Emulating Ian McEwan's use of a plot twist in 'Atonement'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use figurative language, juxtaposition and repetition to emulate McEwan’s use of an emotional plot twist.
Key learning points
- To emulate McEwan’s emotional plot twist, we might use figurative language to influence the readers’ expectations.
- We may then use juxtaposition to contrast their expectations with the reality of the situation.
- We could use repetition to emphasise the emotion behind the plot twist.
- We could also use consonant sounds in order to enhance the tone of the plot twist.
Keywords
Plot twist - a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction
Juxtaposition - two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect
Figurative language - uses words and ideas to suggest meaning and create mental images; not literal
Plosive - sounds articulated with an abrupt release of air like "p", "b" or "t"
Euphony - words that form a pleasant sound through soft vowel sounds and consonants such as “m” and “l”
Common misconception
That plot twists always turn a happy story to an unhappy story.
While some classic plot twists do turn a happy story to an unhappy story, it's not true of all plot twists.
Teacher tip
You might extend the discussions around plot twists by asking pupils to consider what plot twists they have encountered in literature or film.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.'A radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction' is the definition of a .
Q2.'Uses words and ideas to suggest meaning and create mental images' is the definition of ...
Q3.Which of the following is an example of figurative language?
Q4.'The idea that things represent other things' is the definition of which word beginning with 's'?
Q5.'Two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect' is the definition of which word beginning with 'j'?
Q6.'The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human' is the definition of .
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In McEwan's 'Atonement', the plot twist was that ...
Q2.Which word would you repeat to create a sense of negativity in a piece of creative writing?
Q3.'Sounds articulated with an abrupt release of air like "p", "b" or "t"' is the definition of which word beginning with 'p'?
Q4.Which of the following sentences uses plosive sounds?
Q5.'Words that form a pleasant sound through soft vowel sounds and consonants such as “m” and “l”' is the definition of which word beginning with 'e'?
Q6.Which of the following sentences uses euphonic sounds?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Emulating Ian McEwan's use of a plot twist in 'Atonement', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: Emulating Ian McEwan's use of a plot twist in 'Atonement', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Fiction: ending stories unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.