Year 8 - English
Reading an extract from Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre'
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 undertake close-textual analysis on a short passage from 'Jane Eyre'.
Key Notes
- Jane is characterised as a polite, calm and helpful character.
- Brontë creates a Gothic setting using classic Gothic conventions.
- Brontë's setting is isolated, lifeless and has a supernatural feel to it.
- Brontë uses contrasting colours to make her settings Gothic.
- Brontë uses the setting to reflect Jane's isolation and innocence.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Battlemented: protected with battlements
- To contrast: to position two opposite things close to one another to draw attention to their difference
- Isolated: physically or emotionally removed from others - on one's own
- Ominous: suggestive that something bad might happen
- Connotation: an association we make with a word- for example, a connotation of the colour 'white' is peace
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students might not recognise this as a Gothic setting, as it is not overtly frightening or eerie.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Jane is characterised as a polite, calm and helpful character. Brontë creates a Gothic setting using classic Gothic conventions.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Battlemented'
protected with battlements.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Students might not recognise this as a Gothic setting, as it is not overtly frightening or eerie. Correction: Brontë's use of contrasting colours, isolation and cold make this a Gothic setting. Gothic descriptions do not have to be terrifying at all times.
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
- 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
- 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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