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Year 8

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

I can write a comparative paragraph which explores two extracts inspired by the same mythological character (Achilles).

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Year 8

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

I can write a comparative paragraph which explores two extracts inspired by the same mythological character (Achilles).

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The opening of a comparative paragraph could start with a topic sentence which states the paragraph's main idea.
  2. Next, the comparative paragraph could focus on analysing the first text.
  3. Then, a comparative paragraph could focus on the second text, comparing it to the first.
  4. Comparing the methods writers have used can help to develop the comparison.
  5. The final sentence of a comparative paragraph could link to the topic sentence.

Keywords

  • Captivate - to hold the attention of someone

  • Youth - young

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

  • Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work

  • Perspective - point of view

Common misconception

We have two different presentations of Achilles. One of them must be right, and one must be wrong.

What Miller and Barker do with their novels is show how important perspective is. For Patroclus, Achilles is awe inspiring and innocent. For Briseis, he is quite the opposite. Their perspectives are based on their relationship with him.


To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: Comparative paragraphs: 'The Silence of the Girls' and 'The Song of Achilles', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Consider how you will manage the skimming and scanning of both extracts. How long will you give pupils? Will they work individually or in pairs/groups? What prompts might you give them, or questions might you ask them at the end of the activity?
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

You need a copy of Pat Barker's 'The Silence of the Girls' published by Hamish Hamilton (2018). You also need Madeline Miller's 'The Song of Achilles' published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (2011).

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of sexual violence
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match each character, all from Greek mythology ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire'), to what we know about them.
Correct Answer:Briseis,given to Achilles as a war prize
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given to Achilles as a war prize

Correct Answer:Achilles,a renowned warrior
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a renowned warrior

Correct Answer:Patroclus,the best friend of Achilles
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the best friend of Achilles

Correct Answer:Thetis,a sea nymph, mother of Achilles
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a sea nymph, mother of Achilles

Correct Answer:Peleus,the father of Achilles
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the father of Achilles

Correct Answer:Mynes,the husband of Briseis
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the husband of Briseis

Q2.
In Madeline Miller's 'The Song of Achilles', how do Patroclus and Achilles first meet? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')
Achilles is Patroclus’s younger brother.
They meet on the battlefield.
Correct answer: During an athletics competition in Patroclus's home city.
Achilles raids Patroclus’s home city and captures him.
Achilles gives Patroclus a prize.
Q3.
In Pat Barker's 'The Silence of the Girls', how does the narrator Briseis describe Achilles? ('Myths, legends and stories that inspire')
she compares him to a bull
Correct answer: as something inhuman
she compares him to a wolf
she compares him to a sea nymph
Correct answer: she compares him to a butcher
Q4.
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?
Patroclus's father found his son captivating and barely noticed him at all.
Correct answer: Patroclus stared at Achilles, captivated by his strength and speed.
Achilles was fast and captivated his feet when he ran.
Correct answer: There were many athletes but everyone was captivated by Achilles.
Patroclus wanted to captivate his father and so kept out of his way.
Q5.
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.
1 - Briseis describes Achilles as a "butcher".
2 - Briseis, other women and children are taken to a tower during a Greek attack.
3 - Briseis and the other women and children hear the battle from the tower.
4 - Briseis describes how the atmosphere gets worse and worse in the tower.
5 - Briseis thinks about the brutality of the Greek army.
6 - Briseis explains her relationship with Ismene, who is enslaved to her husband.
7 - Briseis realises she is about to be in the same position as Ismene.
Q6.
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.
1 - Patroclus describes how his mother and father married.
2 - Patroclus describes how he is a disappointment to his father.
3 - Patroclus describes when the athletics competition comes to his home city.
4 - Patroclus describes seeing Achilles in the crowd and being captivated by him.
5 - Patroclus describes how Achilles wins the race.
6 - Patroclus sees Achilles's father praising him.
7 - Patroclus's father insults his son, wishing he were more like Achilles.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
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?
simile
adjective
alliteration
Correct answer: metaphor
adverb
Q2.
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?
Correct answer: simile
alliteration
plosive
sibilance
personification
Q3.
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?
Correct answer: Patroclus and Achilles meet in their youth.
Achilles youthly wins the race.
Patroclus says Achilles looks youth.
Patroclus is more youth than Achilles.
Q4.
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?
Correct answer: Patroclus is captivated by the athletes at the competition.
Patroclus knows he is a captivate to his father.
Achilles and Patroclus captivatingly meet.
Correct answer: Patroclus feels captivated by Achilles.
Patroclus describes Achilles as captivated.
Q5.
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').
Correct Answer: first person
Q6.
Which is the best topic sentence which compares the presentation of Achilles in 'The Silence of the Girls' and 'The Song of Achilles'.
Both Barker and Miller use lots of methods to present Achilles.
Barker calls Achilles "inhuman" whereas Miller calls him "bright".
Correct answer: Both Barker and Miller present Achilles as more powerful than other humans.
I prefer Achilles in Miller's book to Barker's.