Year 8 - English
Organising our gothic writing to build tension
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 structure your piece of gothic writing to build tension.
Key Notes
- It is important to create tension in Gothic writing because it keeps your reader in a state of anticipation.
- Keeping the reader in a state of anticipation makes reading the text a thrilling experience for the reader.
- You can build tension by delaying revealing key information, switching focus or ending with a cliff-hanger.
- Fronted adverbials tell us the way in which something is done.
- Fronted adverbials can be used to build tension.
Vocabulary To Learn
- structure: the way a text is organised - what comes where and why
- tension: the mental strain a reader is put under because of their suspicion that something bad is about to happen
- strain: a state of tension or pressure
- suspense: feeling anxious or excited about what may happen
- aghast: filled with horror or shock
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils often reveal things early-on in descriptions by saying things like 'it was a painting' and then proceeding to describe it.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
It is important to create tension in Gothic writing because it keeps your reader in a state of anticipation. Keeping the reader in a state of anticipation makes reading the text a thrilling experience for the reader.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'structure'
the way a text is organised - what comes where and why.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils often reveal things early-on in descriptions by saying things like 'it was a painting' and then proceeding to describe it. Correction: It can be much more effective to describe your narrator's view before revealing what the view actually is. This way, the reader is kept in a state of anticipation, as they try to work out what the view is.
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
- Improving your opinion article on Gothic literature Study Guide
- Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre' 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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