Surbiton English Lit Podcast

English Clinic: IGCSE LIT P1 - To Kill a Mockingbird from 2023-04-12T13:37:48

A short clinic on how to approach the IGCSE LIT P1 section on To Kill a Mockingbird. Advice on revision, planning and writing.

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English Language exam technique from Bee Huntley - who sat the iGCSE herself this year. from 2022-03-02T09:33:28

In this episode I interview Bee Huntley, a veteran of the English Dept, with over 22 years in teaching. This year she sat the January series of English Language exams as a way of sharing with the d...

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Famous LGBTQ+ individuals from throughout history. from 2022-03-02T09:26:47

Two of our brightest and best Y9 students go through their top five LGBTQ+ historical figures and the impact they had on the world.

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Of Mice and Men: Cruelty and Unhappiness from 2022-01-26T21:25:39

Mr Allan and Mr Sebastian discuss the theme of cruelty in Of Mice and Men, and discuss which characters can lay claim to being the unhappiest on the ranch.

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An Inspector Calls - A Close Look at the Inspector from 2021-02-16T13:10:51

In this episode, we take a close look at the character of the Inspector in Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls'. An ominous figure appearing half way through Act 1 and disappearing half way through ...

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An Inspector Calls - Priestley's Politics from 2021-02-16T12:49:43

In this episode, we take a close look at Priestley's political views and messages. Written in 1945 and set in 1912, Priestley explores the length and breadth of the political spectrum in the fir...

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An Inspector Calls - A Close Look at Power and Status from 2021-02-16T12:47:29

In this episode, we take a close look at the theme of Power and Status in Priestley's drawing room political drama.

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An Inspector Calls - A Close Look at Sheila from 2021-02-16T12:44:17

In this episode, we take a close look at the character of Sheila in Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls'.

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An Inspector Calls - Generational Divide from 2021-02-16T12:42:20

A close look at the generational divide present in Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls'.

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An Inspector Calls - Social Responsibility from 2021-02-16T12:40:14

A close look at the central message of social responsibility and how the importance of it is conveyed in Priestley's Post-War masterpiece.

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An Inspector Calls - Three Major Divisions from 2021-02-16T12:37:31

In this episode, we take a sideways look at Priestley's Post-War sociopolitical drama, refracting it through three analytical lenses.

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An Inspector Calls - explore the significance of the generational gap. from 2021-02-16T12:21:47

In this episode, we take a look at the generational gap present in Priestley’s Post-War political drama and explore Priestley’s message to his audience of the danger of the fixed mindsets of the ol...

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An Inspector Calls - what is the importance of the Inspector? from 2021-02-16T12:18:34

A close look at the significance of this mysterious figure in Priestley’s powerful sociopolitical masterpiece.

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An Inspector Calls - How does Priestley explore the theme of Blame? from 2021-02-16T12:12:07

Three of our best students unpick the intricacies of who’s to blame for the death of Eva Smith and how to characters respond to that blame in Priestley’s Post War drawing room drama. NOTE: this was...

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Memory and childhood in Never Let Me Go part 1 from 2021-02-12T11:03:18

Jade and Grace discuss the themes of memory and childhood in part 1 of the novel.

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Science in part 1 of Never Let Me Go from 2021-02-12T09:36:48

Poppy and Ava discuss how the theme of science is significant in the first part of the novel.

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TKAM - Atticus the Accommodationist from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Atticus is probably the most recognisable fictional representative of liberalism in the 20th century. However, how progressive is he really? This podcast looks at the values he represents and asks ...

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TKAM - Justice and Injustice (pt 2) from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

It’s important when looking at this text that we don’t just look for justice in the events of the trial. Throughout Part 2 there are several vignettes that highlight the themes of justice, injustic...

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TKAM - The significance of Aunt Alexandra from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Aunt Alexandra: Attics’s sister, representative of the Old South, obsessed with lineage and class and an unwelcome ‘feminine influence’ for Scout. Is that the full story?

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TKAM - What to look out for in Part 1 (Ch1-11) from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

A whistle stop tour through some key parts of Part 1. These chapters look at the more nostalgic parts of the novel, but also chart the rising sinister tone that dominates the second half of the nov...

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Context: Why is the American Civil War Still Relevant Today? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Whether it’s talk about pulling down statues of Southern Confederate generals or the debate around the presence of the Confederate flag in government buildings, the American Civil War of 1861-65 lo...

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Context: What Racist Attitudes Existed in the USA between 1800-1968? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

This episode looks at the different types of racism that existed before and after the abolition of slavery in the 1860s. Even though Black Americans would be liberated from slavery in 1861, it wasn...

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A close look at the first three pages of To Kill a Mockingbird from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

In this podcast we take a close look at the myriad historical and cultural references in the opening three pages of To kill a Mockingbird. I recommend reading along and annotating your copy of the ...

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An Inspector Calls - How does Priestley explore the theme of Power and Status? from 2020-12-03T21:08:09

An incisive exploration of the theme of Power and Status in Priestley’s mid-20th century sociopolitical drama.

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An Inspector Calls - Explore the significance of Sheila from 2020-12-03T21:02:56

What makes Shelia a compelling character? Two of our expert students explore the significance of this character in Priestley’s didactic drawing room drama.

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To Kill a Mockingbird - the final chapters from 2020-12-01T21:07:07

Ms Rusholme gives a deep dive into the final chapters of Harper Lee’s Southern Gothic Bildungsroman on justice and injustice in 1930s America.

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To Kill A Mockingbird - A Southern Gothic Novel from 2020-12-01T20:47:51

Ms Gladwyn explores the genre of the Southern Gothic in regards to Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird

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Social Class in Gothic Literature from 2020-12-01T20:40:15

Ms Gladwyn explores the topic of social class in Gothic Literature, a rigid class structure, the impact of rapid urbanisation and how Darwin’s views upset the Victorian apple cart.

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Of Mice and Men - Curley's Wife from 2020-10-22T14:50:29

In this episode, Ms Gladwyn explores the significance of Curley's Wife in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.

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Gothic Literature: M.R. James from 2020-10-22T14:32:44

In this episode, Ms Gladwyn gives us an overview of the life and works of Edwardian author M.R. James - famed for his ghost stories. Gladwyn neatly sets James' work in its context and shows how ...

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Gothic Literature: The Castle of Otranto from 2020-10-22T13:19:20

In this episode, Ms Gladwyn introduces us to The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, widely considered to be the first text in the Gothic genre.

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Of Mice and Men - Loneliness from 2020-10-22T12:41:23

In this episode, Ms Gladwyn takes us through the all-important theme of 'loneliness' in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.

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Of Mice and Men - The Dream from 2020-10-22T12:32:16

In this episode, Ms Gladwyn explores the theme of 'The Dream' in Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men'.

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To Kill a Mockingbird - Atticus the Accommodationist from 2020-08-29T23:27:23

Atticus is probably the most recognisable fictional representative of liberalism in the 20th century. However, how progressive is he really? This podcast looks at the values he represents and asks ...

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To Kill a Mockingbird - Justice and Injustice (pt 2) from 2020-08-29T23:15:29

It’s important when looking at this text that we don’t just look for justice in the events of the trial. Throughout Part 2 there are several vignettes that highlight the themes of justice, injustic...

Listen

To Kill a Mockingbird - The significance of Aunt Alexandra from 2020-08-29T23:08:58

Aunt Alexandra: Attics’s sister, representative of the Old South, obsessed with lineage and class and an unwelcome ‘feminine influence’ for Scout. Is that the full story?

Listen

To Kill a Mockingbird - What to look out for in Part 1 (Ch1-11) from 2020-08-29T22:50:48

A whistle stop tour through some key parts of Part 1. These chapters look at the more nostalgic parts of the novel, but also chart the rising sinister tone that dominates the second half of the novel.

Listen

To Kill a Mockingbird - Context: Why is the American Civil War Still Relevant Today? from 2020-07-02T14:10:28

Whether it’s talk about pulling down statues of Southern Confederate generals or the debate around the presence of the Confederate flag in government buildings, the American Civil War of 1861-65 lo...

Listen

To Kill a Mockingbird - Context: What Racist Attitudes Existed in the USA between 1800-1968? from 2020-07-02T13:59:26

This episode looks at the different types of racism that existed before and after the abolition of slavery in the 1860s. Even though Black Americans would be liberated from slavery in 1861, it wasn...

Listen

To Kill a Mockingbird - A close look at the first three pages of the novel from 2020-07-02T13:52:06

In this podcast we take a close look at the myriad historical and cultural references in the opening three pages of To kill a Mockingbird. I recommend reading along and annotating your copy of the ...

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Context: The Great Depression in the USA from 2020-07-02T13:39:38

In this episode we cover key facts about The Great Depression and apply it to the texts To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men.

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What is Of Mice and Men about? from 2020-07-02T13:34:32

A brief introduction to Of Mice and Men to set you up before reading the text.

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