AICE English Lit AS-Paper 1

Sir Gawain & Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Definition: Meter

the word to describe the patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables in lines of poetic verse.

Definition: Rhyme Scheme

the ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse

What genre was Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Chivalric Romance

What elements are commonly seen in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (genre)

Chivaric code, knights on quests, courtly love, and supernatural/magical elements

What writing styles are seen heavily in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Heavy alliteration & Bob and wheel verses

What are bob and wheel verses?

each stanza ends with a short line, followed by longer lines with an ABAB rhyme scheme

What THEMES are in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

• Chivalry

• Supernatural

• Christianity

• Seasons & Time

What MOTIFS are in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

• seasons (used to show gawains state; happiness in spring & despair/bleak in winter. Text implies inevitable change in seasons and that all things will eventually wither/decay.)

• games (used to entertain but also put his honor to the knight code to the test)

• The pentangle: his virtues are put to the test through the games in the story.

What does the pentangle in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight mean?

5 virtues of knights: courtesy, genorsity, chastity, fellowship/friendship, and piety

it is also called the endless knot

What does the green girdle in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight mean?

It changes throughout. Colors link to Green Knight. The host’s wife claims it has magical powers, but it does not. After the green knight reveals the identity, Gawain curses the girdle, making it represent cowardice and love for mortal life, he wears it after that as a badge of his sinfulness. (when he comes back to Camelot it becomes a symbol of bravery & honor)

What does the Green Knight’s Green color symbolize in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Represents Nature and Morality

Why does the Green Knight have a holly and axe in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Holly- peace, nature, renewal (were associated in medieval England with death & ghosts)

Axe- execution

How is the motif MAGIC seen in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

-Heavily inspired by Fairyland/Folklore.
-Green Knight is a figure of magic. (color/size)
-The Green Girdle is also imbued with magical properties, symbolizing protection and temptation throughout Gawain's journey.

How is the motif of the Pentangle seen in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

A five-pointed star, symbolizes Gawain's chivalric virtues, including generosity, love, compassion, and faithfulness. It represents the interconnectedness of these ideals, reinforcing Gawain's role as an ideal knight and is seen testing these virtues throughout the text.

How is the color RED associated with Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Red is associated with the blood of christ & Gawains chivalry. (Gawain wears red)

How is the color BROWN associated with Bertaliak in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Brown symbolizes earthiness, reflecting Bertilak's close connection to nature and the natural world and the cycle of time.

Brown (end of a cycle) to the Green Knights Green (new year)

How is the theme CHIVARLY is portrayed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

The challenges faced by Gawain throughout the story, including the Green Knight's challenge and the temptations from Bertilak's wife, serve to test his adherence to the chivalric code of honor, bravery, and fidelity.

Religion being a common aspect shown in Gawains character is also adhering to the knight code.

How is the theme SUPERNATURAL portrayed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

Coincides with the motif of magical elements.

This theme is illustrated through the presence of the Green Knight, magical transformations, and the mystical elements surrounding Gawain's journey, challenging the boundaries of reality.

How is the theme CHRISTIANITY portrayed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

The narrative reflects Christian values through Gawain's moral dilemmas, emphasizing concepts such as sin, redemption, and the quest for personal integrity. His reliance on faith and the representation of divine providence further illustrate the influence of Christianity on his character and actions.

Throughout the story, Gawain is upset as well that he has no designated place to pray (Praying to complete his quest and find the Green Knight.

How is the theme SEASONS & TIME is portrayed in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

The theme of seasons and time is depicted through the cyclical nature of the story, highlighting the passage of time and its effects on Gawain's journey. The changing seasons symbolize the stages of life, reflecting themes of growth, renewal, and the inevitability of mortality.

What metaphors & similes are seen in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight?

• Spring/Summer: Symbolize youth and vitality through describing growth of flowers/plants.. representing Gawain's initial courage and life force.

• Winter: symbolizing decay, old age, and death. Described as harsh and tiring.

• Green Knight: Represents nature's challenges and the duality of life and death, embodying the complexities of Gawain's trials and the interplay between humanity and the supernatural.

• Hunting / Seduction: The hunting scenes and seduction tactics underline the interplay between nature's reality and Gawain's moral integrity, illustrating themes of temptation and the conflict between desire and duty.

What THEMES are seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• deception

• struggle for identity

• GREED.

• complexities of familial relationships

What MOTIFS are seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• mendacity (lies)

• the image of a “normal” family (having kids)

What SYMBOLISMS are seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• bricks crutch

• brick and maggies bed

• the liqour cabinet/console

How is the motif MENDACITY seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

Brick- views mendacity as a problem that he is disgusted by. Uses alcohol as a crutch to avoid the truth about his relationship with Skipper.

Big Daddy- represents the ultimate source of lies within the family with Big Daddys illness.

How is the motif OF A “NORMAL” FAMILY seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• Williams depicts a façade of a "normal" family while revealing deep-rooted issues such as repression, jealousy, and failed connections.

• The characters' struggles highlight the dysfunction beneath their outward appearances.

• Family/Gender roles: with societal expectations at the time of creation. Mae with children and the pressure on Maggie and Brick to do the same.

• Greed & Inheritance: The importance of familial legacy and the pressure of wealth on relationships Creates tension/manipulation seen with Gooper & Mae.

• Lack of love for one another: Despite the appearances of family love and tradition, the Pollitt family lacks a genuine sense of connection. Characters are more concerned with their own desires and ambitions than with the well-being of others. (Money and Big Daddy)

How is the theme IDENTITY STRUGGLE seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• Brick's internal conflict with his sexuality and societal expectations,

• Maggie's desperate attempts to gain Brick's affection and affirmation of her own identity.

• The characters' inability to confront their true selves contributes to their familial tensions and personal despair.

How is the theme DECEPTION seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• Brick's denial of his feelings

• Big Daddy's refusal to acknowledge the family's dysfunction.

How is the theme COMPLEXITIES OF RELATIONSHIPS seen in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• dysfunctional dynamic

• uses mendacity to complicate relationships within pollit family

• uses wealth as well to make characters spiteful towards one another due to greed of big daddys money.

What does BRICKS CRUTCH symbolize in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• Brick's crutch represents his emotional and physical struggles,

• metaphor for his dependence on the past and his attempt to navigate his pain and identity crisis.

What does BRICK & MAGGIES BED symbolize in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• symbolizes the foundation of their troubled marriage, representing both intimacy and the emotional distance between them.

• highlights their struggles with communication and affection, as well as the tension in their relationship.

• Can also play into intimacy and gender roles, with Maggie being childless

What does THE CONSOLE/LIQUOR symbolize in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• symbolizes escapism and the characters' attempts to cope with their unresolved issues and emotional pain.

• serves as a tool for avoidance

• illustrating how addiction can complicate relationships and hinder genuine communication.

How are STAGE DIRECTIONS used in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof?

• conveys complex relationship

• shows body language

• emotional states of characters, enhancing the play's themes of tension and disconnection.

• influence subtext of dialogue

• They provide insight into characters' actions and motivations, revealing underlying tensions and emotions that drive the narrative.

How does Mae’s Character play a part in the Pollitt family dynamic?

• loud & obnoxious

• her own family lost money so she is just as eager as Maggie to inherit the family fortune

• Big Daddy describes her as “a good breeder,” having given birth to five children with another on the way.

• Conflicting with Maggie being childless and often being compared to.

How does Gooper’s Character play a part in the Pollitt family dynamic?

• ambitious and manipulative

• he seeks to gain his father's approval and inherit the family estate.

• His rivalry with Maggie emphasizes themes of greed and family conflict, as he tries to undermine her position in the family along with Bricks deservingness of the fortune.

How does Big Mama’s Character play a part in the Pollitt family dynamic?

• provides emotional support yet struggles with her husband's dying state.

• efforts to maintain family cohesion often clash with the tensions surrounding inheritance, exposing her vulnerability and strength.

Why does MAGGIE reveal that she is pregnant at the end of the play?

She reveals her pregnancy to assert her place in the family and secure her position as Big Daddy's chosen heir, contrasting with Gooper's ambitions and showcasing her desperation for acceptance and love.

How does Big Daddy’s Character play a part in the Pollitt family dynamic?

• the patriarch whose impending death drives the family's tensions.

• His relationships with his children reveal underlying conflicts and desires for approval, cementing a struggle for inheritance and power.