the last night - charlotte gray 1

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By Sebastian Faulks

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Page 1: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

By Sebastian Faulks

Page 2: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Section B (Fiction)of anthology Set in France in the 1940‟s, occupied by Germans

during the second World War Charlotte Gray = long novel, deals with the themes of

memory and loss The piece describes the waiting and struggle the boys

and adults suffered when waiting for transportation to their final destination. The situation is described and a tense atmosphere is created for the reader.

Reader is filled with fear for the people. THE very LAST night before they go to the

concentration camp. They will face death, although they may all not realise this at this moment.

Page 3: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Each paragraph builds up a picture Jewish orderly = lined up Deportees might write a final message = been thrown out of

a country, and asked to write a „final‟ message before they leave/die

Sobbing passion/Punctilious care = choosing their words carefully/taking great care – why?

Final message = the last piece they will ever write? Sense of closure?

They will have to “leave them at the station or throw from train” anyway

Pencils/barracks = limited resources Safety/choice of words = look at the last two lines?

Forgiveness? Confession? Repetition of “some”…

Page 4: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Woman = unknown/no name, but at least she is kind, maternal instinct

One sandwich ONLY for each child, very basic food

One pail of water to share between many, they “clustered”, packed together round the bucket

“Sardine cans” for cups, they have to share, haven‟t got one each

Embraced/gratitude = positive, so grateful, the older children recognise this, not the younger children - maybe do not understand the importance?

Bucket soon empty = hope gone, back to not having any water again, they need water to survive

Page 5: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Only a few hours to go…

Lying on straw – animals live/eat straw, that is now how they are treated

Soft bloom of his cheek = so young and fresh

Laid, uncaring in the dung = no self respect left, he isn‟t complaining, the only bed he has available (link back to refugee blues), loss of childhood?

Jacob and Andre only have “limbs” for warmth = they have nothing

Page 6: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Adults “slumped” = they seem to know what is going to happen. They have given up? No more fight left in them? They are collapsing with exhaustion?

Talking in “lowered” voices = depressed, down

“somehow” children fell asleep = maybe they do not realise the reality of what they are going to have to face, as they sleep, whereas the adults can‟t. The only time they are at peace is when they are sleeping.

Able to dream of better places = sleep is better than reality

Page 7: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Refused coffee = coffee is a common drink to have in the morning/start of the day, they won‟t drink it, as they know that at “breakfast” that will be the end/final destination/apart from the children/family

Page 8: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

“Ripple” “quickening of muscle” “nerve” = body reaction/stress, we start to feel/understand how they feel, brings it more to life?

White and green municipal buses = plain government buses

Page 9: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Sleep/refused to leave = the ones that understand, don‟t want to leave…they know what they are going to face?

Gendarmes = controlled by the Germans to control the people

“filthy straw” = living like animals

“dug in their heels” = fighting to leave such a terrible place, they want to stay

“screamed” = to scream is to make a loud, piercing, high-pitched cry, uttered, in this case, fear or pain. This word really allows us to understand their emotions.

Page 10: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

“shower of food” = but they are only “scraps”

Women “wailing” = could be crying for their family. To use “wail” to describe them is more powerful and communicates their feelings clearly to the reader. Alliteration emphasises this.

To wail is to express pain, grief, or misery in a long mournful high-pitched cry or in words uttered in a mournful way.

Grief/morning = death – it is as if they are already dead to them.

Page 11: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

“eyes were fixed with terrible ferocity” = focusing to try and remember, and be left with a picture of the child “fixed” in the mind

Ferocity = extreme/intense/ almost fierce

Page 12: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Held on hard = alliteration makes this image stick in our minds, Andre can‟t let go of Jacob. Imagine how you would feel if somebody said to you that it may be the last time you would see/be with your brother/sister again? This image is heartbreaking…

Some of the children are so young, they can‟t even manage the steps

Page 13: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Delayed because of a baby = even a baby of only a few weeks old is having to go to a concentration camp

“crammed interior” = they are having to be pushed in, they would be extremely uncomfortable

Page 14: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Mentions the café opposite = the last „snippet‟ of reality they will see?

Page 15: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Matter of fact, does not over emphasise details

Big contrast with the reality of horror

Words and sentences simple and straightforward

Page 16: The Last Night - Charlotte Gray 1

Find all the examples of contrast used, for example, Andre‟s young, fresh cheek contrasted with the dung.