Hi Kids!

Here are the correction sheets created by Jean Michel Leon foun Lin about the characters of the novel. Enjoy!

Extract 1:

→ meeting of Harriet and David at an office party

→ observers # other people : dancers

→ context of the swinging 60's = changes (flourishing culture, economy...)

→ H&D : apart, different = social rejection, self exclusion

→ similarities between H&D → tastes + aspirations + traditional values

→ contrast with the 60's + the society : freedom + open-minded + joy + fun

→ fall in love fast : time speeds up + dreams + projects in little time

→ risk of hubris

Extract 2 :

→ visit of their future mansion

→ feelings : elated, excited = they like the house

→ dreams + fairy tale : house= symbol of kingdom + reign + power + queen and kingdom

→ climax : attic → ecstatic + imagination

→ spring = season of fertility : Harriet = at the height of her fertility

→ lilac tree : symbol of love + buds = dream to start a family

→ hubris

→ dark atmosphere : - maybe cursed object, spell on H&D = bed → babies

- shadow lilac tree = threat, ill omen, Ben later

→ ivory tower = tower of solitude + no contact with the outside world + protection = dangerous → evil will come from the inside = Ben

Extract 2;
L.2 : symbol of happiness like in fairytale with the birds
L.14 : too much happiness, almost cry
L.16 : old fashioned house like H & D
L.20 : "each new baby" means want a lot of children
L.28-39 : don't take things for granted (the milkmaid and her pail) dreaming
L.35 : shadow > reference to the dark side > Ben
L.39 : buds > futur flower, symbol of love in the bedroom
L.47-48 : fertility, very easy to have babies


Extract 4;
L.2 : new pregnancy undesired
L.15 & 24: "exhausted", "frantic", "furious" new feelings from the others extracts, no more happiness
L.16: painting of Severn Joseph "the abdication of Mary" here it's the "abdication of Harriet"
L.17: ben is already poisoning her before his birth, after it will be worst
L.46&48 : Harriet & Dorothy are to tired
L.60: position of queen takes by Dorothy
L.51-59: power of silence, problems not solved because they don't talk about it

Problematics

Extract 1:

Pb: How does the extract introduce the story?

A:           -Context: 1960’s = sixties

                -Characters: David and Harriet, self exclusion

                -They go very fast (Hubris): sleep both

Extract 2:

Pb:         -To what extent does the mansion play an important role in the story?

A:           -Omen of the future (Hubris) + Climax: feelings, attic, fertility →Hubris

                -Ivory Tower/ Kingdom + Gothic aspects/ haunted

Pb: Even if the mansion seems idyllic how can we see bad omens?

A: Spring: period of fertility, babies, fruit (D+H), lilac, buds, some shadow

Extract 3:

Pb: How does the happiness of the family turn bad?

A:           -Economical crisis, 70’s violence: Thatcher: Ivory tower

                -Hypocritical aspects of the family (money + parties)

                -Hubris: Harriet with Amy

                -Chiasmus: Happiness/ Unhappiness = irony

Extract 4:

Pb: How does this extract show the descent into hell for Harriet + David?

A:           -Abdication Harriet for Dorothy = important

                -Hubris: other child Harriet = Girls power + pride + immature + selfish + money

                -Fatality: room, don’t assume

                -Role of silence

                -Situation turns

Extract 5:

Pb: To what extent does Ben accelerate the descent into hell?

A:           -Notion of monstrosity: different POV = Harriet + Ben

                -Gothic aspects

                -Self exclusion: division of the family