Year of Wonders - Key Events PDF

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Year of Wonders - Key Events...

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Chapter Summaries Chapter 1 - Apple Picking Time Anna encounters Elizabeth Bradford at the rectory - Elizabeth demands to see Mompellion, pushing aside Anna’s excuses that he is too unwell to perform his pastoral tasks - Mompellion turns her away Mompellion remains grief-stricken over loss of Elinor Chapter 2 - Ring Of Roses George Viccars stays at Anna’s house George Viccars brings the plague and dies Chapter 3 - The Thunder Of His Voice Talk of the plague that has overtaken London begins to spread when Anna goes to Bradford Hall to serve guests for dinner Plague taken over city and everyone who is able is fleeing to the perceived safety of the country - The young man describes scenes of chaos and panic that foreshadows the tragedy that strikes Eyam - lead to a heated debate between Colonel Bradford and Michael Mompellion Mompellion feels a sense of social responsibility, essential to contain the spread - Colonel Bradford driven by self-interest insists it is prudent to flee the danger Chapter 4 - Rat-fall Interaction between Michael and Anna at the stream Edward Cooper caught a fever that Anna suspects could be the plague - her suspicions were confirmed by the barber-surgeon Edward Cooper died Anna’s Tom died Chapter 5 - Sign Of A Witch As her “merry little boy” (81) fights for his life, Anna is appreciative of the comfort and support brought by Elinor and Anys Gowdie. Anna’s Jamie died Mem Gowdie is accused of being a witch - beaten and almost drowned - by the villagers and then go after Ants and kill her by hanging her, Mompellion is furious Chapter 6 - Venom in the Blood Mem died from what she had endured - five days after Anys - the town was now without medical help (physick)Y Michael gives the sermon that “sealed [their] fates” (99 - 104) - admits that the plague was upon the town and urged each person to stay in Eyam - sickness wouldn’t spread to other villages Mompellion does not wish for the suffering on others - no one was permitted to enter and no one could leave the village - provisions of food and goods passed over boundary wall of village to ensure the healthy remained alive By using his charismatic capabilities, he was able to “intoxicate” the village “with his words”, holding them “one by one, in his gaze” & convince them to impose a self-quarantine to stop spread of the plague to other villages. Describes plague as a “gift” and a “casket of gold” from God, urges villagers to be resilient & prove that they can withstand God’s test. Acts as the pillar of strength upon onset of the plague becoming dependable, aiding all of those suffering. His courageous decision to quarantine is admirable - prevents spread of plague - protects other villages. Anna tells the rector she will stay Bradfords pack their belongings - Mompellion convinces Colonel Bradford to stay for good of community but dismisses the idea of Mompellion quarantine, laughing and mocking the suggestion - family’s health is more important than aiding the village - being a wealthy person in the village, detests idea of dying with lower class, shut inside a world where his position in society and his wealth were of little importance The Bradfords leave unnoticed - preparing for their flight to Oxfordshire

Chapter 7 - Wide Green Prison The Bradfords dismiss all of their staff - Maggie Cantwell was fired and ordered to leave the house - refused to take anyone with them as they flee from the plague This scene reinforces how awful the Bradfords are. Their refusal to care for people who have always cared for them, and who have nowhere else to live shows the insensitive and cruel disregard they have for others. Mr. Mompellion argues with Colonel Bradford - Colonel said the villagers have only agreed to quarantine because they have no resources to flee, and the sermon was just empty rhetoric to make them feel better Mompellion said the Bradfords would suffer God’s “terrible vengeance” Elinor greeted Anna with news that Mary Daniels was in labor - Anna helps deliver her first baby (Mary Daniels) Anna tells Elinor when she was young, her mother suffered a difficult labor and died at the hands of a barber-surgeon Reluctant and panicked to undertake the job due to traumatic event of mother’s death Elinor reminds her unlike the surgeon from her youth, who “knew nothing of women’s bodies,” she has intuition, her own childbirth experiences, & her “mother-hands” to aid her Anna steals a phial of poppy from Mrs. Mompellion whiskey Chapter 8 - So Soon to be Dust Brand, the pantry boy and Maggie, Bradfords’ cook, servants of the Bradfords return from their venture after being cast out of the village they had travelled to (Bakewell) Jacob Merrill, a farmer, takes in Brand while Anna agreed to take Maggie in her own cottage Anna’s relationship with her father - based on violence & fear - recalls her father applying a harsh punishment to her mother - putting her mother in a branks - painful, helmet-like cage that restricted speech and used to punish women who “scolded” men in public Maggie Cantwell dies from her injuries

Chapter 9 - The Poppies of Lethe Anna’s role in the village becomes more concrete - she and Elinor help aid the living Anna’s oldest friend, Lib Hancock, died from the plague - and Anna was unable to mend the rift that had come between them - Lib was involved in Any’s murder - Anna hasn’t spoken to her since Anna visits the Gowdies’ cottage to see if she can find more poppy On the verge of succumbing to addiction Decides if she will find a new way of coping or continue to seek oblivion from her grief in her use of this drug Signs of witchcraft - Kate has a charm, piece of paper with “Abracadabra” - Anna scolds her for believing in such “follies” - Kate says prayers to God don’t work so she had no choice but to appeal to the Devil - bought charm from supposed ghost of Anys Gowdie Anna & Elinor searched cottage for any clues as to what herbs and remedies may be helpful in fighting the plague - eagerly enlisted Anna’s help in sorting & naming plants - Elinor committed to tending to others Since they work together as equals, Elinor insisted Anna to call her by her name, rather than addressing her formally as Mrs. Mompellion - friendship with Anna is defined by its equality Understands that the poppy gives relief of numbness - makes Anna forget memories of her children - encourages Anna to evaluate & decide situation for herself Elinor confessed she was addicted to poppy once, chose to share something revealing to Anna - wanted Anna to “truly” know her (149-150) “Do you remember on the way to the Daniel’s, Anna, that I said to you that I had never birthed a child?” (150) This confession - an act of openness drawing them even closer together Elinor grew up as beloved child of a rich widower in Derbyshire At age of 14, fell in love with Charles - 20 year old neighbour - father disapproved of the man’s character & believed she was too young

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Went to London - marry without parental consent - soon realised he never planned to marry her at all - didn’t care because she was so infatuated - until, she was abandoned Had a child - in desperation to hide shame, performed an abortion with fire iron Doctors medicated Elinor with poppy - to relieve pain & numb emotional distress - may be addicted still if she hadn’t met Mompellion Allowed Anna to find purpose as a healer with Elinor’s help Mompellions’ backstory - Mompellion was son of a lowly curate who became involved in English Civil War, fighting on behalf of Parliamentarians - began working for the steward at Elinor’s family estate - grew up learning to farm, care for horses Elinor’s father took an interest in him, sent him to school - to Cambridge due to intelligence Mompellions’ marriage with Elinor - an ideal relationship between men and women unlike Colonel Bradfords’ relationship with his wife - had complete power over his wife and mistreated her

Chapter 10 - Among those that go down the pit Jacob Merrill is dying - confesses his guilt over his treatment of his late wife, Maudie - was never kind to her and spent all their money on drink Mompellion arranged for Jakob to leave his farm and take care of Jacob's children, Charity and Seth Mompellion closed the church since the plague thrived in warm weather and large gatherings means that contagion was able to spread more - instead, met in Cucklett Delf - large field where families can stand in plague as a test of a loving God To stop spread of disease, they must bury the dead immediately on their own property rather than in hallowed ground of the churchyard Elinor and Anna intended to save Merry Wickford’s mining claim , daughter of Quaker couple, George and Cleath Wickford - plague killed entire family except for Merry, who risks having her mining claim taken by another miner, David Burton They went down via ladder into the mine (slick, wet & dark) - risk of slipping or injuring themselves fatally at any moment Anna remembers Sam’s death and panics but Elinor provides a steadying voice to calm her down, to not “let [her] fears be [her] master” Anna knew of another quicker technique to extract ore - fire-setting - the technique that killed Sam sees Merry’s disappointed face - tells Elinor she thinks they should take the risk Chapter 11 - The body of the mine Josiah Bont dies Aphra’s three sons dies - tragedy hits Aphra hard - personal suffering damages her mental state, leading her to inflict suffering on others

Chapter 12 - The press of their ghosts Anna tells Elinor of childhood traumas that her father experienced As a child, conscripted into the navy where he was raped by older men and whipped cruelly by the boatswain. Other people turn to temptation of superstitions - Lottie Mowbray confessed the ghost of Anys Gowdie told her to rub her baby on an object to prevent the plague and they tried boiling the baby’s urine Different villagers cope with fear in different ways - Andrew Merrick builds a hut in isolation & others leave food for him at a distance - Jane Martin turns to alcohol and prostitution to forget grief of losing her family John Gordon turns to flagellantation - Urith Gordon starves (John burns everything they own) John Gordon dies Chapter 13 - A great burning

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Elinor has a high fever - tells Anna to be a friend to Mompellion and take care of him after her death Mompellion tells the town they must make a bonfire & burn as many of their goods as possible, both as a sacrifice to God & dispose of potentially contaminated items - reminds that Urith Gordon died because of sharing disease-bearing clothing & fire was “a symbol of rebirth” - villagers agree but no longer so impressed with Mompellion sermons and explanations. Mompellion starts the fire, calls on God to accept their sacrifice and deliver the town. Brand caught Aphra trying to selling a charm to his sister - Aphra is the “ghost of Anys Gowdie”, preying on villagers’ desperation Mompellion manages to quiet the crowd & formally brings charges against Aphra next morning - tells Brand and Robert to take charge of Aphra until the hearing - Robert keeps her in a cave filled with pig manure all night - Aphra had to constantly suffocate - foreshadow of larger consequences to come As Elinor and Anna take Aphra back to her cottage - Aphra starts cursing and insulting them - Anna wants to take care of Faith until Aphra is better, but Aphra refuses - accuses Anna of trying to steal her child for Elinor Aphra performs a dance around a fire, chanting nonsense and portraying herself as if praying - Aphra relied on superstition while fearing - dangerous not only to her own safety but that of family Encounters Faith’s death - Aphra has hung her body, covering her plague sores with chalk

Chapter 14 - Deliverance Mompellion and Elinor argue - Elinor wants to hold a service of thanksgiving for Exams deliverance & end quarantine so people who have lost their entire families can seek out for their relatives & start life again Mompellion believes all their sacrifice will be nothing if new plague cases occur and spread to other villages Mompellion holds thanksgiving service but when beginning to pray, Aphra runs into the field, holding a knife and carrying Faith’s remains Elinor runs to Mompellions’ aid to Aphra - Aphra kills Elinor - Aphra dies Chapter 15 - Apple picking time Mompellion confesses that he never had that close of a relationship with Elinor because she “committed a great sin” He taught himself to ignore Elinor’s beauty and her attractions Harsher on Elinor and himself than the one he preaches to the village Mompellion loses his faith in God, seeing his life as “based upon a lie”, finding God to be “poor listener” Anna encounters Elizabeth praying at the Bradford pew - Anna tries to save Elizabeth’s mother in premature labor - Anna’s confidence empowers her as a stronger woman, giving her the strength to defy Elizabeth’s insults once - Colonel Bradford instructed the surgeon to let his wife die - Anna’s renewed sense of purpose through helping the family even after losing her own faith (in contrast to Mompellions’ selfishness) Finds Elizabeth Bradford trying to drown the baby - Anna willing to adopt the baby - Mrs Bradford asks Anna to tell her daughter that she would have loved her “if she had been allowed”

Chapter 16 - Epilogue: The waves, like ridges of ploughed land Anna reflects on a Margaret Cavendish poem Elinor had once showed her - compared ocean’s waves to green meadows - circumstances have forced her to leave Eyam but have opened up the wider world to her Talks about her journey away from Eyam - rather than settling at Elinor’s estate, hires a wet nurse and continues to Liverpool - wants to “make something entirely new”, away from the memory of her lost friend Stays at an inn, boards a ship to Venice Ends up in Oran, Algeria - city controlled by the Al-Andalus Arabs - decides to settle there Becomes one of Ahmed Bey’s wives - becomes experienced midwife and learns Arabic Women on the streets calls her “Umm Jam-ee” Anna names Bradford Baby Aisha - meaning both “bread” and “life” Elinor has Mompellion gray eyes

Themes: 1.

Lust / Love

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Familial Relationships/ COMMUNITY Death / Mortality Resilience Grief - different types Choices Friendship Hope / WONDER Superstition - actions are based on superstitions Love Conflict Religion Faith - Religious / Character / Ability Fear Tragedy Role of women Value of female relationships Courage - physical / moral / emotional Status (class) / Social Hierarchy Feminism

Practise Prompts: -

Select a key scene from the novel and rewrite this from another point of view. In your written explanation, remember to state which character from this scene is narrating the scene.

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Write the letter Anna wrote to Michael, one year after her arrival in Oran. Consider what she may wish him to know and to understand about her departure from Eyam, her journey and her new life.

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As Elizabeth Bradford, write an internal monologue that explores her thoughts and feelings at a particular moment in the text. (pages 12-18; 57-63; 109- end 116; 284-291;293)

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Write the conversation Anna has with Maryam confiding events about her life in Eyam.

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Elinor writing a letter to her father during the Plague

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Anna writing a letter to the Bradfords about Aisha and her life in Oran

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Mompellion replying to Anna’s letter, that was sent from Oran and her questions.’

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Anna writing a future letter to her daughters, explaining why the decisions she had made when moving to Oran but explaining her feelings about leaving Eyam

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DONE IN A NARRATIVE: Explaining the details of when Elinor said her first word and Anna was there to witness it

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Write a journal entry from: Anna after learning of her husband’s death OR after the death of her sons / Michael after Elinor is murdered

The Written Explanation Write a paragraph of approximately 150-200 words, explaining your choices in your writing and how these demonstrate understanding of the text: ● ●

Identify the purpose of your writing, making the reasons for this piece of writing clear and say where in the novel this piece fits (context). Who is the audience for this piece?

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Explain the context. How does this piece relate to the text (new scene, different perspective)? Which elements of the text have you included (characters, events) and why did you select these elements? Identify the form in which you are writing. Refer to the structures and conventions of this form. (EG: Narrative voice, characters, climax, resolution.) Explain the language choices you have made including style, voice and imagery.

Forms of texts for creative writing You will be asked to write either: i. A narrative: fill in a gap/ retell from another point of view ii. A journal or diary entry iii. Letter I. Narrative: (Create a scene) To explore an idea or situation. Features Language May be written in the present tense or past tense Told from a particular point of view Fits the character of the narrator Uses the conventions of narrative fiction such as plot, Contains detail, precise descriptions and vivid character and theme verbs Usually conveys a single important point May contain dialogue

Journal: A record giving a truthful account of events, opinions, experiences and people in the personal life of the writer. Features Language First person Date, Reflect the personality of the writer Subjective accounts – one person’s perspective on the events being described Truthful II.

Letter: Purpose to inform and or entertain; to persuade. To one person or a small group of people. Features Language Uses pronouns such as I, we, you Date, Formal or formal language depending on depth of Address relationship to audience Salutations – start Language reflects the personality of the writer Signs off with writer’s name III.

IV. Sermon: Purpose to ‘teach’ a lesson. Features

Language

Message focus Religious references

Uses pronouns such as we, you Formal language Language reflects the reason for the sermon

A/A+ : -

Sophisticated and complex understanding of the original text through INSIGHTFUL selection of key moments, characters and themes worthy of explanation Sustained development of voice and style by skillfully transforming and adapting language and literary devices to generate particular responses, with INSIGHTFUL consideration of the the original text

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Highly expressive, fluent and coherent written or oral language that employs the skillful and accurate use of appropriate conventions for stylistic effect INSIGHTFUL justification of decisions related to selected content and approach made during the creative process, demonstrating meaningful connections to the original text and complex understanding of purpose, audience and context

TIPS FOR CREATIVE RESPONSES (FEEDBACK) ●

Your task is to reveal insight. Texts explore ideas. Your task, in order to meet the demands of the Grade Descriptors, is to show your understanding of what is revealed about ideas. You also need to show understanding of the complexity of characters.

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When writing journal entries and letters it is essential that you explore the character’s thoughts in depth and detail, and that you are showing understanding of, for example, what they have had to deal with and the impact of this.

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You need to capture a character’s unique and authentic voice. Work on using the text to develop a character vocabulary bank.

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You need to show precise textual knowledge and be appropriately selective of the detail that you utilise in your piece.

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Make sure that the text you are creating has the typical stylistic features of that text type/form.