the narrator of the story is a character in the story, using pronouns like 'I' and 'me'

the tools a writer uses to create their work

Comparative paragraphs: 'The Silence of the Girls' and 'The Song of Achilles'

English

In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils explore how they can alter traditional stories to convey modern ideas and morals. In 'Animal Farm: the Pigs and Power', pupils learn about Orwell's allegory and understand how he uses an apparently simple fairy story to convey a political message. 

In 'Step Into the Unknown', pupils look at the ways in which famous children's writers create convincing settings, particularly through descriptions of windows and doors. In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils take inspiration from the ways in which writers and poets use powerful imagery and symbolism, to inspire their own writing. 

In this unit, pupils read and explore a range of text types in connection to classical myths and legends. They first look at poetry before doing some descriptive writing inspired by poetry and paintings. They then explore Chaucer and modern retellings of myths to inspire their narrative writing.

Myths, legends and stories that inspire

Discriminatory behaviour or images, whether on the grounds of race, gender, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation, or otherwise.

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

References to forced marriage, violence against women and girls.

Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

In 'The Silence of the Girls' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), Pat Barker describes Achilles as a "butcher". What method could you explore to develop your analysis of this word?

In 'The Song of Achilles' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), Madeline Miller compares Achilles's hair to "honey". What method could you explore to develop your analysis of this word?

Patroclus and Achilles meet in their youth.

Which sentences, all inspired by Madeline Miller's 'The Song of Achilles' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), use the word 'youth' (or a form of it) correctly?

Patroclus is captivated by the athletes at the competition.

Patroclus knows he is a captivate to his father.

Achilles and Patroclus captivatingly meet.

Patroclus describes Achilles as captivated.

Which sentences, all inspired by Madeline Miller's 'The Song of Achilles' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), use the word 'captivate' (or a form of it) correctly?

In 'The Silence of the Girls' and 'The Song of Achilles', the writers use {{ }} narrators who are characters in the stories they are telling ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire').

Both Barker and Miller use lots of methods to present Achilles.

Barker calls Achilles "inhuman" whereas Miller calls him "bright".

Both Barker and Miller present Achilles as more powerful than other humans.

I prefer Achilles in Miller's book to Barker's.

Which is the best topic sentence which compares the presentation of Achilles in 'The Silence of the Girls' and 'The Song of Achilles'.

Match each character, all from Greek mythology ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), to what we know about them.

Achilles is Patroclus’s younger brother.

During an athletics competition in Patroclus's home city.

Achilles raids Patroclus’s home city and captures him.

In Madeline Miller's 'The Song of Achilles', how do Patroclus and Achilles first meet? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')

In Pat Barker's 'The Silence of the Girls', how does the narrator Briseis describe Achilles? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')

Patroclus's father found his son captivating and barely noticed him at all.

Patroclus stared at Achilles, captivated by his strength and speed.

Achilles was fast and captivated his feet when he ran.

There were many athletes but everyone was captivated by Achilles.

Patroclus wanted to captivate his father and so kept out of his way.

Which sentences, all inspired by 'The Song of Achilles' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), use the word 'captivate' (or a form of it) correctly?

Briseis describes Achilles as a "butcher".

Briseis, other women and children are taken to a tower during a Greek attack.

Briseis and the other women and children hear the battle from the tower.

Briseis describes how the atmosphere gets worse and worse in the tower.

Briseis thinks about the brutality of the Greek army.

Briseis explains her relationship with Ismene, who is enslaved to her husband.

Briseis realises she is about to be in the same position as Ismene.

Starting with the first plot point, put these events from Pat Barker's 'The Silence of the Girls' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') in chronological order.

Patroclus describes how his mother and father married.

Patroclus describes how he is a disappointment to his father.

Patroclus describes when the athletics competition comes to his home city.

Patroclus describes seeing Achilles in the crowd and being captivated by him.

Patroclus describes how Achilles wins the race.

Patroclus sees Achilles's father praising him.

Patroclus's father insults his son, wishing he were more like Achilles.

Starting with the first plot point, put these events from Madeline Miller's 'The Song of Achilles' ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire') in chronological order.

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of sexual violence

Adult supervision required

Starter Quiz