2. WHAT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE WE WORKING
TOWARDS?
1.1 Explore the ideas and style of a specific novel using
and language appropriate to literary criticism
1.2 Analyse how language and literary devices are used within
novel
2.1 Write a response to a specific question on a given novel
2.2 Recognise different interpretations of the novel
3. SOME TIPS ON STUDYING AND ANALYSING TEXTS
• Self Discipline- is key-use a carefully planned approach (like the weekly timetable)
to ensure you are able to meet the required objectives
• Read the novel more than once
1st time – for pleasure
2nd time-read slowly and thoroughly, paying attention and making notes on the
plot, characters and themes of the novel
4. QUESTIONS TO ASK
• Characters-These will develop as the plot unfolds, how does your response
change towards them during the course of the novel?
• Point of View-think about how the novel is narrated-from whose point of view
are events described
• Structure and Organisation- a novel may no present events chronologically: the
time scheme may be key to may be key,
• Settings-what part do these play in the novel?
5. ANY OTHERS?
• What other factors would you need to consider when analysing an novel?
• 5 mins to discuss
• Sweep to feedback one per person ( that hasn’t already been suggested)
6. WHAT IS LITERARY CRITICISM?
• Literary criticism is the comparison, analysis, interpretation, and/or evaluation of
works of literature.
• Literary criticism is essentially an opinion, supported by evidence, relating to
theme, style, setting or historical or political context.
• It usually includes discussion of the work’s content and integrates your ideas with
other insights gained from research. Literary criticism may have a positive or a
negative bias and may be a study of an individual piece of literature or an
author’s body of work.
7. THINGS TO REMEMBER
• Although criticism may include some of the following elements in order to
support an idea, literary criticism is NOT a plot summary, a biography of the
author, or simply finding fault with the literature.
• Researching, reading, and writing works of literary criticism will help you to make
better sense of the work, form judgments about literature, study ideas from
different points of view, and determine on an individual level what a piece of
literature is about
8. TYPES OF LITERARY CRITICISM
• Examples of some types of literary criticism that will be used in this unit are:
• Biographical
• Comparative
• Feminist
• Historical
• Social
• Political
9. THE BACKGROUND
• What were your findings from the Research Task?
• Trio Task
Trio 1-Write a biography on Margaret Atwood (2/3 paragraphs)
Trio 2-Research and provide details of some of the socio-political themes that were
prevalent in the time that the novel was written.
Trio 3-How relevant are these to today’s society?
10. AN INTERVIEW WITH MARGARET ABOUT HMT
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b0b4zf0w
11. SECTION 1-4
(CHAPTERS 1-8)
• Read/Skim Chapters 1-8 then Watch Chapter 1 (1st 30mins)
• Discuss initial thoughts
• Independent study task- what is happening in the first chapter – How does
Atwood set the scene and develop the plot and characters (provide examples)
13. THE BACKDROP
• The Handmaids Tale is an anti-utopian fable read from the viewpoint of one woman,
Offred
• As a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, Offred’s body is at the service of the
Patriarchs. Offred is a virtual prisoner in the household of the Commander.
• Trapped in such a circumscribed existence, what kind of freedom could a woman
possibly have? But Offred chooses the freedom of refusal, she refuses to believe in the
Gilead doctrine, she refuses to forget her past life and crucially she refuses to be
silenced.
• Reading the novel induces a kind of double vision. Offred is always facing both ways
as she tells her story, shifting constantly between the present and the past.
