Invisible mass of The Back Row Flashcards
What are the main themes in the story and give with them a story to link it to
> social class with MPTT or OCC
cultural identity and identity with MPTT
racial class
Columbus
What was the authors purpose for this story (give authors name)
> Showing racial discrimination happens all over the world
> stand up for what you believe in like hortense did
Author = Claudette Williams
What type of structure does the story have
Circular nature > starts and ends in a class room
What are the differences in the start and end of the story and what does this suggest
Start the back row is being picked on for being black and cannot answer any questions
At end the black children stand up to the teacher and answer the question well
It suggests hortense has grown as a person unlike the rest of society which is still the same
What does the dialect in the story represent and how does it do this
The oppression of black people
Children spoke formally in the classroom but when let out spoke there cultural accents = Jamaican
The accent is seen to affect there identity and social standing
Describe miss Henderson
Discriminative
Acts white to gain authority
Picks on the back row which shows the hiararvhy within the balcony community
How does Hortenses character change throughout the play
Start she is a shy character due to being belittled by everyone
Entering England she feels pressured to act different
End there is cyclical nature in the classroom but answers the question passionately and confidently
Show discrimination quote in the story
‘Frightened of yu papa’
What a key quote to show what type of discrimination is happening to hortense
I might not know the answers but I can fight
Reflects her physical and metaphorical fighting spirit when she’s in England as she learns the language and grows
Shadows is shown to represent prejudice
What some context
Semi autobiographical that callaudette is hortense
