The Daughters of the Late Colonel

• Engels
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Goals for today 

The Daughters of the Late Colonel 

Structure in this short story 

Symbols, characters and motifs in this short story 

Class, grief, fear and dependency. 

Word of the day

If you divide the word malefactor into three parts, it can help you to remember this word: 

mal - ("evil"), fac - ("make or do"), + or (suffix showing agency) combining these gives malefactor = someone who does evil 

Malignant

Josephine and Constantia 

Con and Jug

1. Why has Mansfield given the daughters these pet names?
   
2. What is the effect of these familial nicknames? 
   
3. What connotations can you think of associated with these terms? How does that add to the characterisation? 
   

Infantalisation&nbsp;<div>lack of maturity&nbsp;</div><div>result of paternal suppression&nbsp;</div><div>patriarchy&nbsp;</div><div>lack of agency&nbsp;</div><div>diminutive&nbsp;</div>

Jug = empty vessel - filled by her father's control (?)<div>Con = to deceive or trick - cheated out of autonomy and volition by her father (?)</div>

play-like structure 

1. This short story is divided into 12 parts, rather like a play. 
   
2. In your groups make an overview of who the 'principle actors' are in each part. 
   
3. Additionally, write a single sentence summary of the main events in that part. 
   
4. Now see if you can find a relationship between the paired parts - 1 + 7, 2 + 8, 3 + 9, 4 + 10, 5 + 11, 6 + 12 

Presentation short story choices

1. Read the instructions
   
2. Find the people you will present and work with (4 groups of 3 and one group of 2) 
   
3. Sit in your group 
   
4. Make a plan and divide the work
   
5. Next week your English lessons will be cancelled due to oral exams. Use this time to work on your interactive presentation. 
   

Presentation short story choices

Global Issue 

Put simply, a 'global issue' is an idea or theme presented in your text/s that has significance in the world. The IB states that it should have the following properties:

It has significance on a wide/large scale

It is transnational

Its impact is felt in everyday local contexts

An example of a global issue might be:

Money as a source of social repression in Metamorphosis and Death of a Salesman

This issue focuses on a specific topic, is not too broad and would allow for interesting development in the oral.

.

Further common themes and topics  

• Entitlement of the wealthy
  
• Divisions of social classes; the gap between rich and poor; class consciousness
  
• Marginalization of people by society
  
• Coming of age
  
• Alienation and self-deception (Appearance vs. Reality)
  
• The patriarchy and male entitlement; marriage and unhappy marriages
  
• Female sexuality (in society and in social norms)
  

Goals for today 

The Daughters of the Late Colonel 

Structure in this short story 

Recap symbols 

IB concepts for literature 

"Her First Ball" exploration 

Rate the word 1 to 4

1. I do not know the word, and I have never seen it before. 

2. I've heard or seen the word before, but I'm not sure what it means. 

3. I know the word and can recognise and understand it while reading, but I probably wouldn't feel comfortable using it in writing or speech. 

4. I know the word well and can use it correctly in writing or speech. 

Malevolent&nbsp;

Word of the day

Malevolent (adj) - causing or wanting to cause harm or evil

The antonym benevolent uses the latin affix 'bene' meaning good or well. 

Each of these ten stories pitted a hero against a malevolent one-eyed giant.

Seven IB concepts for English language and literature 

Concepts IB English A 

Identity, Culture, Creativity, Communication, Perspective, Transformation, Representation 

Which of these concepts could be used as a lens to approach this short story?&nbsp;

1. Josephine & Constantia after death

2. Nurse Andrews 

3. Nurse Andrews 

4. Mr Farolles - Anglican priest 

5. Josephine at the funeral 

6. Josephine and Constantia - father's room 

7. Josephine & Constantia (Benny, watch)

8. Cyril the nephew 

9. Cyril the nephew 

10. Kate - maid 

11. Constantia 

12. Josephine & Constantia - drawing room

Symbols to support concepts 

Symbols can also be a way in to find a key passage. 

For the symbol your table has been given, find a key passage that includes that symbol and supports the concept, topic or message of the short story. 

What is that concept, topic or message? 

In which of these objects does the colonel’s influence persist in the lives of Constantia and Josephine even after his death?

What was your symbol; where was the key passage and what is the concept, topic or theme that this symbol supports?

TIME 

Nurse Andrews, Benny and nephew Cyril are associated with the topic of time. How? 

Search for quotes that show attention to this topic. 

You can divide this up in your groups. 

TIME - motif - Cyril 

"I had to meet a man at Victoria, and he kept me hanging about till ..." p.62

"Oh, Cyril that can't be true! It's after four'" p. 62

"It's such a long time since -" p.63

"I say Auntie Con, isn't your clock a bit slow? I've got to meet a man at - at Paddington just after five." p.63

"Constantia was still gazing at the clock. She couldn't make up her mind if it was fast or slow. It was one or the other , she felt almost certain of that. At any rate, it had been." p.63 

"I seem to remember last time he came there was some little trouble about time." p.65

TIME - motif - Nurse 

"regular sit down means at the proper times," p. 54

"It was not long now, and then she'd be gone for good." p.55

"not leaving him at the very last" p.55

"holding his wrist pretending to look at her watch." p.55 

TIME - motif 

1. How does the broken watch symbolise the sisters' struggle with time and their inability to move forward after their father's death?

2. How does the part where the sisters consider giving the watch to Cyril highlight how these characters perceive and manage time?

Write your answers in your exercise book. 

Symbol - stick

"She heard his stick thumping" p.57

"beginning to thump" p. 64 

"he waved Josephine away with his stick, then pointed with his stick to Cyril." p.64

"the stick would not thump.

                    It never will thump again,

                    it never will thump again," p.68

What abstract idea does the stick symbolise? 

Nurse Andrews 

How does Nurse Andrews' behaviour and attitude toward the sisters reflect the social dynamics and class distinctions present in the story?

How is phonetic dialect used to expose class distinctions? 

Some topics in this story 

Patriarchy and Oppression: The sisters are incapable of independence, having been subservient to their tyrannical father, even after his death.

Ambivalence and Dependency: The sisters struggle with simple decisions, reflecting their lifelong dependency.

Memory and Loss: The story highlights the stifling atmosphere of a house filled with memories of a stifling father. 

FEAR

Collect quotes where the sisters express fear of their father.