Exploring the Gothic

Please post any helpful comments or references to your wider reading, to support each other in the preparation for the exam.

Hello all. I hope you are working hard. As I have said, this week I want you to focus on finding specific comparisons between Frankenstein and sexuality in other Gothic texts. It is really important that you do this, as AO2 is weighted and you will have to compare ‘Frankie’ to at least one other text in the exam. Make your comparisons as specific and focussed as you can, rather than just being thematic or narrative references. The texts Ms Thomas and I recommended are: Wuthering Heights, Le Belle…, Alias Grace, ‘The Ldy of the House of Love (The Bloody Chamber), Dracula and The Monk. It is important to get an overview of a range of Gothic literature, not just (19th.

Don’t forget that the essay is also due on Monday 20th (or at the latest by the end of the day on the Tuesday). Also, any other overdue work need to be done ASAP.

Compare how sexuality is presented in Frankenstein and at least one other Gothic text.

Good evening,

Having looked again at the opening of chapter 10, I would like you all to post a comment answering the following question…

How does the description of the environment at the beginning of chapter 10, and throughout ’Frankenstein’ highlight the Literary context of the novel?  Consider both the Gothic genre and links to Romanticism.

Make sure your discussion makes explicit references to the text and other Romantic and Gothic literture.  I will moderate and comment on your responses as you record them.

Today we identified inevitability, isolation, vulnerability, empathy, as important factors in creating a sense of fear. We also discussed the importance of place, season, mood and the elements. For your homework, give specific examples of how the theatre show uses these and other factors to create fear.

Talk about the specific moments of the play that really worked and analyse why.

I expect everyone to post one analysis and to comment (constructively!) on at least one other person’s post.

See you at the show!

Mr BC

Hi all,

Unfortunately I am unable to teach you on Monday. Thankfully technology is our saviour once again!

Before our lesson on Monday, I would like you to:

• Have completed Friday’s work from the previous post.
• Have submitted a comment on everyone else’s blog in response to their post on the Gothic.
• Have posted a review and commentary of the Gothic text you are currently reading on your own blog.

Deadline for posts and comments: 11.20pm Monday 30th June.

During our lesson time on Monday, I would like you to:

• Read the reviews of everyone’s Gothic texts and post a comment on each, perhaps making reference to how you text relates to what they are reading.
• Research Gothic poetry and create a post on your blog informing your classmates about it.

Deadline for posts and comments: 12.20pm Monday 30th June.

Homework 30/06/08. Due: Monday July 7th.

• Read everyone’s posts about Gothic poetry. Post a comment on all the other blogs in response, commenting on, developing or questioning the information you have read.  
• Read ‘The Raven’ and prepare it for discussion.

Deadline for comments: 12am Monday July 7th.

Miss Ware has created a blog for each of you, which we will eventually ‘link’ to the main Gothic blog. Your blog address is:

 aps[your first name]08.edublogs.org.

She has sent your log in and password to your school email account so you will need to look at this before you can begin work on constructing your site. Use the handout to help you work out how to ‘manage’ your blog.

Before friday 27th, please check you can access your blog, or create your own using the sheet to help you. You can also have a look at the year 13s’ blogs using the link on the site, to see what the possibilities are!  Miss Ware recommends Liseli and Emma’s blogs.

TASK FRIDAY 27th:

Follow the instructions on how to manage your blog to adapt the design of your blog. Then:

On your own blogs, write a post entitled ‘The Gothic’.  In the post, write the following:

• a working definition of what the Gothic is, as far as you understand it at this early stage in the course.  Give some detail from the research you’ve done.
• Your first impressions of the Gothic – what do you find potentially most interesting about it?  What do you find least interesting about it?  What aspects do you think you will enjoy?  Are there elements you’re worried about?
• Anything else that seems relevant at this stage.
• Add a link to any interesting ‘Dracula’ texts.

• Post a comment on at least one of your classmates’ blogs.

Deadline for posts: 12am Friday 27th June.

Deadline for comments: 12am Sunday 29th June.

Hi all,

You should have prepared the Dracula extract for today. Please answer the following questions and post your response as a comment. Within your comment, please ask an appropriate question for your class mates to respond to. E.g: What are the differences between the characteristation of Dracula and Mr Hyde? When you are finished submit your comment and then read those of your class. Can you respond to their questions or comment or their comments? Be as specific as possible and use quotations from the text.

1. What are your preconceptions of ‘Dracula’?

2. Are these evident in the extract?

3. What features of the Gothic genre are evident in the extracts?

4. What similarities can be seen when comparing these extracts with those taken from Jekyll and Hyde? Is there an element of variety within the Gothic genre?

Deadline for Comments: 1.20pm

Those ghostly spectres that you see walking round school with skeletal faces and a vague look of the undead about them – they’re really year 13, nearing the end of the gruelling ordeal that is A2… Like voices from beyond the grave, they offer you their advice below – like ‘don’t go into the red room’ and ‘never open the window at night’ – as well as some more boring but hopefully useful advice on what texts to read, when to read them and how to achieve success in your Gothic Synoptic unit…