- “He looked different from the rest. And then there was this girl”. Explain how the structure of these sentences create a dramatic entrance for Lilly (2-A)
· Short, simple sentences
· Sentence starts with a conjunction
· Sentence introduces Lilly but then you have to read on to next paragraph to find out more about her-like a cliff hanger.
- Look at lines 3-8 (she was dancing … having). Explain, in your own words, how her actions make her stand out. (3-U/A)
· She’s doing odd tasks whilst dancing – no one else seems to be dancing
· She is constantly doing things – she can’t stop moving because she is high
· She can’t stop grinning but she isn’t grinning at anyone or anything
· She is acting as if she owns the place
3. “her eyes turned into two black, happy little gaps in her face when she smiled” – what technique is being used by the writer, and what effect does this line have on our image of Lilly? (3-E)
· Personification (although also accept metaphor)
· “black” has connotations of evil or menace. This is contrasted again “happy” which suggests she will be a good character.
· The personification makes us feel like her eyes are alive, or possibly as if she has another person living through her face.
4. You could tell he was as proud of her as if he’d just poured out a glass of moonjuice. – Why does the writer choose to use this simile to describe Lilly? (2-E)
· Makes her seem like a liquid – refers to her dancing but also suggests she is not solid and reliable
· It also creates the image of Lilly as magic or from another planet – completely removed from the rest of the characters.
5. Quote the phrase between lines 11 and 14 that shows us that Gemma is particularly struck by Lilly. (1-U)
· “I just couldn’t take my eyes off her.”
6. How does the structure of lines 15-17 help convey the impact of Lilly’s outfit upon Gemma (2-A)
· Ellipsis (…) used to show how distracted Gemma is – she can’t focus on getting her ideas together
· Use of capitals (POW) and exclamation mark emphasise how eye-catching she is
· Long sentence at the end of paragraph show how many people are staring at her
7. Focus on lines 18-22. Quote the lines that emphasise both Lilly’s innocence, and her sexuality (1-U)
· “…there she was, bare as a baby. But some baby.”
8. “Some of them were staring at her gobsmacked, mouths hanging open like fridge doors.”
a. What technique is used here (1-A)
· Simile
b. Explain fully how effectively this emphasises both Lilly’s characteristics. (3-A)
· Literally suggests their mouths are hanging open wide
· Leaving fridge door open allows heat to enter a cold area, so it is as if Lilly is bring warmth to people who have previously been cold
· However, food kept in a fridge is able to last longer without rotting – this suggests Lilly is also speeding up the process of rotting.
9. “She was more herself that anyone else ever was and as soon as I clapped eyes on her I knew I wanted to be myself as much as she was herself.” Explain, in your own words, what the writer means here. (2-U)
· Lilly is entirely confident in herself. She doesn’t care about any one else’s opinion of her. She makes Gemma wish for Lilly’s self-confidence.
10. How appealing do you find Lilly as a character? Explain your answer making close reference to the text as a whole. (4-E)
· Very appealing:
o Confident - “She was more herself that anyone else ever was“
o Pretty – “she was beautiful”
o Sexually alluring – “when she bent over to put on a new cassette you could see her bare bum.”
o Happy – “She was smiling all the time, not at anyone, just to herself and the good time she was having. Her mouth was even wider than mine and her eyes turned into two black, happy little gaps in her face when she smiled”
o Magical – “…as proud of her as if he’d just poured out a glass of moonjuice. “
· Not appealing:
o Over-sexual (same quotes)
o High – reference to constant movement, dancing but not to music, dilated pupils
o Taking things without permission – “Or maybe they just didn’t dare complain.”
o Seems arrogant or unpleasant – “…nothing mattered to her. All the rules, all the things you do do and don’t do, the manners, everything – she had none of that. If she didn’t like it she just didn’t do it. If she did it, it was good. She didn’t have to say please or thank you. She didn’t have to be offered anything; it was already hers. “
Total marks available - 24