1. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
REVISION
Lesson One

2. Character List – what it reveals
Martha
a large, boisterous woman, 52, looking somewhat younger. Ample, but not fleshy.
Impression given that Martha’s size and loud personality overshadow George. Voluptuous ‘ample’- suggests she’s sexually attractive which is emphasised by her relatively youthful appearance.
Her name links to Martha Washington. Martha Washington was married to George Washington – he was the first president of the USA which makes Martha Washington the first ‘First Lady of the USA’. The President and First Lady represent the ideal American couple who stand to uphold the American Dream. Albee’s choice of names for these characters is therefore ironic.
George
her husband, 46. Thin; hair going grey
George is disillusioned/concerned with becoming invisible.
Honey
26, a petite blonde girl, rather plain
Small, unattractive, non-descript. Her looks reflect her character. No real name – not worthy of a name?
Nick
30, her husband. Blond, well-put-together, good looking
Nick is polished, suggestions of falseness in description ‘well-put-together’. Foil to George in terms of looks, academic subjects.
His name links him to Nikita Khrushchev. Led the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 during the time of the Cold War when the play was written.
Nick’s conflict with George in the play mirrors the conflict between the Soviet Union and the USA during the Cold War.

3. ACT 1: FUN AND GAMES EVENT WHAT IT REVEALS LINK TO CONTEXT/THEME
George and Martha arrive home bickering about a ‘picture’ starring Bette Davis. (p 1-3)
Bickering and arguments are the norm. Sets the scene for what’s to come.
Bette Davis – an American film actress of the period – firmly sets play in historical context of the time.
She announces they have guests coming over which he knew nothing about. (p5)
Communication is poor. George is an afterthought.
Gender roles – Martha and George’s relationship is traditional on surface. He is associate professor and she’s housewife – but the positions of power are not clear as her father runs the university.
Characters sing; ‘Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ (p5, 12, 46)
Adaptation of nursery rhyme – big bad wolf, placing Virginia Woolf’s name in place. Recurs as theme throughout.
Possible interpretations:
Means nothing – link to theatre of the absurd.
Virginia Woolf was feminist author who advocated female independence – Martha and Honey will never be independent.
Wolf – in nursery rhymes symbolises repressed sexuality.
Albee says it is about leading a life without illusion and not being afraid of the truth.
George tells Martha not to bring up the child to guests. (p8)
Calls child ‘the bit’. Warning to Martha. Turning point.
Link to theme of childlessness and truth and illusion.
Context – childless couples deemed failures in 1950s and 60s.
Verbal sparring for George and Martha (p17)
‘exercising…. our wits’
Impression given that this verbal sparring is well rehearsed game.
Conflict between Nick and George Old World V new World (p20)
George is threatened by the growing importance of science ‘test tube’ babies
Nick represents a threatening future to George where he is no longer important, where art and culture and diversity are no longer important.
Honey asks George about his son. George is furious. (p23)
Martha has ignored George’s order to not mention the imaginary child. Turning point for George.
Reveals the power struggle in George and Martha’s relationship.

4. ACT 1: FUN AND GAMES EVENT WHAT IT REVEALS LINK TO CONTEXT/THEME
Martha returns in dress which accentuates her figure. proceeds to flirt openly with Nick (page 24-28)
Act of War on behalf of Martha. Is she doing it because she finds Nick so attractive? Is she doing it because she knows she has power over Nick? Does she do it to get a reaction from George?
Power games
Gender roles – Martha is older woman who may be afraid of losing her sexual allure?
Martha humiliates George by recounting the story of the boxing match just after they married. (page 29)
Martha is willing to humiliate George.
Power games – Martha humiliated George to please her father at the time and continues to humiliate him now.
George fires imitation gun, parasol is fired. (p30)
Others shocked. Martha delighted – reveals sado-masochistic nature of their relationship.
Power games – George and Martha revel in violence and power games.
Martha’s attempts to seduce George are misinterpreted by him. He rejects her. (p31)
He thinks her affection is a show for the guests. Refuses her game. She’s hurt and this is another turning point.
Martha compares Nick to ideal super man to hurt George. He retaliates by forcing her to answer Honey’s questions about the child. Martha says George may not be the father. (p36-9)
Absurd fighting and histrionics. One upmanship.
Truth and illusion
Martha speaks about her courtship with George and his inadequacy for the role her father planned for him. (41 -45)
Martha uses her father to get at George. She enjoys humiliating George. Does admit the love they had at the start of the relationship.
George smashes a bottle and sings ‘who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ to drown her out.
George uses alcohol to quieten Martha.

5. A work in which the characters symbolise concepts or ideals.
Stylistic Techniques
Allegory
A work in which the characters symbolise concepts or ideals.
What do each of the following characters symbolise?
The American ideals of the past.
The failure of religion (an emotionally unstable daughter of a preacher).
Primitive and pagan instinct.
The threatening future (Communism).

6. What does this extract reveal about the marriage of George and Martha?
Question 1i) Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? - extract question – AO1 and AO2
Read from page 30 (George takes from behind his back..) to page 32 George (grimaces behind her back): oh that’s good.’
What does this extract reveal about the marriage of George and Martha?

7. Martha AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
Act 1 – FUN AND GAMES
AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
AO2 (Analysis) What does it reveal? What is Albee trying to suggest? What motivates this?
Martha’s behaviour challenges stereotypes of the 1962 society.
Martha drinks masculine associated liquor whiskey and bourbon.
Martha had a traditional upbringing (went to an all girls convent school).
Martha was in charge of her own sexuality when she was at the Women's College, but her father took it away.
Martha's behaviour is off-putting to George.
Sexually dominant
She is verbally articulate and enjoys verbal sparring.

8. George AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
Act 1 – FUN AND GAMES
AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
AO2 (Analysis) What does it reveal? What is Albee trying to suggest? What motivates this?
Takes the role of the 'unsuccessful' man and passive personality.
He fills people’s drinks but doesn’t get drunk himself.
Plays along with Martha during their verbal battles.
He hides his feelings during most of the play, but he does do certain things that produce unease to the audience: gun, conversations with Nick.
He chose to live under the constant indirect threat of Martha's father.
Loses his identity: failed academic
Along with Martha, he is unable to accept the reality - he still has hope of running the History Department.

9. Nick AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
Act 1 – FUN AND GAMES
AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
AO2 (Analysis) What does it reveal? What is Albee trying to suggest? What motivates this?
Seems to be an ideal man - everything that George can't be (athletic, young, successful, sexually desirable for Martha).
Albee includes this character to create contrast with George and to break the illusion of the perfect American.
Nick is flawed, damaged and weak.

10. Honey AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
Act 1 – FUN AND GAMES
AO1 (Evidence and terminology/Include page numbers)
AO2 (Analysis) What does it reveal? What is Albee trying to suggest? What motivates this?
HONEY Represents what could happen to women if they followed 1962 society.
Honey is a farce. She is unintelligent, uninteresting and loathly.
She is devoted to her husband.
Represents everything a women should be in 1962 society (passive/naïve).
She is actually damaged. She is an alcoholic and challenges society in every way possible.

11. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
REVISION
Lesson Two

12. Act II – WALPURGISNACHT (Night of the Witches)
Walpurgisnacht is named after the evening, in German legend, when witches gather to commune in wicked deeds and sexual orgies.
It is in this act that the battle between George and Martha festers to the point of total war.
Nick is revealed to be a ruthless cad.
The sexual attraction between Nick and Martha grows close to the point of physical union.
Paganism came to be equated by Christians with a sense of hedonism, representing those who are sensual, materialistic, self-indulgent, unconcerned with the future, and uninterested in more mainstream religions.

13. ACT 2:WALPURGHISNACHT EVENT WHAT IT REVEALS LINK TO CONTEXT/THEME
George and Nick alone. Hostility continues between them. Nick questions the relationship between Martha and George. George questions Nick about Honey. (p47-50)
Reveals hysterical pregnancies of Honey
Traditional female role – care giver/mother – Honey is not conforming.
George tells Nick the story, supposedly from his schooldays – in which he and his friends get drunk and a character appears in it who killed his parents. (page 50/51)
Audience question if boy is George. His references to asylum allude to idea that this is how he views his life now with Martha.
Absurdism – is this true?
Truth and reality
George’s power games – he invites Nick into his confidence and Nick then tells him about his relationship with Honey.
Nick admits he was never in love with Honey. She was ‘pregnant’ so he was obliged to marry her. The pregnancy was hysterical. He didn’t mind as she was rich so he’s furthered his own career. (page 54/60)
Nick is a pragmatist.
Nick has given information to an enemy which could damage him later.
The relationship of the golden boy and girl is not as golden as it first appeared. They do not fit the American Dream – their marriage is built on a lie and perpetuated on a lie.
The return of Martha and Honey – leads to argument between George and Martha – she accuses him of making their son ill. George suggests the son was ill as Martha was sexually assaulting him. ( p64)
George is determined to hurt Martha and punish her for bringing the child up.
Childishness and childlessness
Power games
Martha brings up the potentially embarrassing subject of George’s book (p66). She dances with Nick and comes back to the story. (p70)
Martha now punishes George for the earlier insult. He begs her not to but she continues anyway.

14. Act 2: WALPURGHISNACHT EVENT WHAT IT REVEALS LINK TO CONTEXT/THEME
Martha suggests that George’s novel (based on the boys drinking/child who murdered parents) was autobiographical and her dad stopped it being published. (page 71)
In George’s earlier account the character couldn’t be George as he’d been struck dumb. George is far from dumb. In Martha’s account it is autobiographical.
Truth/lies
Power games
Father – domineering.
George attacks Martha – Nick restores order. (page 72)
Violence is not unusual for the couple.
Nick is acting like parent.
Childishness
George is unnerved and tries to re-establish himself by suggesting more games ‘Hump the hostess’; ‘get the guests’. He shocks Martha by talking of another unpublished novel and launches into satirical account of Nick and Honey’s marriage. (73-78) Nick and Honey leave the room.
Honey’s lack of intelligence – takes a long time to realise story is about her.
George’s cruelty
Martha applauds George for showing some life at last but derides him for attacking ‘pygmies’ – second rate people. They argue about their whole marriage and declare ‘total war’ (79-84)
Turning point in the play – no going back now.
Marriage
Nick’s return means Martha’s battle begins as she flirts outrageously with him and seducing him. George pretends not to care. This infuriates Martha. She goes to the kitchen to have sex with Nick and we see George’s fury when he throws the book away, hitting the doorbell. (p86-93)
Nick’s opportunism and lack of care for Honey
Martha’s determination to get a reaction from George.
Martha’s ‘pagan’ qualities
George’s jealousy
Breakdown of the American Dream
The bells bring Honey back in who won’t listen when George tries to hint at what’s happening in the kitchen. She reveals she’s scared to have children and George thinks she’s conducting secret abortions. This gives George an idea – the bells were a telegram announcing their son’s death. (p93-97)
Honey’s secrets
George’s ability to uncover secrets
Childlessness
Inability to meet the American Dream by having children.

15. Exorcism is the religious or spiritual practice of purportedly evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or an area they are believed to have possessed.
Depending on the spiritual beliefs of the exorcist, this may be done by causing the entity to swear an oath, performing an elaborate ritual, or simply by commanding it to depart in the name of a higher power.
The practice is ancient and part of the belief system of many cultures and religions.

16. Act 3: THE EXORCISM EVENT WHAT IT REVEALS LINK TO CONTEXT/THEME
Act 3 opens with Martha’s soliloquy. She pretends to talk to George and her father. She talks about all three crying. (98-99)
Her deep distress. Her need for validation from both her father and George.
Childishness
Truth and illusion
Nick enters and she mocks his inability to perform sexually. She expresses disgust with herself and her various sexual adventures.Tells him George is only man who’s made her happy. ( )
Her true feelings about George. Her shame about her behaviour.
Prepares us for the new understanding between her and George at the end of the play.
Truth illusion
marriage
Martha humiliates Nick ‘ houseboy’. Tells him to answer door.
Martha’s intense need to humiliate and control
Power games
George is at the door with flowers – for the dead- foreshadows his final game. (104)
George’s need to control
Martha continues lie that Nick was able to perform to George’s ‘great, sad relief’ (108)
Martha will humiliate George to gain upper hand
Truth/illusion
George proposes a final game of ‘bringing up baby’ – unnerves Martha. He sends Nick to get Honey for the final game. (page 110)
References to Nick’s youth reveal George’s jealousy. George is now in position of power over Martha.
Marriage
As part of the game, Martha gives long account of childbirth and childhood (about their son). Honey announces she wants a child. George begins to recite words of the Requiem Mass – service for the dead. They blame each other for son’s problems and then he announces the boy is dead.
It’s impossible for Martha to contradict him. He has won.
Honey’s admission is puzzling. Does she want a child?
Religious imagery
Martha protests that George has ‘broken the rules’ of their game. Nick realises what’s been going on and him and Honey leave. Martha and George are left to live a life unsupported by illusion.
George has won.
Nick and Honey return to their lives full of illusion. Maybe Albee is saying only George and Martha stand chance of surviving.
Death of American Dream

17. Initial situation
George and Martha – trapped in world of bitter illusion.
They’ve been tearing each other down for years. Their arguments appear well rehearsed and at times the attacks are so cruel and yet they seem to be amused/able to ignore them. They hide behind illusions –their son- to make it through the bitterness that is their lives.
Conflict
Honey and Nick arrive. The shattering of the illusion begins.
Honey and Nick are dragged into the verbal warfare. Illusions begin to crack.
Complication
Martha’s attempts to sleep with Nick are the last straw for George.
He acts like he doesn’t care but this action drives him towards his climactic action.
Climax
The Exorcism
After losing many battles, George finally wins his war with Martha. When he kills their imaginary son and exposes him as an illusion, Martha’s will to fight is finally broken.
Denouement
The guests leave. Martha begs. The play draws to a close as Nick and Honey leave. Martha makes one last effort to convince George that they should ‘give birth’ to their son again – he refuses.
Conclusion
George and Martha begin to live with no illusions. Only the cold hard reality of their existence can comfort them now. Strangely, they seem closer than at any point in the play.

18. Protagonist – drives the action of the play.
Up until final act, this is Martha but he performs final
climactic action by killing the imaginary son. Therefore, George is the protagonist.
How is he presented by Albee?
Sad – vicious wife parades his failures.
He’s only associate professor.
Failed novelist.
Boy in story – George? His reaction (nearly strangling Martha) suggests he is.
Why stay with Martha?
Too passive to leave? Says he’s ‘numbed enough now’. Says to Martha he doesn’t ‘really hear’ her. Too numb and dead inside to care anymore?
He likes the abuse? Martha screams her arm is tired from ‘whipping’ him – this is of course a metaphor. Does he have desire for abuse?
He loves Martha – created an imaginary child – intimate connection. Treats her with compassion at end of play.

19. Up until the final act, many critics would argue that Martha is the protagonist as she drives all the action. However, as George drives the play towards its climax he is the protagonist and she is the antagonist – the character who challenges the protagonist.
How is she presented by Albee?
Bitter about the way life has turned out.
Unhappy that she’s never had a child – so unhappy that she invents one.
Cruel and vicious to her husband- is this because he loves her? Martha hates herself and therefore hates anyone who loves her.
Impression is given that she is sexually attractive – still at 52. Is she someone who clings on to the idea that she is a sexual being as this is how she has always won attention from men?
Why does she need attention from men? Hints are given that the relationship with her father is unsatisfactory.

20. Foil (contrasts with protagonist) Nick is the foil to George
At the beginning of the play, George and Nick seem totally different. George is old, apathetic and washed up. Nick is young, ambitious and has bright prospects. By the end, Nick is revealed as being more like George than we previously thought. He is capable of vicious attacks. His marriage is also flawed just like George’s marriage is flawed.

21. Foil to antagonist
Honey is foil to Martha
For the most part, the two female characters are polar opposites. Martha is cruel; Honey is kind. Martha is bitter; Honey is optimistic. Martha is quick witted; Honey is slow on the uptake. The one thing that brings them together is their want of a child. Both have created imaginary offspring.

22. Lesson Three – part 1 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? REVISION
– Extract question assesses AO1 and AO2. You shouldn’t include context. Focus on this extract only. Show off how much terminology you know. Analyse constantly.
- For part (ii) it’s important that you focus on at least two other episodes BUT don’t do more than three. This question assesses AO1, AO2 and AO3 so you do need to embed context into your response.
Look at the marks awarded. Which should you spend most time on?

23. How to tackle questions on ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
How to tackle questions on ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ – There are two parts to this question. DO NOT FORGET THIS!
– Tackling the extract
Spend 20/25 minutes on extract. Firstly, read question carefully so you know you are looking for the correct points. Underline key words in the question to help you focus your reading.
For example: Remind yourself of Act 2 page 93 from “HONEY: (the worse for wear, half asleep...” to page 95 “GEORGE:...and you want to know who rang.” Using integrated literary and linguistic approaches, examine the presentation of the character of Honey in this extract. [20]
Firstly, work out what is happening in the extract. What has come before? What act is it in? Explain the background in your opening. Pick out 6-8 quotes from the beginning, middle and end of the extract (things Honey says, things others say about her, stage directions describing her actions or the actions of others towards her). What terminology can you see? Remember, do not make a point or use evidence without referring to terminology and its effect or intended effect. See example of opening paragraph below:
This extract is taken from the second act, WALPURGHISNACHT. George is alone in the living room and Martha and Nick are in the kitchen attempting to have sex. George who is frustrated at this situation throws his book at the door chimes which wakes Honey and brings her into the room. Albee’s stage directions, using the euphemism ‘worse for wear’describe her drunken state. This is reinforced by her speech which Albee says is spoken ‘vaguely’. This adverb accurately portrays Honey as a character who is often unaware of what is going on and sometimes it even appears that she is deliberately unaware as she doesn’t want to face the truth. Her first words in this extract ‘Bells. Ringing.’ are disjointed and the use of minor sentences implies that Honey is not capable of articulating a coherent sentence. This links in to the idea that Honey is a character who does not appear to have her own voice – she is continually ignored.

24. Example Question
(ii) With reference to at least two other episodes from the play, discuss how far you agree with the viewpoint that through Honey’s character Albee highlights “the crippling and stifling effects that 1960’s American society had upon women”.
To a large extent, the character of Honey in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ reflects the ‘crippling and stifling effects’ that 1960s American society had upon females. Honey is the least developed character in the play and in fact spends much of the time, drunk and unaware or away from the stage. She is trapped in a passionless marriage and clearly cannot deal with the pressure to conform to the American ideal perpetuated in the 1950s and 60s which saw marriage and family life put forward as the key components of success. However, in the play, Albee explores the themes of truth and reality and posits the view, which was very controversial when the play was first performed, that a harsh reality lay behind the perfect veneer of these ‘idyllic’ marriages. The character of Honey is used to by Albee to show that what is outwardly perfect can hide a rotten core.
Write a short introductory paragraph that directly answers the question. Try to bring in context here if you can.
Move on to discuss your other chosen areas by using a sentence starter like this. Remember you are being marked on AO1, AO2 and AO3 in this part of your response.
We see an example of the stifling effect of 1960s American society on women in ……………….

25. Read this: Examiner Report 2016
For the first examination of this unit, it was very encouraging to read so many thoughtful and perceptive responses to the set questions. There was clear evidence that centres had thoroughly prepared their candidates for the examination, and that candidates had enjoyed studying the texts on offer. The best responses demonstrated an ability to discuss meaning with confidence (AO2) and link this to relevant contextual comments (AO3), whilst evaluating the use of both literary and linguistic features (AO1) in the texts. However, there were some centres where the depth and thought behind analysis was thin and, as with the previous specification, knowledge and understanding of terminology is very uneven. Candidates are to be reminded that discussion of a range of terminology is essential in an integrated course; this should include discussion of terminology which goes beyond simple identification of sentence mood. There were also too many occasions when candidates would use a quotation and simply discuss the ‘verb’ without identifying which word they were attempting to analyse—they must be specific in their identification of terms.
The new aspect of the specification which appeared to cause most concern is the application of contextual knowledge (AO3). Centres should prepare their candidates with a wide and broad understanding of the social, political, historical and cultural context of their chosen text, but also how this can be interpreted in contemporary society. Far too frequently, context was simply addressed through biographical information relating to the author, and whilst this can be relevant at times, too many candidates simply included this as ‘bolt-on’ information at the end of a paragraph. Context should be integrated into the response where possible, and there were many candidates who performed this aspect of the course very effectively.

26. SECTION A. In Part (i) of this section, candidates are required to respond to an extract specified in the examination. This requires the candidates to read, think and write at speed, and some candidates spent too long responding to this part, with some writing up to four pages. This is unnecessary, and candidates should aim to focus only on three or possibly four parts from the extract to discuss. In doing this, they will be able to focus on language use in greater detail, and avoid reliance on narrating the passage.
On the other hand, there were too many responses which were too brief to be rewarded or contained a limited awareness of literary and linguistic terminology. Candidates should be reminded that they must only discuss passages from the specified extract and not from other parts of the play.
Considering that context (AO3) is not assessed in this part, it was disappointing to see a number of candidates spend time applying contextual information to their analysis, This was often at the expense of using terminology to discuss meaning. In fact, this part of the examination is a key opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of terminology, and too many did not extend their discussion beyond sentence mood. Some did not use any terminology at all. Candidates should be encouraged to use terminology for each quotation.

27. In Part (ii) of this section, candidates are instructed to refer to at least two other episodes from the whole play in their discussion. Far too frequently, examiners were unable to reward discussion due to candidates commenting on the extract from Part (i) of the question. It is clearly stated in the question what candidates are required to do, but careful planning and preparation are skills which perhaps need revising prior to the examination.
For this part, there should be careful selection of different episodes from the whole play, to enable candidates to demonstrate their knowledge of the text and their analytical prowess. For an episode to prove successful, it should be a passage of the play which is significant and potentially rich in both language and content. This provides candidates with more opportunity to analyse and discuss, rather than when some candidates chose multiple passages but said very little about how they were relevant to the question. This, all too often, led to highly descriptive responses. It is also essential to remember that context is heavily weighted in this response, but that it should be woven into their essay, rather than something which is simply added at the end. The most successful responses tended to start with an overview of the text and question, but then also internally contextualised the episodes they had chosen to discuss.

28. What could you use from the play?
Form and Structure/Discourse
Dialogue, Monologue, Juxtaposition of content, Turn-taking
Overlapping
Word level/lexis
Word classes (proper nouns, pro-nouns, common nouns (abstract, concrete, collective), adjectives (superlatives and comparatives, pre-modifiers, post-modifiers, dynamic verbs, stative verbs, adverbs etc. Pathetic fallacy, idiom, euphemism, oxymoron, hyperbole, allusion, simile, metaphor etc.
Phonology
Fricatives, plosives, sibilants. Typography (font, punctuation.
Sentence Level/Grammar
Sentence types (simple, compound, complex, minor) Sentence moods (declarative, exclamative, interrogative), parallelism, foregrounding, end focus, tense, ellipsis
Overview
Content (what happens), Context (when play was written and received then and now, text type, themes, purpose

29. Once in a House on Fire Revision
This book is an autobiographical memoir.
Ashworth’s childhood is told chronologically in a series of short vignettes (very short stories). This structure functions as unprocessed memories do: short, fragmented, often intense.
In an interview given in 2000, Ashworth said on writing the book that “it was the most frightening thing I have ever done … Every nasty memory seemed to come tumbling out, threatening to make me lose my footing at any moment. I deliberately wrote the book in the immediate present tense and tried to plunge the reader into the colours, smells, tastes and textures of those years.”
She does this through a range of ‘literary’ techniques – including figurative language. She also combines this at times with an honest humour.
She wanted to give her memoir an immediacy and to suggest an almost child-like perspective on the experiences. Ashworth, as an adult, doesn’t intrude on the narrative to explain what has happened. Instead, the reader is invited to join the dots together.
REVISE THIS!!!!!!!!!

30. What is figurative language?
A metaphor asserts that one thing is something that it literally is not. For example:
‘At night, Laurie, Sarah and I became sausage rolls, baked in musty sleeping bags’.
What is figurative language?
Figurative language is the use of words in an unusual or imaginative manner. Often figurative language involves the use of a metaphor, a simile, personification, hyperbole, idiom, onomatopoeia and euphemism.
Onomatopoeia is the use of a word which sounds like what it represents. For example: I made the most of the affection oozing from my mothers and sisters.’
Personification is when non-human objects are given human traits. ‘..the bus door sighed open.’
A euphemism is the use of inoffensive words to replace unpleasant or embarrassing words. E.g. ‘When kids called for us to play out, we urged them to cross the road where they would be less likely to hear the details of him (Peter) letting off steam.’
A simile likens one thing to another using the words like or as. For example,
‘Jutting out of his pocket, three tubes of smarties sat like keys, waiting to wheedle his way back in.’
Hyperbole is an exaggeration or extravagant statement used for effect. ‘we were wading through the liver and onions he loved so much.’
Idiom is a common expression where the words don’t relate to the literal meaning. E.g. ‘Out of the frying pan into the fire.

31. Abuse/violent households/anger Father figures
Childhood/
education
Poverty
Homes
Abuse/violent households/anger
Father figures
Male & female relationships
Bonds with family & friends
Examine how childhood is presented.
Examine how education is presented during the time Ashworth grew up.
Examine how Ashworth’s memoir presents hope and despair.
Discuss how adolescence is presented in the memoir.
Examine Ashworth’s presentation of making a living.
Examine how Ashworth presents poverty in the novel.
Examine how Ashworth presents a sense of place.
Discuss the significance of period and setting of the book in Ashworth’s presentation of houses/homes.
Examine Ashworth’s presentation of anger.
Examine how Ashworth presents violence in the novel.
Discuss the significance of Ashworth’s use of social background in her presentation of abusive fathers and father figures.
Examine Ashworth’s presentation of male and female relationships.
Examine Ashworth’s presentation of supportive relationships.
Discuss how Ashworth’s memoir presents sisterly love.
Possible questions/Areas for consideration

32. How should I structure my essay?
Use integrated linguistic and literary approaches to examine how Once in a House on Fire presents childhood in the novel.
What are the keywords we need to underline? Now consider the question – is her presentation of childhood completely negative or completely positive? Does it contain both elements? What is negative? What is positive?
Then spend 5 minutes on a plan:
P1 - Intro – address question, state my point of view – Ashworth presents violent childhood – with irrepressible optimism.
P2 – Death of father/intro of Peter Hawkins. Mum needs man.
P3 –Introduction of Terry. Good times at first BUT then abuse.
P4 – Relationships with sisters and mother – close- in the end fractured but still trying to look after mum –takes on maternal role.
P5 – Education as an escape route – not just for Andrea but sisters too.
P6 -Conclusion – Horrific childhood – abuse/poverty etc. But glints of hope – education, love of mum and sisters, hope for future

33. How should I structure my essay?
Use integrated linguistic and literary approaches to examine how Once in a House on Fire presents childhood in the novel. Introductory paragraph – overview (DON’T REFER TO SPECIFIC EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT HERE) See example below: Ashworth’s memoir carries the metaphorical title, ‘Once in a House on Fire’. The memoir begins like a traditional fairy tale and ends with the concept of a home almost being destroyed. In many ways, the novel, represents the destruction of childhood and innocence. Childhood is presented as a painful process to endure until given the opportunity to escape. The horrors experienced by Ashworth, her mother and her sisters at the hands of two abusive fathers, coupled with the lack of support from outside agencies in the 1970s and 1980s culminated in a childhood experience that was both terrifying and shocking. However, despite the bleak subject matter, the bonds between Ashworth and her mother and sisters remained strong and Ashworth’s own irrepressible optimism and thirst for education enabled her to thrive and eventually escape. Then try to start paragraphs with topic sentences so the examiner knows what you are talking about. E.g. The introduction of Peter Hawkins as the children’s in chapter 1 delivers an ominous effect on their childhoods. E.g. Initially, Terry brings much needed happiness into their childhoods as seen through… However, dark clouds are never far as hinted at in…

34. Context: British Class System
How would I use it in my essay?
Link to mass unemployment for the working classes in the early 1980s. The decline of traditional industries meant a lot of traditional ‘male’ jobs in the Northern industrial cities like Manchester and Liverpool led to nearly 3 million people in the United Kingdom claiming dole benefits and huge poverty. Directly affects Terry who struggles to find work. Directly affects Lorraine – struggles to find ANY work on return from Canada.
Link to C13 – Andrea describes ‘snooty’ girls at her comprehensive school, Susannah Maxwell and Charlotte Cox whose parents are middle class but believe in comprehensive education. Tamsyn Lee is ‘just as posh’ to Andrea but actually her mum is a ‘dinner lady’ and would have preferred a grammar or private school if she could have afforded it. Tamsyn was a huge fan of Mrs Thatcher and wanted to educate herself to make herself middle class. Mrs Thatcher’s government believed in people helping themselves to improve their lives rather than relying on state help.
Overview of the British Class System
Working class - Basic low level unskilled or semi-skilled workers, such as those with no university or tertiary education. This includes occupations such as factory workers, labourers and shop staff.
Middle class – The vast majority of British people fall into this category such as shop owners, white-collar professionals (literally those who wear a white collar like business men and office workers), teachers, journalists, etc.
Upper class –A very small group of people from Lords to Dukedom are all typical members of the upper class, including the Royal family. The vast majority of their wealth is inherited.
How do people fit into each category? It comes down to three main factors - wealth, education and occupation.

35. Context: Migration to former colonies such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand
In the 1950s, Canada (a former British colony) needed immigrants to settle and work in the country. The ‘Assisted Passage’ Loan Scheme was set up to help settlers enter the country more cheaply. Many Britons settled in the country following the introduction of the scheme.
How can I use it in my essay?
In 1978, when Andrea Ashworth’s family emigrated, family members lived there already having emigrated earlier (Auntie Carla, Uncle Wayne, Auntie Penny, Uncle Charlie). For many migrants from Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, family members already resident in their chosen new country was a massive incentive to take the plunge. This represented an escape from the tedium of dark, grey, dreary Britain.

36. Context: Domestic Abuse
The secrecy and stigma surrounding domestic abuse meant that friends and neighbours of victims were often unable or unwilling to provide any help or support. Working class communities were often tight-knit, with people living in close proximity to each other but victims hid the truth of what went on in their homes from friends and extended family members. Domestic violence was historically viewed as a private family issue, rather than a legal one. Unfortunately, this perception seemed to still ring true in many communities. The Domestic Violence Act of 1976 meant abusing your spouse became a crime. As a result of this, many crimes of domestic abuse were being reported and suitably punished with some abusers receiving custodial sentences. However many working class women, saw reporting abuse to police as pointless as abusers were often given a ‘ticking off’ and returned to the home. Many women reported that they didn’t feel that the male dominated police force took their complaints seriously. Moreover, even if victims pressed charges and cases were heard in court, there was a general perception that violent husbands were often ‘let off’ with fines, safe in the knowledge that they could return home
How would I use it in my essay?
Abuse suffered at the hands of Peter and Terry
Lack of support from police - Andrea runs to the police on Easter Sunday and they take a long time to get there and have a private word with Terry.
Lack of support from courts – Terry taken to court – free to return and stalk the family.
Friends and neighbours ignore the problem
Schools oblivious to problem
Doctor hands out anti-depressants without looking into why Lorraine is depressed.

37. Context: Poverty and unemployment in Britain in the late 1970s and 1980s
Economic situation – poverty/unemployment
During the winter of , Britain was on the verge of collapse. High inflation forced the Labour government to attempt to impose low wage increases which led to strikes from public sector workers. It was known as the ‘Winter of Discontent’. In May 1979, Mrs Thatcher’s Conservative government won power. The new government tried to bring inflation under control. This involved bringing the unions to heel, slashing public spending and ‘improving’ industrial productivity by closing down inefficient industries. All of this succeeded, at least as far as inflation was concerned, which, by 1983, had fallen to 4%. The cost was however paid in deep cuts to the public sector, mass unemployment and the decimation of manufacturing industry.
 Manchester had been in steep industrial decline since the 1950s and was particularly hard hit. The city lost 207,000 manufacturing jobs between 1972 and 1984 and its unemployment rate rose to 20%. The city was also haemorrhaging people with the population of the council area (only part of the conurbation) falling from just over 700,000 after the war to around 430,000 by the end of the 1980s. Most people find it impossible to conceive how far Manchester and indeed most northern cities had fallen by the early 1980s.
How can I use this in my essay?
Andrea Ashworth was born in So she was 11 years old in 1980 when the family returned from Canada. In Chapter 6, Andrea’s mother tells her daughters that they are to move from their Aunty Vera’s home in Bury back to Manchester where she has secured work in the nursing home she used to work in. For a working class woman in Manchester, with three young children to support she was lucky to get any job which is probably why she decided to leave Bury and Andrea’s hopes of a grammar school education behind. Throughout the memoir, we see evidence of poverty (not enough money to buy proper food)and the erosion of traditional working class male jobs.

38. Context: The effects of Government Housing Policies
In the 1960s and 1970s, housing in many big towns and cities in Britain was unfit for purpose with many residents living in slum, terraced housing with outside toilets and no central heating. There was a need to improve this and one solution for architects was to demolish many of the old terraced streets and design high rise blocks of flats creating ‘communities in the sky’. In Hulme Manchester, this was seen with the Hulme Crescents, otherwise known as ‘The Bullring’. This consisted of curved rows of low-rise flats with deck access far above the streets. Cars remained on ground level with pedestrians on concrete walkways overhead, above the smoke and fumes of the streets. These were built in 1972 and by 1992 they were demolished. There were major problems with plumbing and heating and rat infestations. Additionally, the walkways became areas where criminals could easily go undetected. Residents felt isolated.
The introduction of the ‘Right to Buy’ under the Housing Act 1980 was a watershed event for councils all over the country. From the start local authorities have been able to sell off their houses, but until the introduction of the RTB they were not forced to do so. Up until this time mostly the production of new homes exceeded the numbers sold, however following the passing of this policy, the period of growth halted and began a decline. Largely it led to many of the better quality council properties being purchased by tenants who qualified for the right to buy. This led to a national shortage in social housing with people who couldn’t afford their own homes forced to pay higher rents to private landlords.
How can I use this in my essay?
Notice how Lorraine Ashworth finds it very difficult to find a home to rent on her arrival back from Canada and how the homes offered to them by local authorities are in bad condition.

39. Context: Race Relations
Since before slavery, black people have been living in Britain. But only in the last 50 years have blacks and Asians settled in these shores within any great number.
1. THE EMPIRE WINDRUSH
The arrival of the cruise ship Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks on the morning of 22 June, 1948, marked the start of modern day mass immigration to Britain. On board were 492 Jamaicans, mostly young, single men, in search of work. The economic depression in post-war Britain had led to a slump in trade with the Caribbean and jobs there were short. At the same time, Britain needed rebuilding and there was a shortage of labour. The arrival of Windrush had been met with unease by some, and one MP remarked the new immigrants would be on the first boat home once the British winter set in.
2. RIVERS OF BLOOD
A brilliant scholar, linguist and eloquent speaker he may have been, but former Conservative minister Enoch Powell will always be remembered for his infamous "Rivers of Blood" speech in April In the speech he warned of what he saw as the apocalyptic consequences of continued immigration of people from the Commonwealth countries.
3. RACE RELATIONS ACT
The Race Relations Act 1976 enshrined many of the laws on discrimination that are taken for granted today. The act makes racial discrimination unlawful in employment, training, housing, education and the provision of goods, facilities and services.
4. BRIXTON RIOTS
In 1981, violence flared up in urban centres across England as young blacks vented their anger at society and, in particular, their treatment by police. Brixton, in south London, was the first flashpoint. Nearly 400 people were injured and buildings and vehicles were set alight during the three days of rioting. Similar disturbances followed in Manchester, the Midlands, Merseyside, Bristol and Leeds. Lord Scarman led a public inquiry which settled on the so-called "rotten apples" theory - that only a few police officers were racist, most were not. The inquiry spawned new practices on the law enforcers and led to the setting up of the Police Complaints Authority, to supervise complaints against the police.

40. Context: Race Relations – The Rise of the National Front Party (NF)
This is a far right political party, still around today but with no elected representatives at any level of UK government. During its heyday in the 1970s, it had a small number of local councillors, although has never secured a seat in the British Parliament.
The National Front grew during the 1970s and had between 16,000 and 20,000 members by 1974, and 50 local branches.[39] Its electoral base largely consisted of some working class people who resented immigrant competition in the labour market and blamed immigrants for scarce housing.
The NF fought on a platform of opposition to communism and liberalism, support for Ulster loyalism, opposition to the European Economic Community and the compulsory repatriation of new Commonwealth immigrants who had entered Britain under the British Nationality Act, 1948.[

41. Context: What are the main differences between grammar schools and comprehensives?
These are also known as state schools and the majority of UK children attend them. State schools are government-funded and any child between the ages of 11 and 16 can attend. Some state schools have a sixth form attached and therefore cater for children up to 18 years of age.
Grammar Schools
Grammar schools are also government-funded but only children who pass their entrance exams can attend. These entrance exams are commonly known as the 11+ and are taken in year 6 (age 10/11). The exams can cover one or more of the following 4 areas: verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and maths. The dates of the exams are set by the schools and children usually need to score 80% or more to pass the exams. Many parents start preparing their children for the 11+ exam as young as age 7.
Grammar school are highly selective and have a strong emphasis on academic achievement.

42. 1950s – three types of school:
Grammar; Secondary Modern; Secondary Technical
Growing feeling particularly among left wingers that this system was unfair. In 1976, Labour was in power and through the 1976 Education Act attempted to get rid of selective schools. But the law they brought in didn’t have a strong enough legal requirement and was therefore not very successful.
In 1979, The Conservative Government (Margaret Thatcher as P.M) brought in the 1979 Education Act. This repealed Labour's 1976 Act and gave back to LEAs the right to select pupils for secondary education at 11.
This created a confusing picture for England’s schools. If a child lived in a local authority with a left-wing Labour council they were unlikely to attend a grammar school. However, if a child lived in an authority which had a conservative council they could apply to be tested to join the grammar school.  

43. Context: Treatment of depression
Depression was treated as a ‘nervous’ condition and women who presented to the medical profession as ‘depressed’ were largely prescribed drugs and no other help was provided. Tricyclic anti-depressants colloquially known as ‘Mother’s Little Helpers’, were the only form of therapy many doctors offered patients, arriving at surgeries, presenting symptoms of depression.
The major tricyclic anti-depressant, Valium, was introduced onto the market in 1963 and was the first drug doctors reached for when presented with a patient with depression. In fact, in the history of prescription medication, Valium was the first billion-dollar medicine. More prescriptions were written for Valium, globally, than for any other drug between 1969 and 1984.
Side effects became a huge concern: Drowsiness and increased need for sleep were the most common side- effects and some critics argued that they were turning a whole generation of women into living zombies. Furthermore, the addictive qualities of these drugs was worrying, with some patients reporting long-term dependency on these drugs.
Many critics also claimed that the medical profession were too quick to hand out drugs without investigating true causes of depression.

44. At times, some of our contextual information is:
STUDENT A
Peter Hawkins is revealed to be a cruel, violent man who is psychologically and physically abusive to Lorraine and her daughters. Lorraine, a recent widow, appears too weak to end the relationship even when the abuse becomes physical and she is compelled to wear dark glasses to hide the bruises. Ashworth uses the simile ‘like a beetle’ to describe her mother’s appearance in some family photographs.
STUDENT B
In the 1970s and 1980s men were more likely to hit women and children and people didn’t really care and just swept it under the carpet because domestic abuse was very popular. Peter Hawkins is revealed to be a cruel, violent man who is psychologically and physically abusive to Lorraine and her daughters. Lorraine, a recent widow, appears too weak to end the relationship even when the abuse becomes physical and she is compelled to wear dark glasses to hide the bruises. Ashworth uses the simile ‘like a beetle’ to describe her mother’s appearance in some family photographs.
STUDENT C
In the 1980s domestic violence was hidden away. The authorities didn’t take allegations of abuse seriously and friends and family members viewed abuse as a family matter.
AO1, AO2, AO3
Look at the examples here. What is good about them? What is bad about them?
At times, some of our contextual information is:
missing completely;
too generalised;
just shoved on at the end with no relation to the people in the text.

45. Why is this a better paragraph?
STUDENT D
Peter Hawkins is revealed to be a cruel, violent man who is psychologically and physically abusive to Lorraine and her daughters. Lorraine, a recent widow, appears too weak to end the relationship even when the abuse becomes physical and she is compelled to wear dark glasses to hide the bruises. Ashworth uses the simile ‘like a beetle’ to describe her mother’s appearance in some family photographs. This reveals the hidden nature of domestic abuse in the late 1970s as victims often felt a sense of shame and the general feeling prevailed that it was not a real crime but a ‘family matter’ that should not be spoken about. In this sense, it became a taboo subject and left many victims helpless. Lorraine did have avenues of support in the form of her sisters and friends but Auntie Livia questioned Lorraine ‘behind her teacup’ and the preposition ‘behind’ almost suggests that she is hiding, afraid to ask: ‘He doesn’t hit the girls too, does he?’ The complex interrogative sentence here has a dark implication – a man abusing children is unacceptable but it is more acceptable or understandable for a man to abuse his partner.
AO1, AO2, AO3
Why is this a better paragraph?
AO3 is not shoved on as an afterthought. It’s included and then linked directly to the people in the novel and how social and contextual factors directly affected their lives.