Reading Unit for S2 / S3: The Drums of Hampden
PDF file: Reading unit
The Drums of Hampden by Mark Frankland
A Reading Unit For Standard Grade
F / G Levels and Intermediate 1
Purposes of the curriculum 3-18
This unit contributes toward young people becoming:
- successful learners able to use literacy and communication skills
- confident individuals able to develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world
- responsible citizens able to develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it
Introduction:
The novel is an exciting story with two main characters: Tony Hobbes and Simon Matembo.
In the novel, Hobbes is captain of the Scotland football team. He is a very experienced player but is getting past his best.
On a trip to Uganda, he discovers an amazing new talent in the shape of Simon Matembo. Tony believes that Simon is possibly one of the greatest talents which the game has ever seen!
As we study the novel, we will focus on only three aspects. The way the writer creates:
- The setting
- The characterisation
- The plot
Setting:
The setting of a novel means two things:
WHERE the novel is set, and, WHEN the novel is set.
WHERE refers to which part of the world the events in the novel are happening.
WHEN refers to the period in time when the events are happening. This can really mean three things, broadly:
- The things that happen in the novel are going on NOW in the present.
- The events happened some time ago so they happened in the PAST.
- The events will happen in the FUTURE.
Most writers give their readers a basic idea of where things will be happening early on in the novel in the opening chapters.
Often a novel can have a number of settings, so there are changes in setting.
Characterisation:
The word 'characterisation' contains the word, 'character.' It is about the way a writer has made his / her characters. They might be good or bad, nasty or nice, or they might begin as nasty characters and end up as good characters. This is known as character development.
Characters can also be split into groups to help us to understand how a writer has created them. Characters who are really important in the novel are known as major characters. A novel usually only has one or two of these.
Characters can also crop up quite a bit in the novel but are not as important as the major characters. These are known as minor characters.
We know what kind of character we are dealing with in two ways:
- BY WHAT THEY SAY. We all know that the way someone speaks to us tells us a lot about them. If someone speaks to us kindly, we will probably take to them and like them.
- BY WHAT THEY DO. Again, you may have heard the words, ' Actions speak louder than words.' In other words, how someone behaves towards us and others may tell us more about them than what they say. So, someone can say that they like you but still behave badly towards you!
The Plot:
The plot of a novel means the main events which happen in the novel. It is sometimes called the narrative. Plot is not about every small thing that happens in a novel. This novel is packed with events, but not all of them are main events.
Someone having a cup of tea is hardly a main event, but someone playing in a Scottish cup final most certainly is!
By the time you have finished reading the novel you will have covered the following areas:
- How the writer uses the introduction to the story to 'hook' the reader
- How he uses the different settings to show the similarities between people
- How he uses the major and minor characters to interact with one another to produce tensions and plot developments
- How he creates an exciting plot
- How he uses cliffhangers to keep us reading
- How climax is used to bring out the tension in the plot
- How the novel is ended with an unexpected conclusion which we find satisfying
- How to write a critical evaluation of a novel
- You will also have discussed many aspects of the novel with a partner or with a group
It is important that you have the 'Big Picture' before you start so that you know what is the end product of this unit. Your task is below:
Critical Evaluation of Literature
How does the writer Mark Frankland use the setting, characterisation and plot of the novel, 'The Drums of Hampden' to make it more exciting for the reader?
Your reading of the novel will be broken down into 4 smaller parts.
| Chapter | Part of novel | What the writer does |
| Chapters 1-3 | Introduction | Introduces:
|
| Chapters 4-11 | Development | The writer develops:
|
| Chapters 12-13 | Conflict and Climax | The writer:
|
| Chapter 14 | Resolution | The writer:
|
Brainstorming the Title
DO NOT open your book yet!
Group Discussion
In your groups, look at the picture on the front of your novel.
Think about the foreground firstly:
- What does it show?
- How does the character in the centre stand out?
Think about the background next:
- What is the setting for the cover?
- What kind of match is being played?
- Is it a minor league event?
Think about the title.
- What do you think of the use of the word, 'drums?'
Now in your groups discuss the following:
- What kind of story is this likely to be?
- What kind of characters are you likely to meet?
- What kind of setting/s might you come across?
Be prepared to report back to the class after your discussion which will last 10 minutes.
......Ideas....................Why We Think This