Lord of the Flies - Fire on the Mountain

Here is the second podcast on Lord of the Flies, and how it foregrounds later events. Think of the fire as deeply symbolic; it unleashes powers that the boys cannot control!

Lord of the Flies - Chapter 1 - An Introduction

Lord of the Flies is William Golding's dark masterpiece. As well as being a story noted for its sumptuous language and eloquent prose, the symbolic meanings and messages of the text are profound and varied. Noticing the symbolism and being able to think about the CONCEPTS behind the story are the key to an A*.

All the symbolism and ideas are the novel are foregrounded in the opening. The motifs that appear all the way through the story will be set up here. This is an opening discussion of some of the important ideas. Have a think about the ideas mentioned here and how they relate to the rest of the story...

Heroes - Chapter One - An Introduction

You're doing 'Heroes' as your novel for the Literature exam? You lucky thing! Your teacher must really like you! This podcast is about the first chapter of the novel 'Heroes'.

Any start to a novel is the most important part - closely followed by the end in order of importance. At the start of 'Heroes', Robert Cormier sets up themes that will run all of the way through the novel. You need to be aware of them - and that's where this podcast comes in.

Key terms you might want to secure are: 'foregrounding' and 'motif'.

Introduction to Literature Poems

So we've started working on the poems that we need to know for the Literature paper: the poems of Simon Armitage, Carol Ann Duffy and work from before 1914. There may be some terms that you're unfamilair with, or that you need refreshing in your memory. This podcast should help.

'Hitcher' - Who picked who up in Leeds?

The Hitcher is probably one of the first Simon Armitage poems that you've looked at in class. Here's a few ideas about the poem, and a few things to get you thinking about. After all, who is 'The Hitcher'?

'Kid' - Robin's Revenge

Are we meant to laugh at Batman's downfall or cry? And what is a trochaic rhythm? This podcast raises some issues around the Simon Armitage poem 'Kid'. There is a real tension in the poem created by the humorous form and structure which contrast so strongly with the sad theme.

'Havisham' - Mean Love!

Whether you're starting 'Havisham', or coming back to it, there are some interesting ideas here to think about. How shocking is 'Havisham'? What act is being described in the fourth stanza? Is the mirror in the second stanza? You need to decide...