Starseeker: Tim Bowlerbowler website9 May 2023

LESSON 1 –uncovering character There is music playing. Listen to it:

relax and close your eyes if you wish. (Grieg: Peace of the forest)

Do you “see” anything?

Do you find any emotion stimulated by it?

So, to “work” Let’s consider the opening: “He didn’t see her, but he heard her

voice. It came whispering on the dusk like a dark dreamy echo: a young girl’s voice, so light it was like hearing the voice of a spirit in the trees of Buckland Forest…”

What mood is set by this extract? How does this extract stimulate your

curiosity?

Character As we read chapter 1, I want you to

track characters : Luke, Speed, Skin and Daz.

lukerole on wall.docx Skin role on wall.docx Speed role on wall.docx Daz role on wall.docx

What we are told about characters:Speed is overweight, ‘his fat stubby fingers’ (page 1)Luke is afraid of Skin, ‘Skin flashed an angry glance at him’ (page 2)Mrs Little has lived at The Grange for two years (page 2)       

What else we can infer or deduce about characters:Skin seems to be the ringleader of the group of boys (pages 1 and 2)        

Questions that are suggested by the story:Whose voice is Luke hearing?Why is she weeping (page 1)       

Questions that are answered in this chapter:        

Now it’s your turn: Read chapter two. Continue to note down characteristics and

also, any questions you might have about the characters…

Look carefully and Bowler’s choice of verbs, adjectives and adverbs when he is connoting character.

At the end of your reading, summarise your notes into a short PEARL for each character.

When you get home: Read Chapter 3

Make a quick map of Luke’s village based on the information you have uncovered thus far.

Do this on a piece of paper and be prepared to add to it…

TERM TASK You are going to make a reading guide to this novel, based on your feelings and

discoveries. You guide must include at least 2 elements from each column, below:

You can also include elements based on the written work from this term –discuss !

An annotated passage from the text An artistic response to a piece of music of your won choice – with brief explanation

A biography and comments about any one of the composers mentioned in the novel –and their music.

Maps, images and other artwork from the teaching period

An imaginary conversation between Luke and his father

A series of illustrations for key moments of the novel - annotated

Extracts from Luke’s mother’s diary (3) A short advertisement for a film version of the novel - storyboard

Lesson 2 – Thematic awareness Imagine… You are Luke.

Think back to the first 3 chapters and share with a neighbour your feelings as you approach the Grange. What do you see, hear, feel, smell…?

Then swap and and share your feelings as Luke, once you are inside the Grange itself…

Luke Before we look at themes in the novel,

let’s remind ourselves of the protagonist, Luke Stanton.

Discuss the tensions that exist around Luke in his life.

Share your thoughts.

Themes Each table will track 1 key theme from the writing:

1. The Oak Tree2. Stars3. The voice4. Any other sound heard by Luke, but not by others5. Musical references

Make notes in your books as we read chapters 4&5 in your groups

Share… NB, this task will run for the whole term.

Page  

Word, phrase, fact – relevant to your focus  A short quotation here…      

     

     

Lesson 3 – Catch up and review 1 representative from each group will move

around the tables for 3 minutes: share your thematic discoveries from last time… ensure you make notes and have ideas about each theme.

Look again at Luke’s thoughts at the end of chapter 4

On tables, HOT SEAT Luke and question him about his feelings – not just about himself, but also his relationships with the other characters.

VOICE How many references to the girl’s voice have

there been so far? What strikes you about this number?

Why? The girl’s voice seems linked to Luke’s father,

music and the forest… Is the voice a character in its own right? Are there other non-human characters and what

effect does this have on Luke and the reader?

“To sleep, perchance to dream…” Look again at pp 33-34, and read the

dream sequence. Can you interpret the dream? What

language choices has Bowler made here and why?

Lesson 4: Music and characters Today you will be working in groups to uncover more

layers of Bowler’s writing. The foci for Chapters 6-7 are:

What do we learn of Luke’s talent and how might it help him and others?

What do we learn about Mr Harding and what is his function in the novel?

Collect quotations to develop a character plan for Mr Gilmore

Any other questions raised?

When reading Infer: to work out something implied by

the writer – for example that Mr Harding understands Luke’s moods (“away from the piano”)

Picking out detail: Mr Harding seems to read Luke’s mind

Asking questions of a text: Is Mr Harding a father figure?

HOMEWORK: “How is the character of Mr Harding

presented in Chapters 6&7? Use reference to the text to support your answer.”

This is a PEARL exercise. I want 3 paragraphs, please. Remember to zoom in!

Lesson 5 – tension 8-10 Remind yourself of the imagery used to

describe Skin, especially when he is angry.

I will read chapter 8 and point out moments where Bowler has deliberately made choices to raise or lower tension.

A tension graph for chapter 8

In general: When is tension at its greatest? What sort of techniques are used to create tension? Think of films you have seen… What sort of music

might accompany Luke as he breaks into the Grange?

Own work: Prepare a tension graph for Chapters 9&10. Use short quotations on the x axis and allow a range of 0-8 on the y axis.

Complete for Homework if needed.

GUIDED READING: In Chapters 11 & 12, consider whehtewr

Luke’s relationships with His Mother Miranda Improve or decline further.

Prove it!

Lesson 6 – developing character Looking back and forward: Luke’s Mum and Miranda – purpose

(Chapter 10/11).

Why has Bowler written these two character sin this way? What do they allow him to do in the writing with respect to Luke?

Language How does Bowler use language here to engage our senses: “He closed his eyes and saw the deep blue appear under his

brow again, and then the splashes of gold, much clearer this time, like two half moons, left and right, which gradually moved closer until they formed a circle: a gold ring around a blue lake. The music faded and a new sound came: a tinkling of tiny bells, as soft as wind chimes, as numerous as stars; then they, too, faded, and the familiar rumbling sound took over, low at first, rising to a hum and then a roar, like surf pounding on a beach – a pulsing wave of sound, without beginning or end. He fell asleep with it rolling over him.” (ch10 p93)

Comment on the sentence structure in this passage.

Why is Luke lying? In chapters 13 &15, Luke tells numerous

lies. As we read, consider why this is. Is his character changing for the worse?

Find evidence to support your view.

Pp130-131 “he lay back…. A five-pointed star.”

The Star group will lead a focused reading of this passage. You will use the sheets provided to annotate all interesting elements of language you can find!

Starseeker-TP.doc (p21, lesson 5)

Homework How does Bowler use language to

create interest for the reader? Based on pp 130-131.

2 PEARLS please.

THEN>>>

Discussion How do the themes of father, star and

music interlink? Can you see any pattern here?

A good starting point might be in the idea of light and dark…

Lesson 7 – predictions and ideas What is going to happen next to some of the

major characters? – discuss.

Look back at the many references to Mrs Little: What can we see? How is she described?

Work together to track and build a character plan for Mrs Little

The VOICE group should do the same for Natalie.

Changes How does our perception of Mrs Little

alter as we read chapter 16?

What would you wish to ask Mrs Little as the chapter ends? Note down your questions.

Chapter 17, Natalie How does Bowler create Natalie's

character? How does Bowler engage our senses? What light does this chapter throw onto

Luke’s character?

Lesson 8: The title! Chapters 18-20 What is the significance of the title? Look at Luke’s dreams – a piece of music

seems common to them all. Can you find references to this (p34, 63, 131, 170 etc)

The music seems linked to colour and image… Home-Learning: Go on line and research

SYNAESTHESIA. Bring evidence of your research for the next lesson. List any really useful websites…

Reading As you read 18-20, consider what links

you might find between Natalie and Luke as a small child.

Lesson 9 “You hear lots of things the way your

father did”

“Funny ears”

Comment on these two quotations in relation to Luke’s character. The Luke-Hearing group should lead this.

Reading on – the use of music as a theme On p200 Mr Harding gives Luke a piece of music –

why is the title significant in this book? What journey is referred to in his inscription?

After we have read the chapters, you will need to analyse the language used to describe music in the novel:

P32 “it was the sound of the piano… in the music.” P198 “And Luke played;…the melody ran through

him.”

Lesson 10: The BOX – mysteries unravelled When was Mrs Little’s box first introduced to

the reader?

In ch 24 we learn its secrets…

For each of the valuable elements on the next slide, write a short description in the character of Mrs Little.

What’s in your box? This might be a good element for your guide…

The box

A photograph of a young man by a Spitfire. On the back are the

words – ‘Bill at Biggin Hill August 1940’.

A photograph of several young RAF pilots all in flying gear at the

airfield, playing cards with planes in the background – many of

them smoking.

A photograph of a group of young RAF pilots playing football.A photograph of Bill (dressed in RAF uniform), sitting on wild

grass near an airfield, alone, whittling a stick.

A photograph of Bill with a young woman standing outside a pub –

smiling and arm in arm – words on the back say ‘Bill and me

outside the Black Horse August 1940’.

A folded piece of paper and a tangle of brown hair.

Review and Skim: Skin and violence Make a chart to track Skin’s violence… you

can do this in whatever way you wish, but try to use colour and images in your work…

You will need to skim back through the novel to find the moments, and bring ti up to chapter 28.

How do you feel about Skin? How has Bowler’s choice of language contributed to your feelings?

Lesson 12: resolution (1). Homework TASK: Write a newspaper report of

Luke’s “accident”. This can go in your guides! Who? What? Where? Why? When?

Easy to remember the 5 Ws…

In 29 and 30… As we near the end of the novel, what

issues have been resolved and what still needs resolution?

Which relationships have altered during the book? Why is this?

Lesson 13 resolution (2) What do you think will happen when

Luke and Mrs Little next meet – what will they say and how should they respond to each other?

Once we have read chapter 31, what has altered in their relationship since the opening chapter?

What remains unresolved? As we read, list the elements of the plot

that are tied up in chapters 32 and 33. How do you react to the end of the novel?

Bowler feels that the ending with Luke and Miranda is vital to the novel –do you agree?

Who is the Starseeker and what star have they found? Discuss this on your tables.

The novel as a whole: “Dad died and the light of his existence

went out”

If this is true, has Luke found a new light to compensate for the loss of his father?