Julie Tagg| Think and Write for English| September 27, 2025 Exploring Themes, Symbolism, and Historical Context in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Classic Introduction “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a seminal work in American literature, first published in 1892. The story is often celebrated for its powerful depiction of psychological distress and its critique… Read More The Yellow Wallpaper: An Analysis
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for English| August 04, 2025 Thinking about starting that first novel? Or do you just want to write a story for any occasion? Below is a brief overview of the different types of plot that can help you to get through the first stages. Various types of plots are commonly… Read More Types of Plot
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Writing a memo (memorandum) is a straightforward process that follows a specific format. Memos are typically used for internal communication within an organization and can convey important information, reminders, or announcements. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write a memo: Memo Format Example… Read More How to Write a Memo
Grade Level: Middle or High SchoolSubject: English Language ArtsDuration: 60–90 minutesObjective:Students will be able to identify and write different types of letters, including formal, informal, and business letters, by understanding their structure, purpose, and tone. 1. Engage (10 minutes) – Hook & Warm-up 2. Explore (15 minutes) – Types of Letters 3. Explain (20 minutes)… Read More 5E Lesson Plan: Letter Writing
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Shakespeare’s play ‘Twelfth Night’ is a comedy that explores the themes of love, identity, and the power of illusion. The tone of the play is irreverent and bemused, and it mocks the self-seriousness and pretensions of the most self-deluded characters in the story. The… Read More Tone in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Twelfth Night, a play by William Shakespeare, has a dramatic point of view that follows certain characters more closely than others. This allows the audience to sympathize with their perspective. The play focuses on the characters Viola, Feste, and Malvolio, amongst others. Viola and… Read More Point of View in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English Themes Themes are the underlying and often recurring ideas that are explored throughout a literary work. Themes can encompass a wide range of topics, including but not limited to love, loss, morality, justice, identity, and power. These themes help to convey the author’s message and can often… Read More Common Themes in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Fantasy stories are a genre of fiction that is set in an imaginary or magical world. These stories often include elements that don’t exist in reality, such as: magic, mythical creatures, and imaginary lands. They allow authors and readers to explore new worlds and… Read More How to write a fantasy story?
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Follow This blog post aims to provide a comprehensive guide for individuals looking to enhance their narrative writing skills. We explore different techniques and strategies that can help writers create engaging and captivating narratives. What is Narrative Writing Narrative writing is a form of… Read More A Guide to Mastering Narrative Writing
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Write an essay about power abuse in Animal Farm and how it can lead to dictatorship due to the fear of losing control. Also, analyze a literary technique used in the novel to convey themes of fear and power. Animal Farm, written by George… Read More Sample Essay – The theme of the abuse of power and dictatorship in Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Write an essay that examines two examples of freedom of speech in Animal Farm. Additionally, explore two incidents of oppression of freedom of speech and censorship in Orwell’s novel. Discuss the effectiveness of one technique used to examine censorship in the text. Remember, the… Read More Sample Essay – The theme of freedom of speech in Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B “Man serves the interests of no creature except himself.” Write an essay that explores the theme of selfishness in the novel. Your essay should analyze the portrayal of human selfishness as well as the selfishness of the pigs in the novel. Additionally, comment on… Read More Sample Essay – Exploring the theme of selfishness in Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Religion is an important theme in Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” Write an essay in which you examine the role of Moses in the novel. Discuss one literary device that is used to explore the theme of religion in the novel. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” is… Read More Sample Essay – The theme of religion in Orwell’s “Animal Farm”
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” Write an essay that assesses the way history has changed for the benefit of dictators. In addition, discuss the way that history has repeated itself in the novel. Then identify one narrative technique and comment… Read More The theme of Nature as a cycle in Orwell’s “Animal Farm” Essay
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” In the novel, “Animal Farm,” Orwell shows this inequality among the animals. With close reference to the novel, write an essay in which you discuss the hierarchy on the farm. You must… Read More Essay question and answer on the theme of Corruption in Orwell “Animal Farm”
Julie Tagg| Short Story Collection So I have decided to step outside of these reviews and analysis and delve into my passion… writing stories and poems… Let me know what you think in the comments sections… In the heart of a bustling city stood a small, cozy bookstore. It was visible to everyone but hidden… Read More “The Resolve” – A Short piece of Fiction
One of main themes in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is deception. Discuss the theme as it appears in the play. In your essay, be sure to cite at least TWO different moments when deception is used and the effect that ONE type of deception has on the characters in the play. In addition, discuss the use… Read More The theme of Deception Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” Essay
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Essay Question Viola is the protagonist of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” With close reference to the play, discuss the role of Viola and her contribution to one of the themes. You should also assess the dramatic effect that her character has in the play. Viola,… Read More Essay question and answer on Viola’s role in Shakespeare “The Twelfth Night”
This novel, despite its seemingly simple narrative, addresses a number of significant issues or themes that are prevalent in Caribbean society. The role of education and women in society One of the most important themes explored in the story is the role of education and women in society. Through Anjanee’s story, the author reveals that… Read More Themes in “For the Life of Laetitia” by Merle Hodges Essay
Understanding the value of themes in literature by Julie Tagg (Think and Write for CSEC English) Definition of theme A theme in literature is a concept or message that is explored throughout a work. Literary themes are universal in nature, meaning that they are ideas that not only apply to the specific characters and events… Read More What is the function of themes in literary works?
In the novel, there are instances where objects or events seem to hold a deeper meaning. These instances are known as symbols. Here are some examples from the book that illustrate this concept: – The Home Economics teacher tries to hang up a picture of a Happy Family, but it keeps falling down. Although this… Read More Symbols in “For the Life of Laetitia” by Merle Hodge
Lacey and the Community Lacey, a young girl, is facing several challenges in her life. Her Maths teacher, Mrs. Lopez, doesn’t seem to like her and makes it clear that she wasn’t wanted at the school. Lacey has already proved her talent by winning a place in a government secondary school, but Mrs. Lopez’s foreign… Read More Conflict – Merle Hodge “For the Life of Laetitia”
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
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
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
Anjanee and Lacey: Both girls are from rural backgrounds and attend the same school. They face a great deal of pressure at school because of the challenges of being “country” children. Anjanee commits suicide because she cannot find inspiration or hope from her family. With the help of her family, Lacey recovers from her nervous… Read More Merle Hodge “For the Life of Laetitia” – Comparing the main characters
Exploring the plot in the novel The story is about Laetitia Johnson’s first year at secondary school. She is called Lacey for short and lives with her grandmother, cousins and other family members since her mother, Patsy, migrated to New York. Lacey’s father, Cephas shows little interest in his daughter. But later when he finds… Read More Merle Hodge “For the Life of Laetitia” The Plot
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 February 7, 2024 Literary Fiction allows you to focus on artistic prose, layered themes, character study, and introspection. Literary fiction – sub-genre of short stories which has strong emphasis on artistic or stylistic prose, layered themes, character study, and introspection. It is often elevated and poetic, with careful attention to language and imagery. The… Read More What are the Different Types of Short Stories?
Julie Tagg February 6, 2024 Three types of story settings Writing different types of settings requires attention to detail, atmosphere, and the specific needs of your story. Here’s how to write three common types of settings: Realistic Setting: Research: Conduct thorough research to ensure accuracy and authenticity in depicting real-world locations. This includes details such… Read More Types of setting in a novel or short story
Julie Tagg February 6, 2024 The setting of a story refers to the time, place, and overall environment in which the events of the narrative unfold. It includes details such as the geographical location, historical period, social context, and the atmosphere or mood of the story. The setting serves as a backdrop against which the… Read More What is the setting in a story?
By Julie Tagg Date: January 22, 2024 Reading Time: 2 minutes Please check out my new book for poetry on Amazon and Kindle “A Comprehensive Study Guide to Analyzing the CSEC English B Poems for 2018 – 2027 CSEC English Literature”
