Year 11 - English
Understanding intersectionality in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking'
Leave Taking: an intersectional analysis
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupls complete an intersectional analysis of 'Leave Taking'. They first learn about intersectionality, and then apply it to 'Leave Taking'. They look at 1980s Britian, matriarchy, male characters and Black British experiences before writing an essay about coming of age in the play.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain what intersectionality is and how it applies to Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking'.
Key Notes
- Enid's experiences of oppression and marginalisation are somewhat based on Pinnock's own mother's experiences.
- Scene Two explores Del and Enid's differing experiences of oppression and marginalisation.
- Intersectionality is a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw.
- It recognises that oppressions faced by different marginalised groups intersect and create specific experiences.
- The universal themes and characters in the play must be balanced by the specific experiences of Pinnock's characters.
Vocabulary To Learn
- intersectionality: a term describing how certain social categories (for example ethnicity, class, gender) can combine together to create unique combinations of disadvantage or advantage
- marginalise: when society treats a person or group of people as if they are unimportant, isolating and disempowering them
- oppression: unjust treatment, often of a group of people
- universal: when audiences, regardless of time period or circumstance, can relate to the ideas or characters in a text
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- 'Leave Taking' is either universal, or about specific experiences and characters.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Enid's experiences of oppression and marginalisation are somewhat based on Pinnock's own mother's experiences. Scene Two explores Del and Enid's differing experiences of oppression and marginalisation.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'intersectionality'
a term describing how certain social categories (for example ethnicity, class, gender) can combine together to create unique combinations of disadvantage or advantage.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: 'Leave Taking' is either universal, or about specific experiences and characters. Correction: Like with many texts, we must hold both the idea of Leave Taking's universal themes with the specific experiences of its characters.
More Lessons In This Unit
- In what ways is 'Leave Taking' a social commentary on 1980s Britain? Study Guide
- Planning an essay about coming of age in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' Study Guide
- The presentation of Black British experiences in Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' Study Guide
- The presentation of the male characters in Winsome Pinnock's in 'Leave Taking' Study Guide
- The presentation of the matriarchy in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' Study Guide
- Using context in a 'Leave Taking' essay about intergenerational conflict Study Guide
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