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Year 10
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An introduction to Winsome Pinnock’s ‘Leave Taking’

I can describe the characters in ‘Leave Taking’ and start to predict some of its main themes.

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New
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Year 10
Eduqas

An introduction to Winsome Pinnock’s ‘Leave Taking’

I can describe the characters in ‘Leave Taking’ and start to predict some of its main themes.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. ‘Leave Taking’ is set in London
  2. There are five characters in the play, of two different generations
  3. Enid and Brod moved to England from Jamaica when they were younger
  4. Enid’s daughters were born, and have grown up in, London
  5. Obeah is a series of spell-casting and healing traditions found in the Caribbean

Keywords

  • Leave taking - Leave taking is the act of saying goodbye to something that you are leaving behind.

  • Theme - A theme is an idea that is explored in a text in a number of different ways to fully explore the complexity of that idea.

  • Generation - A generation refers to people of about the same age. Grandparents, parents and children are all different generations.

  • Obeah - Obeah is a series of spell-casting and healing traditions found in the Caribbean.

  • Colonisation - Colonisation is when a country establishes control over another country, exploiting it for economic gain.

Common misconception

Brod is Enid's husband.

Brod is a family friend. Enid's husband is mentioned in the play, but he left her and his two children when they were little.

Consider how you will explore the key word 'theme' with your class so that your discussion around the blurbs in LC1 is meaningful/deliberate. Consider referencing a theme explored in another text you have read with them to ground them in the concept.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking' published by Nick Hern Books.

Content guidance

  • Contains strong language
  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), 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.
'Leave Taking' is a play. What are common features of plays?
Correct answer: They are designed to be performed on stage.
They are divided into stanzas.
The include an omniscient narrator.
Correct answer: They are divided into acts and scenes.
Correct answer: They include dialogue.
Q2.
'Leave Taking' includes stage directions. What is the purpose of stage directions in a play?
They can establish how the audience should enter the theatre.
They can establish the dialogue between characters.
Correct answer: They can explain how the set should look.
They tell the director exactly what to do.
Correct answer: They can explain how an actor should deliver their lines.
Q3.
'Leave Taking' was first performed in 1987 and is set around this time. It is a modern play. Which century is it set in?
19th century
Correct answer: 20th century
21st century
Q4.
'Leave Taking' has a cast of five. What does the word 'cast' mean in this context?
That there are five time periods.
That there are five settings.
That there are five props.
Correct answer: That there are five characters.
That there are five people for each role.
Q5.
Winsome Pinnock's first full length play is 'Leave Taking'. The title is significant. What might the title refer to?
The act of taking a break
The act of being forced to leave somewhere
The act of stealing something when you leave somewhere
The act of taking a holiday from a job
Correct answer: The act of saying goodbye
Q6.
Winsome Pinnock, the playwright who wrote 'Leave Taking', is a prolific British playwright. What does 'prolific' mean?
She has written a play
She has been given awards for many of her plays
Correct answer: She has written many plays
'Leave Taking' is her most recent play

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
There are five characters in 'Leave Taking'. Match the characters to their roles.
Correct Answer:Enid,a Jamaican born woman in her 40s with 2 daughters

a Jamaican born woman in her 40s with 2 daughters

Correct Answer:Mai,an obeah woman

an obeah woman

Correct Answer:Brod,a family friend of Enid's, also Jamaican born

a family friend of Enid's, also Jamaican born

Correct Answer:Del,Enid's oldest daughter, she has left school, born in London

Enid's oldest daughter, she has left school, born in London

Correct Answer:Viv,Enid's second daughter, still in school, born in London

Enid's second daughter, still in school, born in London

Q2.
One of 'Leave Taking's' key themes is inter-generational conflict. How many generations are presented in the cast?
1
Correct answer: 2
3
Q3.
How does 'Leave Taking' begin?
In Enid's house, with a presentation of a conflict between Enid and Del
Correct answer: With Enid looking to Mai, an obeah woman for advice and healing
Correct answer: With the presentation of a conflict between Enid and Del
Correct answer: In Mai's bedsit
With Mai reflecting on her worries about Del
Q4.
is a series of spell-casting and healing traditions found in the Caribbean.
Correct Answer: Obeah, obeah, obeah., Obeah., 'obeah'
Q5.
In Scene One of 'Leave Taking', Mai says 'I don't deal in numbers. Is I deal in.'
Correct Answer: people, People, people., 'people', People.
Q6.
In Scene One of 'Leave Taking', Del calls obeah 'mumbo jumbo '.
Correct Answer: nonsense, Nonsense, nonsense., 'nonsense', Nonsense.