Lesson video

Hello, and welcome to the lesson.

Thank you for joining me today.

I'm Mrs. Butterworth and I'll be guiding you through the learning.

Now, this lesson focuses on Act 2, Scene 7 and 8 of "Small Island.

" Now, you may have noticed that the lesson is called "A new birth.

" So, I'm sure you can figure out what happens in these scenes.

So, shall we get started?

So by the end of the lesson, you'll be able to explain the events of Act 2, Scenes 7 and 8, and explore Edmundson's use of symbolism.

So before we delve into the lesson, let's look at those keywords that are going to help us through.

They are symbolism, reparation, poignant, encapsulate, and parallel.

So we'll explore those together, shall we?

Okay, so, symbolism is the use of images to represent specific ideas or themes.

So in the second part of this lesson, we will be looking at how Edmundson uses symbolism in "Small Island," and there is quite a lot of symbolism in the final part of "Small Island.

" So, you should know lots about that by the end of this lesson.

Then we have this word, reparation, and this is the action of repairing something, so, to make amends to those that have been wronged or harmed.

So if we think about reparation and repair, they sound quite similar, don't they?

So we can see how these words share a kind of similar meaning.

So to repair any wrongdoings, that's reparation.

Then we get this word, poignant.

So when something is poignant, it evokes a strong emotional response or reveals a significant meaning.

So look out for that word as we go through the lesson.

And then, to encapsulate.

So, to encapsulate something is to show or represent the most important features of something.

So it's almost like reducing something down, you encapsulate it.

And then finally, parallel.

So a parallel is when you are describing something that is similar to something else.

So parallels are all about comparing similarities.

So we're going to use that word when we're looking at how Edmundson presents characters.

So what does our lesson look like today?

So, we're gonna start by reading and exploring Act 2, Scenes 7 and 8 before moving on to discuss and explore symbolism.

So there's that key word, symbolism, there.

So let's start with the reading of Act 2, Scenes 7 and 8.

So before we jump into our reading, I want us just to think about this idea of parallels.

So, through characterization and dialogue, Edmundson draws parallels between characters.

So remember that idea of similarities, she draws similarities, parallels between the characters.

And particularly, she does this between Bernard and Ms. Todd.

And she does this as a poignant reminder of the racist attitudes present in society at the time.

So in a moment, we're going to look at those parallels between Bernard and Ms. Todd.

Now, some of you might remember, in the start of Act 2, so Act 2, Scene 2, we meet Ms. Todd.

And some of the things she says are just so shocking and just as such, as it says, a poignant reminder of the attitudes at that time, the way she talks about Gilbert, the way she talks about the other lodgers.

And I think this is why it's such a poignant reminder, because it evokes emotion in us.

We are shocked, we're appalled, and that's what makes it poignant.

Okay, so we have a grid here.

We have Bernard on one side and Ms. Todd on the other.

So we're just going to look at how Edmundson uses language to draw parallels between these characters.

So we're gonna focus on descriptions, so how Edmundson describes Bernard and Ms. Todd, and look at those similarities.

We're going to look at their dialogue.

So those.

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The dialogue that Bernard and Ms. Todd use and how we can draw parallels between them.

And then, attitudes.

So, those parallels between their attitudes and what that tells us.

So let's look at the descriptions of these characters first.

So, description, Bernard "slams the door in Gilbert's face," and he stares at the room, at things that have changed.

Let's look at Ms. Todd.

The stage directions describe her as "genteel," how she "glances round disdainfully," and this idea of her acting "forcefully.

" So we get a really good idea through the stage directions of what these characters are like.

And remember to start thinking about that idea of parallels, what similarities can we see between these characters?

And then the dialogue.

So Bernard says, "I will not have them in here!

" and "You could have chosen white lodgers," compared to Ms. Todd, "One of them let me in.

" "We couldn't help but notice another one arrived.

" Okay, so again, thinking about the parallels between those.

And then their attitudes.

So Bernard is very old-fashioned, averse to change, and racist and derogatory towards Queenie's lodgers, unlike where Ms. Todd is old-fashioned, she has an old-fashioned sense of status and respectability, a bit like Bernard in that sense actually.

And she also is racist and derogatory towards Queenie's lodgers.

So let's just explore these parallels in a little bit of detail.

So, Ms. Todd is described as genteel, and this really links to her old-fashioned sense of status and respectability.

And if you think about Bernard, he's also described throughout as being quite old-fashioned.

So again, we get these parallels between these characters.

And then the dialogue, they both use really similar words to talk about specific things.

So, "I will not have them in here," "One of them let me in.

" So again, there's this really horrible use of language there to depersonalize Queenie's lodgers.

And "You could have chosen white lodgers," and "We couldn't help but notice another one arrived.

" So we see this, kind of, racist, really dismissive language that both of these characters are using.

And again, it's that poignant reminder of some of the attitudes present in society.

So it's really interesting, these parallels.

And then obviously, there's these parallels here with Bernard's forceful slamming, how Ms. Todd glances around disdainfully.

So there's quite a kind of aggressive violent undertone, both of these characters and how they respond to them.

So, they feel.

.

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There is a sense that they're quite angry or disgruntled, which again links to their attitudes.

And again, Bernard, that idea that he looks at the things that have changed, he really doesn't like the idea of change and neither does Ms. Todd.

So these parallels are there to remind us of the attitudes of some of the people in society at the time.

Okay, so let's see what you remember.

The stage directions describe Miss Todd's actions.

Complete the quote, "glances round," is it A, B, or C?

Excellent, yes, disdainfully.

What a lovely word, disdainfully.

Yes, you can almost imagine her looking around very judgmentally.

So it's a really great word there.

So she glances round disdainfully, which really shows her opinion of Queenie and her situation.

Okay, so we're onto our first practice task.

So what I would like you to do is, you'll need your copies of "Small Island," so make sure you've got those.

And you're going to read Act 2, Scenes 7 and 8.

And as you read, I want you to answer the following questions.

Number one, Bernard says he has been talking to the neighbors.

What does this suggest?

And what do we know about the neighbor's attitudes?

And, the hint here is to think about the character of Ms. Todd, who is also described as Queenie's next door neighbor, and she sort of represents the neighbors, if you like.

What happens to Queenie at the end of Act 2, Scenes 7?

It's a very dramatic scene.

So, looking forward to seeing your reactions to that.

Why does Bernard try to attack Gilbert?

Who is most likely to be the father of Queenie's baby?

And what does Bernard's behavior reveal about him?

So, I can see some of you all ready to go with your copies of "Small Island.

" Pause the video, and I look forward to discussing these questions with you in a moment.

Pause the video now.

Thanks, everyone.

So, what do we think?

Pretty dramatic, huh?

I think, you know, that whole scene with Queenie giving birth, and then, Bernard's reaction to Gilbert, it's really tumultuous.

There's such an emotional journey, isn't there?

And I think Edmundson is really skilled at presenting that.

I mean, I just.

.

.

Yeah, by the end of Act 8, it's a lot, isn't it?

Okay, so, let's answer these questions.

Number one, Bernard says he has been "talking to the neighbors.

" What does this suggest?

And what do we know about the neighbor's attitudes?

So, I said to think about the character of Ms. Todd.

So here's what you may have come up with.

So, "Edmundson uses the character of Ms. Todd to represent the discriminatory," a difficult word, "discriminatory attitudes of the time.

"The word neighbors is used to represent society and is a stark reminder of the prevalent racist and prejudiced attitudes.

" So we can see here how Edmundson is using her characters to make statements about society at the time.

So it's a really clever thing to do.

So this idea of the neighbors isn't just literally the next door neighbors.

It's about those attitudes and values that were held at the time.

Number two, what happens to Queenie at the end of Act 2, Scene 7?

Yes, with the help of Hortense, Queenie gives birth.

And why does Bernard try to attack Gilbert?

So he believes that Gilbert is the father of the baby, but actually, now I think about it, there is an element of that, but I think Bernard is probably so overwhelmed and shocked, he just has to lash out at someone.

But I definitely think, yeah, he does believe that Gilbert is the father of the baby.

Who is most likely the father of Queenie's baby?

Michael, absolutely.

And we know that because we have witnessed their affair as this play has progressed.

And then finally, what does Bernard's behavior reveal about him?

So, Bernard has this really shocking, violent outburst.

His behavior towards Gilbert really shows his racist and prejudiced attitudes.

And if you think about what we looked at in the grid, in terms of Bernard, we know that he's really old-fashioned, he doesn't like change.

So there's a lot going on here in terms of what is gonna make him feel uncomfortable.

But, we see that outburst and that aggression, but in Scene 8, Bernard actually softens, which is a really hopeful moment in the play.

And he gently comforts the baby and calls him a sweet little fellow.

Again, this is a really poignant, touching moment and such a change in Bernard from the aggressive, you know, racial language to this softened character.

And this moment really encapsulates a promise of hope and reparation.

And Bernard also reveals the horrific truth about his time in the war, showing how conflict affects them all.

So, we start to learn a lot more about Bernard and start to understand what happened to him.

It doesn't excuse how he had treated Gilbert, however, it does just give us this idea of how conflict can affect many.

Okay, so we are onto the second part of the lesson, and this is all about discussing and exploring symbolism.

So let's delve in.

So some pupils are discussing the symbolism of the hummingbird at the start of Scene 8.

So we're going to listen to their discussions.

And I'd like you to think about which people do you.

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Which pupil do you agree with most?

So in a moment, I'm gonna ask you to pause the video, but let's just look at what these pupil say first.

Okay, it symbolizes the potential for beauty, amidst devastation and destruction.

It mirrors the love between Queenie and Michael.

It's a really lovely explanation of the symbolism of the hummingbird there.

And, the hummingbird symbolizes the many migrants who contributed to the culture and history of the country.

It shows the fusion of experiences and culture.

And finally, like Queenie's baby, the hummingbird is a poignant symbol of hope in society.

I really love that section with the hummingbird actually, it's really quite beautiful and evocative and very emotional.

So, read those three pupil statements again and discuss which pupil do you agree with most.

Pause the video to give yourself plenty of time to do this.

Off you go.

Great, thank you for those excellent discussions.

It's lovely to hear you all picking different pupils, and in terms of presenting your own opinions and what you think the hummingbird represents.

So, well done.

True or false time.

Edmundson uses the symbolism of a hummingbird to perhaps represent hope, is that true or false?

That's true.

Okay, now justify your answer by picking A or B.

Excellent, yes, the hummingbird also symbolizes the potential for beauty admits devastation.

It really is a beautiful, powerful symbol, isn't it?

It's such a clear image that Edmundson creates there through her characters, and a really effective use of symbolism.

We are now going to look at some quotes focused on Bernard.

So these are either descriptions of Bernard through stage directions or the dialogue that Bernard speaks.

So let's read through together first.

So, "touches his cheek, gently.

" Bernard, "Hush now.

" He "settles the baby into the crook of his arm," and "The baby sucks on his finger.

" Bernard says, "Sweet little fellow.

" And finally, "clutching the baby's tiny hand.

" Okay, so what I would like you to do is, I'd like you to discuss what do these quotes tell us about Bernard's reaction to the baby.

So pause the video.

So you've got plenty of time to discuss, or you may wish to sit and quietly think about your answers to yourself.

Pause the video now and get discussing.

Okay, great, let's share some of those ideas.

Okay, so we've got, if we look at these keywords here, we've got "gently," "Hush now," you know, he's settling the baby into the crook of his arm.

And unlike the violence and aggression towards Gilbert, Bernard is actually responding to the baby with a deep and gentle affection.

There's a real juxtaposition here in Bernard's behavior towards Gilbert and now towards the baby, it's a real contrast.

And then, Edmonton is using Bernard's behavior to hint at the potential for change and reparation, that society can be different.

And, if we think about Bernard's attitude and his anger and his aggression, and how it has changed, he really was quite a stubborn, you know, old-fashioned, set-in-his-ways kind of a character.

But now there's this kind of sense that, you know, if Bernard can change, perhaps society can change.

And, "clutching the baby's tiny hand.

" So like the hummingbird, the baby is a symbol of hope.

They kind of come hand-in-hand, those symbols.

And Bernard's reaction encapsulates the sense of hope symbolized in the baby's arrival.

He clutches the baby's hand as if holding onto the promise of a better future for all.

And if we really think about that physical movement of Bernard clutching the baby's tiny hand, it really is like clutching onto hope or this kind of idea that.

.

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This idea of togetherness, this idea that things are coming together, that society is repairing.

So the physical action is also very symbolic.

And then Bernard says, you know, "sweet little fellow," and unlike the prejudiced and depersonalized language used by Bernard in the past, he now views this baby with affection.

So like the hummingbird, the baby symbolizes the potential for beauty amidst destruction.

So despite everything that's happened, that despite everything Bernard has been through, there's this idea that he still has the capacity for affection, for love, for understanding.

And that really is this.

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It's quite beautiful, isn't it?

We have now reached our second and final practice task.

So what I would like you to do is, using the sentence starters, write an answer to the below question.

So the question is, how does Edmundson use symbolism to explore the themes of hope?

Make sure you include each of the words in the vocabulary bank.

So, your sentence starters are here.

Edmundson uses.

.

.

The powerful symbol of.

.

.

Edmondson situates hope in the.

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Bernard reaction, dot, dot, dot.

And then our vocabulary bank there with all our lovely keywords.

So we've got symbolism, parallel, reparation, encapsulates, poignant, and promise.

Okay, so, I'm really looking forward to what you come up with.

Don't forget to get those lovely keywords in.

Pause the video, so you've got plenty of time to complete the task, and we'll feedback our answers in a moment.

So, pause the video now.

Okay, well done, everyone.

Let's just think about checking our work.

So Jacob has very kindly volunteered his response.

So let's help Jacob check his answer.

So first up, has he used all of the keywords correctly?

So we've got a vocabulary bank there, let's see what he has used.

So, "Edmundson uses symbolism to explore the theme of hope.

The powerful symbol of the hummingbird presents the idea that there can be beauty in devastation and the potential for change.

Edmundson situates hope in the arrival of Queenie's poignant baby which parallels the symbols of the hummingbird, the promise of new beginnings and reparation.

Bernard's behavior is an important moment that reveals the possibility of hope.

" So, what have we noticed about Jacob's answer?

Well, he has used most of the keywords correctly, but he has not used the word encapsulate.

And he has used poignant, but not quite correctly.

So he uses the word poignant to describe Queenie's baby, which isn't quite right.

We wouldn't really use the word poignant to describe someone or something.

So, it's not quite correct.

So, Jacob needs to have a think about how he can include the word encapsulate and also change his use of the word poignant.

So, Jacob, very good work Jacob.

He goes away and he checks his understanding of the word poignant.

So this means he's now able to rewrite it.

He's now able to rewrite his response using the word correctly.

And he also includes the word encapsulate.

So let's see what Jacob has done.

"Edmundson uses symbolism to explore the theme of hope.

The powerful symbol of the hummingbird encapsulates the idea that there can be beauty in devastation and the potential for change.

Edmondson situates hope in the arrival of Queenie's baby which parallels the symbol of the hummingbird, the promise of new beginnings and reparation.

Bernard's behavior is a poignant moment that reveals the possibility of hope.

" Well done, Jacob.

That's such a good rewrite, isn't it?

So he's now used all of the words and they are all used correctly.

So you can use this checklist to check your own work and check that you have used all the words, and correctly.

Well done, everyone.

We have reached the end of the lesson.

Thank you for all of your hard work, everyone.

I hope you enjoyed reading these scenes.

They really are dramatic, aren't they?

And what a tumultuous journey these characters are going on, emotionally.

There are such changes, and twists, and turns, I'm really enjoying this play.

So let's just remind ourselves of everything we've been through.

So we know that Bernard's behavior is a poignant reminder of the racist and discriminatory, such a difficult word, is a poignant reminder of the racist and discriminatory attitudes of the time.

Parallels can be drawn between Bernard and Ms. Todd.

Edmundson uses symbolism to explore the theme of hope.

Bernard's reaction to the baby encapsulates a promise of reparation and hope.

So, I hope to see you again really soon for another lesson.

Can't wait, bye-bye.