National 4 Added Value Unit Summary of structure

National 4 Added Value Unit Summary of structure for short stories

Snakes and Ladders • Good for questions about relationships or an individual’s conflict with society - caused by poverty • 1. Lily’s background – explain, including where her son is • 2. How Lily faces a conflict with the clerk – she can’t make him understand why she needs a transfer • 3. Clerk’s attitude is not personal – he doesn’t have the power to help her • 4. We find out why Lily’s son is in hospital – explain what this incident tells us about the setting (the area Lily is from) • 5. The ending is very effective as Lily takes power into her own hands – explain what she does and why she does this

Superman and Paula Brown’s Snowsuit • Good for questions about conflict with society or childhood and growing up • 1. Explain how narrator is portrayed as very childish and innocent in the beginning – e. g. dreams of flying, loves Superman, connects idea with her uncle • 2. She doesn’t really understand what is going on when WW 2 starts – prefers fantasy to reality • 3. Paula’s party – Paula as unpleasant – narrator forced to face reality during cinema trip – explain what she sees • 4. Paula’s snowsuit – explain why she is blamed – focus on the group mentality – ganging up/ making her a scapegoat • 5. Ending – explain shy she has to pay –why is this so upsetting – what does she realise – think back to the way she connected her uncle and superman – can he help her now?

The Great Mc. Gunnigle • Good for questions about conflict • 1. Alex is dreading goes back to school – explain how he is made to seem like a pupil • 2. Mc. Gunnigle is shown to be a horrible character as Alex thinks back to all he has done in the past e. g. school dance/ the stall/ argument about homework • 3. Mc. Gunnigle is shown to be physically threatening/ intimidating as the conflict develops e. g. the way he behaves on the football field • 4. How conflict reaches a climax and how Alex reacts • 5. The effective ending when we realise who is the teacher and who is the pupil – why is this enjoyable? What does it make you think about?

Barely an Incident • Good for questions about conflict – racism • 1. Explain how the setting is made to bleak and depressing • 2. explain how the 3 drunk boys behave towards the young couple • 3. Explain that the policemen enter too late and don’t seem interested in preventing trouble • 4. Explain how the narrator feels – furious and helpless – as she sees how upset the young couple are • 5. Explain why the narrator tries to apologise – why does she feel guilty and what does she think is the main problem in society?

Mary Moon and the Stars • Good for questions about inner conflict or about childhood and growing up • 1. Explain how the friendship between Mary Moon and the narrator begins • 2. Explain why the narrator feels conflicted about becoming friends with Mary – what is scared of? – think about what her granny says • 3. Explain why the narrator decides to be friends with Mary and how this leads to a conflict with her Granny – what does this make you think about her Granny? • 4. Climax – Mary’s mum has attempted suicide – explain what the narrator realises about Mary’s poverty, her life and why she feels that she hasn’t done enough • 5. The effective ending – we learn that Mary has done well – explain how this makes the narrator feel and how you think Mary might feel about the narrator

The Face • Good for questions about relationships or childhood and the difficulties of growing up • 1. explain why the little boy is visiting the coalmine and what he is afraid of • 2. explain why he has misunderstood what the face is – story of John Ireland – shows that children cannot understand the adult world • 3. explain what his rite of passage is – what is he afraid of and how does he feel about his father? • 4. explain how his father feels about him when he manages to walk along the passage • 5. the effective ending – explain why there is a twist here – how do the little boy and his father change roles?

The Last Spin • Good for questions on conflict or relationships • 1. Danny and Tigo are enemies because they belong to different gangs. Both have been sent as representatives to settle a dispute by playing “Russian roulette”, where one of them will die. • 2. They begin to realise they have a lot in common and almost suggest a double date… • 3. As they realise how scared they both are, they also realise how pointless it is to fight when they have no grudge against each other. • 4. The boys agree to stop playing after one last spin, and to forget about their gangs and go out on the lake with their girlfriends. • 5. The ending is tragic as Danny is shot by the last spin. Tigo is left shocked and weeping for his lost friendship and the senselessness of gang violence.

Killer Mum • Good for questions on conflict or relationships • 1. Writer is embarrassed by the way her mother is dressed when Stevie stops to talk to her at the shops. • 2. She tries to persuade her mum to wear something less embarrassing to the school dance. • 3. She is completely humiliated by her parents being the first couple up to dance. • 4. She realises that Stevie feels exactly the same way, because his parents are the other couple. • 5. Her and Stevie are united by their embarrassment and start going out with each other.

The Cure • Good for questions about growing up or relationships or possibly conflict • 1. Writer is asked by Roy Speedie to compete in a school race and she has a big crush on him. • 2. She dreads the race because she is a terrible runner. • 3. It is very tense as she describes how she loses the race. • 4. Roy screams at her and shatters his charming illusion and the writer is cured of her crush when she sees his true colours. • 5. This experience changes her whole outlook. She feels grown up and experienced and in control.

A Picture Of Zoe • Good for questions on relationships, conflict or prejudice • 1. there is a clear social class difference between Zoe and Gerry e. g. shown through their friends, the old lady’s approval, restaurant • 2. He is surprised by Zoe’s kind, sympathetic