Redraft

Thank you for your help, I struggled when writing this for some reason. I don't really know anything about Uriah Heep I'm afraid, I pretty much included everything I have in my notes. Also I used "the reader" so much because I was unsure about using "I", is there any way I could make the essay more personal without using "I"?

Beggars of Britain Essay

Choose a non-fiction text which takes a strong stance on a social issue. Show how the writer makes you aware of his/her strength of feeling on the subject and discuss to what extent you were able to agree.

In his article “Beggars of Britain” Tony Parsons displays a strong stance against the social issue of begging. Parsons makes readers aware of his strength of feeling on this subject through his use of demotic language and informal register, tone, ideas, a personal anecdote, point of view and use of evidence. Readers are left feeling influenced by Parsons’ strong stance and cannot help but agree on some level with him.

The initial indication of Parson’s strong stance against this social problem is the alliterative quality of the title – “Beggars of Britain”. Parsons’ point of view is shown through the harsh, unpleasant sound of the title which sets the tone for his opinion which is to follow. The repetition of “beggars” in the opening sentences also makes the readers aware of this subject matter. The unpleasant imagery which is created in the opening paragraph by the mention of “beggars stinking of cheap lager with snot on their chin and a mangy mutt on the end of a piece of string” also shows Parsons disgust of beggars. This image becomes a motif and through this Parsons creates a constant reminder of his disapproval of beggars. Even after reading simply the first few sentences readers are left fully aware of Parsons’ stance on this social issue. However, at this point in the article readers are unsure of whether to agree with Parsons’ view as it seems unnecessarily harsh with no real explanation why.

As the article continues Parsons’ complete disapproval of begging is further displayed by his use of language such as: “cheap lager”. This is condescending and therefore suggests that Parsons feels he is superior to the beggars. However, through Parsons’ use of a minor sentence – “Lots of them” the magnitude of the social issue of begging is emphasised. Readers begin to feel a sense of understanding for Parsons’ point of view and can start to agree with his opinion on some level.

Parsons also uses extremely explicit language to show his sheer hatred for the beggars. He describes a gypsy beggar as an "obese hag", leaving us in no doubt as to her size, which he despises, and her ugliness. This explicit language makes readers fully aware of Parsons’ strong social stance on begging, as does the shocking language that Parsons uses throughout the article. Parsons use of the word “shagged” is perhaps to shock the audience, he feels they will revel in this language. When Parsons displays his point of view that these beggars “look like they could run a four minute mile” readers begin to partially agree with Parsons’ negative view of beggars as they too feel that many beggars could get a job if they only tried.

Parsons’ ideas in the article display his feelings on the subject of begging. Parsons feels that beggars “will be with us forever now” like a plague and this shows his hatred of beggars. Parsons’ main idea that “They have no shame” is very explicit and also shows his strong feelings of beggars. Readers can agree with Parsons when he states: “beggars where you live”. This engages readers as it suggests that begging happens all around and readers therefore agree with Parsons as they too feel that begging infects the places where they live.

Through Parsons’ continuous use of “ponce” his hatred of beggars is further displayed. The feminine connotations of this word show that Parsons considers beggars actions as not worthy. Parsons use of “Uriah Heep” as evidence, making reference to another text, shows a comparison between this character, the embodiment of misery, and beggars. It is clearly seen through this use of evidence that Parsons despises beggars, and by his use of a famous character readers gain a better understanding of his point of view and therefore agree with him more. Parsons’ use of harsh, alliterative language is continued throughout the article by his use of swear words: “shoebox full of shit”. This harsh language also shows his obvious disgust at beggars.

Parsons’ point of view that “The British have become a nation of nappy-wearers” is offensive and through this his feeling of beggars is further shown. By this statement Parsons is looking at the nation as a group and as being unable to do things for themselves. Therefore, at this point, readers do not agree with Parsons’ stance as they too are being included in his criticising and this statement seems too harsh.

During the article Parsons uses “American Psycho” as evidence to make readers aware of his strength of feeling of beggars. His use of this film shows that he feels in a similar way to Bateman, “the American psycho himself”, who is disgusted by beggars: “They inspire nausea and disgust in Bateman”. Parsons’ view that this is “perfectly credible” shows readers that he agrees with Bateman’s opinion of beggars. Although readers do agree on some level with Parsons opinion of beggars, Parsons’ use of this film to display his opinion is rather disturbing, and readers do not agree completely with Parsons and do not feel hatred this strong for beggars.

Parsons’ strong stance on begging is shown further when he uses sarcasm as a weapon: “no home, no job, no shame”. Parsons’ personal slant is epitomised with this comment, making his highly negative view of beggars obvious. Parsons further criticises beggars through his use of a harsh, mocking tone: “everybody knows you are going to piss it away”. Both of these comments are very tough on beggars and show clearly Parsons’ extremely strong opinion of this social issue. Parsons’ forthright point of view that “I don’t buy it” further reinforces this and harsh as his opinions may be, readers cannot help but admit that these thoughts have entered their mind on occasion.

Parsons’ use of a personal anecdote describing when he “used to give” is another technique which the write uses to make readers fully aware of his strong stance on beggars. His claims that “the people disgusted” him shows how he previously felt conditioned to give to beggars. Parsons’ feelings that his “concern has simply been exhausted” shows how he now refuses to be made to feel guilty. Parsons’ veracity is to be admired by readers as they can relate to being forced into giving to beggars. Readers at this point really agree with Parsons as they can understand his hatred of beggars – they too have been conditioned into giving. Although readers do not hate beggars quite to the extent that Parsons does, they have been influenced into having negative opinions too.

When Parsons simply puts his point of view across that he has “grown to truly hate them” his sheer hatred of beggars reaches its plateau. Parsons’ strong stance against beggars is further shown by the language use: “professional leeches”. Through this metaphor Parsons suggests that beggars suck away money from people. This unpleasant image displays Parsons’ unpleasant view of beggars. Readers agree with Parsons’ hatred at this point as although his view of beggars is cruel, he does acknowledge that there are some people who genuinely need to beg, those in Africa “with deformed legs crawling”.

In conclusion, in Tony Parsons’ article “Beggars of Britain” the writer makes his strong stance against begging clear to readers. Through informal language use, tone, ideas, a personal anecdote, point of view and use of evidence Parsons’ strength of feeling is made aware to readers. Although readers do find Parsons’ view of begging harsh they cannot help but agree with his negative view of begging to some extent as they too just expect beggars to waste their donations away. However, it would seem that Parsons’ has rather overstated his opinion. Readers completely agree with Parsons’ advice to “walk past them” and it cannot be denied that we too have, and do, say “No change, we say, no change”.


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Beggars of Britain Essay

Choose a non-fiction text which takes a strong stance on a social issue. Show how the writer makes you aware of his/her strength of feeling on the subject and discuss to what extent you were able to agree.

In his article “Beggars of Britain” Tony Parsons displays a strong stance against the social issue of begging. Parsons makes readers aware of his strength of feeling on this subject through language use, tone, ideas, a personal anecdote, point of view and use of evidence. Readers are left feeling influenced by Parsons’ strong stance and cannot help but agree on some level with him.

The initial indication of Parson’s strong stance against this social problem is the alliterative quality of the title – “Beggars of Britain”. Parsons’ point of view is shown through the harsh, unpleasant sound of the title which sets the tone for his opinion which is to follow. The repetition of “beggars” in the opening sentences also makes the readers aware of this subject matter. The unpleasant imagery which is created in the opening paragraph by the mention of “beggars stinking of cheap lager with snot on their chin and a mangy mutt on the end of a piece of string” also shows Parsons disgust of beggars. This image becomes a motif and through this Parsons creates a constant reminder of his strength of feeling against beggars. Even after reading simply the first few sentences readers are left fully aware of Parsons’ stance on this social issue. However, at this point in the article readers are unsure of whether to agree with Parsons’ view as it seems unnecessarily harsh with no real explanation why.

As the article continues Parsons’ complete disapproval of begging is further displayed by his use of language such as: “cheap lager”. This is condescending and therefore suggests that Parsons feels he is superior to the beggars. However, through Parsons’ use of a minor sentence – “Lots of them” the magnitude of the social issue of begging is emphasised. Readers begin to feel a sense of understanding for Parsons’ point of view and can start to agree with his opinion on some level.

Parsons also uses extremely explicit language to show his sheer hatred for the beggars: “obese hag”. This explicit language makes readers fully aware of Parsons’ strong social stance on begging, as does the shocking language that Parsons uses throughout the article: “shagged”. When Parsons displays his point of view that these beggars “look like they could run a four minute mile” readers begin to partially agree with Parsons’ negative view of beggars as they too feel that many beggars could get a job if they only tried.

Parsons’ ideas in the article display his feelings on the subject of begging. Parsons feels that beggars “will be with us forever now” like a plague and therefore his hatred of this issue is shown. Parsons’ main idea that “They have no shame” is very explicit and also shows his strong feelings of beggars. Readers can agree with Parsons when he states: “beggars where you live”. This engages readers as it suggests that begging happens all around and readers therefore agree with Parsons as they too feel that begging infects the places where they live.

Through Parsons’ continuous use of “ponce” his hatred of beggars is further displayed. The feminine connotations of this word show that Parsons considers beggars actions as not worthy. Parsons use of “Uriah Heep” as evidence, making reference to another text, shows a comparison between this character, the embodiment of misery, and beggars. It is clearly seen through this use of evidence that Parsons despises beggars, and by his use of a famous character readers gain a better understanding of his point of view and therefore agree with him more. Parsons’ use of harsh, alliterative language is continued throughout the article by his use of swear words: “shoebox full of shit”. This harsh language also shows his obvious disgust at beggars.

Parsons’ point of view that “The British have become a nation of nappy-wearers” is offensive and through this his feeling of beggars is further shown. By this statement Parsons is looking at the nation as a group and as being unable to do things for themselves. Therefore, at this point, readers do not agree with Parsons’ stance as they too are being included in his criticising and this statement seems too harsh.

During the article Parsons uses “American Psycho” as evidence to make readers aware of his strength of feeling of beggars. His use of this film shows that he feels in a similar way to Bateman, “the American psycho himself”, who is disgusted by beggars: “They inspire nausea and disgust in Bateman”. Parsons’ view that this is “perfectly credible” shows readers that he agrees with Bateman’s opinion of beggars. Although readers do agree on some level with Parsons opinion of beggars, Parsons’ use of this film to display his opinion is rather disturbing, and readers do not agree completely with Parsons and do not feel hatred this strong for beggars.

Parsons’ strong stance on begging is shown further when he uses sarcasm as a weapon: “no home, no job, no shame”. Parsons’ personal slant is epitomised with this comment, making his highly negative view of beggars obvious. Parsons further criticises beggars through his use of a harsh, mocking tone: “everybody knows you are going to piss it away”. Both of these comments are very tough on beggars and show clearly Parsons’ extremely strong opinion of this social issue. Parsons’ forthright point of view that “I don’t buy it” further reinforces this and harsh as his opinions may be, readers cannot help but admit that these thoughts have entered their mind on occasion.

Parsons’ use of a personal anecdote describing when he “used to give” is another technique which the write uses to make readers fully aware of his strong stance on beggars. His claims that “the people disgusted” him shows how he previously felt conditioned to give to beggars. Parsons’ feelings that his “concern has simply been exhausted” shows how he now refuses to be made to feel guilty. Parsons’ veracity is to be admired by readers as they can relate to being forced into giving to beggars. Readers at this point really agree with Parsons as they can understand his hatred of beggars – they too have been conditioned into giving. Although readers do not hate beggars quite to the extent that Parsons does, they have been influenced into having negative opinions too.

When Parsons simply puts his point of view across that he has “grown to truly hate them” his sheer hatred of beggars reaches its plateau. Parsons’ strong stance against beggars is further shown by the language use: “professional leeches”. Through this metaphor Parsons suggests that beggars suck away money from people. This unpleasant image displays Parsons’ unpleasant view of beggars. Readers agree with Parsons’ hatred at this point as although his view of beggars is cruel, he does acknowledge that there are some people who genuinely need to beg, those in Africa “with deformed legs crawling”.

In conclusion, in Tony Parsons’ article “Beggars of Britain” the writer makes his strong stance against begging clear to readers. Through language use, tone, ideas, a personal anecdote, point of view and use of evidence Parsons’ strength of feeling is made aware to readers. Although readers do find Parsons’ view of begging harsh they cannot help but agree with his negative view of begging to some extent as they too just expect beggars to waste their donations away. Readers completely agree with Parsons’ advice to “walk past them” and it cannot be denied that we too have, and do, say “No change, we say, no change”.



SS

redraft of essay

This is an essay that I wrote and got given back recently. I have just finished trying to redraft it to get a better mark - this was originally a 16 again!

Critical Essay

Choose a poem which has a strong emotional impact.
Show how the poet’s ideas and language combine to have this effect.
In your answer you must refer closely to the text and to at least two of: ideas, imagery, mood, structure or any other appropriate feature.

“Trio” by Edwin Morgan is a poem which is based on a very brief incident witnessed by the poet at Christmas time. When a young man and two girls are seen “coming up Buchanan Street, quickly,” the poet is instantly infected by the love and warmth shared by the trio and the use of the present tense creates a sense of reality. Through the poet’s language and ideas a strong emotional impact can be felt of love and happiness.

The energy and enthusiasm of the trio is immediately shown at the beginning of the poem by the parenthesis of “,quickly,” and the youth of the “young man” and the “girls” adds to their obvious energy. A contrast can be seen between the happiness of the trio and the “sharp winter evening” which causes the reader to begin to feel the warmth of the group and perhaps even be infected by it. Through the trio’s obviously close relationship and from giving (they are bearing gifts) joy emerges and the religious side of Christmas is represented as being irrelevant. The imagery of the trio “under the Christmas lights” allows us to consider that this could represent the star of Bethlehem and that the trio could be the three wise men bearing gifts. It is ironic that Morgan conveys his belief that the Christmas story is just a story using this imagery and it is also ironic that Morgan believes in celebrating the commercial side of Christmas. The poet uses an analogy to further make the reader consider the love of the trio as being superior to the love brought by the birth of Jesus. When the poet passes the trio their warmth infects him as “their breath rises in a cloud of happiness”. While their breath is literally visible, metaphorically their warmth is also visible to Morgan who instantly feels infected by their love as they pass. At this point of the poem readers are already left feeling a strong, emotional impact of love and happiness.

When the young man declares: “Wait till he sees this but!” his character is brought to life and readers immediately realise that as this is a feature of the Glasgow dialect, the trio are a representation of those who could experience economic constraints and have a desire to make Christmas special despite this. This is yet another sign of the love the trio feel for each other as it shows just how hard much they will risk to make each other happy.

The love the trio share is further shown using figurative language. The Royal Stewart tartan coat the trio’s Chihuahua wears “like a teapot holder” is ironic as the dog is wearing the tartan of kings but this also shows that the trio greatly care for their pet. Also the simile “like a teapot” suggests warmth expressed by the group and the “mouth like favours” embodies the trio’s love as favours are given to close relatives as a token of love. This reinforces the strong emotional impact of love. This can further be seen through the personification of the guitar which “swells out” – this shows the pride the young man feels as this is perhaps going to make someone happy as a clearly special gift. It is tied with “a brisk sprig of mistletoe” to symbolise love and is being protected and nurtured with love by a “milky plastic cover”. The poet further displays the overflowing love displayed by the trio by the use of enjambment, which is used throughout the poem. Morgan makes the reader aware of the idea of God’s love as being fictional and the trio’s love as being tangible and meaningful through this use of enjambment.

In the next section of the poem there is a clear change of register which reinforces the inferiority that the love brought by the birth of Jesus has compared to the superior love of the trio. There is a real sense of irony in this part of the poem as Edwin Morgan uses a religious tone, “Orphean sprig! Melting baby! Warm Chihuahua”, to display that his beliefs lie with the commercial side of Christmas. Morgan reinforces how potent human love is when he describes “the vale of tears” which “is powerless before you” to express his view of how significant he feels the trio’s love for each other is. Ultimately, the poet feels that human love can conquer all and the trio have helped him to realise this. Morgan shows human love as more significant than the love brought by Jesus’ birth at this point to continue the strong impact of love in the poem. “Whether Christ is born, or is not born, you put paid to fate” shows how strongly Morgan feels over the superiority that human love has over religious faith. This section of the poem conveys that fate is being chased off by the power of the secular which is represented by the placement of “under the Christmas lights.”

The sheer strength of the trio’s love is shown as negative aspects and the “Monsters of the year go blank” and lose their ability to frighten the trio as they are defeated by the trio’s love at Christmas time. The group and their “march of three” are clearly entering the New Year with new hope and pride as they felt that their love is indestructible.

The final verse starts with a dash to close the parenthesis opened at the end of the second line. This is used to emphasise just how brief this interlude has been. However, brief as this experience was, Morgan has been greatly uplifted by the trio’s love. The parenthesis Morgan uses in the final verse is represented using brackets to insulate and protect the words. This is created to show that the poet has been embraced by the trio’s warmth. The repetition of “vanished” supports this idea by showing that although the group have been lost in the crowd, their spirit will remain with Morgan. The “laughter ringing them round” shows an outward sign of happiness and the ring is used to symbolise love.

“At the end of this winter’s day” Morgan is simply left to reflect on what he has witnessed and it can be seen that his spirits have been raised as a result of the obvious display of love he has seen. Some may claim that Edwin Morgan presents an over-romantic view in “Trio”, but there is no doubt that this, although somewhat brief, interlude has had a strong emotional impact on both the poet and the readers.

SS

Redraft of redraft!

“Death of a Salesman” Essay

Choose a play which underlines how one person’s flaw(s) can have a significant impact on other people as well as himself or herself. Explain briefly the nature of the flaw(s) and then, in detail, assess how much the character and others are affected.

“Death of a salesman”, by Arthur Miller, is a play which follows Willy Loman’s struggle to find success in life. In his desperate attempts to die the “Death of a salesman” he installs the wrong morals into his sons and hasand has what might be seen as the wrong dreams. Willy’s flaws include his volatile nature, his inability to tell the truth and the guilt he suffers from due to his affair. Also, he lives in the past and continually uses this as an escape mechanism. His flaws lead to the downfall of both himself and his sons.

A major flaw of Willy’s character is his mercurial nature which is displayed throughout the play. In the first scene Linda, Willy’s wife, is clearly worried over her husband’s declining mental state. However, all Willy can do is snap at his wife over somewhat petty things. When Linda buys American cheese instead of Swiss Willy proclaims; “I don’t want a change! I want Swiss cheese.” This is a clear sign of Willy’s temperamental nerve which can snap at any sudden moment. His volatility causes him to get confused easily. Willy describes his son Biff as “a lazy bum!” and seconds later admits “he’s not lazy”. Willy has therefore contradicted himself without being aware of this in the slightest. His temper even leads to him losing his job – something his entire family depend on to survive.

Willy has two sons, Biff (the eldest) and Happy. Willy continually praises Biff and it is obvious that he favours him. Although it is normally important to praise a child, his flawed outlook on life and success mean that this is not such a positive thing. He also swears by the importance of personal attractiveness and popularity - he even values this over studying. “Be liked and you’ll never want” – This is his motto for life and he always enforces this upon his sons causing them to spend more time on sports than on schoolwork. When Bernard, a friend of the family, warns Biff that: “if you don’t start studyin’ math he’s gonna flunk you” Willy simply shrugs off this advice to his son to study as he feels that Biff’s popularity and sport success will alone lead to his son becoming a huge success. Ironically, Biff does flunk math, and is unable to go to university, because his father has instilled such morals into his sons. Even when Biff steals a football from his school Willy does not scorn him, but instead congratulates him on his “initiative”. The damage of Willy’s actions here can be seen later in the play when we learn that Biff has since been in jail for stealing.

Willy has many dreams which are highly unattainable and only set himself and his family up for disappointment. Willy dreams of getting a job in New York and makes his family feel optimistic that this will happen because of the loyalty he has shown his company. However, his boss Howard is dismissive towards him and instead fires him causing great financial problems for both himself and his family. Willy is clearly oblivious to how ruthless and callous the business world is: “You can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away – a man is not a piece of fruit.” But in reality Howard can do this, as “business is business”.

Another flaw in Willy’s character is his desperation to leave something tangible behind. He is desperate to plant seeds in his yard but they will not grow because of lack of light. Willy’s comment: “a man has got to add up to something” shows his dire need to prove he is a success, but this is an impossible dream. His flaw of having arguably the wrong dreams means that he never feels content in life and that he has achieved nothing. This even rubs off on his sons who begin to have impossible dreams too: “The Loman brothers-eh?”

Willy cannot help but escape to the past whenever things go wrong. An ingenious flashback device is used throughout the play to allow readers a closer look into Willy’s deteriorating mental state. When Willy stumbles over the tape recorder in Howard’s office it is accidentally turned on and Willy is unable to turn it off. This symbolises Willy’s inability to switch off the past. Whenever something goes wrong in Willy’s life he escapes to a happier time when Biff and Happy loved and respected him. This flaw of using the past as an escape mechanism confuses Willy and the people closest to him. When Willy and his friend Charley are playing cards Willy imagines his deceased brother is there which confuses both of them and causes Willy to cheat in the card game. Willy ends up calling Charley an “Ignoramus!” and Charley storms out of the house. This shows how Willy’s mentality can push away the few friends he has.

Willy soon becomes trapped in a web of lies and cannot stop lying. However, this backfires on him when his boss Howard suggests: “go to your sons and you tell them that you’re tired.” Howard has been convinced that Willy’s sons are a huge success and will be able to help him out, but there is no way they can.

A major flaw in Willy’s character is his infidelity. When his son Biff discovered his father was cheating on his loyal wife he lost all respect for him proclaiming: “You fake! You phoney little fake!” He also suffers badly from guilt caused by this affair. This is seen through the symbolism of stockings. Willy gave his secret lover stockings that were originally meant for Linda. Now, whenever he sees Linda mending stockings – there is a serious lack of finance – he becomes irritated because of this guilt: “I won’t have you mending stockings in this house!” This hurts her and she is confused as she is oblivious as to why he is this way with her.

When Willy wrongly claims that he sold “five hundred gross in Providence and seven hundred gross in Boston” his inability to admit that he is not the big success he strives to be can be seen. His idol Dave Singleman died what Willy describes as “The Death of a Salesman” as he died with people from all over the country at his funeral. Willy longs to die this way to prove that he is “well-liked” This is an unattainable dream as Willy is not popular and is unknown in the business world. Willy’s wife Linda is affected by this as at Willy’s funeral she asks: “Why didn’t anybody come?” showing that she has been fooled by Willy’s lies and is now left confused by how such a ‘successful’ man can die with such a pitiful turn-out at his funeral.

In conclusion Willy Loman was an extremely flawed individual who had a huge impact on many people’s lives. He ruined his son Biff’s life as Biff has lived in a dream world and realises only by the end of the play that he is “a dime a dozen”. We have witnessed this process and the past which created it, and realise by the end of the play that Willy's failure to face reality has led to the tragedy of a family destroyed.


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Redraft

“Death of a Salesman” Essay

Choose a play which underlines how one person’s flaw(s) can have a significant impact on other people as well as himself or herself. Explain briefly the nature of the flaw(s) and then, in detail, assess how much the character and others are affected.

“Death of a salesman”, by Arthur Miller, is a play which follows Willy Loman’s struggle to find success in life. In his desperate attempts to die the “Death of a salesman” he installs the wrong morals into hi sons and has, what many would argue as, the wrong dreams. Willy’s flaws include his volatile nature, his inability to tell the truth and the guilt he suffers from due to his affair. Also, he lives in the past and continually uses this as an escape mechanism. His flaws lead to both the downfalls of himself and of his sons.

A major flaw of Willy’s character is his mercurial nature which is displayed throughout the play. In the first scene Linda, Willy’s wife, is clearly worried over her husband’s declining mental state. However, all Willy can do is snap at his wife over somewhat petty things. When Linda buys American cheese instead of Swiss Willy proclaims; “I don’t want a change! I want Swiss cheese.” This is a clear sign of Willy’s temperamental nerve which can snap at any sudden moment. His volatility causes himself to get confused easily. Willy describes his son Biff as “a lazy bum!” and seconds later “he’s not lazy”. Willy has therefore contradicted himself without being aware of this in the slightest. His temper even leads to him losing his job – something his entire family depend on to survive.

Willy has two sons, Biff (the eldest) and Happy. Willy continually praises Biff and it is obvious that Willy favours him. Although it is normally important to praise a child, Willy’s flawed outlook on life and success mean that this is not such a positive thing. Willy swears by the importance of personal attractiveness and popularity - he even values this over studying. “Be liked and you’ll never want” – This is Willy’s motto for life and he always enforces this upon his sons causing them to spend more time on sports than on schoolwork. When Bernard, a friend of the family, warns Biff that: “if you don’t start studyin’ math he’s gonna flunk you” Willy simply shrugs off this instruction as he feels that Biff’s popularity and sport success will alone lead to his son becoming a huge success. Ironically, Biff does flunk math, and is unable to go to university, due to his father installing such morals into his sons. Even when Biff steals a football from his school Willy does not scorn him, but instead congratulates him on his “initiative”. The damage of Willy’s actions here can be seen later in the play when we learn that Biff has since been in jail for stealing.

Willy has many dreams – unfortunately these are all highly unattainable and therefore just set himself and his family up for disappointment. Willy dreams of getting a job in New York and makes his family feel optimistic that this will happen because of the loyalty he has shown his company. However, his boss Howard is dismissive towards him and instead fires him causing great financial problems for both himself and his family. Willy is clearly oblivious to how ruthless and callous the business world is: “You can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away – a man is not a piece of fruit.” But in reality Howard can do this, as “business is business”.

Another flaw Willy has is his desperation to leave something tangible behind. He is desperate to plant seeds in his yard but they will not grow due to lack of light. Willy’s comment: “a man has got to add up to something” shows his dire need to prove he is a success, but this is an impossible dream. His flaw of having arguably the wrong dreams causes him to never feel content in life and that he has achieved nothing. This even rubs off on his sons who begin to have impossible dreams too: “The Loman brothers-eh?”

Willy cannot help but escape to the past whenever things go wrong. An ingenious flashback device is used throughout the play to allow readers a closer look into Willy’s deteriorating mental state. When Willy stumbles over the tape recorder in Howard’s office it is accidentally turned on and Willy is unable to turn it off. This symbolises Willy’s inability to switch off the past. Whenever something goes wrong in Willy’s life he escapes to a happier time when Biff and Happy loved and respected him. This flaw of using the past as an escape mechanism confuses Willy and the people closest to him. When Willy and his friend Charley are playing cards Willy imagines his deceased brother is there, this confuses both of them and causes Willy to cheat in the card game. Willy ends up calling Charley an “Ignoramus!” and Charley storms out the house. This shows how Willy’s mentality can push away the few friends he has.

Willy soon becomes trapped in a web of lies and cannot stop lying. However, this backfires on him when his boss Howard suggests: “go to your sons and you tell them that you’re tired.” Howard has been convinced that Willy’s sons are a huge success and will be able to help him out, but there is no way they can.

Willy suffers badly from guilt caused by his previous affair. This is seen through the symbolism of stockings. Willy gave his secret lover stockings that were originally meant for Linda. Now, whenever he sees Linda mending stockings – there is a serious lack of finance – he becomes irritated because of this guilt: “I won’t have you mending stockings in this house!” This hurts her and she is confused as she is oblivious as to why he is this way with her.

When Willy wrongly claims that he sold “five hundred gross in Providence and seven hundred gross in Boston” his inability to admit that he is not the big success he strives to be can be seen. His idol Dave Singleman died what Willy describes as “The Death of a Salesman” as he died with people from all over the country at his funeral. Willy longs to die this way to prove that he is “well-liked” This is an unattainable dream as Willy is not popular and is unknown in the business world. Willy’s wife Linda is affected by this as at Willy’s funeral she asks: “Why didn’t anybody come?” showing that she has been fooled by Willy’s lies and is now left confused by how such a ‘successful’ man can die with such a pitiful turn-out at his funeral.

In conclusion, it can be seen that Willy Loman was an extremely flawed individual who had a huge impact on many people’s lives. Overall, he probably had the biggest impact on Biff’s life as Biff has spent his entire life in a dream and, only by the end of the play, has realised that he is “a dime a dozen”. It is through the playwright’s use of characterisation, structure and flashbacks that we can see Willy’s flaws and the effects they have had on both himself and on others.


SS

DEATH OF A SALESMAN ESSAY

“Death of a Salesman” Essay

Choose a play which underlines how one person’s flaw(s) can have a significant impact on other people as well as himself or herself. Explain briefly the nature of the flaw(s) and then, in detail, assess how much the character and others are affected.

“Death of a salesman”, by Arthur Miller, is a play which follows Willy Loman’s struggle to find success in life. In his desperate attempts to die the “Death of a salesman” he installs the wrong morals into hi sons and has, what many would argue as, the wrong dreams. Willy’s flaws include his volatile nature, his inability to tell the truth and the guilt he suffers from due to his affair. Also, he lives in the past and continually uses this as an escape mechanism. His flaws lead to the both the downfalls of himself and of his sons.

A major flaw of Willy’s character is his mercurial nature which is displayed throughout the play. In the first scene Linda, Willy’s wife, is clearly worried over her husband’s declining mental state. However, all Willy can do is snap at his wife over somewhat petty things. When Linda buys American cheese instead of Swiss Willy proclaims; “I don’t want a change! I want Swiss cheese.” This is a clear sign of Willy’s temperamental nerve which can snap at any sudden moment.

His volatility causes himself to get confused easily. Willy describes his son Biff as “a lazy bum!” and seconds later “he’s not lazy”. Willy has therefore contradicted himself without being aware of this in the slightest. His temper even leads to him losing his job – something his entire family depend on to survive.

Willy has two sons, Biff (the eldest) and Happy. Willy is continually praising Biff and it is obvious that Willy favours him. Although it is normally important to praise a child, Willy’s flawed outlook on life and success mean that this is not such a positive thing. Willy swears by the importance of personal attractiveness and popularity-he even values this over studying. “Be liked and you’ll never want” – Willy is always enforcing this upon his sons causing them to spend more time on sports than on schoolwork. When Bernard, a friend of the family, warns Biff that: “if you don’t start studyin’ math he’s gonna flunk you” Willy simply shrugs off this instruction as he feels that Biff’s popularity and sport success will alone lead to his success. Ironically, Biff does flunk math, and doesn’t get into university, due to his father installing such morals into his sons. Even when Biff steals a football from his school Willy does not scorn him, but instead congratulates him on his “initiative”. The damage of Willy’s actions here can be seen later in the play when we learn that Biff has since been in jail for stealing.

Willy has many dreams – unfortunately these are all highly unattainable and therefore just set himself and his family up for disappointment. Willy dreams of getting a job in New York and makes his family feel optimistic that this will happen because of the loyalty he has shown his company. However, his boss Howard is dismissive towards him and instead fires him causing great financial problems for both himself and his family. Willy is clearly oblivious to how ruthless and callous the business world is: “You can’t eat the orange and throw the peel away – a man is not a piece of fruit.” But in reality Howard can do this, as “business is business”.

Another flaw Willy has is his desperation to leave something tangible behind. He is desperate to plant seeds in his yard but they will not grow due to lack of light. Willy’s comment: “a man has got to add up to something” shows his dire need to prove he is a success, but this is an impossible dream. His flaw of having arguably the wrong dreams causes him to never feel content in life and that he has achieved nothing. This even rubs off on his sons who begin to have impossible dreams too: “The Loman brothers-eh?”

When Willy wrongly claims that he sold five hundred gross in Providence and seven hundred gross in Boston” his inability to admit that he is not the big success he strives to be can be seen. His idol Dave Singleman died what Willy describes as “The Death of a Salesman” as he died with people from all over the country at his funeral. Willy longs to die this way to prove that he is “well-liked” This is an unattainable dream as Willy is not popular and is unknown in the business world. Willy’s wife Linda is affected by this as at Willy’s funeral she asks: “Why didn’t anybody come?” showing that she has been fooled by Willy’s lies and is now left confused by how such a ‘successful’ man can die with such a pitiful turn-out st his funeral.

Willy can’t help but escape to the past whenever things go wrong. An ingenious flashback device is used throughout the play to allow readers a closer look into Willy’s deteriorating mental state. When Willy stumbles over the tape recorder in Howard’s office it is accidentally turned on which symbolises Willy’s inability to switch off the past. Whenever something goes wrong in Willy’s life he escapes to a happier time when Biff and Happy loved and respected him. This flaw of using the past as an escape mechanism confuses Willy and the people closest to him. When Willy and his friend Charley are playing cards Willy imagines his deceased brother is there, this confuses Charley and causes Willy to cheat in the card game. Willy ends up calling Charley an “Ignoramus!” and Charley storms out the house. This shows how Willy’s mentality can push away the few friends he has.

Willy soon becomes trapped in a web of lies and cannot stop lying. However, this backfires on him when Howard suggests: “go to your sons and you tell them that you’re tired.” Howard has been convinced that Willy’s sons are a huge success and will be able to help him out, but there is no way they can.

Willy suffers badly from guilt due to an affair he had in the past. This is seen through the symbolism of stockings. Willy gave his secret lover stockings that were originally meant for Linda. Now, whenever he sees Linda mending stockings – due to a serious lack of finance – he gets irritated due to the guilt he feels: “I won’t have you mending stockings in this house!”. This hurts her and she is confused as she is oblivious as to why he is this way with her.

In conclusion, it can be seen that Willy Loman was a very flawed individual who had a huge impact on many people’s lives. Overall, he probably had the biggest impact on Biff’s life as Biff has spent his entire life in a dream and, only by the end of the play, has realised that he is “a dime a dozen”. It is through the playwright’s use of characterisation, structure and flashbacks that we can see Willy’s flaws and the effects they had on both himself and others.


SS

Help!

Hi, I'm starting to worry about the writing part of my prelim. Every essay I have written this year has only been worth 16 marks no matter how much I try to improve it. The interpretation should be ok-I got 35/50 for a timed interpretation we did in class-but the writing scares me! Have you got any advice on how to prepare well for this and what makes a good critical essay?
Thank you and I hope you had a good Christmas!

SS

This has to be handed in tomorrow, do you think there any last minute changes that I should make?

That day dad had taken us to school-me and my sister. This wasn't such a rare occurrence, occasionally when my mother was at a meeting or seminar. We always hated those days purely as it meant less time in bed-now it seems so petty to have complained about a measly loss of 15 more minutes. My mother had left early to go to Oban or somewhere, I don’t really remember where she was going that day or what for. All I know is that she was travelling in that direction, along the Rest and be Thankful, when it happened. That road was well-known for being treacherously twisty, with no run-off on either side...
It was an odd day, one of those in between sort of days. It was freezing and frosty but the sun was shining, the ice shimmering. At the ring of the school bell signalling the end of lunch, my friends and I began to hurry towards the school, glad for an excuse to get back indoors. I remember seeing my dad - he is a depute head teacher at my school - standing at the front door. We greeted him and he replied. But he seemed elsewhere. Distant.
It’s hard to recall him telling me, but I do remember great confusion. Mum had crashed. The car. Rolled three times. Ended in a ditch. But she was ok. She was fine. Shaken, but not hurt. It was “a miracle”; she’d walked out herself, with barely a scratch and a rip in her tights. I didn’t know what to say, oblivious to the sheer scale of this event. I had no idea what I was expected to say. My dad walked away as I followed the rest of the latecomers up to class.
Despite the shocking news, at the time my main worry was about what my teacher would say when I walked in late. I now realise how insignificant that was when my main concern should have been my mother. I guess that at that age - I was 12 at the time - hearing that she wasn't physically hurt put my mind at ease. At the time all I could think about was what effect this would have on my life, how I would be affected. Now I realise how self-centred this was. What about my mother? What about the emotional hurt? What if she had suffered from nightmares? What if she couldn't face the wheel again? Such thoughts had never entered my mind at the time.

The next two periods had been a total blur. My friends kept attempting to make conversation to resolve the awkward silences. But that was nothing compared to the walk home…

My sister and I met up at the end of school, Emma looked strangely gaunt, as if she'd been hurt. She barely said anything during the walk home. I remember her telling me that she had cried during class – I didn’t understand, after all, mum was “fine”, but Emma had always been sensitive. Although Emma was only two years my elder, I now realise that Emma was virtually an adult and she understood the connotations of mum’s crash. I was still a child, unaware of what loss could feel like. Emma had known how serious that day could have been; we could have lost a parent.

When our house came into view, my mouth became dry, a lump forming in my throat. I was scared. I didn’t want to enter my own home. “Come on”, Emma urged, her voice shaking. Apprehensively, we moved towards our house. As we reached the gate an unknown car came into sight. I looked at the confusion on my sister’s face.

“Is that-ours?”

“Don’t be silly,” replied Emma unconvincingly, “it doesn’t happen that quickly.”

I wondered, would we have to walk to school? How would we get the shopping? Visions of a newly-deprived lifestyle flooded over me, so that I was almost cross at my mum for landing us in this state. Yet again I thought of such petty things. After all, what did that matter?

The door slid open revealing laughter and music. We followed these sounds, which were coming from the living room. The first thing that caught my eye was of course my mum, dressed in jeans and a loose shirt that I remember being buttoned wrongly. This was not my mum, she was always the image of perfection; never a hair out of place. I remember finding this odd, but she was smiling and laughing with a couple of her friends from work and my dad.

“How was school?” she asked.

“Ok, the usual I guess.” I replied confused by how such a typical conversation could be taking place after such a rare occurrence.

At the time, although confused by the cheeriness of this scene, I took the sight of my carefree mother to mean that she was fine - laughing at her own foolishness. However, I now see that mother was just putting on a brave face, perhaps for my own benefit. Or maybe she was trying to convince herself that everything was, and would be, ok. I also now realise how shaken and terrified she must have been and that my mother was not foolish-there had been black ice on the road and she had tried so hard to redeem herself and get the car back on the road.

Later it became obvious that she was scared by the prospect of driving again. One day at work mother had hit a boulder in the car park and on another occasion she had experienced a minor collision with a bus. But anyone’s confidence would be shattered after a crash that severe. We all helped of course. In the beginning dad took her out for short drives round the block and I was even there when she went back on the motorway for the first time since the crash. Truthfully I was rather terrified; if she lost her nerve there was no way I could have really helped. Perhaps just being there for my mother gave her courage and re-established her belief in herself. By just being there for her in her time of need, I suppose the relationship I have with my mother grew stronger, such a simple task meant so much to her…

“So, shall I just see you all there then?”

“Would you like me to come with you mum?” I suggested, there was no way I was going to let her be alone in the car again, especially not when she hadn’t been on the motorway since the accident.

“Sarah, that would just be, but are you sure you want to?”

“Yes mum, don’t be silly. You’ve been on the motorway millions of times!” I tried to convince not only my mum, but also myself, “You can do this no problem. Now let’s go quickly or we’ll be late.” It was like a role-reversal, I was helping her, convincing her that she was capable while she looked at me, scared and looking for assurance.


Today I look back at that crash able to see its potential. I also think of what the people of our small community may have thought, that it had been her fault or that she was clearly an incompetent driver. I guess my mother maybe thought so too.

“It’s four years ago tomorrow that I had the accident you know,” My mother casually informed me a matter of weeks ago whilst doing the ironing.

“Is it really?” I answered, amazed by how quickly the years had passed. Those four years could have been extremely different. Everyday on the news I hear stories of families being left devastated due to road accidents – it could quite easily have been my family, left without a mother, a wife, a daughter or even a sister, so many lives could have been left incomplete that day. I never realised how vital a role my mother plays in so many lives, until I faced the prospect of losing her.

“Strange, isn’t it?” she replied.

SS

Thanks for your comments, is this any better?

That day dad had taken us to school-me and my sister. This wasn't such a rare occurrence, occasionally when my mother was at a meeting or seminar. We always hated those days purely as it meant less time in bed-now it seems so petty to have complained about a measly loss of 15 more minutes. My mother had left early to go to Oban or somewhere, I don’t really remember where she was going that day or what for. All I know is that she was travelling in that direction, along the Rest and be Thankful, when it happened. That road was well-known for being treacherously twisty, with no run-off on either side...
It was an odd day, one of those in between sort of days. It was freezing and frosty but the sun was shining, the ice shimmering. At the ring of the school bell signalling the end of lunch, my friends and I began to hurry towards the school, glad for an excuse to get back indoors. I remember seeing my dad, he is a depute head teacher at my school, standing at the front door. We greeted him and he replied. But he seemed elsewhere. Distant.
It’s hard to recall him telling me, but I do remember great confusion. Mum had crashed. The car. Rolled three times. Ended in a ditch. But she was ok. She was fine. Shaken, but not hurt. It was “a miracle”; she’d walked out herself, with barely a scratch and a rip in her tights. I didn’t know what to say, oblivious to the sheer scale of this event. I had no idea what I was expected to say. My dad walked away as I followed the rest of the latecomers up to class.
Despite the shocking news, at the time my main worry was about what my teacher would say when I walked in late. I now realise how insignificant that was when my main concern should have been my mother. I guess that at that age - I was 12 at the time - hearing that she wasn't physically hurt put my mind at ease. At the time all I could think about was what effect this would have on my life, how I would be affected. Now I realise how self-centred this was. What about my mother? What about the emotional hurt? What if she had suffered from nightmares? What if she couldn't face the wheel again? Such thoughts had never entered my mind at the time.

The next two periods had been a total blur. My friends kept attempting to make conversation to resolve the awkward silences. But that was nothing compared to the walk home…

My sister and I met up at the end of school, Emma looked strangely gaunt, as if she'd been hurt. She barely said anything during the walk home. I remember her telling me that she had cried during class – I didn’t understand, after all, mum was “fine”, but Emma had always been sensitive. Although Emma was only two years my elder, I now realise that Emma was virtually an adult and she understood the connotations of mum’s crash. I was still a child, unaware of what loss could feel like. Emma had known how serious that day could have been; we could have lost a parent.

When our house came into view, my mouth became dry, a lump forming in my throat. I was scared. I didn’t want to enter my own home. “Come on”, Emma urged, her voice shaking. Apprehensively, we moved towards our house. As we reached the gate an unknown car came into sight. I looked at the confusion on my sister’s face.

“Is that-ours?”

“Don’t be silly,” replied Emma unconvincingly, “it doesn’t happen that quickly.”

I wondered, would we have to walk to school? How would we get the shopping? Visions of a newly-deprived lifestyle flooded over me, so that I was almost cross at my mum for landing us in this state. Yet again I thought of such petty things. After all, what did that matter?

The door slid open revealing laughter and music. We followed these sounds, which were coming from the living room. The first thing that caught my eye was of course my mum, dressed in jeans and a loose shirt that I remember being buttoned wrongly. This was not my mum, she was always the image of perfection; never a hair out of place. I remember finding this odd, but she was smiling and laughing with a couple of her friends from work and my dad.

“How was school?” she asked.

“Ok, the usual I guess.” I replied confused by how such a typical conversation could be taking place after such a rare occurrence.

At the time, although confused by the cheeriness of this scene, I took the sight of my carefree mother to mean that she was fine - laughing at her own foolishness. However, I now see that mother was just putting on a brave face, perhaps for my own benefit. Or maybe she was trying to convince herself that everything was, and would be, ok. I also now realise how shaken and terrified she must have been and that my mother was not foolish-there had been black ice on the road and she had tried so hard to redeem herself and get the car back on the road.

Later it became obvious that she was scared by the prospect of driving again. One day at work mother had hit a boulder in the car park and on another occasion she had experienced a minor collision with a bus. But anyone’s confidence would be shattered after a crash that severe. We all helped of course. In the beginning dad took her out for short drives round the block and I was even there when she went back on the motorway for the first time since the crash. Truthfully I was rather terrified; if she lost her nerve there was no way I could have really helped. Perhaps just being there for my mother gave her courage and re-established her belief in herself. By just being there for her in her time of need, I suppose the relationship I have with my mother grew stronger, such a simple task meant so much to her…

“So, shall I just see you all there then?”

“Would you like me to come with you mum?” I suggested, there was no way I was going to let her be alone in the car again, especially not when she hadn’t been on the motorway since the accident.

“Sarah, that would just be, but are you sure you want to?” she replied.

“Yes mum, don’t be silly. You’ve been on the motorway millions of times!” I said trying to convince not only my mum, but also myself, “You can do this no problem. Now let’s go quickly or we’ll be late.” It was like a role-reversal, I was helping her, convincing her that she was capable while she looked at me, scared and looking for assurance.

Today I look back at that crash able to see it’s potential. I also think of what the people of our small community may have thought, that it had been her fault or that she was clearly an incompetent driver. I guess my mother maybe thought so too.

“It’s four years ago tomorrow that I had the accident you know.” My mother casually informed me a matter of weeks ago whilst doing the ironing.

“Is it really?” I answered, amazed by how quickly the years had passed. Those four years could have been extremely different. Everyday on the news I hear stories of families being left devastated due to road accidents – it could quite easily have been my family, left without a mother, a wife, a daughter or even a sister, so many lives could have been left incomplete that day. I never realised how vital a role my mother plays in so many lives, until I faced the prospect of losing her.

“Strange, isn’t it?” mum said.

SS

Personal/reflective essay redrafted

That day dad had taken us to school-me and my sister. This wasn't such a rare occurrence, occasionally when my mother was at a meeting or seminar. We always hated those days purely as it meant less time in bed-now it seems so petty to have complained about a measly loss of 15 more minutes. My mother had left early to go to Oban or somewhere, I don’t really remember where she was going that day or what for. All I know is that she was travelling in that direction, along the Rest and be Thankful, when it happened. That road was well-known for being treacherously twisty, with no run-off on either side...
It was an odd day, one of those in between sort of days. It was freezing and frosty but the sun was shining, the ice shimmering. At the ring of the school bell signalling the end of lunch, my friends and I began to hurry towards the school, glad for an excuse to get back indoors. I remember seeing my dad standing at the front of the school. We greeted him and he replied. But he seemed elsewhere. Distant.
It’s hard to recall him telling me, but I do remember great confusion. Mum had crashed. The car. Rolled three times. Ended in a ditch. But she was ok. She was fine. Shaken, but not hurt. It was “a miracle”; she’d walked out herself, with barely a scratch and a rip in her tights. I didn’t know what to say, oblivious to the sheer scale of this event. I had no idea what I was expected to say. My dad walked away as I followed the rest of the latecomers up to class.
Despite the shocking news, at the time my main worry was about what my teacher would say when I walked in late. I now realise how insignificant that was when my main concern should have been my mother. I guess that at that age - I was 12 at the time - hearing that she wasn't physically hurt put my mind at ease. At the time all I could think about was what effect this would have on my life, how I would be affected. Now I realise how self-centred this was. What about my mother? What about the emotional hurt? What if she had suffered from nightmares? What if she couldn't face the wheel again? Such thoughts had never entered my mind at the time.

The next two periods had been a total blur. My friends kept attempting to make conversation to resolve the awkward silences. But that was nothing compared to the walk home…

My sister and I met up at the end of school, Emma looked strangely gaunt, as if she'd been hurt. She barely said anything during the walk home. I remember her telling me that she had cried during class – I didn’t understand, after all, mum was “fine”, but Emma had always been sensitive. Although Emma was only two years my elder, I now realise that Emma was virtually an adult, therefore she understood the connotations of mum’s crash. I was still a child, unaware of what loss could feel like. Emma had known how serious that day could have been; we could have lost a parent.
When our house came into view, my mouth became dry, a lump forming in my throat. I was scared. I didn’t want to enter my own home. “Come on”, Emma urged, her voice shaking. Apprehensively, we moved towards our house. As we reached the gate an unknown car came into sight. I looked at the confusion on my sister’s face.

“Is that-ours?”

“Don’t be silly,” replied Emma unconvincingly, “it doesn’t happen that quickly.”

I wondered, would we have to walk to school? How would we get the shopping? Visions of a newly-deprived lifestyle flooded over me, so that I was almost cross at my mother for landing us in this state." Yet again I thought of such petty things. After all, what did that matter?

The door slid open revealing laughter and music. We followed these sounds, which were coming from the living room. The first thing that had caught my eye was of course my mum, dressed in jeans and a loose shirt that I remember being buttoned wrongly. This was not my mum, she was always the image of perfection; never a hair out of place. I remember finding this odd, but she was smiling and laughing with a couple of her friends from work and my dad.

“How as school?” she asked.

“Ok, the usual I guess.” I replied confused by how such a typical conversation could be taking place after such a rare occurrence.

At the time, although confused by the cheeriness of this scene, I took the sight of my carefree mother to mean that she was fine - laughing at her own foolishness. However, I now see that mum was just putting on a brave face, perhaps for my own benefit. Or maybe she was trying to convince herself that everything was, and would be, ok. I also now realise how shaken and terrified she must have been and that mum was not foolish-there had been black ice on the road and mum had tried so hard to redeem herself and get the car back on the road.

Later it became obvious that mum was scared by the prospect of driving again. One day at work mum had hit a boulder in the car park and on another occasion she had experienced a minor collision with a bus. But anyone’s confidence would be shattered after a crash that severe. We all helped of course, in the beginning dad took mum out for short drives round the block and I was even there when she went back on the motorway for the first time since the crash. Truthfully, I was rather terrified, if she lost her nerve there was no way I could have really helped. Perhaps just being there for my mum gave her courage and re-established her belief in herself. By just being there for her in her time of need, I suppose the relationship I have with my mother grew stronger, as she realised how willing I was to help and be there for her in any way that I could.

Today I look back at that crash able to see it’s potential. I also think of what the people of our small community may have thought, that it had been her fault or that she was clearly an incompetent driver. I guess my mum maybe thought so too.

When the crash happened four years ago, I was too young to comprehend the damage that had been caused, or even how much more damaging it could have been. Sometimes my mum mentions that crash. Once I made the mistake of asking her if she had thought she might die, I regretted it afterwards when she was unable to answer. After all, that day could have been extremely different. Everyday on the news I hear stories of families being left devastated due to road accidents – it could quite easily have been my family, left without a mother, a wife, a daughter of even a sister, so many lives could have been left incomplete after that day. I never realised how vital a role my mother plays in so many lives, until I faced the prospect of losing her.

SS

Back to my personal essay

I thought I should return to this for now as it has to be handed in on tuesday. I have finished writing it so I will post the rest tomorrow. Any comments would really be appreciated.

That day dad had taken us to school-me and my sister. This wasn't such a rare occurrence, occasionally when my mother was at a meeting or seminar. We always hated those days purely as it meant less time in bed-now it seems so petty to have complained about a measly loss of 15 more minutes. My mother had left early to go to Oban or somewhere, I don’t really remember where she was going that day or what for. All I know is that she was travelling in that direction, along the Rest and be Thankful, when it happened. That road was well-known for being treacherously twisty, with no run-off on either side...
It was an odd day, one of those in between sort of days. It was freezing and frosty but the sun was shining, the ice shimmering. At the ring of the school bell signalling the end of lunch, my friends and I began to hurry towards the school, glad for an excuse to get back indoors. I remember seeing my dad standing at the front of the school. We greeted him and he replied. But he seemed elsewhere. Distant.
It’s hard to recall him telling me, but I do remember great confusion. Mum had crashed. The car. Rolled three times. Ended in a ditch. But she was ok. She was fine. Shaken, but not hurt. It was “a miracle”; she’d walked out herself, with barely a scratch and a rip in her tights. I didn’t know what to say, oblivious to the sheer scale of this event. I had no idea what I was expected to say. My dad walked away as I followed the rest of the latecomers up to class.
Despite the shocking news, at the time my main worry was about what my teacher would say when I walked in late. I now realise how insignificant that was when my main concern should have been my mother. I guess that at such at that age, I was only 12, hearing that she wasn't physically hurt put my mind at ease. At the time all I could think about was what effect this would have on my life, how I would be affected. Now I realise how self-centred this was. What about my mother? What about the emotional hurt? What if she had suffered from nightmares? What if she couldn't face the wheel again? Such thoughts had never entered my mind at the time.

The next two periods had been a total blur. My friends kept attempting to make conversation to resolve the awkward silences. But that was nothing compared to the walk home…

My gaunt looking sister and I met up at the end of school. She had barely said anything the whole journey. I remember her telling me that she had cried during class – I didn’t understand, after all, mum was “fine”, but Emma had always been sensitive. Although Emma was only two years my elder, I now realise that Emma was virtually an adult, therefore she understood the connotations of mum’s crash. I was still a child, unaware of what loss could feel like. Emma had known how serious that day could have been; we could have lost a parent.

When our house came into view, my mouth became dry, a lump forming in my throat. I was scared. I didn’t want to enter my own home. “Come on”, Emma urged, her voice shaking. Apprehensively, we moved towards our house. As we reached the gate an unknown car came into sight. I looked at the confusion on my sister’s face.

“Is that-ours?”

“Don’t be silly,” replied Emma unconvincingly, “it doesn’t happen that quickly.”

I then began to wonder how we would live our lives, would we walk to school tomorrow? How would we get our shopping later in the week? Yet again I had thought of such petty things. After all, what did that matter?

The door slid open revealing laughter and music. We followed these sounds, which were coming from the living room. The first thing that had caught my eye was of course my mum, dressed in jeans and a loose shirt that I remember being buttoned wrongly. This was not my mum, she was always the image of perfection; never a hair out of place. I remember finding this odd, but she was smiling and laughing with a couple of her friends from work and my dad. At the time, although confused by the cheeriness of this scene, I took this sight to mean that mum was fine-laughing at her own foolishness. However, I now see that mum was just putting on a brave face, perhaps for my own benefit. Or maybe she was trying to convince herself that everything was, and would be, ok. I also now realise how shaken and terrified she must have been and that mum was not foolish-there had been black ice on the road and mum had tried so hard to redeem herself and get the car back on the road.

SS

Hi, thanks for all your suggestions, I've made some changes. Sorry but I don't really understand what to do with the end of para 1 because Mr S seemed positve that I have stated the three features I am concentrating on but I do feel that it is very clumsy and something must be done to improve it.

Critical Essay
“You lived in Glasgow”

Choose a poem which explores either the significance of the past or the importance of family relationships.
Show how the poet treats the subject, and explain to what extent you find the treatment convincing.
In your answer you must refer closely to the text and to at least two of: theme, imagery, rhyme, tone, or any other appropriate feature.

“You lived in Glasgow”, by Iain Crichton Smith, is a poem in which the poet describes his fruitless search for traces of his deceased mother which takes place in Glasgow. By embarking on this search the poet wishes to achieve a sense of closure due to the guilt he feels because of his rejection of her culture and beliefs. The poem revolves around the central theme of how “the past’s an experience that we cannot share” and in doing so presents how significant the past is. This is achieved by the use of theme, imagery and also tone.

The poet develops this theme by an early shift in tense from past to present as he embarks on the search for the past. This quick change to present tense shows that the poet’s search has been initiated. There is a reference to the great depression-a major aspect of Glasgow’s past, which occurred due to the Wall Street crash. The “dregs” that the poet mentions represent the unemployed in Glasgow as the useless leftovers, unwanted by society and a nuisance that must be dealt with. Here imagery of cigarette ends are produced to create the impression of the ‘dregs of society’, this of course is a reference to The Depression Glasgow was experiencing at this time, which therefore creates a dreary, depressed tone. The image conjured up by the words "dregs" and "fag-ends" is of poverty and hopelessness, of people rejected by society and struggling to survive on what little they have, the “fag ends” also show the use of a colloquial tone. Through the imagery and tone here, the poet shows that aspects of the past still remain in his mind. “A maxi-skirted girl strolls by” and causes memories of the poet’s mother to be stirred. These long skirts obviously remind the poet of his mother who, presumably , never diverted to wearing mini-skirts which preceded longer skirts as a fashion. This shows that the past can still be seen in Glasgow.

One of the main themes of the poem is of the contrast between continuity and change. For example there is a contrast between the “Stone remains” the statues that have remained from the past (and are therefore permanent) and humans who are temporary. These statues are a significant part of the past as they cause this realisation of the temporariness of human life; this is what the poet is attempting to come to terms with during his search. Another symbol of the past which is used are the trams which are “invisible now but to the mind”-showing that their past presence is still remembered. Also, the significance of their past is that they will probably return at some point as part of life’s cycle. The poet remembers that in the past buildings were lit by gaslight and therefore everything was darker, however “now everything is brighter” as lights are powered by electricity – this is also representative of the poet’s new outlook in life which has become more positive. Also, the “pale ghosts” show the importance of past people as their presence can still be felt; this is shown through the suggestion made to the temporary nature of life, which is another theme of this poem.

In the past the poet rejected his mother’s faith and now, years later, he still feels guilty; therefore it must be significant to him. He sees Calvinism as a “black figure” which was devoid of pleasure. The imagery of “the gaslit blue” is that of the dim light of the past, which contrasts with the “fiercer voltage” of today now that we have electricity. This shows the significance of the past as this image of the “gaslit blue” has remained with the poet throughout the years. The poet feels that “The past’s an experience that we cannot share”, an important theme of the poem, perhaps because he feels the past is so important that full recognition cannot possibly be given to it.

In the third stanza imagery of Glasgow’s past is used. The poet remembers the “Flat-capped Glaswegians and the Music Hall”. Images of working-class male Glaswegians are portrayed and of course a reference is made to the previous forms of entertainment which have now vanished, perhaps due to improvements in living standards and changes in technology. These past sights are clearly significant, as they have remained with the poet over the years. Nowadays commercial supermarkets have ruined the personal relationships Glaswegians had with the street traders who sold “apples and oranges on an open stall”. Through this use of the theme of change it can be seen that in the past the stall sellers were a significant part of everyday life. The poet’s memories are “opening and shutting like a parasol” as these memories come and go as things stimulate his mind. This establishes that aspects of the past can still be found in the city of Glasgow.

The poet feels that his mother is a “constant tenant of my tenement”. The harsh tone used by this alliteration suggests the harsh fact that his mother’s presence still exists; this shows the importance of her past. The theme of change is continued through the use of the “pleasant Wildes” which “have now gone in the building programme”. The poet is almost mourning the past sense of community spirit which was destroyed by the changing of the suburban landscape. This reference made to the theme of change shows the significance of Glasgow’s past. The poet stands “in a cleaner city, better fed”, which shows the city’s progress. Another reference is being made to the significance of the past through the poem’s theme of change. Glasgow’s past will always be remembered, as comparisons will always be made with its present state.

The poet is wearing a tweed, “diced coat” and is therefore a Lewis boy in city clothes. This use of imagery shows that his Calvinist past is so significant, that although he can attempt to forget it through changing his clothes, it will always be a part of him and will always be remembered. The “latest book” he carries is another example of imagery-this shows the significance of his Calvinist past as it was another failing attempt for him to forget his rejection of his mother’s faith.

The poet directly addresses the “dear ghosts” which reinforces the theme of the temporary nature of life that he is attempting to accept. The past of these people is important as their presence can still be felt. Also, the use of “dear” introduces a tender tone – his mother is one of the ghosts therefore he feels incredibly warm towards these past figures. The poet sees Glasgow as a “divided city of green and blue”. This is representative of the divisions that have been made in the city due to the contrasts between Catholic and Protestant and of course the contrast the poet experienced of his mother’s Calvinist religion with his more liberal outlook on life. The theme of continuity is being used as this unpleasant dichotomy still remains in Glasgow to this day and is therefore a vital part of the city’s history. During his search for his mother the poet looks “for her in you” showing his longing and that he is pleading for a sense of closure-another theme of the poem. He still feels guilt for the previous rejection that he made of his mother’s culture showing it is very significant to him. The poet’s “constant aim to find a ghost within a close who speaks in highland Gaelic” is fading. This can be seen through the use of imagery, as the line is fading away with the poet’s hope. The poet is experiencing difficulty to forget his mother’s past and gain a sense of closure, as he will always remember her.

The poet uses a harsh tone when he tells us that “the bulldozer breaks raw bricks to powder”. The resurrection of the city during the building programme was not achieved without pain, which comes out in the use of the word "raw". Glasgow’s previous state is clearly significant as it will always be missed by the inhabitants of the city. Towards the end of the poem Iain Crichton Smith finally accepts that “buildings sail into the future”, and the tone becomes more upbeat showing he has finally accepted that things change. The use of the word “sail” shows confidence and therefore also establishes the optimistic tone. The poet remembers the “old songs you sang”, a symbol of Gaelic culture, which shows that although trends change, the past will always be remembered. In the last line of the poem, the poet reflects on the changes music has experienced over the years, “scale on dizzying scale”. This line is a pun as it reflects on both the pop music that is around at the moment due to the changes music has been through during the years, and also the sheer scale of changes that have occurred. The poet is accepting the changes Glasgow has experienced over the years, and how significant this has been.

In conclusion, “You lived in Glasgow” successfully presents to the reader how significant the past is to everyday life through the poem’s many themes (especially the theme of change and the poet’s struggle to accept this), imagery, and in some aspects, tone. The poet creates a very convincing argument of the importance of the past to readers who cannot help but realise its sheer significance.

Essay on "You lived in Glasgow"

Hi, sorry I have had so much homework recently! I got my essay on "You lived in Glasgow" back and I got 16 again. However, I thought I would redraft it to try and improve my grade and was wondering if you would help?

Critical Essay
“You lived in Glasgow”

Choose a poem which explores either the significance of the past or the importance of family relationships.
Show how the poet treats the subject, and explain to what extent you find the treatment convincing.
In your answer you must refer closely to the text and to at least two of: theme, imagery, rhyme, tone, or any other appropriate feature.

“You lived in Glasgow”, by Iain Crichton Smith, is a poem in which the poet describes his fruitless search for traces of his deceased mother which takes place in Glasgow. By embarking on this search the poet wishes to achieve a sense of closure due to the guilt he feels because of his rejection of her culture and beliefs. The poem revolves around the central theme of how “the past’s an experience that we cannot share” and in doing so presents how significant the past is. This is achieved by the use of theme, imagery and also tone.

The poem is written in first person and begins in past tense. However this quickly changes to present tense to show that the poet’s search has been initiated. There is a reference to the great depression-a major aspect of Glasgow’s past, which occurred due to the Wall Street crash. The “dregs” which the poet mentions create a sense of imagery and the “fag ends” show the use of a colloquial tone. Through the imagery and tone here, the poet shows that aspects of the past still remain in his mind. “A maxi-skirted girl strolls by” and causes memories of the poet’s mother to be stirred. This shows that the past can still be seen in Glasgow.

One of the main themes of the poem is of the contrast between continuity and change. For example there is a contrast between the “Stone remains”, these statues have remained from the past and are permanent, and humans who are temporary. These statues are a significant part of the past as they cause this realisation of the temporariness of human life; this is what the poet is attempting to come to terms with during his search. Another symbol of the past which is used are the trams which are “invisible now but to the mind”-showing that their past presence is still remembered. Also, the significance of their past is that they will probably return at some point as part of life’s cycle. Change is also embodied as: “now everything is brighter”, shows a reference to the past, which helps to show this change. Also, the “pale ghosts” show the importance of past people as their presence can still be felt; this is shown through the suggestion made to the temporary nature of life, which is another theme of this poem.

The poet still feels guilty about rejecting his mother’s faith years later; therefore it must be significant to him. He sees Calvinism as a “black figure” which was devoid of pleasure. The imagery of “the gaslit blue” is that of the dim light of the past, which contrasts with the “fiercer voltage” of today now that we have electricity. This shows the significance of the past as this image of the “gaslit blue” has remained with the poet throughout the years. The poet feels that “The past’s an experience that we cannot share”, an important theme of the poem, perhaps because he feels the past is so important that full recognition cannot possibly be given to it.

In the third stanza imagery of Glasgow’s past is used. The poet remembers the “Flat-capped Glaswegians and the Music Hall”. These past sights are clearly significant, as they have remained with the poet over the years. Nowadays commercial supermarkets have ruined the personal relationships Glaswegians had with the street traders who sold “apples and oranges on an open stall”. Through this use of the theme of change it can be seen that in the past the stall sellers were a significant part of everyday life. The poet’s memories are “opening and shutting like a parasol” as these memories come and go as things stimulate his mind. This establishes that aspects of the past can still be found in the city of Glasgow.

The poet feels that his mother is a “constant tenant of my tenement”. The harsh tone used by this alliteration suggests the harsh fact that his mother’s presence still exists; this shows the importance of her past. The theme of change is continued through the use of the “pleasant Wildes” which “have now gone in the building programme”. The poet is almost mourning the past sense of community spirit which was destroyed by the changing of the suburban landscape. This reference made to the theme of change shows the significance of Glasgow’s past. The poet stands “in a cleaner city, better fed”, which shows the city’s progress. Another reference is being made to the significance of the past through the poem’s theme of change. Glasgow’s past will always be remembered, as comparisons will always be made with its present state.

The poet is wearing a tweed, “diced coat” and is therefore a Lewis boy in city clothes. This use of imagery shows that his Calvinist past is so significant, that although he can attempt to forget it through changing his clothes, it will always be a part of him and will always be remembered. The “latest book” he carries is another example of imagery-this shows the significance of his Calvinist past as it was another failing attempt for him to forget his rejection of his mother’s faith.

The poet directly addresses the “dear ghosts” which reinforces the theme of the temporary nature of life that he is attempting to accept. The past of these people is important as their presence can still be felt. The poet sees Glasgow as a “divided city of green and blue”. The theme of continuity is being used as this dichotomy still remains in Glasgow to this day and is therefore a vital part of the city’s history. During his search for his mother the poet looks “for her in you” showing his longing and that he is pleading for a sense of closure-another theme of the poem. He still feels guilt for the previous rejection that he made of his mother’s culture showing it is very significant to him. The poet’s “constant aim to find a ghost within a close who speaks in highland Gaelic” is fading. This can be seen through the use of imagery, as the line is fading away with the poet’s hope. The poet is experiencing difficulty to forget his mother’s past and gain a sense of closure, as he will always remember her.

The poet uses a harsh tone when he tells us that “the bulldozer breaks raw bricks to powder”. The resurrection of the city during the building programme was not achieved without pain, which comes out in the use of the word "raw". Glasgow’s previous state is clearly significant as it will always be missed by the inhabitants of the city. Towards the end of the poem Iain Crichton Smith finally accepts that “buildings sail into the future”, and the tone becomes more upbeat showing he has finally accepted that things change. The use of the word “sail” shows confidence and therefore also establishes the optimistic tone. The poet remembers the “old songs you sang”, a symbol of Gaelic culture, which shows that although trends change, the past will always be remembered. In the last line of the poem, the poet reflects on the changes music has experienced over the years, “scale on dizzying scale”. This line is a pun as it reflects on both the pop music that is around at the moment due to the changes music has been through during the years, and also the sheer scale of changes that have occurred. The poet is accepting the changes Glasgow has experienced over the years, and how significant this has been.

In conclusion, “You lived in Glasgow” successfully presents to the reader how significant the past is to everyday life through the poem’s many themes (especially the theme of change and the poet’s struggle to accept this), imagery, and in some aspects, tone. The poet creates a very convincing argument of the importance of the past to readers who cannot help but realise its sheer significance.


I got given comments and aims from my teacher but don't know how to achieve what he is suggesting. He wants me to analyse fully the "dregs" in para 2 and explain fully "now everything is brighter"-both should be ok. Also, in the fourth para I have to "refer to the past directly" and have to explain in what sense the sights of the "flat capped" etc have remained with the poet in para 5. In the second last para Mr Semple has written "destroying past?" which I completely do not understand. His overall comments were:

Your knowledge and understanding of the poem is a strength. Credit is due for remaining focused on the three aspects-theme, imagery and tone-identified in your introduction. Detailed reference to the text has been made too.
· Refer to the past directly at the beginning of each para to show that you are focused.
· Stress the honesty and emotion conveyed by Crichton Smith more.
· Does the past haunt the poet?

But how do I refer to the past at every para without sounding repetitive? Also, I don't know how to do his other suggestions!
Sorry if I am asking you too much, I just want to try and get a higher mark if possible.

SS

I've made a few changes and added a bit. I am unsure of what to do with the second sentence. My dad said that before it was a triple negative or something and I have no idea how to fix it.

That day dad had taken us to school-me and my sister. This wasn't such a rare occurrence, occasionally when my mother was at a meeting or seminar. We always hated those days purely as it meant less time in bed-now it seems so petty to have complained about a measly loss of 15 more minutes. My mother had left early to go to Oban or somewhere, I don’t really remember where she was going that day or what for. All I know is that she was travelling in that direction, along the Rest and be Thankful, when it happened. That road was well-known for being treacherously twisty, with no run-off on either side...
It was an odd day, one of those in between sort of days. It was freezing and frosty but the sun was shining, the ice shimmering. At the ring of the school bell signalling the end of lunch, my friends and I began to hurry towards the school, glad for an excuse to get back indoors. I remember seeing my dad standing at the front of the school. We greeted him and he replied. But he seemed elsewhere. Distant.
It’s hard to recall him telling me, but I do remember great confusion. Mum had crashed. The car. Rolled three times. Ended in a ditch. But she was ok. She was fine. Shaken, but not hurt. It was “a miracle”; she’d walked out herself, with barely a scratch and a rip in her tights. I didn’t know what to say, oblivious to the sheer scale of this event. I had no idea what I was expected to say. My dad walked away as I followed the rest of the latecomers up to class.
Despite the shocking news, at the time my main worry was of what my teacher would say when I walked in late. I now realise how insignificant that was when my main concern should have been my mother. I guess that at such an inexperienced age hearing that she wasn't physically hurt put my mind at ease. But what about the emotional hurt? What if she had suffered from nightmares? What if she couldn't face the wheel again? Such thoughts had never entered my mind at the time.

SS

PS-Sorry I have neglected blogging for a while. I've had so much homework and since this essay isn't to be handed in until the 21st, I've been focusing on my homework that is to be handed in before then. I plan to finish writing my essay over the weekend posting it along the way if that's ok?

Personal/reflective essay

Today in class we had to start our essay, this is what I have so far.


That day dad had taken us to school-me and my sister. It wasn't such a rare occurrence, just on the odd occasion when my mum was at a meeting or seminar. We always hated those days purely as it meant less time in bed-it seems so petty to complain about a measly loss of 15 more minutes. My mum had left early to go to Oban or somewhere, I don’t really remember where she was going that day or what for. All I know is that she was travelling in that direction, along the rest and be thankful, when it happened.

It was an odd day, one of those in between sort of days. It was freezing and frosty but the sun was shining, the ice shimmering. At the ring of the school bell signalling the end of lunch, my friends and I began to hurry towards the school, glad for an excuse to get back indoors. I remember seeing my dad standing at the front of the school. We greeted him and he replied. But he seemed elsewhere. Distant.

It’s hard to recall him telling me, but I do remember great confusion. Mum had crashed. The car. Rolled three times. Ended in a ditch. But she was ok. She was fine. Shaken, but not hurt. It was “a miracle”; she’d walked out herself, with barely a scratch and a rip in her tights. I didn’t know what to say, oblivious to the sheer scale of this event. I had no idea what I was expected to say. My dad walked away as I followed the rest of the latecomers up to class.


SS

Personal/reflective essays

Hi! Today I got my first higher essay back (which was on Trio) and I got 16 out of 25! I'm quite pleased with that actually-is that a pretty good mark for a first attempt at higher level? Also, today we had to choose what type of essay to write (either argumentative, persuasive, short story etc.) and I thought I would probably be best off going for personal/reflective. Would you mind telling me what makes a good personal/reflective essay and what should be avoided? I felt slightly intimidated by some of the things that were being said in class, ie-implicit and explicit, as most people knew exactly what was being said and understood everything. However, a lot of what was being described was completely new to me. Judging by my past attempts at personal experience are there any pointers you can give me for writing this essay?
Thank you
SS

PS-I was talking to LP today and it would seem that she may be considering blogging again too!

Hi, I didn't understand what you meant about grace notes-what did you suggest the question should be?

SS

Redraft of redraft

The poet uses a harsh tone when he tells us that “the bulldozer breaks raw bricks to powder”. The resurrection of the city during the building programme was not achieved without pain, which comes out in the use of the word "raw". Glasgow’s previous state is clearly significant as it will always be missed by the inhabitants of the city. Towards the end of the poem Iain Crichton Smith finally accepts that “buildings sail into the future”, and the tone becomes more upbeat showing he has finally accepted that things change. The use of the word “sail” shows confidence and therefore also establishes the optimistic tone. The poet remembers the “old songs you sang”, a symbol of Gaelic culture, which shows that although trends change, the past will always be remembered. In the last line of the poem, the poet reflects on the changes music has experienced over the years, “scale on dizzying scale”. This line is a pun as it reflects on both the pop music that is around at the moment due to the changes music has been through during the years, and also the sheer scale of changes that have occurred. The poet is accepting the changes Glasgow has experienced over the years, and how significant this has been.

SS

Redraft.

Thanks for your help, I've made a few changes.

The poet still feels guilty about rejecting his mother’s faith years later; therefore it must be significant to him. He sees Calvinism as a “black figure” which was devoid of pleasure. The imagery of “the gaslit blue” is that of the dim light of the past, which contrasts with the “fiercer voltage” of today now that we have electricity. This shows the significance of the past as this image of the “gaslit blue” has remained with the poet throughout the years. The poet feels that “The past’s an experience that we cannot share”, an important theme of the poem, perhaps because he feels the past is so important that full recognition cannot possibly be given to it.

The poet uses a harsh tone when he tells us that “the bulldozer breaks raw bricks to powder”. The resurrection of the city during the building programme was not achieved without pain, which comes out in the use of the word "raw". Glasgow’s previous state is clearly significant as it will always be missed by the inhabitants of the city. Towards the end of the poem Iain Crichton Smith finally accepts that “buildings sail into the future”, and the tone becomes more upbeat showing he has finally accepted that things change. The use of the word “sail” shows confidence and therefore also establishes the upbeat tone. The poet remembers the “old songs you sang”, a symbol of Gaelic culture, which shows that although trends change, the past will always be remembered. In the last line of the poem, the poet reflects on the changes music has experienced over the years, “scale on dizzying scale”. As this line is a pun, he also accepts the sheer scale of change Glasgow has experienced over the years, and how significant this has been.

PS - I am unsure of how to include a description of the pun. Also, I have just finished reading "Grace Notes" by Bernard MacLaverty for my personal study and I have to come up with a question for me to answer on the book but am struugling to do so. I was thinking of maybe something to do with how music is integrated into the story. Do you have any thoughts?

PPS - You should tell your Standard grade blogger of the miracles of the blog! Perhaps that will get him/her working.

SS