UNIT 2 – STORY Tuesday, 21nd

PART 2 March, 2023

STORY: NICK AND I AGREE, DON‘T WE, MATE?
Tasks:
1. Let us read the
introduction, p. 68.
2. Let us listen to the story.
Then we will read it in
class together.
3. First reaction: Did you
enjoy the story?
4. The go on with Taks 3a,b
in your TB on page 71.
Phrases for Task 3
I really liked that/how X and Y /the very fact that…
I found interesting to learn that/to find out that/how …the
characters
It was exciting/full of tension between/suspense as a result of…
I did not like/appreciate that…/how…
because it was (not) plausible/unlogical/silly/unrealistic/
too obvious/boring that how…
The personality of XY was way too exaggerated/stereotypical
as…
TWO WAYS OF CHARACTERISATION:
DIRECT/EXPLICIT AND INDIRECT/IMPLICIT CHARACTERISATION
Note: People/persons that occur in fictional
stories like short stories or novels are called
‘characters‘. The main character is the
‘protagonist.’ Other, less important characters are
minor characters. The ‘opponent’ of the
protagonist is the ‘antagonist’.
Characters‘ personalities in fiction can expressed by
means (Mittel) of direct characterisation. This implies
characteristics (Eigenschaften) that are explicitly
mentioned in the text, e.g. about the age, size, hair
colour, but also about family life, jobs, hobbies etc.
Example: Paul was fifteen and a student of Wetherby
High School when he arrived in Sydney Airport. He
was six feet tall and had a fair complexion, which is
why he needed to avoid the sun after leaving the arrivals
hall to reach the phone box to call his parents in the UK
to tell them that he had arrived safely in Down Under.
 INDIRECT OR IMPLICIT CHARACTERISATION IS GAINED BY ANY RELEVANT INFORMATION
THAT IS ‘HIDDEN BETWEEN THE LINES.’ IN OTHER WORDS, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND
INTERPRET THE INFORMATION ABOUT CHARACTERS TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF THEIR PERSONALITIES

Therefore, analysing means of indirect
characterisation is way more interesting as you
have to draw conclusions about a character‘s
personality from the way he talks to others, how he
treats others or is treated, how he reacts in certain
situations like in a group or in difficult situation.
But one might also consider how other characters
respond to him/her, e.g. if they treat him with
respect, this can be a hint for the character‘s
sincerity, trustworthiness or his dominant
personality. It depends on the context.
Phrases to use for describing what a person is like
through indirect characterisation:
We can learn this from the way he/she deals
with/treats XY when she has realised that…
We can conclude from his reaction that he is…
From her attitude towards sth./sb. we can guess that
she is definitely a …. Character that…
When considering her way of dressing up for the
party, one may infer (ableiten) that...
Now you: TB, p. 71, No 4a,b
 HOW TO WORK WITH AND
QUOTE FROM THE TEXT
There are some basic ways how you can give evidence about a finding from your examination of the text.
Never say: In the text stands that…. Even if that was linguistically correct, avoid that phrase.
Instead you should use phrases and techniques like these ones:
• In line 75 it says/the reader can learn that the three “have stayed in neutral territory”, which means…
(direct quotation, but only parts of a sentence which is relevant for your analysis).
• The fact/impression that Nick is racist himself becomes clear/noticeable/is emphasised as/when he
admits: “Yeah, I did. And you know what? It felt fucking great.” (ll. 236-37 => quotation of a whole
sentence)
• The fact that Rosie’s father insists on understanding why members of the First Nations people are,
according to Nick, different (see ll. 103-125), makes clear that he is not superficial but wants to talk things
out even if that implies/means an unpleasant talk or even having an argument with his daughter’s boy
friend. (Explaining an important passage by only referring to it, not quoting from it.)