Kate Atkinson

Kitty- Her Life

Kyle- Re-occurring Themes and Ideas

Izzy- Social Historical Political Context

Tamsin -Writing Style

Bekka- The Novel

Then...Cheeky Little Quiz and Prizes!

Her Life

Kate Atkinson - The theme’s of her workThe following are the novels written by Kate Atkinson;

Behind the scenes at the Museum 1995Human Croquet 1997Emotionally Weird 2000Case Histories 2004One Good Turn 2006When will there be good news 2008Started Early, Took my dog 2010

Behind the Scenes at the Museum The common themes • The play is female driven from start to finish – spanning over 4 generations• The use of flashbacks within every character of the play mostly from the females point of view• The death of children within the Lennox family; Pearl & Gillian • The effect that the World War has on the family

Human CroquetBrief plot outline –The play focuses around the lives of the Fairfax family who have lived in the Fairfax Manson which is in the middle of an old, thick forest. But as the years go by the forest is gradually destroyed and the family is slowly dwindling down too. The plot is based around the family, but mostly of 16 year old Isobel who finds herself going in and out of time wraps which take into the past where she meets the first Fairfax family, goes into the 1920’s and endures the trouble of dealing with World War II.

Reoccurring themes; • Kate has the same approach as “Behind the Scenes” with many plots within this play. The play focuses around young Isobel and her struggle to deal with the changes that have occurred to her family whilst always referencing to the past to find the answers. Not just Isobel’s past but the past history of her family and looking to the families beginning through the 1920’s and dealing with being caught in the Second World War.

Here are other themes

• Having the Aunty from hell – Vinny• The disappearance for 7 years of her uncle Gordon (who just forgot the family)• The strange relationship that she shares with her alien loving brother Charles• At look at how the then Fairfax family dealt with life in the 1920’s and during the Second World War.

Emotionally Weird Brief plot outline –The play centers on teenager Effie who takes refuge with her mother, in weather-beaten Island off Scotland in an old molding house. Once there Effie and her mother talk about life and share stories. But Nora tells stories that Effie doesn’t want to hear. Effie then recounts her own life in Dundee and her failing relationship to lazy student Bob who won’t get out of bed for anyone and how there is someone one or something killing the elderly people on the Island and is the reappearance of a big shaggy dog symbols a part that Effie is missing within her own life. • Again Kate focuses the play around teenager Effie and the choices that she is making through life; the lethargic relationship with her boyfriend Bob and the uncertainty of who her Dad is out of Jimmy, Jack or Ernie. • This play takes a darker tone to the previous others.

Political Social Historical Context

Writing Style

Magical Realism

Style where magical elements or illogical scenarios appear in realistic, otherwise normal settings.

Conventions

1st PersonRepetition

Avoids Suspense

Very Descriptive, Lack of Dialogue

Parody-Wit

Expectations

Omniscient Narrator...?

Implied Ideas

Onomatopoeia

Light, Upbeat tone

Why?

The Novel

Cheeky Little Quiz!!

What is Magical Realism?

Who is the IMPLIED father of Lillian’s Baby?

What did the baby boomers encourage their children to do?

In 1990 what did the WHO take off their list of diseases?

Which real museum is the museum in the title of the book based on?

What year was Kate Atkinson born?

Which character does not feature in the book until the end?

What year did Gillian die?

Name a type of CAKE CAKE CAKE from the Coronation chapter?

Who does Lillian marry?(Charlie’s Question)

The End

Hope you appreciated the baking