Writing a
monologue
This
workshop developed from my teaching of [Carol Ann] Duffy's poetry
both at GCSE and A level. Poetry taught for examinations can be killed
by dissection and annotation. I wanted students to experience using
language in ways which the poet does. In turn this would inform their
own responses to her work.
The
workshop activity comes at the end of a period of paired discussion
and sharing of ideas about Duffy's characters, the language she
creates for them and the way she uses the language in the situations
she puts them in. (Such poems could include 'Stealing', 'Havisham',
'Fraud', 'Like Earning a Living' and 'The Biographer'.)
a)
Each student selects a separate card with an occupation or very
brief character description written on it. (Examples I have used
include: bookie; undertaker; former child star; referee; game show
host; jilted lover; politician; gossip columnist and hairdresser.)
Make sure each character has his/her own distinct vocabulary,
workplace and/or history which the student can draw on. Every card
should be different. Give the students plenty of choice. Make sure you
choose a card too and take part in the drafting. The details on the
card can be kept secret or shared with others in the group - depending
on how you want to handle the writing stages.
b)
Students should quickly compile list of words, phrases, actions, items
of equipment or processes, images, and places which could be connected
with the character. Encourage writers not to reject any ideas at this
stage. Once initial ideas are written down students can make
suggestions for each others' lists.
c)
Ask students to think about why the character might be speaking in a
poem. What is the present situation for that person? What could have
happened previously? Explore possibilities together. For example has
the referee just shown someone the red card? Has the politician been
involved in a scandal? Encourage them to jot ideas down and then to
underline those with the most potential.
d)
A period of intensive drafting. Students should begin to edit their
lists of words and ideas from (b) and (c). Encourage them to group
words, link ideas together and say words aloud to test out different
combinations. As they develop their drafts they should begin to focus
on a structure and think about Duffy's sentence and line structures,
her use of very short sentences etc.
e)
After twenty minutes drafting encourage sharing of work in progress
with a partner. Pass the drafts on several times if they are
comfortable with this. Make sure drafts are read aloud. Ask students
to focus on:
- what
they like about the drafts;
- points
of comparison with Duffy's writing;
- two
suggestions for the draft;
- two
questions.
f)
Further drafting, polishing and (eventually) performance.
© Sue
Dymoke
See Carol
Ann Duffy for more information on the poet and her works.
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