Year 8 - English
Comparative paragraphs: 'The Silence of the Girls' and 'The Song of Achilles'
Myths, legends and stories that inspire
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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 read and explore a range of text types in connection to classical myths and legends. They first look at poetry before doing some descriptive writing inspired by poetry and paintings. They then explore Chaucer and modern retellings of myths to inspire their narrative writing.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to write a comparative paragraph which explores two extracts inspired by the same mythological character (Achilles).
Key Notes
- The opening of a comparative paragraph could start with a topic sentence which states the paragraph's main idea.
- Next, the comparative paragraph could focus on analysing the first text.
- Then, a comparative paragraph could focus on the second text, comparing it to the first.
- Comparing the methods writers have used can help to develop the comparison.
- The final sentence of a comparative paragraph could link to the topic sentence.
Vocabulary To Learn
- captivate: to hold the attention of someone
- youth: young
- first person: the narrator of the story is a character in the story, using pronouns like 'I' and 'me'
- methods: the tools a writer uses to create their work
- perspective: point of view
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- We have two different presentations of Achilles. One of them must be right, and one must be wrong.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The opening of a comparative paragraph could start with a topic sentence which states the paragraph's main idea. Next, the comparative paragraph could focus on analysing the first text.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'captivate'
to hold the attention of someone.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: We have two different presentations of Achilles. One of them must be right, and one must be wrong. Correction: What Miller and Barker do with their novels is show how important perspective is. For Patroclus, Achilles is awe inspiring and innocent. For Briseis, he is quite the opposite. Their perspectives are based on their relationship with him.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott': understanding the ballad Study Guide
- Bruegel's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus: how the myth inspired the painting Study Guide
- Comparing poems: 'Brueghel's Winter' and 'The Hunters in the Snow' Study Guide
- Creating convincing characters using 'The Canterbury Tales' as stimulus Study Guide
- Descriptive writing using Lord Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott' as stimulus Study Guide
- Effective sensory language using 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' as stimulus Study Guide
- Exploring enjambment in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott' Study Guide
- Exploring the theme of power in Hanan Al-Shaykh's 'One Thousand and One Nights' Study Guide
- Exploring W.H. Auden's poem 'Musée des Beaux Arts' Study Guide
- Exploring Walter de la Mare's poem 'Brueghel's Winter' Study Guide
- Exploring William Carlos Williams's poem 'Landscape with the fall of Icarus' Study Guide
- Exploring William Carlos Williams's poem 'The Hunters in the Snow' Study Guide
- Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales': compelling characterisation Study Guide
- Hanan Al-Shaykh's 'The Fisherman and the Jinni': understanding the story Study Guide
- Improving and proofreading a piece of narrative writing Study Guide
- Madeline Miller's 'The Song of Achilles': understanding the extract Study Guide
- Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea': understanding the extract Study Guide
- Pat Barker's 'The Silence of the Girls': understanding the extract Study Guide
- Planning a narrative using the five part narrative structure Study Guide
- Reviewing and refining descriptive writing: alliteration, plosives and sibilance Study Guide
- Symbolism in Alfred, Lord Tennyson's 'The Lady of Shalott' Study Guide
- The five part narrative structure Study Guide
- Third person omniscient writing: 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' as stimulus Study Guide
- Use of flashback in Natasha Bowen's 'Skin of the Sea' Study Guide
- Writing a full descriptive piece: 'The Execution of Lady Jane Grey' as stimulus Study Guide
- Writing a full narrative piece using the five part narrative structure Study Guide
- Writing inspired by 'Skin of the Sea': varying sentence types to create rhythm Study Guide
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