Lesson video

Hello, and thank you for joining me for today's English lesson.

Now, today is a very special lesson because we have the writer of "Leave Taking", Winsome Pinnock, talking to us about her characters and giving us some amazing insights as to how she created the characters, how she feels about them, and really helping us to develop our understanding of those.

So, are you ready to get started? Great, then let's go.

In this lesson, you will use Winsome Pinnock's insights to explore and develop your understanding of the characters in "Leave Taking".

But before we delve into the lesson, let's look at those all-important keywords.

Now, you may see some of these words in the slide deck as we go through, but also keep your ears listening 'cause you will hear Winsome Pinnock using some of these words too.

And those words are hostile, discrimination, resistance, assert, and circumspect.

Now, hostile is about being unfriendly, threatening, or unwelcome.

Discrimination is the unfair or negative treatment of someone because of their race, gender, religion, or another part of their identity.

And we hear Winsome Pinnock talk about her own experiences of discrimination in one of the videos.

Resistance is about fighting back against something unfair or trying to stop something you disagree with.

And assert is to speak or act confidently so people know what you think or who you are.

And then this is a word that Winsome Pinnock used, circumspect is to be wary and unwilling to take risks.

And she uses this word to describe the character Enid, so listen out for that.

So this is the outline of our lesson.

We're going to begin by looking at characters and having some insights of those with Winsome Pinnock.

Then we're going to move on to look at the conflict and relationships between characters before moving on to character development.

So let's get started with those character insights.

So, in this first video, you are going to watch Winsome Pinnock talk about the character Enid.

After the video, you will need to answer the following questions.

Why does Pinnock say her feelings about Enid change as she wrote the play? And list two things Pinnock identifies that explain why Enid acts the way she does.

So gather what you need to watch the videos and complete the tasks, because I'm about to press play now.

<v ->I started the play thinking that,</v> really, I was writing about these two young girls, because obviously I was young when I wrote the play, and I was on the side of the girls.

If there was a conflict in the play, I would be on the side of these young girls.

And then, as I started to write the play and explore Enid, and I was thinking about her, all of my sympathy started to go into her.

I started to understand her more and her predicament and to really care about her, and to understand that her stance, as it were, like the things she says to her daughters, are all about ensuring that they can live in a society that might be hostile to them.

So she's preparing them for the harsh reality of life as young black women.

Because when I was growing up in the UK, sometimes it was really tough.

There was quite a lot of racism.

You could walk around London and you could be sometimes surrounded by graffiti that expressed that hostility.

So there'd be signs like KBW, which meant Keep Britain White.

I remember that up the Caledonian Road, there was this white wall with this graffiti on it.

So you'd be surrounded by all this hostility and also the sort of aggression of that would come ever closer into your space, because where I was growing up, I grew up on a council housing estate and that kind of graffiti would be outside your door.

You could wake up one morning and find it outside your door, so somehow you had to live with that, somehow you had to find the strength, as a very young person, to assert yourself and just kind of carry on while this- I think, you know, that this quite heavy thing was, or racism or discrimination was being enforced on you.

So that's what Enid is dealing with, that knowledge.

Her daughters don't really understand yet that this is the world they're going into, or they believe they're strong enough to withstand it.

And so she has a fear that they may succumb to it and that they need every resource possible to be able to survive.

And, for her, one of those resources is education, is just to, you know, do well.

So her goal, in a way, is to protect her daughters, and that's why she goes to visit Mai.

She's seeking as much help as she can for them.

<v ->Okay, great.

Thank you for listening so attentively,</v> and now it is over to you to complete those questions.

Pause the video, and off you go.

Okay, great.

Let's see how Sam answered the first question.

So Sam says that, "Pinnock says her feelings changed because, as she wrote, she began to understand Enid's experiences more deeply.

At first, she sided with the daughters, but when she explored Enid's past and her reasons for being strict, she felt sympathy for her and realized Enid was trying to protect her daughters from a harsh and racist society." I think that's a really lovely answer from Sam, and I really found it interesting about how Pinnock described her changing relationship with Enid through the writing process, and also many years later when she looked back.

So that was really a great insight for me.

So I'd like you to discuss now, is there anything that you can add to Sam's response? Pause the video to discuss that question now.

Okay, and here is how Andeep answered the second task.

Here is what he's listed.

"Pinnock talks about growing up surrounded by racism, including hostile graffiti, which shows how threatening the environment was.

And she explains that young Black people had to develop strength early just to survive racism, which helps us understand why Enid pushes her daughters to work hard and prepare for a difficult world." So what I would like you to discuss now, please, is how might Pinnock's description of her own experience, own experiences, help us understand Enid's hopes and fears? So pause the video to discuss that question, off you go.

Thank you.

And now we have a multiple-choice question.

So you will need to decide whether the answer is A, B, C, or D.

So here's your question.

According to Pinnock, why does Enid push her daughters to work hard and prepare for life in society? Pause the video to come up with your answer now.

Okay, are we ready? Everyone got an answer? Fantastic, and well done to everyone that said C.

She believes education will help them survive a hostile society.

(mouse clicking) So now let's watch the next video, and here Winsome Pinnock talks about the character Del.

When you have finished watching the video, I want you to answer the following questions.

Number one, what type of character is Del according to Pinnock? And number two, what inspired Pinnock to write this type of character? Okay, so get ready, because I'm going to press play now.

<v ->Del is the rebel and the rebel daughter.

</v> And so the conflict is really between her and her mother.

They're similar in some ways in that they're both up for a fight with each other, really, but they both have very strong ideas about what they want in relation to each other.

What was really lovely to write with Del was that, while she's this rebel, she's also quite vulnerable.

There's a vulnerable side to her, and you see that sometimes in the play.

Anyone who's a rebel is great to write, actually, because they have this sort of energy about them.

And there's a bit in the play where Del kicks off.

I quite like it because you don't often see young women kicking off in plays.

And there's something about that, a dramatic energy that comes from that.

And that comes directly from plays I saw when I was young, like "The Taming of the Shrew", the beginning of that play where the shrew's this really very angry, fiery character who's later tamed, unfortunately, but I was taken by that as a young person.

And also the other play I saw when I was young was "St.

Joan", this woman who led a rebel army.

So Del's kind of, to some degree, influenced by those kinds of characters.

But, yeah, she was really interesting to write.

<v ->And now we have watched the video,</v> you need to answer those two questions.

So pause the video to get those done, off you go.

(mouse clicking) Great, thank you, everyone.

So here is how Sophia and Lucas answered those questions.

So Sophia says that, "Dell is described as a rebel.

Pinnock says she's fiery and full of energy, which makes her exciting to write.

She also has a vulnerable side, which you can sometimes see in the play." It's a really lovely answer from Sophia.

And Lucas has said that, "Pinnock was inspired by rebellious characters she saw in plays when she was young, like 'The Taming of the Shrew' and 'St.

Joan', who leads a rebel army.

She liked the energy and drama these characters had, and this influenced how she wrote Del." I loved hearing Pinnock talk about her influences, and it really made me see some of the characters in a different light 'cause you can almost see those influences happening, and I really loved that insight.

(mouse clicking) So I'd now like you to discuss where in the play can we see the influences and idea Pinnock describes in Del's character.

So think about some specific moments that you have explored in the play so far.

Pause the video to discuss that question, off you go.

(mouse clicking) And now it is true or false time.

So, true or false.

Pinnock says vulnerability makes her less exciting to write compared to other rebellious characters.

Hmm, is that true or false? Pause the video to come up with your answer now.

Well done to everyone that said that was false, but you need to explain why that statement is false.

So pause the video, and we will share an answer in a moment.

Off you go.

(mouse clicking) Okay, so hopefully you have something similar to this answer.

Pinnock explains that Del's vulnerability adds complexity to her character, making her more engaging and dynamic to write rather than less exciting.

So that's why the statement is false.

It balances her fiery, rebellious energy with emotional depth.

(mouse clicking) So in this next video we're going to watch Winsome Pinnock talk about the character Viv.

When we have finished watching the video, you are going to list three things Pinnock says about Viv's character.

So be listening out for some ideas whilst you are watching the video.

I'm going to press play now.

<v ->Viv is the studious one, (chuckles)</v> but then she reveals that she too has a rebellious side, and I dunno whether she's just copying Del, she's trying to be cool like Del when she, you know, skips her exam.

Someone reminded me the other day that Viv is, you know, planning to go to university, that that in those days was quite unusual.

For example, when I went to Goldsmiths to study English and drama, in the year that I studied, on my course I was the only young Black woman in that year, in my year.

So it would've been similar for Viv, it would've been- And, actually, at that time, not as many people went to university in general.

It was quite a small percentage of the population compared to, you know, the fact that it's very common for most people to get a degree these days.

And when I went, it really wasn't.

So Viv would be, you know, quite unusual in, you know, planning to go to university in those days, so I suppose- And she's also curious, or she's more academic than Del but she's also searching for something.

And in that, she wants to understand her mother's past and her own past.

And it's interesting that Brod introduces her to her history, and she thinks that's important.

<v ->Okay, and now it is over to you</v> to list three things Pinnock says about Viv's character.

Pause the video to get that done, off you go.

Okay, let's see what three things Jacob listed.

So Jacob says that, "Viv is studious and plans to go to university, which was unusual at the time.

That she has a rebellious side, for example, when she skips her exam.

That she is curious and wants to understand her mother and her own past." So thinking about Jacob's ideas, your own ideas, and ideas from the video, where in the play do we see the traits Pinnock describes in Viv? So think about those specific moments where we see those traits described by Pinnock.

Pause the video to get discussing.

And now we need to answer the following question.

According to Winsome Pinnock, which of the following best describes Viv in "Leave Taking"? Is the answer A, B, C, or D? Pause the video and come up with your answer now.

Who feels like they've got the right answer? Lots of you? Fantastic.

Well done to everyone that said D.

She's studious, curious about her mother and her own past, and sometimes shows a rebellious side.

So here we are, we have reached our first practice task.

So we're going to use the grid to help us complete this task.

So I'd like you, please, to identify one important insight Pinnock shared about each character, and then I'd like you to explain how it has changed or reinforced your understanding of them.

So think about everything that you've discussed, all of your answers, and the videos that we've watched to really help you write some really good responses in these grids.

Okay, so have you got everything you need to complete the task? Great.

In that case, you'll need to pause the video, and we'll share some answers in a moment.

So Izzy has shared her grid with us, so let's look at how Izzy answered these questions.

So Izzy's first insight for Enid is that, "She pushes her daughters to succeed, to protect them from a hostile society." And Izzy said that this made her feel more sympathetic and understand her strictness.

I think that's a really lovely explanation from Izzy and something that I definitely felt as well when I watched the videos.

I definitely feel much more sympathetic towards Enid.

For Del, Izzy said that, "Dell is rebellious and strong-willed but also vulnerable." And for Izzy, this has made her see her as more than a troublemaker and understand her conflicts with her mother.

And for Viv, Izzy said that the insight that she picked was that she's studious and ambitious, yet curious about her past and family.

And this, for Izzy, her explanation is, "Pinnock also suggests she can be rebellious, and this made her see her as more daring and independent." And this is a really fantastic grid from Izzy because it really shows how she's taken these insights on, and it's really developed her own personal ideas around the characters.

So thinking about your own grids, I'd like you to discuss, please, to what extent do you agree with Izzy and why.

Pause the video to get those questions discussed.

Off you go.

Well done, everyone.

Excellent work so far.

And we are now moving on to think about the conflict and relationships between characters.

So in this next video you are going to watch Winsome Pinnock discuss intergenerational conflict.

When we have finished watching the video, I would like you to answer the following questions.

Number one, what does Pinnock say about Enid's hopes and ideas for her children and for England? And number two, what differences does Pinnock highlight between the older and younger generations? So remember, think about these questions as you are watching those videos.

So are we ready to go? Great, because I'm about to press play now.

<v ->Enid has a very different idea</v> to everyone else in the play.

She's very loyal to this idea of Britain, or holding onto this idea of what it represents for her children and for herself.

It represents a kind of freedom or opportunity for her, and certainly opportunities for her kids.

She thinks that they're going to be able to be educated and make interesting lives for themselves.

If I think about myself, I guess to some degree that I'm what Enid thinks might happen to her child, you know, play at the national whatever, that's sort of, you know, a play that's 40 years old that's still talked about to some degree.

I think that the vision that they have, or that Enid has, that England will give her this opportunity, will open this up for her, but more specifically for her children.

And the others, they don't quite believe that.

They are more aware of the challenges and of the hostile environment that they're thrust into, that they're placed into and having to resist, fight against.

When I was growing up, there was this idea that the older generation were really passive and accepting of an idea of a sort of good immigrant that was being imposed on them.

And that the younger generation, they didn't care about this idea of being a good immigrant, that they were going to resist whatever hostility they found.

And there was this idea that the old and young were in conflict because of this, because young people were rebelling, was speaking up, and it seemed as though the older generation were quietly getting on with things, accepting the status quo, not wanting to make too much noise.

And so that's the heart of the conflict.

It's not entirely true that that's the case, though, because people have always resisted discrimination, and that generation was also once young.

So they were the- you know, were in the late '50 they were attacked physically because they were black and discriminated against, they fought against that.

You know, it may not seem that way but they rebelled, not rebelled, 'cause it's not- they resisted it, they made their voices heard.

You know, because actually from that generation came things like the first black newspapers, the Notting Hill Carnival which people have to remember is actually a demonstration.

That carnival is like a sort of, it's a protest march, it's a proclamation of existence, of being rooted in a particular space.

You know, it's making presence known, you know, it's asserting a presence.

It's a political, or its beginnings were political.

It was formed as a reaction to anti-black violence and murder.

And so that carnival was about cultures coming together.

So, you know, so the uniting and resisting this racism, so the idea that that generation were, you know, passive is misguided.

But nevertheless, that was kind of, you know, one of the ideas that was around at the time and that I was working with.

I think one thing that would be interesting to think about is how does Enid resist? In what ways is she rebellious as well? In what way does she not actually just passively accept what's imposed on her? And, in fact, her actual, you know, flight, if you like, to the UK demonstrates that to some degree, you know, she's going against her own mother's advice.

She's doing what she wants to do and, you know, just running away, basically, running away from home in the same way that Del does.

<v ->And now it is over to you to answer those questions.

</v> So pause the video to give yourself time to do that.

Off you go.

Thank you, everyone, for your engagement in these.

It's really, really great.

So let's see how Aisha and Jun answer to those questions.

So for that first question, Aisha says, "Enid sees England as a place of freedom and possibility." Absolutely, "And she wants her children to succeed and make interesting lives for themselves." Yep, I think Pinnock definitely talks about that.

And then for Jun, in that second question, he has said that, "Pinnock says older people were seen as passive while the younger generation resisted racism more openly.

She reminds us that the older generation made their voices heard through events like the Notting Hill Carnival, showing different approaches to surviving and asserting themselves." And I think it's really lovely what Pinnock talks about here and really offers a kind of interesting perspective on that intergenerational conflict.

So thinking about that, I'd like you to discuss, please, do Pinnock's comments make you reconsider your view of Enid? Why or why not? Pause the video to give yourself time to discuss.

Off you go.

So true or false time.

Here we go.

So is this statement true or false? Pinnock explains that the older generation were completely passive and did not resist racism.

Pause the video and come up with whether that is true or false.

Well done to everyone that said false, but you need to explain why that statement is false, and we'll share an answer in a moment.

Pause the video now.

Okay, so actually Pinnock disagrees with this view, and she says that actually, for her, the older generation were not passive.

So she says they resisted racism through actions like founding the first black newspaper and creating the Notting Hill character, which was Notting Hill Carnival, Notting Hill Carnival, which is all about asserting presence and protecting culture.

Okay, so in this next video, Pinnock discusses the differences between Mai and Enid.

And I would like you, please, when we finish watching the video, to answer the following question.

What main differences does Pinnock identify between Enid and Mai? Okay, are we ready, 'cause I'm going to press play now.

<v ->Well, one of them is I would say very early,</v> what's that word? She's very grounded and open, and she doesn't really hide herself.

She doesn't apologize for her presence in the world, where I feel that Enid is more circumspect.

She's more careful about what she presents to the world, so she's more sort of tidily presented, if you like.

But I think that there is.

And on the surface Enid is this good Christian woman, and so actually it's quite surprising that she goes to see Mai for help, 'cause she should really have just gone to the pastor but she's gone to this Obeah woman, which is so against her Christian value.

So that's revealing in itself, really, but she does that.

Says something about her, I think.

<v ->And now it is over to you</v> to answer that question on Mai and Enid.

Pause the video and get your answers down.

Thank you, everyone.

So here is how Alex answered that question.

"Pinnock says that Mai is grounded and open, while Enid is more circumspect and careful about how she presents herself.

Enid going to Mai for help shows she can act against expectations." And I like that Alex has there picked up circumspect, our key word there, which means that she's a bit wary or unsure.

And I do like this comment about how Enid going to Mai shows that she can actually act against expectations, and Pinnock pointing that out has really changed my understanding of Enid, actually, and developed it even further.

So what I would like you to discuss, please, what might these differences reveal about Enid? Pause the video to give yourself time to discuss.

Off you go.

Okay, so now you have to select the correct answer.

So what does Enid's decision to visit Mai rather than a pastor suggest about her character? Okay, so is it A, B, C, or D? Pause the video to come up with your answer now.

Are we ready? Feeling confident? Okay, well done to everyone that said C.

She's more open-minded and desperate for help than she appears on the surface.

Okay, so in our next video we're going to watch Winsome Pinnock discuss Mai and Del's relationship.

When you have finished watching the video, I would like you to list three things Pinnock says about the relationship between Mai and Del.

Okay, so I'm going to press play now.

<v ->I just love the idea of the old</v> and the young coming together and collaborating, and, yeah, just working together.

And I think that Mai saves Del, that from the minute she sees Del, from the minute Del sees her, they recognize something in each other.

Something is sparked between them and they realize that they have a lot in common.

That's not quite the right way to put it, actually.

I think it's that they recognize something in each other that they need.

And it's interesting that Del really starts looking after or caring for Mai without realizing that she has the capacity or desire to look after anyone other than herself.

And Mai also has this spirit of, she's just very warm and diffusive, a little bit eccentric.

And I think that that appeals to Del.

And, yeah, it's interesting, I guess, that Mai sees her young self in Del and Del sees the youth, excuse me, the youth in Mai, I suppose, and what she may end up being herself.

And yet it's so alien to her as an English girl, really.

I think she's quietly fascinated by everything in that room, but also just, you know, it's so different because her mother hasn't told her anything of this particular culture, that she finds what Mai is doing vaguely ridiculous.

She doesn't believe in it, she doesn't see the point in it, but I think there is an attraction to it.

She is resisting that, she's pulled towards it and to find out more about it, but she's resisting it because it goes against her view of herself as this sort of cool, edgy youngster who's forward-thinking, and that represents the past.

So she's going forward into the modern world but, actually, she finds that she needs those old traditions as well in order to do so.

Yeah.

<v ->Okay, and now we have watched the video.

</v> Quickly get down those three things that Pinnock says about the relationship between Mai and Del.

Pause the video to get that done.

Okay, thank you.

Hopefully we've all got three ideas.

This is how Laura answered.

So Laura says that, "They recognize something in each other that they need, that Del is attracted to Mai's warmth, spirit, and traditions, even while resisting them.

And Mai sees her younger self in Del, and Del sees what she could become in Mai." I love how Pinnock really draws out the complexities of the characters in these videos.

It's really great, isn't it.

So I'd like you to discuss, please, thinking about your own answers, can you add anything to Laura's answers? Pause the video to discuss that now.

Okay, so second practice task.

What I would like you to do, for each pair of characters below I would like you to discuss, please, what Pinnock's ideas help you understand about their relationship.

So we're going to focus on Enid and Del and Del and Mai.

So you may want to consider the following questions to help with your discussion.

So what does Pinnock suggest about how these characters see each other? How do their personalities or experiences create conflict or understanding? And does anything Pinnock say change how you interpret their relationship? So lots to discuss there, so pause the video to get that task done.

Off you go.

Wow, some really lively conversations there.

That was great to hear.

Thank you so much for your contributions.

So here is how Lucas answered, focusing on Enid and Del.

He says that, "Pinnock suggests their tension comes from different views of England.

Enid believes in the promise of opportunity, while Del sees the reality of hostility and racism.

So this creates friction, but Pinnock also shows that Enid is more rebellious and independent than she appears, which makes her and Del more alike than either of them realizes." So discuss, to what extent do you agree and why.

Think back to your own discussions.

Pause the video and get discussing.

And here is how Alex answered, focusing on Del and Mai, "Pinnock describes their relationship as an instant connection.

They recognize something in each other that they need.

Dell is drawn to Mai's warmth, confidence, and cultural knowledge, even though she pretends to reject it.

Mai sees her younger self in Del, while Del sees a version of who she might become.

Their bond helps Del explore her identity and the cultural route she has been resisting." A lovely answer from Alex, don't you think.

So I'd like you to discuss, please, to what extent do you agree with Alex and why.

Again, refer to your own discussions.

Pause the video, and off you go.

Great.

Well done, everyone.

We are now on the final part of the lesson, which is where we are going to explore character development with Winsome Pinnock.

So in this first video of this section, we're going to watch Winsome Pinnock explain how characters change during the play.

When we have finished the video, I want you to answer the following question.

What does Pinnock identify as the most powerful change in the play, and why? Okay, get ready.

Okay, we're good to go? Fantastic.

I'm going to press play on the video now.

<v ->There's a point in that play</v> where they all kind of come clean, in a way, about something that they've been holding onto.

And I suppose, for me, one of the most powerful demonstrations of that is in the last scene when Enid goes for a reading.

Or actually before that, when Enid goes for a reading and is comforted by Mai.

And the tenderness with which Mai treats her allows her to just really let rip with a howl lot of pain, and you don't see Enid do that.

I guess there's a buildup to it because in one of the scenes she starts to get drunk, at the end of the scene, and starts to tell Viv things about her life that she's never told her before.

And then that builds up until the final scene, where she allows Del to read her palm and the two women to come together.

That Enid then reveals the discrimination that she's been subject to all her life, that she's never told her daughters about.

And when she's done that, I think that her daughter, Del, has a better understanding of who her mother is.

This isn't just her mother, this is another Black woman.

So she can identify with that.

So, for me, that's the most powerful change in the play.

Del becoming this Obeah woman who can read her own mother's palm, who can help her own mother.

<v ->Thank you, everyone.

</v> So now it's over to you to answer that question.

What does Pinna identify as the most powerful change in the play, and why? Pause the video to get that question answered.

Off you go.

Okay, shall we see how Jun answered that question? So Jun says that, "Pinnock explains that, for her, the most powerful change occurs when Del reads her mother's palm and Enid finally shares the discrimination she has endured, as this moment allows Del to fully understand her mother's experiences and identity, deepening their connection and highlighting intergenerational empathy." I have to say, when Pinnock was talking about the moment in the play, I got really emotional and it really helped me to engage even more emotionally with the play and the ideas in it.

It was a really great insight for me.

So I'd like you now to discuss how Pinnock's comments change the way you understand Enid and Del.

Pause the video to discuss your answers now.

Off you go.

Okay, so you need to select an answer now.

So which moment does Pinnock say shows the beginning of Enid's emotional change? You need to come up with A, B, C, D, or now.

So pause the video to give yourself time to select your answer.

Off you go.

And a very well done to everyone that remembered from the video that Pinnock says the following, that the beginning of the emotional change happens when Enid gets drunk and accidentally reveals part of her past.

And Pinnock kind of identifies this as kind of the start of this emotional change in Enid and the sharing of her past.

So in this next video, Winsome Pinnock discusses the characters of Brod and Mai.

Once we have finished watching the videos, you are going to answer the following questions, of which there are three.

That first question is, what does Pinnock suggest Brod and Mai represent in the play? What do you learn about Obeah traditions from Pinnock's explanation? And why does Pinnock see Del taking on Obeah traditions as significant? Okay, I'm going to press play on the video now.

<v ->When I was very young,</v> there was definitely a community of people who would support each other, actually.

You know, they'd form their little groups to prevent isolation.

They were helping each other, they were supporting each other, and that support would be both in terms of, you know, just keeping each other's spirits up.

Also, it was a way of preserving culture.

So even things like churches, you'd find that people would form church groups in a living room, you know, music they'd, you know, preserve the music, they'd help each other financially, people would club together, buy a house.

This is before, you know, when I was very, very young or even before I was born, that small community had to rely on each other because they were excluded from- you know, people wouldn't rent houses to them and stuff.

So they would club together, buy houses, and then rent to each other.

That's what my mother did as well.

And so Brod represents that, the community, the support.

He supports Enid and those girls.

He's, you know, a very good friend of theirs.

And Mai does the same thing but she is, as I mentioned earlier, this obeah woman.

And how do I describe what an obeah woman is? As I said, she's a healer, but more than that she also represents a kind of spiritual practice that is derived from ancient African cultures that go back to before enslavement, but when people were enslaved they weren't allowed to practice their own religions, et cetera.

But they would preserve that in secret.

Obeah was banned, it was illegal in Jamaica because people thought that it would give people a sort of courage, if you like, or because that it wouldn't lead to rebellion and uprisings.

So people practiced it in secret.

And so Mai is someone who has retained all that authority, and she's obviously learned all this, she's had it handed down to her, these practices, 'cause that's how they continue.

They're handed down by word of mouth, if you like.

And then she ends up handing it down to Del, which I actually love, I love the idea that Del also becomes an Obeah woman, that she takes the old traditions and rituals and that she is going to become a healer.

I find that idea really powerful because I do believe that.

It feels like a cliché in some ways but I do absolutely believe that it's young people who are going to affect any kind of change in the world, that it's young people who hold the sort of power in the end, really.

<v ->Okay, now we have watched that,</v> it is over to you to answer those questions.

So pause the video to give yourself time to do that.

Okay, great.

So let's see how Sam answered the question.

So Sam's answer to the first question is, "Brod and Mai represent community support and cultural preservation.

Brod shows practical help and friendship, while Mai embodies spiritual knowledge and the continuity of traditions." So just spend a few moments discussing, can you add anything to Sam's answer.

Pause the video to answer that question now.

And the next question here is how Lucas answered, "Obeah is a healing spiritual practice rooted in African culture, preserved secretly during slavery and colonial times.

It was passed on orally and represents resilience, cultural identity, and empowerment." So, again, thinking about what you learned from the video, can you add anything to Lucas's answer? Pause the video to answer the question now.

And, finally, here is how Izzy answered to the final question.

So, "Pinnock says Del taking on Obeah traditions is significant because it allows her to preserve and continue important cultural knowledge.

Pinnock says she loves this idea because it represents the idea that young people hold the power to shape the future." And again, I really loved that comment from Pinnock about what this all represents in the play.

So thinking about your own ideas from Pinnock's videos, can you add anything to Izzy's answer? Pause the video to discuss now.

Off you go.

So true or false time.

Pinnock explains that Mai passes down Obeah traditions to Del through written texts and books.

Hmm, is that true or false? Pause the video to come up with your answer now.

Well done to everyone that said false, but you need to explain why that statement is false.

So pause the video, and we'll share an answer in a moment.

So I think the key thing here is that Pinnock explains that Obeah traditions are passed down orally.

So it's very different to that kind of traditional education of textbooks and all that kind of stuff.

So this method of transmission is part of the tradition itself, and shows how the knowledge has survived over time.

Okay, so here is our final practice task.

And I want us to think about this question, "What surprised, interested, or challenged you the most about the play or the characters after hearing Pinnock's insights?" And I'd like you to write a reflection on what you have learned from watching the videos.

So these questions can help you to structure your reflection or think about what you have learned.

So how did Pinnock change the way you see a character like Enid, Del, or Viv? What did you notice about the relationships between characters? What did you learn about how culture and traditions are passed on? What do Pinnock's comments make you think about the experiences of immigrants and relationships between generations? So those are some ideas.

You may wanna write about something different you learned, and that is absolutely fine.

This is about your reflection on what you have learned from watching the videos.

Okay, so gather what you need to complete this task and, when you are ready, pause the video and get going.

Great, thank you, everyone.

It was really interesting to see all the different things that we have learned from these videos, and the insights that they have given us.

So here's Aisha's reflection.

Let's just read it through.

"I found it emotional hearing Pinnock talk about Del finally seeing her mother, not just as her parent but as another black woman she can identify with.

Pinnock explains that this moment, when Del reads her mother's palm and takes on Obeah traditions, is the most powerful change in the play because it allows Del to truly understand her mother and help her.

I used to think that Enid was just strict, but Pinnock showed me that her actions come from care and her own experiences of facing discrimination.

I was also interested in how Mai and Del's relationship shows the passing down of culture and traditions, and Pinnock's own experiences helped me see how immigrant families support and guide each other across generations." Isn't that a lovely personal reflection from Aisha? I really loved reading her ideas about how she views the characters now and what interested her most.

I think it's a really lovely personal response.

So I'd like you to think now about your own reflections and think about Aisha's response.

To what extent do you agree with her, and why? Pause the video to give yourself time to discuss that question.

Off you go.

Well done, everyone.

We have reached the end of the lesson, and I hope you have enjoyed watching those videos as much as I did, and really developing an understanding of the play and its characters.

So let's just look at some of the key points that we have picked up from the lesson.

So Pinnock describes Enid as strict but protective, trying to prepare her daughters for a harsh world.

Dell and Viv are complex characters inspired by Pinnock's love of strong female roles.

Pinnock explains that characters sometimes act against expectations to support each other.

Pinnock states Brod and Mai show how the community supports and guides the younger generation.

And Del reading Enid's palm and embracing Obeah shows her empathy and continuation of tradition.

Thank you so much for your engagement today.

You've done really well, and I really hope to see you all again soon for another lesson.

I'll see you then, bye.