Literature Paper:
At Higher, pupils may be taught a novel, which they will use to write a timed essay in the exam. Some typical novels offered by the faculty have been 'The Bluest Eye' by Toni Morrison, 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'The Butcher Boy' by Patrick McCabe, and 'Trumpet' by Jackie Kay. Alternatively, they may instead study a play, such as Arthur Miller's 'A View From the Bridge' or 'A Streetcar Named Desire' by Tennessee Williams.
At Higher, pupils may be taught a novel, which they will use to write a timed essay in the exam. Some typical novels offered by the faculty have been 'The Bluest Eye' by Toni Morrison, 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'The Butcher Boy' by Patrick McCabe, and 'Trumpet' by Jackie Kay. Alternatively, they may instead study a play, such as Arthur Miller's 'A View From the Bridge' or 'A Streetcar Named Desire' by Tennessee Williams.
Scottish Texts:
One option for the Scottish Text section of the exam is the play 'Slab Boys' by Scottish author John Byrne. This play is set in Glasgow in the 1950s, and focuses on the lives of several young men who work a repetitive job in the 'slab' room of the local carpet factor. Their task is to mix colours for the designers - but the work is so dull, they have to find other ways to entertain themselves. Pupils can use this play to answer textual analysis questions in the exam.
In the following extract from 'Slab Boys', the other workers discover that Phil has created a folio of artwork with which to apply to college:
(Alan turns over the folio . . . idly looks inside.)
Alan: (Taking out drawings) Hey, these aren’t yours, are they?
Spanky: No, they must be Phil’s . . . ho, put them back. If he catches you going through his stuff he’ll break your jaw.
Alan: I’m not touching them. Hey some of these are not bad . . . look at this one . . .
Spanky: I’m telling you Alec . . . (Crosses to have a look.) God they are good, aren’t they? There’s one of Elvis...’s dead like him, isn’t it? Right . . . shut the folder or I’ll get the blame. I get the blame for everything around here . . .
Alan: Hey . . . how about that red chalk drawing?
Spanky: That’s his old man . . .I recognise his ears . . . like Dumbo. And there’s one of his maw. Christ, you can tell, can’t you?
Alan: Tell what?
Spanky: Nothing . . . tell it’s his mother. Shut that folder, I said.
Alan: Look at the way he’s done those hands. Whenever I have a bash at hands they turn out looking like fankled pipecleaners . . .
Spanky: Which is exactly how your features are going to look if Phil comes back. Get that shut . . . I’m not telling you again.
Alan: I wonder how he got that effect?
Spanky: What effect?
Alan: There . . . The way he’s got the nose coming forward from the head . . .
Spanky: Mines comes forward . . .
Alan: Some of these are quite accomplished . . .
Spanky: Aw . . . ‘quite accomplished’, are they? And what d’you know about it?
Alan: Not a great deal but anyone can see they’re rather good. He’s wasting his time in here . . .
Spanky: Yeh, you have a word with him kiddo . . . I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. Now for the last time, are you going to shut that folder or . . .
(Enter Curry)
Curry: I’ve just been having a natter with your dad, Alan . . .
Alan: Oh . . .? (Tries to gather up drawings)
Curry: On the phone. You never let on Bob Downie was your father . . . eh? Godstruth, see you young fellows . . . Chief Designer at Templars . . .? I’d have been as proud as punch . . . Hullo, what’s this? Some of your artwork? Let’s have a butcher’s . . .
Alan: No, these aren’t . . .
Curry: Tch, tch, tch, tch . . . a chip off the old block, eh?
Alan: I’m afraid they aren’t . . .
Curry: A right talented pair of buggers . . . I remember when Bob Downie used to work here he was always . . .
Alan: These aren’t mine, Mr Curry.
Curry: What?
Spanky: Yeh, they’re not his.
Alan: I was just . . .
Curry: Who belongs to them then? They aren’t yours, Farrell, that’s for sure. You’ve
got trouble trying to draw water from that tap over there . . .
Alan: They were just lying around . . .
Curry: And they can’t be Hector’s. Too bold for him . . .
Alan: I think they must be . . .
Curry: (Interrupting him) You’re not going to tell me they’re McCann’s. What’s this . . . (Turns drawing over) That’s the Art School stamp isn’t it? Jimmy Robertson and I used to go up to Saturday morning classes together . . . [Reads] ‘Glasgow School of Art . . . First Year Entrance Exam . . . Nineteen Fifty Sev . . .’ What??
Spanky: Eh?
Curry: Whose are these?? Come on . . .
Spanky: How should I know?
Curry: (Finding label on front of folder) “P. J. McCann, 19 Darkwood Crescent, Ferguslie Park . . .” So that’s what the loafer’s been up to. A flyman, eh? Well we’ll soon see about this . . . Farrell!
Spanky: What?
Curry: Away down to the ablutions and fetch that crony of yours up here.
Spanky: I’ll need to wash my hands first.
One option for the Scottish Text section of the exam is the play 'Slab Boys' by Scottish author John Byrne. This play is set in Glasgow in the 1950s, and focuses on the lives of several young men who work a repetitive job in the 'slab' room of the local carpet factor. Their task is to mix colours for the designers - but the work is so dull, they have to find other ways to entertain themselves. Pupils can use this play to answer textual analysis questions in the exam.
In the following extract from 'Slab Boys', the other workers discover that Phil has created a folio of artwork with which to apply to college:
(Alan turns over the folio . . . idly looks inside.)
Alan: (Taking out drawings) Hey, these aren’t yours, are they?
Spanky: No, they must be Phil’s . . . ho, put them back. If he catches you going through his stuff he’ll break your jaw.
Alan: I’m not touching them. Hey some of these are not bad . . . look at this one . . .
Spanky: I’m telling you Alec . . . (Crosses to have a look.) God they are good, aren’t they? There’s one of Elvis...’s dead like him, isn’t it? Right . . . shut the folder or I’ll get the blame. I get the blame for everything around here . . .
Alan: Hey . . . how about that red chalk drawing?
Spanky: That’s his old man . . .I recognise his ears . . . like Dumbo. And there’s one of his maw. Christ, you can tell, can’t you?
Alan: Tell what?
Spanky: Nothing . . . tell it’s his mother. Shut that folder, I said.
Alan: Look at the way he’s done those hands. Whenever I have a bash at hands they turn out looking like fankled pipecleaners . . .
Spanky: Which is exactly how your features are going to look if Phil comes back. Get that shut . . . I’m not telling you again.
Alan: I wonder how he got that effect?
Spanky: What effect?
Alan: There . . . The way he’s got the nose coming forward from the head . . .
Spanky: Mines comes forward . . .
Alan: Some of these are quite accomplished . . .
Spanky: Aw . . . ‘quite accomplished’, are they? And what d’you know about it?
Alan: Not a great deal but anyone can see they’re rather good. He’s wasting his time in here . . .
Spanky: Yeh, you have a word with him kiddo . . . I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. Now for the last time, are you going to shut that folder or . . .
(Enter Curry)
Curry: I’ve just been having a natter with your dad, Alan . . .
Alan: Oh . . .? (Tries to gather up drawings)
Curry: On the phone. You never let on Bob Downie was your father . . . eh? Godstruth, see you young fellows . . . Chief Designer at Templars . . .? I’d have been as proud as punch . . . Hullo, what’s this? Some of your artwork? Let’s have a butcher’s . . .
Alan: No, these aren’t . . .
Curry: Tch, tch, tch, tch . . . a chip off the old block, eh?
Alan: I’m afraid they aren’t . . .
Curry: A right talented pair of buggers . . . I remember when Bob Downie used to work here he was always . . .
Alan: These aren’t mine, Mr Curry.
Curry: What?
Spanky: Yeh, they’re not his.
Alan: I was just . . .
Curry: Who belongs to them then? They aren’t yours, Farrell, that’s for sure. You’ve
got trouble trying to draw water from that tap over there . . .
Alan: They were just lying around . . .
Curry: And they can’t be Hector’s. Too bold for him . . .
Alan: I think they must be . . .
Curry: (Interrupting him) You’re not going to tell me they’re McCann’s. What’s this . . . (Turns drawing over) That’s the Art School stamp isn’t it? Jimmy Robertson and I used to go up to Saturday morning classes together . . . [Reads] ‘Glasgow School of Art . . . First Year Entrance Exam . . . Nineteen Fifty Sev . . .’ What??
Spanky: Eh?
Curry: Whose are these?? Come on . . .
Spanky: How should I know?
Curry: (Finding label on front of folder) “P. J. McCann, 19 Darkwood Crescent, Ferguslie Park . . .” So that’s what the loafer’s been up to. A flyman, eh? Well we’ll soon see about this . . . Farrell!
Spanky: What?
Curry: Away down to the ablutions and fetch that crony of yours up here.
Spanky: I’ll need to wash my hands first.
Poetry:
Pupils may also study a group of poems by a specific Scottish author, such as Carol Ann Duffy or Norman MacCaig, to give them another option for the Scottish Text section of the exam.
Pupils may also study a group of poems by a specific Scottish author, such as Carol Ann Duffy or Norman MacCaig, to give them another option for the Scottish Text section of the exam.