Objectives

• Analyse how Johnston uses the frame narrative in Chapter 1 to create dramatic irony and control the reader's sympathy for Alec Moore.
• Explain how the Big House setting and Alicia Moore's characterisation in Chapters 2 and 4 embody the decline of the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy.
• Trace how Johnston presents the friendship between Alec and Jerry across Chapters 3, 6 and 8 as a challenge to the class structures that ultimately destroy them.
• Analyse how Johnston uses the language of military hierarchy in Chapters 6 and 7 to mirror and intensify the class divisions established in Ireland.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical essay that evaluates Johnston's presentation of a named theme or character across the whole novella, selecting and embedding quotations accurately.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Beginning at the End: Alec's Voice and the Frame Narrative in Chapter 1

   55 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   Read the first two paragraphs of Chapter 1 quietly. On a sticky note, jot down one word that captures Alec's tone and one sentence about what you already know regarding the conclusion of this story. Place your note on the board as you take your seat — no discussion for now.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter 1 where Alec states: 'I am not a fool. I know that I am going to die.' Pay attention to the use of first-person present tense, the straightforward declarative style, and the intentional lack of self-pity. Highlight how Johnston's decision to start in the cell—rather than during Alec's childhood—creates dramatic irony since we learn the verdict before the crime is revealed. Annotate the specific wording that reflects Alec's emotional detachment, and illustrate how to incorporate a brief quotation within an analytical sentence using the 'point–evidence–effect' structure.

   Independent task

   Students are required to craft a complete analytical paragraph (around 150–200 words) addressing the question: 'In what ways does Johnston utilize Alec's narrative voice in the opening of Chapter 1 to influence the reader's reaction to his situation?' Within their paragraphs, students must incorporate at least two quotes from Chapter 1, identify a language feature (such as declarative syntax, first-person perspective, or present tense), and discuss how this impacts the reader. The paragraphs should be written quietly and submitted at the door.

   Exit ticket

   On a half-sheet of paper, write one sentence explaining why Johnston might have chosen to begin the novella in the prison cell rather than in Alec's childhood — what does the reader gain from knowing the ending before the story starts?

2. Lesson 2: The Big House and Its Prisoners: Class, Family and Alicia in Chapters 2 and 4

   55 min · ch. 2, 4

   Do now

   Sure! Here’s the humanized version of your text:

   Without opening the text, jot down three adjectives that come to mind when you think of Alicia Moore based on what you've read so far. For each adjective, note the specific moment or detail from Chapters 2 or 4 that shaped that impression. You have four minutes — please work quietly.

   Teacher input

   Analyze the passage in Chapter 2 where Alicia tells Alec, "You have no friends. You don't need friends. You have us." Look closely at the logic behind her words—how she equates the family unit with being socially complete. Highlight how Johnston employs free indirect discourse to convey Alicia's perspective without fully endorsing it. Pay special attention to the verb "need" and the pronoun "us," illustrating how a single word can embody a whole ideology. Relate this to the Big House tradition that Johnston both inherits and challenges: the house serves not as a sanctuary, but as a confinement.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing two connected analytical paragraphs (around 250–300 words total) that respond to the question: "How does Johnston use Alicia Moore's words and behavior in Chapters 2 and 4 to depict the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy as a declining system?" The first paragraph should concentrate on language and characterization in Chapter 2. The second paragraph should build on this argument by examining a specific moment from Chapter 4—such as Alicia's reaction to Alec's friendship with Jerry or her insistence that Alec enlist. Students must incorporate the phrases "Johnston suggests" or "Johnston implies" at least once to practice attributing their interpretations to the author's choices.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence that completes the following: 'Alicia Moore is not simply a cruel mother — she represents _______ because Johnston shows us _______ in Chapter ___.'

3. Lesson 3: Crossing the Boundary: How Johnston Builds the Friendship Between Alec and Jerry in Chapters 3 and 5

   55 min · ch. 3, 5

   Do now

   Revisit the section in Chapter 3 where Alec and Jerry have their first conversation by the horses. Identify three insights Johnston provides about each character in that moment—not based on their dialogue, but on their actions. You have five minutes to complete this task on your own.

   Teacher input

   Model an analysis of the moment in Chapter 3 when Alec and Jerry start talking about horses, and Johnston suddenly brings in warmth and detail—like the names of the horses and the natural ease between the two boys. This stands in stark contrast to the stiff, formal language found in every scene inside the Big House. Help students see how Johnston uses the setting (the stable yard, the open land) as a structural cue: freedom and genuine emotion thrive outside the house, while constraint and pretense are confined within it. Then demonstrate how to craft a topic sentence that makes a comparative claim across two chapters, setting students up to use it in Chapter 5.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing two analytical paragraphs (around 250–300 words) that respond to the question: 'How does Johnston portray the friendship between Alec and Jerry in Chapters 3 and 5 as both genuine and doomed?' The first paragraph should concentrate on the language used in the stable-yard scene from Chapter 3, exploring what it reveals about the emotional landscape of each character. The second paragraph should analyze the enlistment scene in Chapter 5, particularly the moment when the two men, despite joining the same war, find themselves divided by rank. This illustrates how their friendship is already being undermined by the external structures at play. Students are expected to create a comparative link between the two paragraphs, using a connective word or phrase such as 'whereas', 'however', or 'by contrast'.

   Exit ticket

   In one or two sentences, explain what the horses represent in Alec and Jerry's friendship in Chapter 3, and why Johnston might have chosen this particular shared interest rather than, say, books or music.

4. Lesson 4: A Different Uniform, the Same Hierarchy: Military Class in Chapters 6, 7 and 8

   55 min · ch. 6, 7, 8

   Do now

   Here’s the humanized version of your request:

   Check out the characters listed on the board: Major Glendinning, Captain Barry, Alec Moore, and Jerry Crowe. Without referring to them as 'officer' or 'private', write a sentence for each character that explains their position in the power dynamics of Chapters 6–8 and the personal sacrifices that come with that role.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the scene in Chapter 7 where Alec realizes Jerry is missing, particularly the moment he has to inform Major Glendinning about Jerry's absence. Pay attention to what Alec leaves unsaid: Johnston employs ellipses, short sentences, and withheld details to illustrate Alec's struggle between loyalty and duty. Highlight how the military hierarchy in this moment mirrors the Anglo-Irish class structure from Chapter 2 — Glendinning's role reflects that of Alicia: he wields power, does so without emotion, and expects obedience. Guide students on how to construct a paragraph that traces a motif (hierarchy/power) across two different contexts.

   Independent task

   Students should compose two analytical paragraphs (approximately 250–300 words) addressing the question: "How does Johnston depict the relationship between Alec and Major Glendinning in Chapters 7 and 8 to illustrate that the war has not altered the class system — it has merely shifted it?" The first paragraph should concentrate on the scene in Chapter 7 where Alec reports Jerry's disappearance, analyzing Glendinning's remarks and what Alec chooses not to disclose. The second paragraph should focus on Chapter 8, particularly the moment when Alec discovers Jerry and confronts his friend's request, demonstrating how Alec's act of mercy also represents a defiance against the hierarchies that have influenced his life. Students are required to include at least one quotation from each chapter.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining whether you think Major Glendinning is a villain, a product of his system, or both — and name one specific moment from Chapter 7 or 8 that supports your view.

5. Lesson 5: Mercy, Complicity and Silence: Synthesising the Whole Novella Through Chapter 9

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

   Do now

   Revisit the final paragraph of Chapter 9, where Alec sits in his cell, awaiting dawn. Write two sentences: one capturing Alec's emotions in that moment, and another clarifying why Johnston concludes the novella with silence and acceptance instead of anger or protest. Work alone — no group discussion.

   Teacher input

   Sure! Here's the humanized version of the text you provided:

   ---

   Model a synthesis paragraph addressing the question: "How does Johnston depict Alec's execution as an inevitable outcome of both the Anglo-Irish class system and the machinery of war?" Concentrate on the pivotal moment in Chapter 9 when Major Glendinning chooses not to act, and include the passage where Alec contemplates Glendinning's silence. Guide students in crafting a paragraph that starts with a specific quotation from Chapter 9 and connects it to an earlier scene—like Alicia's silencing of Alec in Chapter 2—to argue that Johnston highlights the theme of silence and inaction among those in power as the novella's central focus. Illustrate how to kick off a synthesis paragraph with a strong claim, back it up with a quotation from Chapter 9, and then refer back to an earlier chapter to enhance the argument.

   ---

   The meaning and length were preserved while making the text sound more natural and engaging.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing a comprehensive analytical essay of about 500–600 words in response to the question: "How does Johnston portray the relationship between Alec Moore and Jerry Crowe as a challenge to the social and military hierarchies that dominate their world?" Your essay should: begin with a clear argument in the introduction that identifies both the Anglo-Irish class system and the British military hierarchy as the two forces the friendship challenges; include at least one paragraph discussing the early friendship in Chapters 3 and 5, featuring at least two embedded quotations; include at least one paragraph focusing on the trenches in Chapters 6, 7, or 8, with at least two embedded quotations; and conclude with a final paragraph on Chapter 9 that assesses whether Alec's act of shooting Jerry is an expression of love, defiance, or defeat — or perhaps all three — and ties back to your initial argument with a well-developed conclusion. You should reference at least four different chapters by number and incorporate at least six quotations in total, ensuring none exceed one line in length.

   Exit ticket

   Write one full sentence that states your overall argument about what Johnston wants the reader to understand about class and friendship by the time Alec is executed in Chapter 9 — this is your thesis, and it must name both a technique Johnston uses and the effect it has on the reader.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can articulate the structural effect of the frame narrative — the marker looks for the word 'irony' or an equivalent concept, and a reason grounded in Chapter 1.
• Lesson 2 exit ticket: checks whether students can move from character description to thematic claim — the marker looks for a named concept (decline, colonialism, control) linked to a specific textual moment.
• Lesson 3 exit ticket: checks whether students can read symbolic meaning into a concrete detail — the marker looks for an interpretation of the horses that goes beyond 'they both like horses' to say something about freedom, class transgression, or authentic identity.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket: checks whether students can hold a nuanced view of a minor character — the marker looks for a position on Glendinning that acknowledges both individual agency and systemic pressure, supported by a named moment from Chapter 7 or 8.
• Lesson 5 exit ticket: checks whether students can produce a thesis-level claim — the marker looks for a sentence that names a technique, names an effect, and makes a claim about Johnston's purpose rather than simply summarising the plot.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about an interpretation of literature and use evidence from the text to support and develop the argument.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of specific words and phrases in a literary text, including how they contribute to meaning, tone and the author's purpose.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of a character, including how characters develop, interact and contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole.
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view, including the reliability of the narrator, and how narrative choices shape meaning.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure in a literary text, including how the sequence of events and the frame narrative contribute to the work's overall meaning.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response, using textual references including quotations to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received — specifically the Anglo-Irish Big House tradition, the First World War, and the Northern Irish Troubles as contexts for Johnston's novella.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

Leaving Cert

• Leaving Certificate English — Higher Level: engage with the text as a whole, demonstrating understanding of theme, character and narrative technique.
• Leaving Certificate English — Higher Level: analyse how the author's use of language, structure and form creates meaning and shapes the reader's response.
• Leaving Certificate English — Higher Level: situate the text within its cultural and historical context, with specific reference to Irish identity, class and the legacy of the First World War.

IB Lit

• HL Essay and Paper 2 — Demonstrate an understanding of how the formal and structural choices of the work contribute to its meaning.
• HL Essay and Paper 2 — Analyse the ways in which context, including historical and cultural factors, shapes both the production and the reception of the literary work.
• HL Essay and Paper 2 — Develop a sustained, well-evidenced literary argument that evaluates authorial choices rather than summarising content.