Objectives

• Analyse how Hill uses the double-narrative frame in Chapters 1–2 to create dramatic irony and position the reader.
• Analyse how Hill constructs Gothic atmosphere through landscape, sound and imagery in Chapters 5–6.
• Explain how the packet of letters in Chapter 11 recontextualises every earlier supernatural event and shapes the reader's understanding of Jennet Humfrye.
• Analyse how Hill builds psychological terror through the uncanny in the nursery and rocking-chair scenes (Chapters 9 and 13).
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph that makes a clear argument about Hill's use of Gothic conventions across the novella.
• Evaluate how the epilogue (Chapter 14) transforms the novella's treatment of grief from personal trauma into inescapable curse.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Two Arthurs, One Story: The Double-Narrative Frame in Chapters 1–2

   60 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   On your mini-whiteboard, jot down a sentence that captures the effect of starting a ghost story with an old man who flat-out refuses to share one. You have four minutes. No talking — just write your initial thought and expand on it.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the opening paragraph of Chapter 1 — 'It was nine-thirty on Christmas Eve' — highlighting how Hill's choice of a first-person retrospective narrator, who is aware of the ending, establishes dramatic irony. Annotate on the visualiser: the word 'dread,' the contrast between the stepchildren's joy and Arthur's 'sudden overwhelming' emotion, and the syntactic shift when he states 'I would not, could not.' Demonstrate to students how the frame holds back information to build suspense prior to the appearance of any ghost.

   Independent task

   Students will write a PEEL paragraph (150–200 words) in response to the question: 'How does Hill use the opening of Chapter 1 to position the reader?' They need to include at least two quotes from the first two pages of Chapter 1, identify the narrative technique being employed, and discuss its effect on the reader. Paragraphs will be gathered at the end of the lesson for the teacher to mark.

   Exit ticket

   A first-person narrator who recounts a story as it unfolds offers an immediate, immersive experience, while one reflecting back provides hindsight and context; this distinction is crucial for a ghost story because it influences the tension and emotional impact, shaping how readers perceive the supernatural events.

2. Lesson 2: The Marsh as Monster: Atmosphere and Setting in Chapters 5–6

   60 min · ch. 5, 6

   Do now

   Read the paragraph in Chapter 5 that starts with 'The last of the light was draining fast from the sky' and concludes with 'I felt the first touch of a dread I could not explain.' Underline every word associated with sight or its absence. You have five minutes. Please work quietly.

   Teacher input

   Model how Hill layers sensory deprivation in Chapter 6's description of the causeway mist — specifically the passage beginning 'The mist was thicker here' where sound replaces sight. On the board, annotate: the shift from visual to auditory imagery, the personification of the marsh ('the land had been eaten away'), and the shortening of sentences as Arthur's fear intensifies. Show students this is a deliberate Gothic technique: the landscape reflects psychological threat.

   Independent task

   Students annotate a printed extract from Chapter 6, specifically the paragraph that starts with 'I had, I supposed, gone perhaps a quarter of a mile' and ends with 'I was entirely alone.' They need to: (1) identify three different techniques that Hill uses to create atmosphere; (2) write two sentences for each technique explaining its impact on the reader. The annotated extracts are then submitted.

   Exit ticket

   Hill employs vivid imagery in Chapter 6 to create a sense of threat in the marsh. An effective quotation to illustrate this is: "The fog wrapped around the trees like a shroud, muffling sounds and obscuring the path ahead."

3. Lesson 3: Jennet Humfrye Unmasked: The Letters and the Backstory in Chapter 11

   60 min · ch. 7, 11, 12

   Do now

   • What I knew about the Woman in Black before Chapter 11:
   • She is a mysterious figure.
   • She wears all black.
   • She is associated with haunting events.
   • Local residents seem to fear her.
   • There are rumors about her past and connection to the Eel Marsh House.

   • What I learn in Chapter 11:
   • The Woman in Black has a tragic backstory.
   • She lost her child in a tragic accident.
   • Her grief manifests in the form of her ghost.
   • The townspeople have reasons to avoid talking about her.
   • Her presence is linked to misfortunes in the area.

   Teacher input

   Model how Hill uses Jennet's letter, which states, "You have stolen my child and I shall never forgive," as an epistolary insert in Chapter 11 to reinterpret the earlier supernatural events. On the visualizer, create a two-column table: the left column should list the earlier uncanny moments (for example, the face at the funeral in Chapter 4, the sounds of the trap in Chapter 6, and the locked nursery in Chapter 9); the right column should illustrate how the revelation in Chapter 11 alters the meaning of each moment. Show how this retrospective revelation serves as a fundamental technique in both Gothic and detective fiction.

   Independent task

   Students will write a comparative paragraph (180–220 words) discussing how the reader's perception of the Woman in Black evolves between Chapter 4 (the funeral sighting) and Chapter 11 (the letters). They need to include quotes from both chapters and use the word 'recontextualise' or 'retrospective' correctly. Once completed, the paragraphs will be collected.

   Exit ticket

   Hill waits until Chapter 11 to reveal Jennet Humfrye's name and story instead of sharing it in Chapter 4 to create suspense and deepen the emotional impact for the reader.

4. Lesson 4: The Uncanny in the Nursery: Psychological Terror in Chapters 9 and 13

   60 min · ch. 9, 13

   Do now

   Read the paragraph in Chapter 13 where Arthur hears the rocking chair — starting with 'And then I heard it' and ending with 'the sound of a rocking chair, moving rhythmically.' Jot down: what does Arthur attempt to convince himself of? What information does the reader already possess? You have five minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model how Hill uses Freud's concept of the uncanny — the familiar made strange — in Chapter 9's nursery scene, particularly in the passage where Arthur discovers the child's toys 'set out as if for use' and the rocking horse 'still moving, as if a child had just dismounted.' Annotate on the visualiser: note the domestic objects (toys, chair, cot) that should suggest safety but instead evoke dread; the present-tense participles ('moving', 'swinging') that hint at a recent, invisible presence; and how Hill keeps the confirmation of the supernatural ambiguous to maintain the reader's uncertainty.

   Independent task

   Students are required to write a 200-word analytical response to the prompt: "How does Hill use the nursery in Chapters 9 and 13 to create a sense of the uncanny?" In their responses, they must include quotes from both chapters, identify at least two techniques Hill uses, and explain how each technique influences the reader's perspective. Completed responses are to be submitted.

   Exit ticket

   Define 'uncanny' in your own words, then provide one example from Chapter 9 or 13 that aligns with your definition.

5. Lesson 5: The Curse That Cannot End: Grief, Revenge and the Epilogue (Chapter 14)

   60 min · ch. 1, 12, 13, 14

   Do now

   Revisit the final paragraph of Chapter 14 — starting from 'And so it was' to the conclusion of the novella. In one sentence, describe what Arthur has lost and who is to blame. Then, in another sentence, discuss whether the novella portrays Jennet Humfrye as a villain, a victim, or a combination of both. You have five minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model how the epilogue collapses the frame narrative by returning to the Christmas Eve setting from Chapter 1, but now the reader grasps what Arthur couldn’t express. Focus on the sentence, "I had looked upon the woman in black and she had looked upon me." Annotate on the visualiser: the symmetry of the gaze (Arthur sees Jennet; Jennet 'sees' his child); the passive construction "had been taken" when describing the baby's death, which removes human agency and suggests a sense of supernatural inevitability; and the irony that Arthur's attempt to write his story and 'lay the ghost' has not succeeded — the final line denies any sense of catharsis.

   Independent task

   Students need to craft a complete essay introduction and two body paragraphs totaling 300–400 words that respond to the question: 'How does Hill use the structure of The Woman in Black to present grief as inescapable?' They should reference the frame narrative in Chapters 1 and 14, include at least one moment from the middle of the novella (Chapters 9–13), and use subject terminology correctly. This task serves as a summative preparation exercise and will be collected for thorough feedback.

   Exit ticket

   Hill concludes the novella in Chapter 14 instead of at the moment Stella and the baby die to provide a broader reflection on the aftermath and the impact of their loss.

Activities

Assessment

• Exit ticket Lesson 1: student can distinguish retrospective from concurrent first-person narration and explain why the distinction matters for Gothic suspense.
• Annotated extract Lesson 2: student labels at least three distinct techniques in the Chapter 6 causeway passage and writes a purposeful effect statement for each — not just identification.
• Comparative paragraph Lesson 3: student uses evidence from both Chapter 4 and Chapter 11 and correctly applies the concept of retrospective revelation to Jennet Humfrye's characterisation.
• Analytical response Lesson 4: student defines or implies the uncanny, quotes from both Chapter 9 and Chapter 13, and explains how domestic objects are made threatening.
• Exit ticket Lesson 5: student can articulate why the frame narrative's failure to close is a structural choice that reinforces the theme of inescapable grief, not an oversight.

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.
• RL.11-12.3 — analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
• 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.
• RL.11-12.6 — analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated from what is really meant.
• W.11-12.1 — write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — explain the function of a narrator or speaker and how point of view shapes meaning.
• Character (CHR-1) — explain the function of contrasting characters and how they illuminate theme.
• Setting (SET-1) — explain the function of setting and its contribution to the meaning of a literary work.
• Structure (STR-1) — explain the function of structure and how an author's sequencing of events creates effects such as suspense, dramatic irony, or thematic resonance.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — explain the function of specific words and phrases, including imagery and figurative language, and their contribution to meaning.

AQA

• AO1 — read, understand and respond to texts; sustain a critical stance and use 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 (Hill's deliberate homage to M. R. James and Edwardian ghost-story conventions).
• AO5 — communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences.

Edexcel

• AO1 — articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with particular attention to narrative voice, structure and Gothic imagery.
• AO4 — explore connections across literary texts, including the relationship between The Woman in Black and the Victorian and Edwardian ghost-story tradition.