This document discusses aspects of narrative and how to analyze narratives. It provides assessment objectives (AOs) focused on demonstrating understanding of narrative structure and form, making connections between texts, and understanding historical context. Key points covered include brainstorming what narrative is and how it's created, articulating creative and informed responses using appropriate terminology, and exploring connections between texts informed by other interpretations.

1. Aspects of Narrative
Brainstorm your ideas about
what narrative is and how it
is created?

2. AO1 – Section A, 2nd question
Section B
• Articulate creative, informed and
relevant responses to literary
texts, using appropriate
terminology and concepts, and
coherent, accurate written
expression

3. AO2 – Section A, 1st question
Section B
• Demonstrate detailed critical
understanding in analysing the ways
in which structure, form and
language shape meanings in literary
texts

4. AO3 – Section A, 2nd question
Section B
• Explore connections and
comparisons between different
literary texts, informed by
interpretations of other readers

5. AO4 – Section A, 2nd question
• Demonstrate understanding of the
significance and influence of the
contexts in which literary texts are
written and received

7. The
•
Road is set in a post-apocalyptic world, date
The story
and place unnamed, though the reader can assume
it's somewhere in what was the United States
because the man tells the boy that they're walking
the "state roads.”
• Neither the man nor the boy is given a name; this
anonymity adds to the novel's tone that this could
be happening anywhere, to anyone.
• Stylistically, the writing is very fragmented and
sparse from the beginning, which reflects the
barren and bleak landscape through which the man
and boy are traveling. McCarthy also chooses to use
no quotation marks in dialogue and for some
contractions, he leaves out the apostrophes.
Because this is a post-apocalyptic story, the
exemption of these punctuation elements might
serve as a way for McCarthy to indicate that in this

8. Beginnings
• Read the following comments on
openings and pick out the point
which seems to you most
interesting or helpful when
thinking about The Road.
• Present it, explaining the point and
adding a comment of your own,
related to The Road:
Ian McEwan draws attention to the
fact that beginnings are constructed.

9. Scenes and places:
Time and sequence:
Characters and characterisation:
Voices:
Point/s of view:
Destination:
Themes:

10. Line of continuum
• We are going to be placing these
chapters in order of importance to
the narrative.
• Will they go in numerical order?
• Why?
• What are we saying about
narrative?

11. Homework – due Tuesday (hand in to Mr
Lawrence, or email me:
jrawlings@woolwichpoly.greenwich.sch.uk
or jorawlings78@gmail.com
• Write about the ways
that McCarthy tells
the story in section 1 of
The Road. Band 6 answers:
• evaluation of how
the author’s
• 30 minutes – Language, narrative methods
Structure, Form (the work;
• several points
overall effect, it’s the fully developed
opening chapter of a and evaluated;
novel). structure/voice
evaluated;
• Use the ‘building excellent
blocks’ as ideas.
AO2: Demonstrate detailed critical
illustration;
understanding in analysing the ways in
which structure, form and language • integrated
shape meanings in literary texts. evaluation of the
story and