Understanding intersectionality in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what intersectionality is and how it applies to Winsome Pinnock's ’Leave Taking’
Key learning points
- Enid’s experiences of oppression and marginalisation are somewhat based on Pinnock’s own mother’s experiences.
- Scene Two explores Del and Enid’s differing experiences of oppression and marginalisation.
- Intersectionality is a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw.
- It recognises that oppressions faced by different marginalised groups intersect and create specific experiences.
- The universal themes and characters in the play must be balanced by the specific experiences of Pinnock’s characters.
Keywords
Intersectionality - a term describing how certain social categories (for example ethnicity, class, gender) can combine together to create unique combinations of disadvantage or advantage
Marginalise - when society treats a person or group of people as if they are unimportant, isolating and disempowering them
Oppression - unjust treatment, often of a group of people
Universal - when audiences, regardless of time period or circumstance, can relate to the ideas or characters in a text
Common misconception
'Leave Taking' is either universal, or about specific experiences and characters.
Like with many texts, we must hold both the idea of Leave Taking's universal themes with the specific experiences of its characters.
Teacher tip
Consider how you will discuss and explore the idea of intersectionality. Are there other texts which might provide insight? For example, the experiences of Eva and Sheila in 'An Inspector Calls' as women in the Edwardian era, but Eva is working class and Sheila is upper class.
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
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What do we find out about Enid's upbringing in Jamaica in Scene Four of 'Leave Taking'?
Q2.In her introduction to 'Leave Taking', Pinnock tells us about her parents. What do we find out about them?
Q3.In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', whilst Brod criticises England, Enid maintains that it has been " "" to her.
Q4.In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', what one-word does Enid use to justify slapping Del, referring to where people grow up?
Q5.In Scene Eight of 'Leave Taking', Enid opens up to Del about some of her experiences in England, she describes how people treat her like she doesn't " ".
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Pinnock drew on some of her mother's experiences in creating the character of Enid in 'Leave Taking'. What similarities can we see between them?
Q2.What does Pinnock say audience members would say to her after the play's first performances of 'Leave Taking'?
Q3.In what ways might someone consider 'Leave Taking' universal?
Q4.Artistic Director Madani Younis revived 'Leave Taking' in 2018. What reasons did he give for wanting to revive the play again?
Q5.In Scene Two of 'Leave Taking', Del accuses Enid of ignoring racial discrimination in England and simply " " to "England"
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Understanding intersectionality in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Understanding intersectionality in Winsome Pinnock's 'Leave Taking', 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.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the Leave Taking: an intersectional analysis unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.