LLCE Term Coming of Age Stories

UNIT 2: COMING OF AGE STORIES

Part One: Look at the poster. What do you know about this story?

“All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, ‘Oh, why can’t you remain like this for ever!’ This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan Read this quote. With a partner, discuss its meaning: what does it reveal about all children’s destinies? Peter Pan has given its name to a concept called Peter-panism, or the Peter Pan syndrome. Imagine what this syndrome is.

Understanding the theme: Read the article « What is a Bildungsroman? » and answer the questions.

Thématique : Expression et construction de soi Axe : Initiation et apprentissage Titre : Coming of Age Stories Problématique : How do coming of age stories help us understand personal growth? Tâche finale: Synthèse de documents type bac 3 parties : The end of innocence: becoming self-aware of one’s existence Understanding the rules of society Finding one’s identity Note: L'oeuvre intégrale Moon Palace pourrait être intégrée dans cette séquence

Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig (2017)

Look at the document, present it, describe it and make hypotheses about the film.

1) Watch the trailer, and sum up the plot of Lady Bird.

2) Explain what makes this film a coming of age film (what are the difficulties experiences by the characters?), and what makes it different.

Discuss with your neighbour: What are the pros and cons of being a child? an adult? Make a list.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone (1997)

1) Present the document. 2) Explain why Harry lives with the Dursleys and his relationship with them. 3) Focus on the setting and atmosphere. Analyse the author’s intentions. 4) Discuss the difficulties Harry faces in his childhood. Why is this scene typical of a Bildungsroman?

Practice ! PE: Write an entry in Harry’s diary, revealing his inner thoughts.

TIPS: -> Write in First person -> Start with “Dear diary,” -> Use the past tense to talk about past events -> Use the present tense to talk about the character’s inner thought -> Show the difficulties the character faces in his childhood

Practice ! Translation Translate from line 24 to line 57.

Yay! I love translation!

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003) If you have read this book before, explain to the class what it is about.

Before you read: Christopher is a teenager with Asperger Syndrome. At the end of the novel, he has finally reconcilied with his father.

1) Read the text and identify who the narrator is. 2) Name the main figure of speech used in this extract, and explain its effect on the reader. 3) Say what the narrator has achieved and comment on his current state of mind.

THINK

This is the end of Part One : the end of innocence. Write a short commentary on the documents you have studied, using the following guidelines: Show how these stories are typical of coming of ages stories Compare and contrast the different steps of a coming of age story.

Part two: Understanding the Rules of Society

1) Read the text and sum up the situation. 2) Comment on the way David introduces himself. What effect does the passive voice convey? 3) Analyse Aunt Betsey’s attitude. What does it say about her vision of boys and girls?

1) Read the text and sum up the situation. 2) Comment on the way David introduces himself. What effect does the passive voice convey? 3) Analyse Aunt Betsey’s attitude. What does it say about her vision of boys and girls?

Translation: Translate from line 7 to line 14

1) Briefly present the document. 2) Look at the painting, analyse the setting, the characters and comment on how it portrays feminine education. 3) Listen to the recording and sum up how the emergence of the middle class changed the role of girls in the 19th century.

4) Discuss the possible impact of those changes on 19th century coming of age stories.

1) Read the extract and identify the four sisters. Pick out information about each of them. 2) Pick out the expressions which mean « like a boy ». Explain why they express disapproval. 3) Compare and contrast Jo and Amy. Say what the best attitude is according to Meg. 4) Discuss with your neighbour : is Jo March a feminist figure for that time ?

Practice ! Jo is invited to a very elegant ball. She explains to Meg why she refuses to go. Meg tries to convince her to change her mind. Write and act out their dialogue! Tips: - write the actions in brackets - use modals to convince: should, must, ought to, 'd better - make references to the norms: a middle class woman should.../you are old enough to....

Part 3: Finding one's identity. Watch this extract from the film "Dead Poets Society" (Peter Weir, 1989)

1) Briefly describe this scene. Who are the characters, and where are they? 2) Focus on the students. Deduce their state of mind at the start of this extract. 3) Analyse Mr Keating's speech and explain the message he wants to convey to his students. What is their reaction? 4) Think: why can this teacher be considered a role model for the students? Practice! (PE) Write the letter one of the students sends to Mr Keating at the end of term.

Sarfaz Manzoor, Greetings from Bury Park, 2007 1) Read the text and find information on the narrator (age, nationality, origins, family, history) 2) Explain what his dream was and the reasons for his fascination 3) "It has taken me three decades" (l.16). Comment on the use of the present perfect in this sentence. 4) Comment on the narrator's evolution from innocence to experience.

Final Task: PE You write a coming of age short story for a writing competition organised by your school. The topic of the competition is "That day changed my life". Decide on the type of narration (1st or 3rd person) and on the main character. Take notes on his or her name, nationality, and personality. Your story should follow five phases: 1 - The hero is young and innocent. 2 - The hero encounters a problem or challenge. 3 - The hero struggles with the problem or challenge. 4 - The hero makes a difficult choice and overcomes the problem or challenge. 5 - The hero has matured with the experience.