Exploring themes in 'No Country'
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Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can give a personal response to a graphic novel text.
Key learning points
- We can develop our personal response to a text by reflecting on what we have read so far.
- When giving a personal response, we can focus on emotional impact, characters, narrative elements, atmosphere & setting.
- One of the prominent themes in the text is survival; it follows a family as they struggle to survive during a civil war.
- Take-away ideas within a graphic novel may link to themes that are explored and developed in it.
Keywords
Personal response - reflections that we make about a text after reading it
Theme - a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a text
Common misconception
Pupils may find it challenging to discuss themes part way through a narrative.
Model examples of themes with how they are portrayed in the graphic novel text. For example, war and politics can be seen in the newspaper clippings and the discussion between Beatrice's parents.
Teacher tip
Themes could be explored in greater depth by reading longer extracts of the graphic novel.
Equipment
You need a copy of the 2021 David Fickling Books edition of ‘No Country’, written by Joe Brady and illustrated by Patrice Aggs, for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of upsetting content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
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