English Language and Literature Prelim Lesson:
Investigating Language Use in
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’
• Combined (English Language and
Literature
• Combination of linguistic and literary
terminology
• What is the difference between two approaches?
• Linguistic – features of language using specific
terminology
(The mechanics of language generally)
• Literary – focus on literature using lexicon of
poetry, drama and literary prose (i.e. novel and
short story)
• (Ways of interpreting and analysing texts written
with an ‘artistic’ aim)
Divide these into literary and linguistic:
• Noun, modality, narrative, pronoun, low
frequency lexis, alliteration, semantics,
symbolism.
Linguistic:
• Semantics
• Low Frequency
Lexis
• Noun
• Modality
• Syntax
Literary:
• Symbolism
• Narrative
• Alliteration
• Setting
• Title: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ – any reference
to other literature in this title?
• Any sense of what it might be about?
• Do you have any questions at this stage?
• First section is called ‘Night’ and is divided,
like other sections, into chapters.
• What might this sub-heading suggest to the
reader just before beginning to read the
novel?
• Any other ways of partitioning texts?
As we read through the first chapter you will feed back on the
following areas:
•
•
•
•
•
Setting
Use of syntactical variation
Pronoun and verb use
Semantic fields
Symbolism
In pairs, you will be given one of these to feed back on but
first we will read this section…
Spend five minutes doing the following with
your allotted linguistic or literary focus:
• Select three quotations that you feel are
relevant to your area.
• For each one, be able to explain how, as an
example of your focus, it contributes to the
opening as a whole.
• Power is an important idea in this novel. Try
to connect all your findings to this.
• Feedback your best example to begin with –
we’ll do the others if time!
• Summary of how the following areas
contribute to a piece of writing:
• Setting
• Use of syntactical variation
• Pronoun use
• Semantic fields
• Symbolism
• Bridging Task – to be handed in first lesson in September
How is language used to present the idea of power in two
chapters of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ at least one of which should
be from the second half of the novel?
You could take the following areas into account:
•
Presentation of time
•
Use of syntactic variation
•
Verb use in establishing a sense of hierarchy
•
Naming of roles
Word count – 1000-1500 words