise the entire plot of the story
Correct answer: to provide background information or set the stage for the story
to conclude the story with an impactful resolution
Q3.
Which of the following is a synonym for the word 'event'?
Correct answer: occurrence
object
idea
thought
Q4.
Which of the following is a synonym for 'dramatic'?
ordinary
subtle
Correct answer: emotional
calm
Q5.
Which of the following is the best definition of a theme?
the main or most likeable characters in a story
Correct answer: the central idea or underlying message in a text
the sequence of events in a story
the setting or location where the story takes place
your ideas after reading the text
Q6.
Which of the following is the best definition of 'symbolism'?
the use of exaggerated statements for effect
the repetition of sounds in a text
Correct answer: using objects represent ideas or qualities
using words that sound like their meanings

6 Questions

Q1.
A memoir is usually written in ...
Correct answer: the first person
the second person
the third person
the present tense
Q2.
Which country does Hyeonseo Lee escape from as detailed in 'The Girl with Seven Names'?
Correct Answer: North Korea , N Korea
Q3.
When we are explaining a personal response to a text, which two of the following should we do?
Correct answer: discuss how the text made us feel personally
analyse the historical context of the text
Correct answer: describe specific passages that resonated with us
compare the text to other works of literature
evaluate the writer's style and techniques
Q4.
Match the words on the left with their synonyms on the right.
Correct Answer:event ,occurrence

occurrence

Correct Answer:surveillance , monitoring

monitoring

Correct Answer:autocratic,dictatorial

dictatorial

Correct Answer:encroaching ,invading

invading

Q5.
When analysing imagery, we should ...
Correct answer: consider its connotations and its links to theme and context.
consider the level of vocabulary sophistication.
ignore the context as much as possible.
investigate the origins of the words used.
Q6.
Which of the following words could be used to describe the North Korean regime as detailed in 'The Girl with Seven Names'?
Correct answer: oppressive
hopeful
open minded
Correct answer: restrictive
free