The Fat Boy
Owen Marshall
Complete the following:
1. List all aspects of the fat boy as
mentioned in the story
2. Draw the fat boy as the villagers describe
him, label each part
3. Who was affected by the fat boy? What
did he do?
4. The fat boy doesn’t really exist.
True or false? Give reasons and
examples to support your answer
SPELLING and DEFINITIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Enquiring
Nourishment
Outsider
Harbinger
Loitered
Hoarded
Malevolent
8. Knack
9. Effrontery
10. Cavernous
11. Vigilante
12. Stolid
13. Converge
14. Sly
The Fat Boy – is he real?
The Fat Boy –
a symbol?
- conscience,
outsider
TASK: Skim through the story and pick one
paragraph that deals with something the fat
boy supposedly did. Discuss in groups how it
is suggested that it is NOT the fat boy.
Paragraph practice
Using your information about ways it is
suggested that the fat boy doesn’t exist, in
your books, write a paragraph in NCEA
style explaining this
The fat boy doesn’t exist. The author uses
(technique) to (what does the technique do?)
For example (insert quote/s)
By using this technique we know… (discuss
how it shows the fat boy not being real)
Techniques: connotations, suggestive words, direct speech,
omniscient narrative
The Fat Boy – a symbol?
How might the fat boy be a symbol
of the villagers’ conscience?
Re-cap: The Characters…
 The fat boy (blamed for…)
 Railway workers (steal…)
 Mr McNulty (guilty of arson – burns…)
 New Worker at McNulty's (thinks the fat boy…)
 Mrs Denzil (m…)
 Nigel Lammerton (beat…)
 Deptuty Mayor (tells…)
 Melanie Lamb (raped by… and…)
 Music Teacher (rapes…)
 IHC Children (smile…)
 Artie Compeyson (drowns…)
The Messages?
What is Owen Marshall trying to tell us
in his story about The Fat Boy?
When answering think about:
The role the fat boy plays
The events that take place
The villagers
Formal Writing DRAFTING
Recently in the news there was the following
heading:
Young People Used as Scapegoats
Task: Write a letter to the Editor of the NZ Herald.
You either agree or disagree with this heading.
Your letter should include 3 points (why you
agree/disagree) and each point should be
explained using real life evidence (things you
know that have happened/proof of argument).