Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B The play Twelfth Night is a type of comedy that has a painful aspect to it. Your task is to write an essay in which you describe two different instances of comedy from the play. In your essay, you should discuss how the humor… Read More Discuss the play Twelfth Night as a Comedy Essay
Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English A and B Let’s take a look at another essay question for Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and the response for this question. In the play “Twelfth Night,” Shakespeare explores the use of disguise. With close reference to the play, discuss the use and effectiveness of disguise. You should… Read More How does Shakespeare use disguise in the play “Twelfth Night?” Essay
By Julie Tagg Let’s take a look at the theme of love in Shakespeare and how you would respond to this essay question. “Twelfth Night” is a play that revolves around the theme of love. In your essay, you are required to explore two different types of love depicted in the play. Additionally, you should… Read More Theme of Love in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” Essay
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
Julie Tagg Symbolism is a powerful literary technique that is used by writers to represent abstract ideas through the use of physical objects or phenomena. A symbol is a tangible thing that stands for or represents an intangible concept, idea, or thought. A strong symbol is one that shares key characteristics with whatever it is… Read More What is symbolism in literature?
THEME: LOVE As the exams are approaching, it is crucial to start preparing early. One of the best ways to prepare is to practice with sample questions. Practicing with sample questions will help you to identify areas where you need to focus more and reinforce what you have already learned. Additionally, you should gather all… Read More ENGLISH B SAMPLE QUESTION AND RESPONSE for Poetry – Love
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”
Julie Tagg, April 12, 2024 In the novel, there are two important settings that play a crucial role in shaping the story – Ma’s home in Sooklal Trace and Cephas’s house in the city. The author takes us on a vivid journey to Ma’s home during Christmas preparations, which is a lively and welcoming space… Read More Setting – Merle Hodge “For the Life of Laetitia”
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
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
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
Short Stories for CSEC English B https://youtu.be/tfCK-y-_0uo
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
In summary: the basic essay format consists of – an introduction, – body paragraphs, and – a conclusion. The introduction grabs the reader’s attention and introduces the main claim or thesis statement. The body paragraphs develop the main points of the thesis statement, providing evidence and support for each point. Each paragraph includes a topic… Read More Basic Essay Format
Julie Tagg – Think and Write for CSEC English A and B January 25, 2024 The School Based Assessment (SBA) (Paper 3/1) portfolio requires that the candidates create an individual portfolio on an issue/topic/ theme or event that is current in the society. Candidates will work in groups. The topic is selected as a group. The topic… Read More CSEC SBA – Outline
The growing idleness of summer grass With its frail kites of furious butterflies Requests the lemonade of simple praise In scansion gentler than my hammock swings And rituals no more upsetting than a Black maid shaking linen as she sings The plain notes of some Protestant hosanna— Since I lie idling from the thought in… Read More A Lesson for this Sunday by Derek Walcott
Bridge, September 3, 1802 – William Wordsworth Earth has not anything to show more fair: Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty: This City now doth, like a garment, wear The beauty of the morning; silent, bare, Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie Open… Read More Sonnet Composed Upon Westminister
I watch him set up easel, Both straddling precariously A corner of the twisted, climbing Mountain track A tireless humming-bird, his brush Dips, darts, hovers now here, now there, Where puddles of pigment Bloom in the palette’s wild small garden. The mountains pose for him In a family group Dignified, self-conscious, against the wide blue… Read More Landscape Painter, Jamaica (for Albert Huie) by Vivian Virtue
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, And soonest… Read More “Death, be not proud” (Holy Sonnet 10) by John Donne
The instructor said, Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you— Then, it will be true. I wonder if it’s that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in Winston-Salem. I went to school there, then Durham, then here to this college on the hill above Harlem. I am… Read More Theme for English B by Langston Hughes
I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike. I am not cruel, only truthful ‚ The eye of a little god, four-cornered. Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall. It is pink, with speckles. I have… Read More Analysis of Mirror by Sylvia Plath
From the west Clouds come hurrying with the wind Turning sharply Here and there Like a plague of locusts Whirling, Tossing up things on its tail Like a madman chasing nothing. Pregnant clouds Ride stately on its back, Gathering to perch on hills Like sinister dark wings; The wind whistles by And trees bend to… Read More An African Thunderstorm By David Rubadiri
Once upon a time, son, they used to laugh with their hearts and laugh with their eyes: but now they only laugh with their teeth, while their ice-block-cold eyes search behind my shadow. There was a time indeed they used to shake hands with their hearts: but that’s gone, son. Now they shake hands without… Read More Once Upon a Time by Gabriel Okara
Cruising at thirty thousand feet above the endless green the islands seem like dice tossed on a casino’s baize, some come up lucky, others not. Puerto Rico takes the pot, the Dallas of the West Indies, silver linings on the clouds as we descend are hall-marked, San Juan glitters like a maverick’s gold ring. All… Read More West Indies, U.S.A. by Stewart Brown
Kamau Brathwaite But today I recapture the islands’ bright beaches: blue mist from the ocean rolling into the fishermen’s houses. By these shores I was born: sound of the sea came in at my window, life heaved and breathed in me then with the strength of that turbulent soil. Since then I have travelled: moved… Read More South
Stewart Brown Proudly wearing the rosette of my skin I strut into Sabina England boycotting excitement bravely something badly amiss. Cricket. Not the game they play at Lords, The crowd- whoever saw a crowd At a cricket match? – are caged vociferous partisans, quick to take offence. England sixty eight for none at lunch. ‘What… Read More Test Match Sabina Park
Her son was first made known to her as a sense of unease, a need to cry for little reasons and a metallic tide rising in her mouth each morning. Such signs made her know That she was not alone in her body. She carried him full term tight up under her heart. She carried… Read More The Woman Speaks to the Man who has Employed her Son By Lorna Goodison
Martin Carter This is the dark time, my love, All round the land brown beetles crawl about. The shining sun is hidden in the sky Red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow. This is the dark time, my love, It is the season of oppression, dark metal, and tears. It is the festival of… Read More This is the Dark Time, My Love
I leave this house box pieces of the five-week life I’ve gathered. I’ll send them on to fill spaces in my future life. One thing is left a spray of orchids someone gave from a bouquet one who makes a ritual of flower-giving sent. The orchids have no fragrance but purple petals draw you to… Read More Orchids by Hazel Simmons-McDonald
Additional Questions for the play
CHARACTER Benjy Benjy’s mom Benjy’s father The good-looking man SETTING The story takes place in the small town of Springville in rural Jamaica. The family is from an even smaller town called One-Eye, located in the mountains of Springville. SUMMARY The third-person narrator tells of Benjy and his need to taste ice cream for… Read More The Boy Who Loved Ice Cream by Olive Senior
