Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
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AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void Joe Simpson GCSE English Literature Study & Revision Pack Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 1 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Unit 1 – Exploring Modern Texts: What do I need to know? Unit 1 ‐ Outline In this unit you will study two modern texts and one that will require you to explore a culture different from your own. On this exam paper, the word ‘modern’ means any text that was written after 1945. When you study your texts for Unit 1, you will look at three different areas: • Ideas, themes and issues • Characterisation • Settings But one very important area you must never forget is to think about how the writer uses language and structure to build their text. Unit 1 – the Exam The key information about the Unit 1 is as follows: • You will have 1 hour 30 minutes to complete the tasks. • Two sections to complete. • Section A on your modern text. • Section B on your text from other cultures. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 2 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Unit 1 – The Assessment Objectives Assessment Objectives are the things that your teacher and the examiner want you to be able to do when you write your answers on the Unit 1 exam. You can see the Assessment Objectives for Unit 1 in the table below ASSESSMENT WHAT IS IT ASKING FOR? OBJECTIVE Respond critically and IN STUDENT‐SPEAK • imaginatively; select and AO1 evaluate relevant textual detail ideas about the texts. • Use and comment on to illustrate and support quotations to support your interpretations ideas. Explain how language, structure AO2 Come up with your own • Write about features of and form contribute to writers’ language and structure that presentation of ideas, themes you think are effective. and settings. • Explain how the use of language links to the ideas that the writer is trying to explore in the text. Relate texts to their social, AO4 • Say how the text has been cultural and historical contexts; influenced by the time in explain how texts have been which it was written. influential and significant to self and other readers in different • Explain how texts have had an influence on their readers. contexts and at different times. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 3 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Annotating your copy of Touching the Void Annotating means making notes on a book, play or poem. This is a very important skill because you only have limited space and you need whatever you write to be clear and convey the most meaning in the smallest number of words. Also, you have to remember that you may make an annotation in September which you don’t then look at again until December! So, making the right kinds of annotations is very important. If your teacher will allow you to annotate your text, you should do it like the example below. I was lying in my sleeping bag, staring at the light filtering through the red and green fabric Emphasis on colour – contrast to setting of snow covered mountain. of the dome tent. Simon was snoring loudly, occasionally twitching in his dream world. We could have been anywhere. There is a peculiar anonymity about being in tents. Once the zip is locked and the outside world barred from site, all sense of location disappears. Scotland, the French Alps, the Karakoram, it was always the same. The sound of rustling, fabric flapping in the wind, Shows the sense of isolation that they feel. This place is somewhere they have no connections or anything to relate to. Shows that the place is disorientating. They have no sense of place here. or of rainfall, the feel of hard lumps under the ground sheet, the smell of rancid socks and sweat – these are universals, as comforting as the warmth of the down sleeping bag. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 4 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Plot Overview Touching the Void tells the powerful story of two climbers – Joe Simpson and Simon Yates – and their expedition to climb the daunting west face of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. The story follows the men as they attempt this daring feat for the first time; no other climbers have ever endeavoured to climb the Siula Grande. Amongst their fellow mountaineers, if the men were successful, this would be considered a massive achievement. Joe and Simon overcome significant obstacles on the first few days of their expedition, including snowstorms and dangerous terrain, to arrive at the summit on day three of their trip. When the men stand at the summit they are effectively four miles above sea level; an incredible achievement. However, as the men attempt their descent down the dangerous North Ridge, disaster strikes the mountaineers when Joe falls and breaks his leg. In an attempt to rescue Simpson using a complicated rope manoeuvre, Yates inadvertently lowers Simpson off a cliff. In order to save himself from near‐ certain death, Yates is forced to cut the rope joining them together. Simpson wakes to find himself on a small ledge. He assumes – rightly – that Yates will think he is dead. In turn, Simpson must find his own way back to safety and proceeds to crawl, walk and struggle back to the base camp. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 5 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Narrative – Revision Questions 1. What is the location for the action of Touching the Void? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why is climbing Siula Grande such an important challenge for the two men? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. How many days does it take the men to reach the summit? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Exactly how far above sea‐level is the summit of the mountain? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Siula Grande forms part of which mountain range? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What is the name of the ridge that the men attempt their descent from? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 6 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson 7. What are the bones that Joe breaks when he injures himself? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Where does Simon spend the night following his separation from Joe? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 9. When Joe wakes up, what does he assume Simon will think about him? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 10. How does Joe get a sense that he is on the right track when he heads back to camp? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Why does Simon become angry when he returns to Base Camp? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 12. In the final chapter, describe Joe’s feelings towards Simon. ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 7 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Getting into Touching the Void To help you find your way into the novel, use the Internet to do some research on the topics in the boxes below. Record your findings. The Author – Joe Simpson The Setting – Siula Grande The Real Life Characters Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 8 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void: Engaging with the novel’s ideas… As you probably already know, Touching the Void is a novel about an adventure that goes seriously wrong. To help you begin to empathise with the characters and their situation, complete the tasks below. Brainstorm everything you know about the story so far – think about what happens, who is in it, when and where it is set… Think about a time when you have faced adversity, explain to a friend how you reacted…how did you cope? With your partner, discuss an adventure that you have undertaken – where was it? What happened? What were the risks involved? What makes a good adventure story? Make a list of the key features and explain why each one is important. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 9 Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Key Character Quotations _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Key Themes Key Characters _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Key Events in Chapter ____________________________________ AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Keeping Track: Chapter by Chapter 10 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Chapter 1: Beneath the Mountain Lakes The opening chapter of the novel is key to our understanding of why Simon and Joe decide to climb the mountain in the first place. The vivid descriptions of the mountain give the reader a clear sense of their amazement at this natural wonder. In the space below, draw your impression of the mountain as it is described and label it with quotations to show how you came to see the mountain in this way. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 11 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Chapter 1: Beneath the Mountain Lakes (Enlarge to A3) In the early parts of the text, Joe describes each of the previous summit attempts and the problems associated with them. He is making us as the reader aware of these failed attempts in order to build tension in anticipation of their climb. Complete the table below identifying the problems that arose with each of the attempts to climb to the summit. In the final column explain how this helps to build tension. Attempt Problems How is tension created? _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 12 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Chapter 1: Beneath the Mountain Lakes – Getting to know the characters (Enlarge to A3) In the opening chapter we learn a lot about Joe and Simon. Work in pairs to complete the venn diagram below to show their similarities and differences. Add quotations to the chart to support your ideas. Joe Simon Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 13 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Chapter 1: Beneath the Mountain Lakes – Extension Activities 1. Imagine that you are Joe or Simon, write a letter from the base‐camp to your family explaining the scene at Siula Grande. 2. Imagine that you are a TV producer who is accompanying Joe and Simon on their trip – work with other students to script and perform a news broadcast at the beginning of their expedition. 3. Based on the information in this chapter, produce a guide for climbers entitled ‘Preparing to Climb Siula Grande’. Your guide should be informative and appropriate for your audience. Touching the Void: The Characters 1. Complete the character profiles Joe Simpson, Simon Yates & Richard Hawkings. 2. Use adjectives to describe them. 3. Add quotations to support your ideas. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 14 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Character Profile – Joe Simpson (Enlarge to A3) Who is Joe Simpson? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ __________________ What is Joe’s role in the novel? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ How does the writer create Joe’s character? Point Explain & Analyse Evidence (quote) _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ My personal response to Joe ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 15 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Character Profile – Simon Yates (Enlarge to A3) Who is Simon Yates? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________ What is Simon’s role in the novel? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ How does the writer create Simon’s character? Point Explain & Analyse Evidence (quote) _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ My personal response to Simon ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 16 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Character Profile – Richard Hawkings (Enlarge to A3) Who is Richard Hawkings? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________ What is Richards’s role in the novel? ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ How does the writer create Richard’s character? Point Explain & Analyse Evidence (quote) _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ My personal response to Richard ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 17 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Character Extension Task ‐ Keeping Track: Joe and Simon’s Relationship Consider the relationship between Joe and Simon and how it develops and changes through the novel. Copy and complete the table below to show the changes. Chapter What is the same? What is different? _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 18 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Character Extension Tasks 1. Which of the two characters do you most relate to and why? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What are the key differences between Simon and Joe, and how does this generate tension and interest in the novel? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Think about the novel as a whole. How do the interactions of the characters help to develop the narrative? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 19 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson 4. What do the periods of time when the characters are alone reveal about their personalities? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 20 Location Events Importance Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _____________________ _____________________ ____ _____________________ _____________________ ____ ____ _____________________ _______________________ _____________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Chapter Number Setting in Touching the Void AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Keeping Track: Setting (Enlarge to A3) One of the key characters of the novel is, in a sense, the setting of the novel. It is the unforgiving nature of the setting that causes Joe and Simon to end up in the precarious situation at the heart of the novel. Complete the table below to show the location, events and their importance in each chapter 21 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Keeping Track: Specific Settings Using the specific key settings listed below, complete the tables to show their significance in the novel. Base Camp Siula Grande The North Ridge The Summit Joe’s Crevasse Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 22 Chapter Number(s) Which events take place here? What does the setting signify & symbolise? Textual Evidence Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Specific Settings: Siula Grande _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Location AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson 23 Chapter Number(s) Which events take place here? What does the setting signify & symbolise? Textual Evidence Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Specific Settings: Base Camp _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Location AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson 24 Chapter Number(s) Which events take place here? What does the setting signify & symbolise? Textual Evidence Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Specific Settings: The North Ridge _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Location AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson 25 Chapter Number(s) Which events take place here? What does the setting signify & symbolise? Textual Evidence Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Specific Settings: The Summit _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Location AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson 26 Chapter Number(s) Which events take place here? What does the setting signify & symbolise? Textual Evidence Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Specific Settings: Joe’s Crevasse _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ Location AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson 27 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void: Setting – Extension Questions 1. Why do you think that the Peruvian Andes is an effective setting for a novel about survival and despair? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2. How do you think Simpson has used the different settings to structure the novel? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ 3. In Chapter 7, Joe’s descriptions of the crevasse focus very heavily on the ‘darkness’ and ‘black spaces’ surrounding him. How and why is this effective? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 28 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void: Themes There are five key themes that you need to understand. However, towards the end of this section, some more complex themes are explored. To give yourself the opportunity to achieve the higher grades, you will want to make sure that you think about them and how they relate to other ideas in the novel. The key themes of the novel are shown below. In the spaces provided, try to explain what you think each one refers to in the novel. THEME EXPLANATION Adventure ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ The Wilderness ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Isolation ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Rescue ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Hope ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 29 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Themes in Touching the Void – Adventure (Enlarge to A3) Use this worksheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. Man’s Thirst for Adventure – Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Adventure One of the central motivations for Simon and Joe appears to be their determination to conquer one of the most treacherous mountains in the world. This is a mountain, after all, that no other mountaineer has endeavoured to climb. Simpson uses this idea to explore the theme of adventure throughout the novel. When tragedy strikes and Joe is left alone, stranded and injured, it brings the idea of adventure clearly into focus: were the two men too ambitious? Were they stupid to attempt such an endeavour? Or is there something far more fundamental that drives man’s determination to tackle nature’s challenges? The Triumph of Adventure – Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ The Dangers of Adventure – Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _______________________ 30 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Keeping Track: Themes in Touching the Void – Adventure (Enlarge to A3) In the table below is a section for each of the chapters where the theme of adventure is explored. For each chapter you need to identify and make a note of three quotations that show the theme. In the final column, explain how the quotations you have recorded show the theme. THE THEME OF ADVENTURE CHAPTER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF ADVENTURE? QUOTATION _________________________ _________________________ Beneath the Mountain Lakes _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Tempting Fate _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Storm at the Summit _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ A Land Without Pity _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 31 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Themes in Touching the Void – The Wilderness (Enlarge to A3) Use this worksheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. The Brutality of the Wilderness – Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ The Wilderness One of the most haunting aspects of the novel is the way that the characters, at different points in the novel, are forced to confront the loneliness of the environment around them. Indeed, they are not faced with just the loneliness, but also the vicious and, at times, aggressive nature of their surroundings. In turn, the wilderness, its power and brutality are central ideas at the heart of the novel. Overcoming the Wilderness – Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ The Mystery of the _______________________ Wilderness ‐ Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 32 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Keeping Track: Themes in Touching the Void – The Wilderness (Enlarge to A3) In the table below is a section for each of the chapters where the theme of the wilderness is explored. For each chapter you need to identify and make a note of three quotations that show the theme. In the final column, explain how the quotations you have recorded show the theme. THE THEME OF ADVENTURE CHAPTER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF WILDERNESS? QUOTATION _________________________ _________________________ Tempting Fate _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Storm at the Summit _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ On the Edge _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Disaster _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 33 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Themes in Touching the Void – Isolation (Enlarge to A3) Use this worksheet to collect quotations about the theme explored in the central box. The Terror of Isolation – Key Quotations _______________________ Isolation The characters in the novel spend some of their most Overcoming Isolation – Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ terrifying moments alone on _______________________ _______________________ the mountain. As they face _______________________ _______________________ near certain death, they are _______________________ _______________________ alone. This is an effective _______________________ _______________________ way for Simpson to create tension because it asks the _______________________ audience to think about how _______________________ we might find the strength _______________________ to survive horrific _______________________ circumstances with only _______________________ _______________________ ourselves for support. _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ The Mental Effects of Isolation – Key Quotations _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ _______________________ 34 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Keeping Track: Themes in Touching the Void – Isolation (Enlarge to A3) In the table below is a section for each of the chapters where the theme of isolation is explored. For each chapter you need to identify and make a note of three quotations that show the theme. In the final column, explain how the quotations you have recorded show the theme. THE THEME OF ADVENTURE CHAPTER HOW DOES THIS SHOW THE THEME OF ISOLATION? QUOTATION _________________________ _________________________ On the Edge _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Disaster _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Shadows in the Ice _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Silent Witness _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 35 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Themes in Touching the Void – Rescue & Hope Work in groups of four to compile pairs of revision worksheets like the ones above for the themes of ‘Rescue’ and ‘Hope’. Then, work in pairs to identify and make a note of key quotations for both themes. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 36 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Language in Touching the Void • Simpson uses a range of techniques in the text. FEATURE OF LANGUAGE EXAMPLE FROM THE TEXT EFFECT Vivid description Sensory description Subject Specific Language Motivational Language Impact Sentences Direct Speech Internal Dialogue • Some of them are listed in the table below. • Complete the table below for each of the features. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 37 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Simpson’s Use of Language in Touching the Void • Look at each of the quotations below. • Highlight the features of language that you can find. • Write a paragraph explaining the effects of Simpson’s language. “We could have been anywhere.” Feature Effect on the Reader? Why is Simpson’s language use effective in this example? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ “It feels menacingly remote and exhilarating at the same time… no hordes of climbers, no helicopters, no rescue – just us and the mountains.” Feature Effect on the Reader? Why is Simpson’s language use effective in this example? ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 38 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Simpson’s Use of Language in Touching the Void “Simon was coming up, hitting hard, ice splintering down below him, hitting hard and strong… head down, hitting, hopping, on past me and up without a word.” Feature Effect on the Reader? Why is Simpson’s language use effective in this example? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ “Hit hard. Hit again ‐ that’s it, now the hammer. Look at your feet… no time to answer. This way is wrong. Damn, damn! Feature Effect on the Reader? Why is Simpson’s language use effective in this example? ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 39 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Simpson’s Use of Language in Touching the Void “I was standing on an open face with a drop of nearly 4000 feet below me and felt very unnerved by the exposure. There was a long gap of unprotected rope between me and Simon…his anchor was his axes buried in the snow, and I knew all too well how useless these would be if I made a mistake.” Feature Effect on the Reader? Why is Simpson’s language use effective in this example? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ “We had a silent agreement. We both knew the truth…I was injured and unlikely to survive. Simon could down alone…I remained silent, but it was no longer for fear of losing control.” Feature Effect on the Reader? Why is Simpson’s language use effective in this example? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 40 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void – Exam Preparation What do I need to know about the Unit 1 Examination? Time Allowed 1 hour 30 minutes How many questions? Two: one from Section A and one from Section B Touching the Void is in Section A How many marks? 30 marks Am I allowed my book? Yes – but it must be clear of all annotations Understanding the Mark Scheme To get a C you must To get an A* you must Focus on the question. Use effective quotations to prove your points. Explain the effects of language on the reader. Include a range of points in your answer. Keep the focus on the question all the way until the end of your answer. Write with insight – get to the core of what the writer is trying to say. Use quotation analytically. Make evaluative comments on language / structure. Suggest different interpretations of the text. Other things to remember! Re‐read the novel several times before the examination. Keep thinking about quotations that you could use in your answer. Try and think of a range of points you could use in your answer. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 41 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void – Sample Response (C) • • • Look at the sample response below. Using the C grade descriptors, identify which of those qualities it demonstrates. The response is on the question below. Choose a passage that is particularly tense. Write about: • • what is tense in the passage; the methods that Simpson uses to create tension. Annotation One of the most tense parts of the book is in Chapter 1, Beneath the Mountain Lakes. At one point Simpson writes ‘It feels menacingly remote and exhilarating at the same time…no helicopters, no rescue – just us and the mountains.” This is a very effective quotation because it helps to build tension for the reader. The reason why this quotation builds tension is because it gives us the impression that Joe and Simon are alone and abandoned in the Andes. The sentence ‘no helicopters, no rescue’ is very effective because he repeats the word ‘no’ which makes us realise that if anything goes wrong that there is no one there to help or save them. This quotation creates tension for the reader because we realise that the two men are alone on the mountains attempting to achieve something that no other mountaineer has ever attempted. We quickly realise that the men are in serious danger. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 42 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void – Sample Response (A*) • • • Look at the sample response below. Using the A* grade descriptors, identify which of those qualities it demonstrates. The response is on the question below. Choose a passage that is particularly tense. Write about: • • what is tense in the passage; the methods that Simpson uses to create tension. Annotation Simpson creates tension in the novel from the first chapter; he evokes the climbers’ sense of isolation and separation from all that they know. He writes ‘It feels menacingly remote and exhilarating at the same time…no helicopters, no rescue – just us and the mountains.” It is clear that while the sense of isolation is, in a sense, a threat to them, the threat itself is exciting and a reason to undertake the climb. This is an interesting opposition, almost as if the men find the idea that they are in danger a thrill. This, perhaps, is Simpson’s way of exploring the nature of adventure; he suggests to the reader that it is only when we are forced to the extremes of the natural world that we are forced to face the extremes within ourselves. It is, Simpson, appears to suggest the point at which we overcome these extremes that we have truly prevailed over all that life has to offer. Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 43 AQA GCSE English Literature 2010 Unit 1, Section A: Exploring modern texts Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Touching the Void – Planning a Response (Enlarge to A3) Choose a passage from the book that creates tension. Write about: • • what creates tension in the passage; the methods that Simpson uses to create tension. Use the diagram below to plan your essay and remember to include: • Points • Quotations • Comments on the effects of language Introduction Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2 Paragraph 3 Conclusion Copyright © 2011 TES English www.tes.co.uk/tesenglish 44
