Thursday 14th January

LC: To compare the mood created within descriptive writing

Please read Chapter 9 of Oliver Twist.

Yesterday, we looked at a description of a setting - when Oliver arrives in London. This was very strange to Oliver as he had never experienced being in a city before. You thought about how the author tried to create a sense of it being a busy and vibrant place. You my have discussed: tall buildings being everywhere; men and women shouting at each other; stalls selling baskets of fish, fruit and vegetables, bread, fabric or the crowds of people that were there. 

At the beginning of Chapter 9, there is another description of a setting - this time it's Fagin's house. 

When authors write descriptions of settings, they try often try to create a certain mood (the way it makes us feel as the reader). 

Have a look at the extract below.  

Excerpt from My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgewick.

The hut stood in a strange position. The river Chust, from which the village took its name forked in two here, as it snaked through the woods. With deep banks, the rivers had spent ten thousand years eating its way gently down into the thick soft dark forest soil. Its verges were moss laden blankets that dripped leaf mould into the slow brown water. But at a certain point, in its ancient history, the river had met some solid rock hidden in the soil, and had split in two. It was in the head of this fork that the hut stood.

My Response

When reading this extract is gives me sense of peace and tranquility. It discusses natural features such as rivers, woods, moss and rocks. It sounds like an old place that is mysterious - a place which no-one knows about. Although it sounds peaceful and quiet, there is something strange about the place, there is a mysterious hut that maybe holds secrets. 

YOUR TASK

After you have read Chapter 9, I would like you to focus on the description of Fagin's house at the beginning. How is this different to the description of London from yesterday's lesson?

You need to compare the two descriptions and explain how the author has tried create mood - the way it makes us feel as the reader. YOU NEED TO COMPARE THEM.

You could begin your writing like this.

After reading the two setting descriptions, I feel that ...

Please complete this activity on the template provided on Seesaw - Comparing Settings (Thursday)