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Lesson 28 of 33
  • Year 10
  • Eduqas

Analysing ideas of love and relationships in Ewing’s ‘Origin Story’

I can analyse how Ewing’s methods in ‘Origin Story’ create ideas of love and relationships.

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Lesson 28 of 33
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  • Year 10
  • Eduqas

Analysing ideas of love and relationships in Ewing’s ‘Origin Story’

I can analyse how Ewing’s methods in ‘Origin Story’ create ideas of love and relationships.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Ewing uses a declarative tone and possessive pronouns to assert ownership and highlight personal identity and memory.
  2. The comparisons of love to a “comic book” could represent the fragility of love.
  3. Vignettes are used throughout to capture vivid, personal moments and deepen emotional connection.
  4. Ewing’s use of free verse and minimal punctuation reflect the natural, flowing nature of memory and personal stories.
  5. The use of anaphora emphasises the shared experiences of the poet’s parents and the importance to her own identity.

Keywords

  • Fragility - the quality of being easily broken or damaged

  • Tone - in poetry refers to the poet’s attitude or feeling toward the subject, the reader, or the poem itself

  • Assertive - confident and firm in expressing your opinions or needs, without being rude

  • Possesive - showing a desire to own or control something or someone, often not wanting to share

Common misconception

The tone of ‘Origin Story’ is simply nostalgic or romantic.

Although there are nostalgic and tender elements in the poem, the overall tone is more assertive and self-possessed. This confident tone reflects a deeper purpose: reclaiming identity, celebrating heritage, and asserting authorship over her story.


To help you plan your year 10 English lesson on: Analysing ideas of love and relationships in Ewing’s ‘Origin Story’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to read the poem aloud to better hear the rhythm, tone, and flow created by Ewing’s free verse and minimal punctuation.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the Eduqas 2025 Anthology for this lesson.

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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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In the poem 'Origin Story' who is the speaker?

A fictional character telling a made-up love story.
A narrator describing a general story about love and relationships.
One of the narrator’s parents recounting their own past.
Correct answer: The poet herself, sharing her family’s personal history.

Q2.
Is the statement true or false? Afrofuturism is a cultural movement that combines elements of science fiction, history, and fantasy to explore and celebrate Black identity and heritage.

Correct Answer: True, t, true

Q3.
Which sentence uses a first-person possessive pronoun?

She gave her book to the teacher.
Correct answer: I lost my keys this morning.
They enjoyed their trip to the museum.
He found his phone under the table.

Q4.
An extended metaphor can be described as:

A short phrase comparing two things without explanation.
A comparison between two things, using "like" or "as."
A metaphor that uses personification to describe objects.
Correct answer: A metaphor that continues throughout a text, developing the comparison.

Q5.
'A type of poetry that does not follow regular rhyme or rhythm patterns. It allows the poet to write more naturally and freely without strict rules.' This definition refers to which form of poetry?

ballad
Correct answer: free verse
sonnet
villanelle
elegy

Q6.
Which of these sentences is a declarative sentence?

Are you coming to the party?
Please close the door.
Correct answer: I love poetry.
What a beautiful day!

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Arguably, how does Ewing primarily assert ownership over the narrative in ‘Origin Story’?

using questions
using imperatives
Correct answer: using declarative sentences
using passive voice
Correct answer: using possessive pronouns

Q2.
Is the statement true or false? The poem ‘Origin Story’ follows a strict rhyme and rhythm scheme.

Correct Answer: false, f, False

Q3.
What could be considered the purpose of the vignettes in ‘Origin Story’?

To give a detailed backstory of each character.
To create suspense.
Correct answer: To highlight ordinary, intimate moments in love and relationships.
To show conflict between parents.

Q4.
In the poem 'Origin Story', why might Ewing use the comic book as a metaphor for love?

Correct answer: To show love’s fragility and how it is treasured despite imperfections.
To suggest love is fictional and unreal.
To imply love is disposable and mass-produced.
To criticise popular culture and consumerism.

Q5.
Which word best describes the tone created by the use of "my" in the poem 'Origin Story'?

detatched
Correct answer: possessive
neutral
humourous

Q6.
Is the statement true or false? Ewing’s poem suggests reclaiming personal and cultural stories is an act of love.

Correct Answer: True, t, true