Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Please take a moment to download this file. It is an excerpt from the compilation of essay questions that will help in your preparations for the exam. Alistair Campbell’ Anansi”. Follow me at https://www.amazon.com/author/julietagg for more questions and study notes on this novel and… Read More Alistair Campbell’s “Anansi” – Sample Essay Questions
Julie Tagg @thinkandwriteforcsecenglish | April 03, 2024 The play “Anansi” provides a vivid portrayal of the Atlantic slave trade in the year 1791. During this time, thousands of African individuals were forcibly taken from their homes and transported across the ocean to the West Indies, where they were sold to plantation owners. The play focuses… Read More Drama as history in “Anansi” by Alistair Campbell
Julie Tagg: April 03, 2027 The play explores the theme of disguise, which is portrayed by blurring the line between reality and fantasy. The protagonist, Girl, is forced to endure the cruelty of her slave owners and uses her imagination as a coping mechanism to keep her spirit alive. In one scene, she is confined… Read More Disguise in the play “Anansi” by Alistair Campbell
Alistair Campbell “Anansi” [by Julie Tagg, April 03, 2024] Antagonists, protagonists, and main characters The play centers around a young girl who is on board a ship as a slave. At the beginning of the story, the girl is hopeless and distraught due to the system of slavery that she finds herself in. However, as… Read More Use of language and features of writing -Anansi
Personification In this play, Girl narrates her journey from Africa and describes the river as having human qualities that carry her further and further away from her mother on its great brown back. This personification not only shows the force of nature but also highlights how Girl is helplessly separated from her birthplace. The playwright… Read More Personification in Alistair Campbell’s “Anansi”
Similes and metaphors play an important role in the play. They bring out the playwright’s perspective on the characters, highlight the key issues of the play and help the audience to better visualize the images to be conveyed. To illustrate Girl’s struggle and devise a method of survival, Woman tells her to “weave your little… Read More Similes and Metaphors in Anansi by Alistair Campbell
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English The play cleverly incorporates the symbols of the Spider and Tiger to emphasize their notable strengths. The Tiger, as portrayed in the “Forest Stories”, is depicted as a “strong” and “bold” character akin to the white slave masters of the era. Meanwhile, the Spider, known as Anansi,… Read More Symbols in Alistair Campbell’s “Anansi”
Imagery Throughout the play, the author uses vivid images of darkness, death, and light to convey the emotional weight of the story. These images are intended to evoke strong feelings in the audience and bring to life the dehumanizing experiences of the slaves on board the ship. For instance, when the character Girl recounts their… Read More Alistair Campbell’s “Anansi” – Use of Imagery
Irony Irony is used to reinforce meanings. In the play, Campbell uses irony and this has a direct impact on the lessons of morality that arise out of its contents. He also uses irony to demonstrate the transfer of power among characters for greater audience appeal. The play explores the conflicting views on the treatment… Read More Alistair Campbell’s Anansi – Using Irony
Julie Tagg| March 24, 2024 •Learning Objectives: In this section you will: • discover the major themes of the play • recognise how the major themes reflect the slave trade experience • explore the connections between themes • explore how the themes and conflict add to the dramatic function of the play CONFLICT, THEMES, AND… Read More Analysis of the themes in the play “Anansi” by Alistair Campbell
Julie Tagg| March 19, 2024 CONTRASTING CHARACTERS Character stereotypes Campbell creates some of his characters without names. But these characters have an identity. They include Boy, Girl, Woman, Her, King, Sailor, Tiger, and others. Arguably, this is the playwright’s attempt at developing different stereotypes on board the slave ship and in ‘The Forest of Stories’.… Read More Alistair Campbell’s ‘Anansi” – Character Analysis
Learning Objectives: By the end of the reading you should be able to: There are several scenes in the play. One scene takes place aboard ‘The Good Ship Hope’ and the other in ‘The Forest’. The scene on the ship shows the experiences that the slave girl and the Boy share as they travel though… Read More Alistair Campbell’s “Anansi” The Plot
Julie Tagg, March 8, 2024 Historical Context The stories of Anansi and his trickery are integral to the oral literature of the West Indies and the traditions of storytelling. The enslaved West Africans brought these stories of Anansi to the Caribbean. Anansi is the trickster hero who enjoys his power over all the other animals… Read More Alistair Campbell’s Anansi
By Julie Tagg Humour Language Use of songs Characterization Storytelling
By Julie Tagg Human cruelty Ignorance Traditions Women in Society Slavery Colonialism Hope The value of oral traditions and culture Human Resilience Attitude to power and authority
