Post by mrsanderson on Jan 10, 2015 10:43:17 GMT
Hello! Happy Saturday, one and all. I hope you're all managing to strike the delicate balance between revising and relaxing. Remember to take frequent study breaks - about half an hour for every two hours you do!
It's all about identifying your own weaknesses and concentrating on them. That's different for everyone, so look right down this thread. I've tried to include something for everyone.
First up is Sailmaker. This is the first section of the Critical Reading paper. Remember that this should be reasonably simple as you'll have a section of the play in front of you.
The questions should cover language, stage directions/ dramatic techniques as well as asking you to show you understand what is happening in the play at that point.
Commonality
This is what most of you are finding difficult. You need a decent knowledge of the play as a whole - all of the work we've done on character and theme throughout - to answer the final question in Scottish Text.
Remember:
Below, you'll find links to specimen papers, and the 2014 paper too:
www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/EnglishCriticalReadingSQPN5.pdf (scroll down to page 6 for Sailmaker).
www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/papers/papers/2014/N5_English_all_2014.pdf
Important Quotations
For those of you who did not have copies of this, here are the quotations from the text we've been working on. If you'd prefer to download this straight to your computer, I've also attached this as a word document at the bottom of the page.
Yer mammy’s dead. Davie
This is a repeated line to emphasise the emotional impact Alec's mother's death brought to Alec and Davie. Note the Glasgow dialect!
We’ll have tae make the best of it. Davie
Davie is unable to "make the best of it" as he puts it - this is foreshadowing. He lets down himself and Alec through his habits.
My mother was dead. (repeated line) Alec
The repeated line also emphasises the impact of his mother's death but you should also comment on the difference between the way Alec speaks here, and Davie's dialect in the first quotation in this list.
He’s no very good at cookin. Alec
Alec highlights to Ian Davie's shortcomings as a parent and the first indication that Alec and Davie are not coping - Alec is beginning to lose respect for his father.
You’ve been drinkin. Ah can smell it. Alec
The relationship between Alec and Davie deteriorates further because of Davie's bad habits. Alec hates Davie's drinking and comments on it when Davie comes in drunk again. Remember that he is still unemployed and is struggling financially.
Wee half at the end ae the day. Just helps me tae unwind. Davie
Davie frequently makes excuses for his bad habits - this shows the audience that he is incapable of looking after his son and setting an example for him.
Maybe ma coupon’ll come up this week! Davie
Davie pins all of his hopes on the future, and luck he is sure will one day come his way. This is actually quite tragic - his hope will never be realised and he doesn't get the idea that in order to provide for his son, he will have to make sacrifices himself - including the gambling that he thinks will one day provide for him.
Ah didnae bring in anything for the tea. Davie
Of course you didn't, Davie. Davie is a constant disappointment to his son - he fails to provide even basic care for him, including feeding him. Again, this demonstrates further breakdowns in their relationship as Alec begins to look for ways to escape, such as religion and education.
It started a coupla months ago. Backed a favourite. Absolute surefire certainty… Davie
Another example of Davie's certainty that luck will one day provide for him. The tragedy is that it never does. If he were to win one of his bets, what do you think the likelihood of him using it to provide for Alec would be?
Ah’m gonnae fix it up, when ah’ve got the time. Davie
Davie promises to fix up Alec's boat when he can. The yacht is a symbol used throughout the text of Davie's failings - his unemployment as a sailmaker, but also the fact that he continues to promise Alec things he does not deliver. When Alec is grown up at the end of the play, they burn the boat that Davie never fixed for him. This shows his apathy.
Ah could paint it if ye like…get it done this week. Billy
Billy, Ian's dad, serves as a contrast to Davie. Even though he has his shortcomings (sectarianism, for one). Alec sees him as a more ideal parent. Billy delivers parenting where Davie fails. He does paint Alec's yacht for him.
Now will ye fix it up? Alec
Alec asks his father for attention and help constantly and never receives it.
Ah just got ma jotters. Week’s notice. Davie
When Davie is employed as a tick-man, he loses that job too. He constantly lets down Alec. At this point, he takes Alec's scholarship money to pay for electricity, and then gambles it.
Ah mean, what have ye got when ye come right down tae it. Nothin. Davie
This is literally true - Davie has nothing to offer Alec. Davie does not realise that the things he does have - love and support and a family - are worth time and money, rather than destructive habits such as gambling and drinking.
Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning… Alec
Alec sings this in the house - it is a hymn. It is symbolic of his desire to escape his situation.
Sailmaker by Alan Spence.docx (72.14 KB)
Note - this attachment only has the quotations in it! And some more irrelevant ones. So weed them out, and concentrate on the stuff we've been working on so far!
It's all about identifying your own weaknesses and concentrating on them. That's different for everyone, so look right down this thread. I've tried to include something for everyone.
First up is Sailmaker. This is the first section of the Critical Reading paper. Remember that this should be reasonably simple as you'll have a section of the play in front of you.
- List item 1
- List item 2
- List item 3
The questions should cover language, stage directions/ dramatic techniques as well as asking you to show you understand what is happening in the play at that point.
Commonality
This is what most of you are finding difficult. You need a decent knowledge of the play as a whole - all of the work we've done on character and theme throughout - to answer the final question in Scottish Text.
Remember:
- List item 1
- List item 2
- List item 3
Below, you'll find links to specimen papers, and the 2014 paper too:
www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/EnglishCriticalReadingSQPN5.pdf (scroll down to page 6 for Sailmaker).
www.sqa.org.uk/pastpapers/papers/papers/2014/N5_English_all_2014.pdf
Important Quotations
For those of you who did not have copies of this, here are the quotations from the text we've been working on. If you'd prefer to download this straight to your computer, I've also attached this as a word document at the bottom of the page.
Yer mammy’s dead. Davie
This is a repeated line to emphasise the emotional impact Alec's mother's death brought to Alec and Davie. Note the Glasgow dialect!
We’ll have tae make the best of it. Davie
Davie is unable to "make the best of it" as he puts it - this is foreshadowing. He lets down himself and Alec through his habits.
My mother was dead. (repeated line) Alec
The repeated line also emphasises the impact of his mother's death but you should also comment on the difference between the way Alec speaks here, and Davie's dialect in the first quotation in this list.
He’s no very good at cookin. Alec
Alec highlights to Ian Davie's shortcomings as a parent and the first indication that Alec and Davie are not coping - Alec is beginning to lose respect for his father.
You’ve been drinkin. Ah can smell it. Alec
The relationship between Alec and Davie deteriorates further because of Davie's bad habits. Alec hates Davie's drinking and comments on it when Davie comes in drunk again. Remember that he is still unemployed and is struggling financially.
Wee half at the end ae the day. Just helps me tae unwind. Davie
Davie frequently makes excuses for his bad habits - this shows the audience that he is incapable of looking after his son and setting an example for him.
Maybe ma coupon’ll come up this week! Davie
Davie pins all of his hopes on the future, and luck he is sure will one day come his way. This is actually quite tragic - his hope will never be realised and he doesn't get the idea that in order to provide for his son, he will have to make sacrifices himself - including the gambling that he thinks will one day provide for him.
Ah didnae bring in anything for the tea. Davie
Of course you didn't, Davie. Davie is a constant disappointment to his son - he fails to provide even basic care for him, including feeding him. Again, this demonstrates further breakdowns in their relationship as Alec begins to look for ways to escape, such as religion and education.
It started a coupla months ago. Backed a favourite. Absolute surefire certainty… Davie
Another example of Davie's certainty that luck will one day provide for him. The tragedy is that it never does. If he were to win one of his bets, what do you think the likelihood of him using it to provide for Alec would be?
Ah’m gonnae fix it up, when ah’ve got the time. Davie
Davie promises to fix up Alec's boat when he can. The yacht is a symbol used throughout the text of Davie's failings - his unemployment as a sailmaker, but also the fact that he continues to promise Alec things he does not deliver. When Alec is grown up at the end of the play, they burn the boat that Davie never fixed for him. This shows his apathy.
Ah could paint it if ye like…get it done this week. Billy
Billy, Ian's dad, serves as a contrast to Davie. Even though he has his shortcomings (sectarianism, for one). Alec sees him as a more ideal parent. Billy delivers parenting where Davie fails. He does paint Alec's yacht for him.
Now will ye fix it up? Alec
Alec asks his father for attention and help constantly and never receives it.
Ah just got ma jotters. Week’s notice. Davie
When Davie is employed as a tick-man, he loses that job too. He constantly lets down Alec. At this point, he takes Alec's scholarship money to pay for electricity, and then gambles it.
Ah mean, what have ye got when ye come right down tae it. Nothin. Davie
This is literally true - Davie has nothing to offer Alec. Davie does not realise that the things he does have - love and support and a family - are worth time and money, rather than destructive habits such as gambling and drinking.
Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning… Alec
Alec sings this in the house - it is a hymn. It is symbolic of his desire to escape his situation.
Sailmaker by Alan Spence.docx (72.14 KB)
Note - this attachment only has the quotations in it! And some more irrelevant ones. So weed them out, and concentrate on the stuff we've been working on so far!