Learning Intention;I can examine a prelude in a text and identify ways in which it establishes characters and/or theme.

The Title (Prior Knowledge) ● In pairs look at the title and consider the following

questions. Take notes as you discuss. Prelude: The Unfurrowed Field

What can you guess from the title? What connotations does it have? What is a prelude? Where else might you have heard this?

The Narrative Stance The narrator of a story is the "voice" of the story:  the

storyteller -- not to be confused with the author of a story.  The author creates the narrator(s). Narrators are either participants or non-participants in the story. 

A participant narrator is known as a first-person narrator.  A non-participant narrator is known as a third-person narrator.   There are various modes or ways that each kind of narrator

can tell his/her story.

Third Person NarratorsObjective or reportorial: an objective narrator reports only

what can be seen or heard.

Editorial: reports what can be seen or heard and expresses his/her opinion about the events or characters -- this narrative mode is judgmental.

Omniscient:  an omniscient narrator reports not only what happens, but what one or more character thinks. 

Stream-of-consciousness:  in stream-of-consciousness narration, the narrator attempts to  reproduce the thought-patterns of one or more characters.  This kind of narration rarely follows the rules of grammar and often includes visual imagery  

The Narrator

● What do they say?

● How do they say it?

● Specific language that tells us something?

● What does this tell us about Kinraddie?

● Pair task

● Summarise/ comment under the titles below

The Narrator ● What do they say?She speaks about the history of Kinraddie, the church and individuals of the

setting.

How do they say it?Scots dilaect, does not conform to typical written English, mimics oral tradition.

Cutting/ sarcastic/ teasing at times.

● Specific language that tells us something?Scots language – “childe”, etc – implies strong ties to Scotland and a feel for the

culture.

● What does this tell us about Kinraddie?That Kinraddie is old, there are rivalries that are mirrored by the violent events of

the past, that religion is a contention for the narrator and the towns folk.

The Narrator

● The oral tradition is essential to any culture and was even more important when many people could not read or write. Stories, morals and histories were spoken rather than written and that is what we are given in the novel.

● The narrator is an observer of the town of Kinraddie.

● It also gives the recollection a very authentic, Scottish feel – the narrator uses language used later in the text and provides a real context for the setting of Kinraddie.

The Narrator

● The voice is one of a community observer, not someone strictly interest in Chris but in establishing the setting.

● Setting is KEY to the themes of the text so it is important that we acknowledge the time Gibbon spends on establishing Kinraddie as a place which rich, Scottish agricultural history.

The Prelude

● In your pairs, you are going to read through the prelude.

● 1. You are going to list the different events the narrator tells us about.

● 2. You are then going to decide whether or not the event was mythical or factual.

Introduction to the people of KinraddieThe prelude introduces the reader to each of the characters who live in Kinraddie. For each house (use your map for help) write a summary for the characters who live there. Remember where possible back up your statements with evidence.

For each character decide if the narrator wishes you to empathise with them or not. A character that is sympathetic A character that is unsympathetic

e.g. Chae Strachan can be seen as a figure of fun in the village

“so he was well-liked, though folk laughed at him. But God knows, who is it they don’t laugh at”

Extension The prelude sets up and establishes many of the themes of the novel;

Find evidence for each of the themes below in the Prelude;

- Imagery of nature (including beasts and animals)- Socialism/The Golden Age- Hypocrisy- Change