Year 9 - English
Ian Beck's 'Propping Up The Line': Alice's experiences on the Home Front
Literary perspectives from the First World War
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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 and compare texts written about the First World War. They first read Beck's 'Propping up the line', Mansfield's 'The Fly' and Wilfred Owen's 1917 letter home to his mum. They finally read Brittain's 'Testament of Youth', and then plan and write a comparative response.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to rewrite a passage of Ian Beck's 'Propping Up The Line' from the perspective of the character of Alice.
Key Notes
- The Home Front refers to the idea that those in Britain felt the impact of World War One in their day to day lives.
- Food shortages, bombs and fear of invasion are some of the ways civilians in Britain were affected by World War One.
- When loved ones returned home from the front line, there were often complex and conflicting emotions.
- Many women found employment during World War One, filling the labour shortage because so many men were fighting.
- Telegrams were a common method of communication during World War One.
Vocabulary To Learn
- telegram: a short written message, now outdated; used in WW1 to inform family members of death or casualty on the front line.
- proximity: being close to something.
- ignorance: lack of knowledge or understanding.
- perspective: point of view.
- infer: to work out, to make an educated guess.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Those living in Britain during World War One faced no threat or privation other than their loved ones being far away.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The Home Front refers to the idea that those in Britain felt the impact of World War One in their day to day lives. Food shortages, bombs and fear of invasion are some of the ways civilians in Britain were affected by World War One.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'telegram'
a short written message, now outdated; used in WW1 to inform family members of death or casualty on the front line.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Those living in Britain during World War One faced no threat or privation other than their loved ones being far away. Correction: World War One was what is known as 'total war' meaning that those in Britain felt its impact in their day to day life.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Analysing the presentation of the gas attack: Ian Beck's 'Propping Up the Line' Study Guide
- Comparing texts about World War One in comparative analytical paragraphs Study Guide
- Comparing texts about World War One using comparative topic sentences Study Guide
- Creative writing in the third person inspired by Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly' Study Guide
- Debating different interpretations of Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly' Study Guide
- Exploring the presentation of the boss in 'The Fly' by Katherine Mansfield Study Guide
- Improving a letter: deliberate verbs and precise adjectives Study Guide
- Improving the style of a letter: sentence structure and rhythm Study Guide
- Katherine Mansfield's 'The Fly' (1922): exploring character foils and symbolism Study Guide
- Letter writing: planning, using Vera Brittain's 'Testament of Youth' as stimulus Study Guide
- Letter writing: planning, using Wilfred Owen's 1917 letter as stimulus Study Guide
- Reading 'Propping Up the Line', a short story about World War One by Ian Beck Study Guide
- Reading Katherine Mansfield's short story, 'The Fly' (1922) Study Guide
- Skim reading and close reading: 'Testament of Youth' by Vera Brittain Study Guide
- Skim reading and close reading: Wilfred Owen's 1917 letter to his mother Study Guide
- Symbolism and motif in Ian Beck's short story, 'Propping Up The Line' Study Guide
- The presentation of trauma in Ian Beck's short story, 'Propping Up the Line' Study Guide
- Understanding why people write about war Study Guide
- Using sentence structure to create rhythm in writing about World War One Study Guide
- Vivid descriptive writing using Ian Beck's 'Propping Up The Line' as stimulus Study Guide
- World War One: propaganda and trench warfare Study Guide
- Writing a letter as a soldier in the trenches of World War One Study Guide
- Writing a letter from the British home front: tone, audience and purpose Study Guide
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