Year 8 - English
Improving your opinion article on Gothic literature
A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction
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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, pupils explore the Gothic. They start by learning what the Gothic is, before reading extracts from 'Frankenstein' and 'Jane Eyre', practising descriptive writing and reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. They finally learn how to write opinion articles and then write their own.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to use new knowledge to improve your own writing.
Key Notes
- Rhetorical questions need to be 'targeted' - personalised to the situation or moment, and used with an aim in mind.
- Using emotive language in rhetorical questions can be a very effective way of making them more targeted and purposeful.
- Direct address can be used to motivate and empower the reader to make changes or speak up.
- Repeating 'you' too many times can be quite accusatory, which can actually make your reader resistant to your message.
- Try being more subtle with direct address- speak to an imagined reader by name or address readers collectively.
Vocabulary To Learn
- subtle: not too obvious or noticeable.
- accusatory: indicating that a person has done something wrong.
- personalised: designed to meet individual or specific requirements.
- empower: to encourage and support a person's ability to do something.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students think that using lots of the pronoun 'you' is an effective use of direct address. They tend to do this a lot in rhetorical questions.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Rhetorical questions need to be 'targeted' - personalised to the situation or moment, and used with an aim in mind. Using emotive language in rhetorical questions can be a very effective way of making them more targeted and purposeful.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'subtle'
not too obvious or noticeable.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Students think that using lots of the pronoun 'you' is an effective use of direct address. They tend to do this a lot in rhetorical questions. Correction: Using 'you' too many times can create an accusatory tone that can actually make the reader defensive. Sometimes, it can be better to approach direct address more subtly, by speaking to an imagined reader or addressing the readers collectively.
More Lessons In This Unit
- 'Frankenstein' and the Gothic context Study Guide
- A written analysis of 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- A written analysis of 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- An introduction to 'Jane Eyre': Analysing an unseen extract Study Guide
- Analysing effective opinion articles Study Guide
- Analysing the atmosphere at Thornfield Hall in 'Jane Eyre' Study Guide
- Context for Gothic literature: science and religion in the 19th century Study Guide
- Editing descriptive writing based on 'A monster within' Study Guide
- Exploring the character of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Frankenstein's reaction to his creation Study Guide
- Frankenstein's regret and the scientific revolution Study Guide
- Identifying features of the Gothic genre in the plot of 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre' Study Guide
- Organising our gothic writing to build tension Study Guide
- Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- Planning a Gothic description inspired by 'A monster within' Study Guide
- Planning a written analysis of 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Planning an opinion article about Gothic literature Study Guide
- Reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- Reading an extract from 'Frankenstein': A fateful night Study Guide
- Reading an extract from Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre' Study Guide
- Regret in Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Symbolism in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- The creation of suspense in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- The structure of an opinion article Study Guide
- Using 'Jane Eyre' to inspire our use of gothic vocabulary Study Guide
- Using description in functional writing Study Guide
- Using figurative language to create a gothic atmosphere Study Guide
- Using semantic fields to create a gothic atmosphere Study Guide
- Writing a gothic description Study Guide
- Writing an opinion article on Gothic literature Study Guide
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