If they give you ruled paper,

write the other way.

- Juan Ramon Jimenez

Novel Study
Semester 1 - 2023
Class Feedback
- PIVOT
• https://educator.pivotpl.com/insi
ghts-&-reports
• On sticky notes – what I do to
make this class better next term?
 Lesson 1
Introduction to
Key Topics
Year 11 English
Starter Activity
In your books answer the following question:

Why do we read/study
literature?

5
Class Discussion
“If they give you
ruled paper, write
the other way.”
Juan Ramón Jiménez
● Who is “they” in this quote?

● Into what type of context do

you think Jiménez speaking?
Fahrenheit 451 Epigraph

Vocab: Epigraph
a short quotation or saying at the beginning
of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its
theme.

In your workbooks answer the following question:

“If they give you
● What can we predict about the novel, based on this? ruled paper, write
the other way.”
Juan Ramón Jiménez
Author – Ray Bradbury
● American author best known for his highly
imaginative short stories and novels that
blend a poetic style, nostalgia for
childhood, social criticism, and an
awareness of the hazards of runaway
technology.
● Ray Bradbury had a deep concern for the
welfare and destiny of his fellow humans.
Through his stories he offered cautions
designed to sustain the world we have. He
had no scientific or technical training, but
he had an innate sense of what might come
in the future—miraculous devices that, at
the time, were just science fiction.
What is an Essential Question?
Essential Questions:
● are open-ended and don’t have a single, final, and correct answer
● are thought-provoking and intellectually engaging. They also promote
discussion and debate.
● call for higher-order thinking, such as analysis, inference, evaluation,
and prediction. They can’t be effectively answered by recall alone.
● raise additional questions and spark further inquiry.
● require support and justification, not just an answer.
Group Work –
Essential Questions

Technological Advances
Example: Does technology advance or
hinder society?

Independent, Critical Thought

Knowledge & Ignorance

Reading & Literature

Thinking about Key Topics (pg 5)
Spend some time thinking or discussing with a partner about the following
prompts:
● You should always follow the law, even when you disagree with it.
● Social media and technology connect people and make them less lonely.
● Film and TV are more powerful mediums for telling stories than books.
● Ignorance is bliss.
● Critical thinking is the most important skill we can teach young people.
● There are certain books, and ideas, which should be censored or banned.
● When a society allows for disagreement, freedom flourishes.
 Lesson 2
Thinking about
Genre/Science Fiction

Year 11 English
Today’s Agenda

Starter TED Talk

Thinking about the future. Video and note taking.

Questioning the
Genre
Future
Definition, examples, Worksheet (workbook pgs
Mindmap. 6-7)
Starter Activity

How often do you think

about the future, and
future inventions,
societies, etc.?

Never All the time

Genre
● What is genre?
● Definition:

● In pairs list as many genres of literature as you can.

Mindmap
● Think of features/elements, examples, and a definition.

Science
Fiction
Cornell Note Taking

● Remember to write down the

speaker and topic of the video.

● Keywords can also be words

that you don’t understand.
TED Talk – How Science Fiction Can Predict the
Future
Main Themes/Ideas

● Distraction vs. Happiness

● Government Control and Censorship
● Conformity vs. Individuality
● Action vs. Inaction
● Mass Media
Questioning the Future
Example:

Topic: Communication

Will we one day communicate solely online in Mark

Zuckerberg’s imagined Meta virtual reality?
Extension/Homework
 Lesson 3
The Hearth and the
Salamander: Part 1
Pages 9-35
Year 11 English
Today’s Agenda

Starter Similes
Making inferences about Characterisation through figurative
the novel based on the language.
cover.

Characterisation Review
What is it? Main What have we learned
characters. about the protagonist and
other characters?
Starter Activity
● Examine the cover of the novel, and make predictions/inferences
about the text based on imagery, symbolism, colours, etc.
 Characterisation

Vocab: Characterisation
the art of revealing fictional
characters’ natures and
personalities, has many facets.
The creation or construction of a
fictional character.
Characterisation

Guy Clarisse Mildred

Lesson 1 Monday -
● Reading: Pages 9-35

● Workbook: Pages 10-11

(+vocabulary page)
● (if incomplete – finish for homework)
First Impressions - Pages 9-17
● Read up to: “Her front door shut gently.”

● Notable features
● What have you learned or can infer about
their society?
● Common figurative language devices?

Vocab: Irony
the expression of one's meaning by
using language that normally
signifies the opposite, typically for
humorous or emphatic effect.

● What is ironic about what the firemen do?

Characterisation: Montag and Clarisse – Pages
17-27
● Read up to: “...let a sleep lozenge dissolve on his tongue.”

● What impression does Clarisse make on Montag?

 Similes
The following quotes are similes that Montag uses to make sense of Clarisse.
What do these convey to the reader about the way she makes him feel? And
about society more broadly?

a clock a mirror a show watcher

“She had a very thin face like the
dial of a small clock seen faintly in
a dark room in the middle of a
night when you waken to see the
time and see the clock telling you
the hour and the minute and the
second, with a white silence and a
glowing, all certainty and knowing
what it has to tell of the night
passing swiftly on toward
further darknesses but moving
also toward a new sun.”
“How like a mirror, too, her
face. Impossible; for how
many people did you know
that refracted your own light
to you? People were more
often—he searched for a
simile, found one in his work
—torches, blazing away until
they whiffed out. How rarely
did other people’s faces take
“…eager watcher
of a marionette
show, anticipating
each flicker of an
eyelid, gesture of
his hand, each
flick of a finger,
the moment
before it began.”
Characterisation: Mildred - Pages 27-35
● Read up to: “...and opened his mouth...”

● Who is she?

● What does she do?

● Is she happy?

● What happens to her? Is this surprising?

Review - Characterisation
What have we added to our character profiles?

Guy Clarisse Mildred

Starter -
Review Questions from
last lesson
(Workbook Pages 10-11)
 Lesson 6
The Hearth and the
Salamander: Part 2
Pages 35-64
Year 11 English
Tuesday L6 + Thursday L3
● Reading: Pages 35-65

● Workbook: Pages 12 - 13
(+vocabulary page)
● (if incomplete – finish for homework)
Starter – Question Review

Pair
Think Pair up with the Share
person beside you
Review your Share what you
and discuss your
answers for discussed with the
answers.
Questions 2 and 7. class. Were your
answers similar or
different?
Today’s Agenda

Starter Inferring
Question review. How to make inferences.

Censorship Reading
What is it? Censorship in Reading and making
Australia. inferences.
Characterisation: Mildred - Pages 27-35
● Read up to: “...and opened his mouth...”

● Who is she?

● What does she do?

● Is she happy?

● What happens to her? Is this surprising?

Censorship
Vocab: Censorship
the suppression or prohibition of any parts
What is censorship?
of books, films, news, etc. that are
considered obscene, politically
unacceptable, or a threat to security.
Is it ever justified?

Qualities/types of content which would result in a book being banned:

Book Burning and Censorship
Book burning is the deliberate destruction by fire of
books or other written materials, usually carried out
in a public context. The burning of books
represents an element of censorship and usually
proceeds from a cultural, religious, or political
opposition to the materials in question.

Beginning on May 10, 1933, Nazi-dominated student groups carried out public
burnings of books they claimed were “un-German.” The book burnings took
place in 34 university towns and cities. Works of prominent Jewish, liberal,
and leftist writers ended up in the bonfires.
Censorship today Reasons for censorship throughout
history:
• During the 20th century Australian Customs,
•Pornography and sexual dialogue
police vice squads and post offices kept
•Homosexuality
censored books from the Australian public.
•Violence
• Books were censored if they were categorised
as obscene (morally indecent), blasphemous •Witchcraft
(against God) or seditious (encouraged •Blasphemous dialogue
rebellion against authority). •Euthanasia
• In Florida, Ron De Santis’ ‘Stop Woke Act’ bans •Birth control
books which discuss African American History
•Abortion
or Gay narratives.
•Political bias
Censorship in Australia Today
There is still a mandate for restriction and control over certain kinds of
materials coming into the Australian reading public, but it remains very difficult
to regulate the internet.

We still have a number of books on the banned list, some of which are quite
significant, like books on euthanasia or books around terrorist instruction.

Discussion Questions:
• Are you surprised to hear that we still have banned books in Australia?
• Do you think that there is content on the internet that should be more
heavily censored?
Censorship -

The suppression or prohibition of any parts

of books, films, news, etc. that are
considered obscene, politically unacceptabl
e, or a threat to security.
– Oxford dictionary.

When is censorship acceptable?

What is the difference between censorship

and moderation, classification, or editing?
Modern-day
censorship?
• ABC Article – Roald Dahl revisions
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02
-20/roald-dahl-books-changes-rejected-
by-critics/101997882
• Andy Griffiths on Roald Dahl Revisions
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/
programs/drive/1625/102000288
• Satire – Betoota Advocate
https://www.betootaadvocate.com/advocate-in-focus/andy-griffi
ths-publishers-to-rename-first-book-in-bum-trilogy-to-the-day-m
y-bum-acted-out-of-character/
• Michael: "It's outrageous! Roald Dahl's books are timeless classics
that shouldn't be changed at all. Doing so would be taking away the
authenticity." These classics are loved by generations still excite and
entertain people from all walks of life. It would be an assault on the
legacy of Dahl to alter one word or detail of his work
• Sarah: "I think it's great that publishers are updating Roald Dahl's
books to align with modern values. It's important to make sure that
children's literature promotes positive social messages and progressive
ideas." For example, growing up, I read a lot of books where girls
didn't have strong leading roles. It would be refreshing to see updated
versions that do not perpetuate outdated gender stereotypes.
• John: "I'm not sure if it's necessary to change Roald Dahl's books for a
modern audience. I grew up reading his original material and I think
they still hold up today."I don't think children should be sheltered from
the reality of different eras if we sugarcoat everything all the time. We
may lose some of the messages these books hoped to convey as a
result of forced changes in writing.
• Clementine: "I can see both sides of the argument for whether or not to
update Roald Dahl's works. On the one hand, we want the books we
read to reflect our values and beliefs. But on the other hand, we also
need to respect the author's work for what it is." I'm going to need
more time and discussion to come up with a conclusion.
 - 10 minutes to write
your own opinions

- 5 minutes to share
with your neighbour

- 5 minutes to share
with the class
 Socratic Seminar – Suggested Ground Rules
• Be an active participant during the discussion.
• Make eye contact when commenting or
questioning, and direct their remarks to each other,
rather than the leader or the teacher.
• Try help the conversation flow – ask questions of
the group, prompt for further information,
interrogate ideas.
• Prepare your thoughts before talking - try to
develop extended ideas (but don’t ramble).
• Frequently revisit the text, citing page numbers,
specific quotes, or relevant excerpts.
• Do not raise your hands to speak, but rather listen
for a time when they can step into the
conversation. Do not interrupt one another.
• Respectfully disagree with ideas, not the person
who shared those ideas
Communication + Collaboration

Critical Thinking
Reading - Pages 35-45
● Read up to: “... his train put a
stop to his plan.”

Discussion Questions:
● What might the hound symbolise?
● How is the society and education
described by Clarisse
similar/different to your own?
Making Inferences When Reading Literature
What I Know What I Infer

+
What I Read

Use background Put two and two together

future reference.
=
Use quotes from the text and
note the page number for
knowledge
and prior experiences
from my
to
make a conclusion about
what
own life. you are reading.
 Reading – Pages 45-64
● Read to: “He did not open the window.”

● As you read pick 5 lines from the text that you think are significant.
● Copy each quote onto your worksheet, write what you can infer, and how you
came to that conclusion.
Example:

I know this because Montag has considered

‘No.’ But in his mind, a cool
wind started up and blew
out of the ventilator grille at
home, softly, softly, chilling
his face (p.47).
I can infer that perhaps
Montag is hiding something.
He is probably hiding a
book.
what it would be like to have his books burned,
which indicates maybe he has books to burn. I
also know that a ventilator grille would make a
good hiding place for something valuable.
Extension/
Homework Review
Questions – Part 2
 Lesson 7

Dystopian Literature

Year 11 English
Today’s Agenda

Starter Analytical Writing

An ideal world. Using TEAL.

Dystopia Analytical Practice

What is it? How to Answer questions using the
recognise it. TEAL format.
Starter - What does your ideal world look
like?

Ideal World
Utopia
 Dystopia

Vocab: Dystopia
an imagined state or society in which
there is great suffering or injustice,
typically one that is totalitarian or post-
apocalyptic.

● dys (Greek): word-forming element meaning "bad, ill; hard, difficult; abnormal,
imperfect”.
● topia (Ancient Greek): Place, region. The physical lived in space. Also a kind of mural
decoration commin in Ancient Roman houses, usually featuring landscapes.
How to Recognise a Dystopia
Don’t forget to use the Cornell note taking method.
 Analytical Writing
Practice - TEAL
T = Topic Sentence
Start your paragraph with a clear topic
sentence that establishes what your
paragraph is going to be about. Your
point should support your essay
E = Evidence/Example
argument or thesis statement.
Here you should use a piece of
evidence or an example that helps
to reaffirm your initial point and
A = Analyse
Identify a language device or stylistic
feature that the author has used.
Analyse and explain what effect the
device or feature has on the reader.
Within your analysis you should be
L = Link
referring to how the evidence supports
To finish the paragraph off, you need
the essay question or main idea of your
to link the point you’ve just made
paragraph.
back to your essay question, topic, or
thesis.
 Analytical Questions

How does the setting of the

novel help present the deeper
themes (distraction. Vs
happiness, individuality vs
Is the setting of
conformity, etc.)?
this novel a utopia
or a dystopia?
Why do you think
Bradbury chose this
How does Clarisse’s particular setting for
character contrast the his novel?
setting of the social
climate?
 Lesson 6
The Hearth and the
Salamander: Part 3
Pages 64-89
Year 11 English
Today’s Agenda

Starter Symbolism
Homework review. Peer Identifying and analysing symbols in
editing. The Hearth and the Salamander.

Reading Close Reading

Reading followed by class Practicing annotating a
discussion. text.
Starter – Homework Review (Peer Editing)

● Swap one of your paragraphs with

the person beside you.
● Read their paragraph.
● Identify each element of TEAL by
highlighting and annotating the
paragraph.
Reading – Read Pages 64-89
01
Why are books
burned?
02
What is
What comment
Montag’s
is Bradbury
inner conflict?
making about
03 mass media?
 Symbolism
Symbolism is a literary device that uses symbols, be they words, people,
marks, locations, or abstract ideas to represent something beyond the literal
meaning. What might the following symbolise?
Symbolism – The Hearth and the Salamander

Hearth Salamander Fire

Extension/
Homework Review
Questions – Part 3
 Lesson 7
The Sieve and the
Sand: Part 1
Pages 93-104
Year 11 English
Today’s Agenda

Starter Class Discussion

The Sieve and the Sand What does the sieve and the sand
(practical). mean metaphorically?

Reading Review
Reading and post it note Answer review questions 1-
questions. 4.
Starter – The Sieve and the Sand

● In the middle of the room

are some buckets with
sand in them.
● Beside each bucket you
will find a sieve.
● Try to pick up the sand with
the sieve without any sand
falling out.
Reading – Pages 93-104
● Read up to: “The train vanished in its hole.”

3. Stick all 6 post it notes in

1. Once you have finished your
reading there are post it book.
notes on the walls around
the room. 4. Answer each question on
the
2. You should collect one post it note. If you need
post it more
note from each group. room you can write under
the
 Class Discussion

● How do Montag and Mildred see the books differently?

● What does the sieve & the sand symbolise/what is their metaphorical meaning?
 Animal Imagery

P.10 P.52
“the flapping pigeon-winged “The books lay like great
books died on the porch” mounds of fishes left to
dry.”

P.51 P.100
“A book alighted, almost obediently, “the floor littered with
like a white pigeon, in his hands, swarms of black moths that
wings fluttering…a page hung open had died”
like a snowy feather”
Review Questions –
Part 1 (Q1-4)
 Lesson 8
The Sieve and the
Sand: Part 2
Pages 104-120
Year 11 English
Today’s Agenda

Starter Reading
Newspaper headlines. Reading and answering questions in
books.

Padlet Class Technological

Discussion Elements
Importance of literature. Bradbury predicts the
future.
Starter Activity
In your books write as many imagined newspaper headlines as you can
think of that might have appeared in the newspapers for the time/society
of the novel.

Remember newspaper headlines often use:

● Short words
● Word play
● Alliteration

Examples:
Family Feud Sparks Fury
Banned Books Burn to Ash – The Latest Burning

5
Reading – Pages 104-120

● Read up to: “…his lips just moving a trifle.”

● Once you have finished reading answer the following questions in your books:

How does Faber see In what way is Faber

books? Are you a coward? How is
surprised by his this relevant to our
views? own lives?
Technological Elements
Review Questions –
Part 1 (Q5-7)
 Lesson 9
The Sieve and the
Sand: Part 3
Pages 120-143
Year 11 English
Gallery Walk
● Around the walls you will see 5 words with some images
surrounding them.

CONFORMITY | INDIVIDUALITY |
IDENTITY COMPLIANCE | OBEDIENCE
● You will have 15 minutes to walk around the room and
contemplate each of the terms.
● Under each word is space for you to write definitions, ideas,
connotations, questions, thoughts, examples, etc. I encourage
you to discuss each of them with your peers.
 KEY TERMS
CONFORMITY INDIVIDUALITY IDENTITY
behaviour in accordance the quality or character of the fact of being who or
with socially accepted a particular person or what a person or thing
conventions. thing that distinguishes is.
them from others of the
same kind, especially
when strongly marked.
COMPLIANCE OBEDIENCE
the action or fact of with an order, request, or
complying with a wish law or submission to
or command another's authority.
CONFORMITY | INDIVIDUALITY | IDENTITY
COMPLIANCE | OBEDIENCE
Food for thought.

Is there a difference Do any of these

words have How does critical think
between apply
obedience and negative
connotations? to these words?
conformity?
Why?
Reading – Pages
120-143
If you finish reading The Sieve and
the Sand before the end of the
lesson, continue on with the review
questions from Part 2.

Finish questions for homework.

 Lesson 16
Burning Bright: Part 1
Pages 147-168
Year 11 English
Starter
Ask me
anything!
● As you come in grab
a marker and write a
question on the
board that you would
like to ask Montag at
this stage in the text.
Reading - Pages 147-157

● Read up to: “…along the alley in the dark.”

● Was the murder of Captain Beatty unsuspected?

Discussion Questions (SPOILERS)

● How does Bradbury build up to his murder? How does he build
tension and suspense?
Reading – Pages 157-168
● Read up to: “Good night, Mrs Black, he thought.”

● With the person beside you, discuss the following questions:

● Do you feel any sympathy for Mildred? In what way is she also
a victim?

● What is shown about society through the incident with the car
which almost kills Montag?

● Where does Montag go from here?

Thinking About Language - Questions to
consider:

Do we think in full, complete, grammatically correct sentences?

How do our emotions impact our thought process? How might one’s internal dialogue be
different when calm and relaxed, compared with when stressed and anxious?

If you were writing fiction, how might you show (rather than explicitly tell) that your character
is scared through the writing style?
Thinking about BURNING BRIGHT
After killing Beatty, Montag is on the run: he is clearly confused and
panicked.

How does Bradbury SHOW Montag’s emotional state

through the style of his writing?

Repetition
Sentence structure
Paragraph structure

Word choice Imagery

Extension/
Homework Review
Questions - Part 1
 Lesson 10
Analytical Writing
Practice
Year 11 English
Q: Analyse how Bradbury effectively utilises
characterisation, both direct and indirect, to
show that Montag has changed since the
beginning of the novel.

● Thesis statement (your opinion/main claim about the topic): Bradbury

effectively utilises characterisation to show that Montag has started to rebel
against society and form his own ideas, which juxtaposes his character at
the beginning of the novel.
Understanding the
Essay Question
Worksheet
Analyse how Bradbury utilises
figurative language to emphasise the
power and importance of literature.

Analyse how the setting helps present

the underlying themes of the novel.

Identify and explain the importance of

symbolism in the text.
 Lesson 13
Burning Bright: Part 2
Pages 168-186
Year 11 English
Now it’s your turn!

1. Highlight and annotate the passage for

sentence structure, word choice,
imagery, paragraph structure, and
repetition.

2. Choose one element of Bradbury’s

writing to analyse in a paragraph below.

3. Follow TEAL to write your paragraph.

Reading – Pages 168-179

● Read up to: “...he was swept

away in the dark”.

● Complete the Worksheet.

Reading – Pages 179-186
● Read up to: “..where he was walking now.”

What might the river symbolise?

Does
How has Montage
Montag feel pity for
changed? people in his
society?
Extension/
Homework Review
Questions - Part 2
 Lesson 14
Assignment Drafting
and Teacher
Conferencing
Year 11 English
Assignment time
Language and Stylistic Devices in F451
Find a quote, identify the language or stylistic device. Write the theme it relates to and what effect it
has on the reader.
● Symbols
● Protagonist
● Antagonist
● Setting
● Allusions
● Point of View
● Foreshadowing
● Metaphors
● Simile
● Imagery
 Lesson 18 + 19
Burning Bright: Part 3
- Pages 186-End
Year 11 English
Reading – Pages 168-179

● Read up to: “...he was swept

away in the dark”.

● Complete the Worksheet.

Reading – Pages 179-186
● Read up to: “..where he was walking now.”

What might the river symbolise?

Does
How has Montage
Montag feel pity for
changed? people in his
society?
Starter
● Does this fire cause you to make any personal associations?
Reading – Pages 186-198
● Read up to: “And they all laughed quietly, moving downstream.”

● Complete the worksheet.

Final Reading – Pages 198-End
Extension/
Homework Review
Questions - Part 1
 Lesson 20
Escape the Hound
Escape Room
Year 11 English
Escape Room
● https://sites.google.com/v
iew/fahrenheit451digitalr
eview/home?authuser=1
 Lesson 20
Personal Response to
the Text
Year 11 English
 Example Paragraph
Example Response: Action vs. Inaction

T Bradbury explores the idea of action versus inaction through symbolism and the
characterisation of Guy Montag. Bradbury often emphasises that taking action is
important rather than standing by while atrocities occur or society falters. An instance
where action versus inaction becomes apparent in Fahrenheit 451 is when Guy reflects
E that he ‘had done nothing.’ when stealing a book and this ‘His hand had done it all’.
Guy’s hand symbolises his defiance against the government and his refusal to conform
with society. Montag is not yet ready to accept that he is taking action against the
government to protect knowledge and literature, and separates himself from his deviant
act by blaming his hand for doing the work. Similarly, in Montag’s greatest act of
defiance when murdering Captain Beatty, he contemplates ‘his hands to see what new
A thing they had done’. Through the characterisation of Guy Montag the reader learns
that the actions he takes against the government begin small, but as his defiance
E grows he takes more significant action to protect knowledge and literature. Through the
symbol of Montag’s hands and the change in his character, Bradbury encourages the
reader to consider taking action to protect society and what is considered valuable.
A
 Example Paragraph
Example Response: Action vs. Inaction

T Bradbury explores the idea of action versus inaction through symbolism and the
characterisation of Guy Montag. Bradbury often emphasises that taking action is
important rather than standing by while atrocities occur or society falters. An instance
where action versus inaction becomes apparent in Fahrenheit 451 is when Guy reflects
E that he ‘had done nothing.’ when stealing a book and this ‘His hand had done it all’
(p.94). Guy’s hand symbolises his defiance against the government and his refusal to
conform with society. Montag is not yet ready to accept that he is taking action against
the government to protect knowledge and literature, and separates himself from his
deviant act by blaming his hand for doing the work. Similarly, in Montag’s greatest act
of defiance when murdering Captain Beatty, he contemplates “his hands to see what
A new thing they had done”. Through the characterisation of Guy Montag the reader
learns that the actions he takes against the government begin small, but as his
E defiance grows he takes more significant action to protect knowledge and literature.
Through the symbol of Montag’s hands and the change in his character, Bradbury
encourages the reader to consider taking action to protect society and what is
A considered valuable.
 Lesson 28

General Feedback

Year 11 English
Holiday reading –

Fahrenheit 451 – pages 0-30

Tuesday reading –

Fahrenheit 451 – pages 30-55

File on Compass
What is censorship?
Questions – Fahrenheit 451
• Describe the society (a fictional America) that Montag lives in. In what
ways is it similar to, but more extreme than, our society? What signs are
there that it is a “dystopia” (the opposite of a utopia, an ideal society)?

• 2. What makes Clarisse so special—so different from most people in her

society? What qualities does Montag have that make him receptive to
her influence?

• 3. Why do you think the mechanical hound has been programmed to

react to Montag?
Describe the society (a fictional America) that Montag lives in. In
what ways is it similar to, but more extreme than, our society? What
signs are there that it is a “dystopia” (the opposite of a utopia, an
ideal society)?

Bradbury describes a dystopian society which has become shallow and

consumerist. In this society, nobody thinks for themselves, and they distract
themselves with mindless entertainment. The government enforces conformity
with threat of violence (through the hound and firemen), and dissenting ideas are
censored. People do not feel authentic emotions, and those who do are
pathologized and medicated.
Fahrenheit 451 was written in
1953. How accurately did Ray
Bradbury predict the future
and to what extent should we
be worried about our society
being dystopian?
Checkpoints (End of Week 1)
• Reading:
Pages 0 – 55

• Workbook
Pages 4-12
The value of reading:
• It improves your focus and
concentration.
• It improves your imagination.
• It reduces stress (it’s a
mindful activity)
• It makes you knowledgeable
about a range of subjects.
• It improves your memory.
• It helps you discover yourself.
• It’s fun (readers literally have
more fun)
• It improves vocabulary and
makes you a better
communicator
• You can learn from other
people’s experience and gain
perspective
Checkpoints (End of Week
2)
• Reading:
Pages 55 – 89

• Workbook
Pages 12-15
(+ vocabulary page)
Checkpoints (End of Week
3)
• Reading:
Pages 89 - 143

• Workbook
Pages 16-19
(+ vocabulary page)
Checkpoints (End of Week
4)
• Reading:
Pages 143 – 211
(end)

• Workbook
Pages 20 - 25
(+ vocabulary page)
What’s going in in this picture?

• Warm up activity:
• https://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2016/08/16/learning/images-fr
om-four-years-of-whats-going-on-in-this-picture/s/VTS04-29-13LN.ht
ml
NOVEL STUDY –
FAHRENHEIT 451
 In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, how does Ray Bradbury use a range of techniques to influence the
reader’s response to the main ideas and perspectives explored in Fahrenheit 451?

• Paragraph 1: Idea 1 (Theme)/Technique 1:

Evidence: What technique does the author use? How does it develop the
idea?
What effect does it have on the audience?
• Paragraph 2: Idea 2 (Theme)/Technique 2:
Evidence: What technique does the author use? How does it develop the
idea?
What effect does it have on the audience?
• Paragraph 3: Idea 3 (Theme)/Technique 3:
Evidence: What technique does the author use? How does it develop the
idea?
 Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451

General
rules for No personal pronouns – we, us, I, me

essays Simplify sentences if necessary to convey

your point clearly – complicated sentences
will not impress an examiner if they cannot
be understood.
 Write you essay in the present tense

General Capital Letters for characters names! – Pay

attention to all spelling and grammar

rules for Use formal language – don’t approach analytical

essays essays casually.

Avoid using phrases such as: in this essay I will

talk about; this essay will be about; in the next
paragraph I will deal with etc.
 Conclusion Introduction

(100 words) (100 words)

Essay
3rd Main 1st Main
Structure Topic/Argument Topic/Argument
(200 (200
words) words)

2nd Main
Topic/Argument
(200
words)
INTRODUCTIONS
Introduction MUST have the following
1. Opening sentence with the author’s name, title of the text (in italics) and a
brief overview of what the book is about/what it explores etc.
a) Eg Set in a futuristic America, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, highlights the social anxieties and
fears of the time in addition to the key ideas society might face in a world filled with censorship
and mass media.

2. 3 Signposts: These signposts must direct your marker/reader to what your

three paragraphs are about. This section can be 1-3 sentences long.
3. Thesis Statement: This final sentence of the introduction must tell your
marker or reader what this novel allows us to learn/see clearly about the key
words of the task. This task is about ‘ideas presented in the novel’, so what
does Bradbury allow us to learn/see/suggest to us about the ideas through
his novel?
a) Ultimately, by taking his reader on a journey with Guy Montag, the protagonist,
Bradbury cautions readers against the dangers of censorship and technology.
Main Body Paragraphs
What is Bradbury’s message to the reader and how does he convey it?

 Distraction vs. Happiness  Action vs. Inaction

 Government Control and Censorship Mass Media/Effects of Technology
 Conformity vs. Individuality  The purpose of Literature/Reading

Evidence:
How is the idea represented?
Analysis:
What technique is being used?
What is the author’s message? At the time why was this idea a concern?
What is Bradbury warning his audience about?
Language and Stylistic Devices

Descriptive
Characterisation Imagery Symbolism
language

Setting Conflict Similes Metaphors

Plot or key
Personification Irony Dialogue
events
Introduci
ng Ideas • Demonstrates • Exemplifies • Exemplifies
• Displays • Presents • Highlights
• Suggests • Depicts • Testifies
• Portrays • Illustrates • Emphasises
• Exhibits • Reflects • Confirms
In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradury…
• Implies • Proves • Confirms
• Connotes • Attests • Alludes to the fact
• Indicates • Reveals • Establishes
• Points out • Exposes • Signals
• Reinforces • Underscores • Represents
• Reaffirms • Evidences
Main Body Paragraph Structure TEAL
• Topic: Main point/topic of your paragraph (idea and technique)

• Evidence: 1st Quote – remember to give a bit of context first.

• Analysis: Analyse the evidence you’ve presented, identify a language or stylistic technique. Explain how your
evidence relates to or supports what you have outlined in your topic. Explain why Bradbury used this technique.
What effect does it have on the reader?

• Connective: Furthermore, Moreover, In addition to this…

• Evidence: 2nd Quote - remember to give a bit of context first.

• Analysis: Analyse the evidence you’ve presented, identify a language or stylistic technique. Explain how your
evidence relates to or supports what you have outlined in your topic. Explain why Wyndham used this technique.
What effect does it have on the reader?

• Link: Link back to the question/topic. Sum up your findings from this paragraph
 Topic sentence – Evidence – Analysis – Link
OR: Topic sentence – Evidence – Analysis – Evidence – Analysis – Link

Lin Manuel Miranda encourages audiences of Hamilton to reflect on issues relating to women’s rights through bright
costuming, passionate dialogue, and powerful choreography in soliloquies with the Schuyler sisters. In several songs, Angelica
and Eliza are represented as empowered women fighting the status quo of strict gender roles in 18 th Century. In the song
Satisfied, Angelica refuses a potential marriage with Hamilton after realising the “three fundamental truths” about the problems
behind this relationship. Angelica states that her “only job is to marry rich,” to “social climb,” and discusses the possibility that
Hamilton is after her because she is “a Schuyler sister”. Angelica’s costume makes her stand out from the other dancers, and her
dialogue and dance movements make it clear that she is the one making an empowered choice. The audience can see that
Angelica’s love is restricted by social convention, and they resonate with issues of women’s rights in the 18 th Century.
Progressive audiences can also link Angelica’s experience with current struggles for gender equity in the present day, and are
positioned to feel impassioned and empowered by the performance. Furthermore, in Eliza’s soliloquy in That’ll Be Enough, she
emphasises that all she wants from Hamilton is to be “inside [his] heart”, and “just stay alive”. This evokes audiences to
sympathise with Eliza and relate with those who bear a husband who weighs work over family. Hence, with the use of soliloquy,
Miranda raises the audiences’ attentions to the issues of women’ rights that spans across history.
 Topic sentence – Evidence – Analysis – Link
OR: Topic sentence – Evidence – Analysis – Evidence – Analysis – Link

Wyndham uses simile and symbolism to depict the idea of hope in The Day of The Triffids. After
discovering that the world has gone blind a beacon of light becomes a symbol of hope for Bill and
Josella. Many days after the meteor shower occurs, Bill and Josella are still trying to figure out
how they will survive in this new world. They get their first sign that there are other sighted
survivors when a “bright beam like that of a searchlight point[ing] unwaveringly upwards”
appears in the middle of the night. The light offers hope for Bill and Josella as they consider
finding other survivors that can see, although Bill is also aware that it could be “a trap”.
Wyndham’s effectively uses a simile to compare the beacon of light to a searchlight. This
comparison helps the reader to make the connection that the light is being made by other people
searching for survivors. Through the symbol of the beacon, Wyndham emphasises to the reader
that even during challenging times there is still hope to be found. Ultimately, Wyndham positions
the reader to think about hope even in the most dire of circumstances, which would have
resonated with Cold War audiences as they clung onto the hope of a brighter and more peaceful
future.
Analytical • The suggestion here is that... • This suggests
• Use of the word ___________ • Demonstrating that…

Phrasing: conveys...
• This X demonstrates
• This implies…

Perfect to
• The inference to be drawn
from this is..
• This X emphasises the fact
use after a that
• This proves
• The implication being..
• This would suggest..
quote! • This X indicates • The supposition drawn from
this being that...
• This describes how
• Leading to the supposition
• This explains how that…
• This X persuades the reader to • The reader supposes...

• This justifies • It is clear, therefore, that...

 • Although, … • Conversely, … • correspondingly
• As a consequence, • Despite this, … • similarly
… • Evidently, • additionally
• As a result, …
• For this reason, … • although
• As it can be seen,
• For these reasons, • instead
Strong • At the same time, …
• Accordingly, … • Furthermore,
• whereas

connectives • An equally • Thus…

• despite
• conversely
significant aspect •
to use: of…
Therefore….
• moreover
• otherwise
• Another, • however
significant factor • as well as • after all
in… • together with
• in fact
• But it should also • of course
consider, … • in summary
• likewise
• Consequently, … • in conclusion
• comparatively
• Correspondingly,
EMBEDDING QUOTATIONS
Quotes– 4 key rules to remember

1. Always remember to open and close quotation marks: ‘xyz’

2. Give quotes context – embed them into a sentence.
3. Use ellipses … when you are leaving out words from a chunk of text.
4. If you are changing the word in the quote in any way to suit the
sentence you are writing then use brackets [xxx] around the word
or letter.
 Embedding Quotes
Quotes should be embedded fluently into sentences. No parachuting
quotes in randomly.

E.g.
Montag is certain that he must protect books to save society,
however, Faber argues that ‘it’s not books at all’ (p.107) that he’s
looking for, but a ‘receptacle’ (p.107) to store knowledge in.

Montag is certain that he must protect books to save society. ‘No, no,
it’s not books at all you’re looking for…Books were only one type of
receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might
forget’ (p.107).
Not Embedded

Montag desperately tries to

remember the Bible on the
train. ‘If you read fast and
read all, maybe some of the
sand will stay in the sieve’
(p.102).
Embedded fluently

Montag desperately tries to remember the Bible on the train, hoping that ‘if
[he] read[s] fast…maybe some of the sand will stay in the sieve’ (p.102).

I incorporated just the piece

of the passage I needed, and
I “wove” it into my own
sentence.
If this is too difficult:
• AT LEAST INTRODUCE THE QUOTATION:
• THE READER SEES THIS WHEN WYNDHAM DESCRIBES…
• THIS IDEA IS HIGHGLITHED WHEN THE PROTAGONIST
EXPLAINS…
• ONE EXAMPLE OF SUCH…
• ALWAYS FOLLOW THESE WITH A COMMA

Th reader sees this when Montag desperately tries to

remember the Bible on the train and reflects that, ‘if you
read fast and read all, maybe some of the sand will stay in the
sieve’ (p.102).
CONCLUSIONS
 Conclusion Reaffirm your view (position) – idea of X is
Reaffirm evident throughout…
Rules
Outline again your 3 main points in the order
Outline addressed.

Don’t introduce new material. If you have a Again, use words (or synonyms)/terms from
Task the question to show you have addressed it.
new idea it should go in a paragraph on its
own.
Don’t summarise: don’t list your topic
sentences. It is repetitive and boring. Have a thought-provoking final sentence.
Do have interest (it’s your last chance to
Final What does the reader walk away with?
impress the reader)
General Draft Feedback
• Ideas - Techniques - Audience (remember all three)
• Answer the question (consider both audiences and their context)
• Avoid summarizing the plot. Analytical writing should consider ideas, techniques, audiences.
• Avoid vague lead-in. E.g – ‘throughout the novel’, ‘an example of this…’, ‘this technique can be
clearly shown when’, ‘this idea is portrayed and exemplified in’
• TEAL structure can also be TAEL. Use Magic Sentences throughout, but especially for the T and
A sentences.
• No new info in ‘linking’ sentences – link back to the topic sentence.
• Discuss ‘perspectives’, not ‘themes’
• Must be phrased as a contention
• Must relate to the world outside the novel
• Authors don’t use themes.
• Syntax & Readability – read, edit, re-read, edit again, read it out loud, edit, get a friend to read.
• Nitty Gritty – Task sheet at the top, remove subheadings, check capital letters in quotes, text
title in italics.