Possible History Boys essay questions

- Within the comedy there's tragedy and an air of sadness

- Is the play a story about powerplay? E.g Dakin trying to come across as complex, the headmaster needing league table results and

- Links between religion and love, do they intertwine? E.g Scripps talking about god and Posner who is jewish

- Who is the most important character in the play? Posner / Irwin?

- What importance does the music have in the play? Would the play be significantly different without?

How is the comedy created in Act One of 'The History Boys'?

Think about possible essay questions and shape your comments around them. You could consider the serious issues in the play and how characters and themes are developed to explore them.

- Eccentric teachers, flourish and flamboiance can be comedic
- Slapstick humour
- Rivalry between Hector and Irwin

Themes:
- Abuse, violence and sexual
- Elitism / status
- References to shakespearian tradgedies e.g. King Lear, Hamlet

Is the comedy used as a medium for serious issues?
Why do we like Hector even though he's a paedophile?
Are hector and Irwin more similar than they seem?
Are attitudes and reactions the same now and in the 80's (when the play is set)?



 

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 9

Nick describes himself as alone, even though he's met so many people in the book

He starts the book alone and ends it alone

He Imagines the voice of Gatsby (personification) even though he's just a dead body, showing that he hasn't accepted his death yet 

Through time, two years later and still remembers the summer in detail

Chapter is told through telephone

"his eyes leaking isolated and unpunctual tears" Nick has lost his ability to connect with people since Gatsby's death 

Nick's descriptions of things are duller in colour and vigor now showing how since the death the tone of the story has changed

The end of the novel but many references to the beginning

Multi voice narration through phone, Nick and Wolsheim

Father son link with the trembling hands; links different parts of the novel

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 8

Chapter is made up of 8 phrases, each one very different tone

Represents Nick's personality changing and developing dependent on who is is in company with

Idea of a countdown (To Gatsby's Death)

Time jumps e.g to a conversation Nick had in chapter 6, fragmented instead of constant chronology

2nd phase jumps to Daisy and Gatsby's last night together 

Overall in the chapter tension is built and there is  growing sense of danger 

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 5

Imagery:
Tension tells the story - foreshadowing the tension at the start of the chapter

Gatsby is usually calm and cool but in this chapter he is different, more worried, and appears weak " pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets"

Story told through use of emotive imagery

Themes:
Time

Gats Knocks the clock of the mantle piece, almost like time stop when he is arguing with daisy

Clear chronology in this chapter

"A pause is endured horribly" builds the tense atmosphere and suspense

Great Gatsby - Reading Journal Chapter 3

Structure:

There’s a split in the structure of the chapter

It divides the narration into section 1 (recollection of the party but largely conversation) and section 2 (a short recap and Nick’s views on West Egg which is mostly in 1st person).

The divide changes times

Structure tells the story by creating a time frame for the story to be based upon. 

Narration:

Nick has the main voice of the narrator

Chapter is built up with narrated conversation form the other characters

This narration tells the story because it gives the chapter a voice and points of time.

By having a voice it gives the reader an understanding of the story’s origins, influences and tone. 

Imagery:

Nick compares Gatsby’s party guests to moths, moths are drawn to light and find this interest compulsive.

Metaphor saying how ‘bright’, ‘flashy’ and interesting the party is and people find it compelling to attend.

Insects usually thought of as coming in swarms, represented by the sheer amount of guests.

This imagery is used to tell the story because it gives the reader a detailed description of the party.

Language:

Uses  the word “all” gives an idea of the volume of people and size of the party.

Tells the reader how great the party’s are, because no one turns up to an awful party.

An appearing theme seems to be insects.

Language is also used by Fitzgerald to tell the story, he uses singular words to slightly change the way the chapter is interpreted and to mediate to the reader how he wants the scene to be imagined. 

Character:

First introduced to Gatsby

Description of his party gives the reader an idea of his character before we meet him

Reader thinks of him as a glamorous and lavish person in the same style of his parties

When we finally meet him there is some mild disappointment to the reader, he seems rather reserved, doesn't drink and separates himself from the party for most of the night

“one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it.” A gleaming smile is closely related to the world of Hollywood, and it is thought that all the big stars has perfect smiles, this trait shows the reader his ’star like quality’ and makes the reader want to find out more about him.

The difference between substance and appearance

Nick see’s the city’s beauty and enchantment, saying it has an “adventurous feel”, but he also calls it “racy” which makes it sound sleazier and more negative than his original view

Theme returns when describing his interest in Jordan

how he’s attracted to her but also knows she is a liar and selfish

differences are made further apart by the fact that his values from the Midwest are rather different to those held by the people of New York