New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

'Leave Taking': an exploration of shame and guilt through the character of Enid

I can explain how Pinnock explores ideas of shame and guilt through the character of Enid.

New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

'Leave Taking': an exploration of shame and guilt through the character of Enid

I can explain how Pinnock explores ideas of shame and guilt through the character of Enid.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The death of Enid’s mother is a catalyst for Enid confronting her feelings of shame and guilt.
  2. Arguably, Enid is presented as feeling ashamed of her upbringing in rural poverty.
  3. Dramatic methods are the tools a playwright uses to create drama. Examples are setting, stage directions and dialogue.

Keywords

  • Shame - A negative emotion, often connected with blaming yourself for something, or feeling embarrassed about something.

  • Guilt - An emotion you feel when you have done something bad. Guilt makes you feel worried and unhappy.

  • Symbol - If something is a symbol, it represents or expresses an idea. In 'Leave Taking', cleaning could be a symbol for shame.

  • Dramatic methods - The tools a playwright uses to create drama. Examples are setting, stage directions, dialogue and language choices.

Common misconception

The poverty Enid faced in Jamaica is equivalent to the poverty she faces in England.

Enid faced rural poverty where she "lived off the land". Farming is unreliable, and her family could feasibly become destitute.

Consider how you will explore the idea of dramatic methods, and Pinnock's use of them. Consider if a comparison to another text type, for example poems, might help students understand what are universal methods, and what are specifically dramatic.
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 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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6 Questions

Q1.
'Leave Taking' is a play. We are reading the script. The script is made up of scenes, dialogue and what other dramatic device?
acts
chapters
actors
Correct answer: stage directions
couplets
Q2.
How does scene two of 'Leave Taking' begin?
Mai is visiting.
The Pastor is visiting.
Correct answer: Viv is studying.
Del is studying.
Correct answer: Enid is cleaning.
Q3.
In scene four of 'Leave Taking', Viv enters the living room. What does she find there?
Correct answer: Her mother in the dark.
Correct answer: Her mother drinking.
Brod drinking.
Her sister creeping in after a late night.
Her mother dancing.
Q4.
In scene six of 'Leave Taking', Enid asks Mai, "You ever wonder if it was worth it?". What is Enid talking about?
having children
Correct answer: migrating to England
obeah
Correct answer: leaving Jamaica
marriage
Q5.
In Scene Six of 'Leave Taking', Enid consults Mai once more. What does she ask for support with?
Viv's exam results
contacting her mother
Correct answer: protecting Del
Correct answer: sleeping
money
Q6.
In scene six of 'Leave Taking', Pinnock includes stage directions to increase our understanding of Enid's pain, writing, Enid's mouth "opens in a soundless ."
Correct Answer: scream, Scream, scream., Scream., "scream"

6 Questions

Q1.
Pinnock is a playwright. She employs dramatic methods. Which of the following are examples of dramatic methods?
Correct answer: dialogue
Correct answer: stage directions
stanzas
Correct answer: symbolism
Correct answer: setting
Q2.
In scene six of 'Leave Taking', we learn that Enid can't sleep. What might this symbolise?
worry over Viv's exam results
worry about relying on obeah
feelings for Brod
a medical condition, which we find out about later
Correct answer: her feelings of guilt
Q3.
In scene three of 'Leave Taking', Enid learns of her mother's death. She blames her sister. When Brod disagrees, Enid asks, "Then who her then? Me?"
Correct Answer: kill, Kill, kill., "kill", Kill.
Q4.
In scene four of 'Leave Taking', Enid talks to Viv about her migration from Jamaica to England. She says, "Oh yes, I did escape didn't I?...Escape. To ?".
Correct Answer: what, What, what., What., "what"
Q5.
In scene four of 'Leave Taking', Enid tells Viv about her upbringing in Jamaica. She says, "I come from the ."
Correct Answer: dirt, Dirt, dirt., "dirt", Dirt.
Q6.
In scene two of 'Leave Taking', Brod teases Enid about being able to see her "crack foot-bottom". Enid believes him, asking "Where?". How does Pinnock direct the actor to say this?
sadly
anxiously
laughingly
angrily
Correct answer: quickly