Mock Exam Re-Plan

Terminology

Form

Structure

Context

A (ii) – Consider how Bennett uses Mrs.Lintott to highlight the position of women in society. In your response you should refer to at least two other episodes from the play.

Throughout the play Bennett uses Mrs.Lintott as the primary way to represent the role of women in 1980s society and throughout history. As the only female character in the predominantly male focused play, Bennett uses her to highlight to a modern audience how women were thought to be less powerful than men in the 1980s and how she was perceived differently to her male colleagues.

Pages 67 – 69

·         “I’m what men would call a safe pair of hands.” (Page 69)

-          Metaphor.

-          Directed to the theatre audience rather than another character.  

-          Feels she would be regarded as safe and secure as she watches as “they kick their particular stone down their particular street”

-          “Men” – Collective noun – shows she doesn’t believe it herself – satire.

·         “Twat” (Page 69)

-          Dysphemism.

-          Though of as unacceptable for a woman to say at the time – gives it more power.

·         “Sharing?” (Page 69)

-          Fragmented.

-          Interrogative.

-          Could show her anger of the Headmaster’s plans – Could show her shock

Pages 83 – 85

·         “I was wondering whether it occurs...how dispiriting this can be?” (Page 83)

-          Interrogative.

-          “Dispiriting” – Adjective – Shows how extreme it is.

-          Shows Bennett wanting the modern audience of the play to question the injustice done to women through history (not being able to vote, thought of as less than men etc)

·         “hesitate” and “reluctant” (Page 83)

-          Verb.

-          Adjective.

-          Shows Mrs.L’s hesitation as to whether she should speak out.

-          Links to women at the time not expected to speak against the male view.

·         “History is women following behind with a bucket.” (Page 85)

-          Metaphor.

-          Mrs.Lintott is used to represent the role of women throughout history.

2 – Using integrated linguistic and literary approaches, discuss Eggers’ treatment of relationships between brothers and sisters in A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

Throughout the memoir Eggers focuses mainly on the brotherly and fun, yet parental relationship between Dave, his younger self, and Toph. Though her involvement is played down, Beth is shown to have some connection with Dave and Toph and there is a clear indication of the caring bond between them. Bill is presented to be responsible and unconnected from the other siblings, mentioned only a small number of times throughout the memoir. 

First Chapter

·         Beth and Dave looking after their mother.

·         “Where are you going?”

-          Interrogative.

-          Beth replies with “Out.”

-          Fragmented.

-          Monosyllabic.

-          Declarative.

-          Suggests a distant relationship.

·         Beth has “been home all year,” Dave is “home for the Christmas break.”

-          Different responsibility levels.

-          Could cause tension – could seem that Beth is taking care of their mother more than Dave.

·         Dave and Toph’s first interaction – a conversation about getting a game to work.

·         Strikingly similar to Dave and Beth.

·         “Yes and “okay”

-          Also fragmented sentences.

-          Also suggests a distant relationship and that they are not close.

-          May seem more typical of a brotherly relationship to the reader.

·         Contrasts from Eggers describing their relationship in the notes as “find[ing each other] perfect.”

-          Whether the reader has read the notes beforehand will determine how significant they will find this interaction.

Page 98

·         Dave and Toph at an open house – Dave is teasing Toph that he is going to ask out the mother of one of his classmates.

·         We see their brotherly, teasing relationship.

·         Dave is technically Toph’s guardian here – though he is acting as a brother.

·         “Please, don’t please.”

-          Fragmented.

-          Interrogative.

-          Pleading – rushed and desperate.

·         “Of course I won’t”

-          The audience reads this, not Toph.

-          Show how young and naive Toph is that he believes straight away what Dave says.  

-          Asymmetrical power – Dave has more power than Toph does – Older brother/ younger brother and father figure/ son figure – Could be because Toph needs/wants someone to trust because he has no parents to trust.  

Pages 302 – 304

·         Christmas.

·         Bill, Beth, Dave and Toph together.

·         Beth and Dave are re-enacting a ritual that their father used to do – Making Toph wait for his presents – Parody.

·         “Chocking, crying, contorted.”

-          Alteration.

-          Asyndetic listing – shows how hilarious they find it – no time for breath (and)

-          Their use of humour shows a close, sibling relationship – unlike how they acted at the start of the memoir

-          Looking after Toph/ their parents dying may have brought them together.

·         Bill sits “Disapprovingly” as Beth and Dave perform their ritual.  

-          Adjective.

-          Separate from the siblings humour – linking to the start of the memoir where he plays less of a part in looking after their mother.

·         Some readers would condemn Beth and Toph for teasing Toph – Others would see it as a typical aspect of a sibling relations