Woman in Black Notes
Woman in Black
Example questions
Choose a novel or a short story in which you feel there is an incident of great importance to the story as a whole. Describe the incident and go on to show its importance to the development of the characters and the central concerns of the text. Explain how the writer creates the setting, and then go on to show how this feature contributes to your understanding of the text as a whole.
Things about Woman in Black
• Written by Susan Hill • Gothic Ghost story set in Victorian times • Arthur Kipps sent from Law firm to sort out paperwork for deceased client Alice Drablow
Setting
A powerful setting is crucial to any ghost story, it should be isolated and remote as when he inevitably ends up trouble, help shouldn’t be easy to come by. It must not be to unrealistic as it has to be believable to the reader. It must give the reader the feeling of uneasiness and suspense.
London
• • • • • Contrast between what Arthur is used to Populated Built up area Noise Speed of life - hectic
Eel Marsh House
• Secluded, “ Eel Marsh house is far from any other neighbour.” • Isolated-“The most astonishingly situated house I had ever seen or could ever conceivably imagined, isolated, uncompromising” • It stood like some lighthouse or beacon” – Normally situated in remote isolated areas, away from populated areas. Stands out also like a lighthouse. • Unwelcoming “ Gaunt house of grey stone” – Gaunt, unwelcoming “I felt quite, outside that gaunt empty house” “ Claustrophobic”
Crythin Gifford
Small – “ Little market town” “ Scarcely larger than an overgrown village” Remote – He can’t get help quickly from anywhere else “Rural emptiness for miles…” “ thirty to a large town” “about seven to any other village”
Nine Lives Causeway
Cut off from the mainland when the causeway is covered by the tide; • Remote – “ We had travelled perhaps three miles, and passed no farm or cottage…all was emptiness,” • Dangerous- “ it would quickly be
Example questions
Choose a novel or a short story in which you feel there is an incident of great importance to the story as a whole. Describe the incident and go on to show its importance to the development of the characters and the central concerns of the text. Explain how the writer creates the setting, and then go on to show how this feature contributes to your understanding of the text as a whole.
Things about Woman in Black
• Written by Susan Hill • Gothic Ghost story set in Victorian times • Arthur Kipps sent from Law firm to sort out paperwork for deceased client Alice Drablow
Setting
A powerful setting is crucial to any ghost story, it should be isolated and remote as when he inevitably ends up trouble, help shouldn’t be easy to come by. It must not be to unrealistic as it has to be believable to the reader. It must give the reader the feeling of uneasiness and suspense.
London
• • • • • Contrast between what Arthur is used to Populated Built up area Noise Speed of life - hectic
Eel Marsh House
• Secluded, “ Eel Marsh house is far from any other neighbour.” • Isolated-“The most astonishingly situated house I had ever seen or could ever conceivably imagined, isolated, uncompromising” • It stood like some lighthouse or beacon” – Normally situated in remote isolated areas, away from populated areas. Stands out also like a lighthouse. • Unwelcoming “ Gaunt house of grey stone” – Gaunt, unwelcoming “I felt quite, outside that gaunt empty house” “ Claustrophobic”
Crythin Gifford
Small – “ Little market town” “ Scarcely larger than an overgrown village” Remote – He can’t get help quickly from anywhere else “Rural emptiness for miles…” “ thirty to a large town” “about seven to any other village”
Nine Lives Causeway
Cut off from the mainland when the causeway is covered by the tide; • Remote – “ We had travelled perhaps three miles, and passed no farm or cottage…all was emptiness,” • Dangerous- “ it would quickly be