Comprehension Read the summary of chapters 39 to 47 and answer the following questions in full sentences. 1. How does Bill treat Nancy when he is ill? 2. How does Nancy feel about the conversation she overhears between Fagin and Monks? 3. What shocking information does Nancy reveal that Monks told Fagin? 4. Who follows Nancy to London Bridge? 5. What does Fagin specifically NOT mention to bill? Extend: Why do you think Fagin leaves out that crucial piece of information? Challenge: Based on what we know about Bill Sikes, can you work out what will happen next? Key vocabulary • A victim is a person who is harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action. • A villain is a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot. We might use the words vulnerable and naïve to describe a victim: • Somebody who is vulnerable is exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally. • Somebody who is naïve has a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgement; we might also use the word ‘innocent’. Connect Knowledge: Who is Bill Sikes? What do we already know about him? Skill: “The man who growled out those words” – thinking back to our work on chapter 13, what does the verb “growled” tell us about Bill? Vocabulary: Which of these words would best describe Bill? Use one of the following words in your sentence: Victim Villain Vulnerable Naïve Who are the victims and who are the villains in the novel? Villains Fagin? Bill Sikes? Monks? Victims Oliver? Nancy? Exploring an Extract: Bill Sikes and Nancy Read the extract As you read, circle any words you are unsure of. You can look these up in a dictionary. Questions for discussion: • In what vulnerable position does Bill find Nancy in? • How is Nancy naïve to the situation that is unfolding? • How is Bill presented as a villain? • How is Nancy presented as a victim? Exploring an Extract: Bill Sikes and Nancy How is Bill Sikes presented as a villain in this extract? 1. Highlight quotations that show you something about Bill: Think about: How does he behave? How does he treat Nancy? What will the reader think of him? 2. Next to the quotation, make a note of what you learn about Bill: is he cruel, brutal, violent etc…? Think about the connotations of the words used to describe both him and Nancy. Challenge: Can you say what type of language is being used in the quotations? A verb/noun/adjective/simile etc? For example: Imperative (command): shows he is impatient and angry “Get up!” Said the man. “It is you Bill!” Said the girl with an expression of pleasure at his return. As a challenge, you could look at how Nancy is presented in contrast. For example, here she seems affectionate which is a contrast to his cruel and demanding nature. Exploring an Extract: Bill Sikes and Nancy How is Bill Sikes presented as a villain in this extract? 1. Highlight quotations that show you something about Bill: Think about: How does he behave? How does he treat Nancy? What will the reader think of him? 2. Next to the quotation, make a note of what you learn about Bill: is he cruel, brutal, violent etc…? Think about the connotations of the words used to describe both him and Nancy. Challenge: Can you say what type of language is being used in the quotations? A verb/noun/adjective/simile etc? She staggered and fell: nearly blinded with the blood that rained down from a deep gash in her forehead; but raising herself, with difficulty, on her knees, drew from her bosom a white handkerchief--Rose Maylie's own--and holding it up, in her folded hands, as high towards Heaven as her feeble strength would allow, breathed one prayer for mercy to her Maker. It was a ghastly figure to look upon. The murderer staggering backward to the wall, and shutting out the sight with his hand, seized a heavy club and struck her down. How is Bill Sikes presented as a villain in this extract? You can structure your answer in this way: 1. Write your topic sentence about Bill Sikes. 2. Introduce and provide the quotation. 3. Explain what the quotation shows us about Bill Sikes. Consider connotations of words or any comparisons which have been made. Challenge: Can you comment on how Nancy’s character is used in contrast to Bill’s? Dickens presents Bill sikes as a villain in this extract by… In the phrase “__________”, we can see that Bill is… The word ______ has connotations of… and therefore tells us… This invites the reader to think/feel/consider… A good example: Clear topic sentence which answers the question Evidence used to prove point and explored Link back to the question at the end Dickens presents Bill Sikes as a villain in this extract through his actions towards Nancy. This attack is particularly shocking due to Nancy’s vulnerability in this extract. Bill orders Nancy to “Get up!”. Dickens has used a short, sharp command to show that Bill is angry and impatient. This is a big contrast to Nancy who seems pleased to see Bill, as she utters “It is you Bill” with an “expression of pleasure”. Furthermore, Bill then strikes Nancy, leaving her “blinded with blood”. This violent imagery used by Dickens shows us that the attack is brutal and merciless. Finally, when Nancy falls “on her knees”, Bill strikes her again and kills her. The heavenly imagery of Nancy “on her knees” with a “white handkerchief” makes her seem angelic or saint-like. This makes the attack seem all the more brutal to the reader as Nancy is presented as a helpless victim, therefore emphasizing Sikes’ villainous nature. Methods used by the writer Comment on the effect on the reader How is Bill Sikes presented as a villain in this extract? You can structure your answer in this way: 1. Write your topic sentence about Bill Sikes. 2. Introduce and provide the quotation. 3. Explain what the quotation shows us about Bill Sikes. Consider connotations of words or any comparisons which have been made. Challenge: Can you comment on how Nancy’s character is used in contrast to Bill’s? Dickens presents Bill sikes as a villain in this extract by… In the phrase “__________”, we can see that Bill is… The word ______ has connotations of… and therefore tells us… This invites the reader to think/feel/consider… Plenary • To what extent is Oliver Twist a novel of contrasts? How does this link to what we have learnt today? • Discuss the above question with the person next to you, using at least 2 of the words from our key vocabulary: victim, villain, vulnerable and naïve.
