More Than Just The Disease

1
More Than Just The Disease
Written by Bernard MacLaverty
2
The Big Picture

• I will read More Than Just The Disease
• I will be able to understand character, setting
  and theme
• I will be able to learn how to write responses to
  critical essays
• I will be able to evaluate my work

3
Possible Essay Questions

• Write about a short story in which the turning
  point is significant to the text as a whole
• Choose a novel/short story in which the writers
  use of setting has a significant part to play in
  your appreciation of the text as a whole

4
Who was Bernard MacLaverty?

• Born in Belfast on 14th September 1942
• He was once an English teacher
• Now a fiction writer
• Currently lives in Glasgow

5
Setting of More Than Just The Disease

• The short story is based in the East coast of
  Scotland
• In one vital part of the story, the characters
  are on a beach on the coast of Scotland

6
Introduction to Themes

• Two of the main themes are
• Over-influential protective parenting
• Awkwardness of adolescence

7
Areas which will be explored

• Themes over influential parenting, awkwardness
  of adolescence
• Setting beach, caravan, Michaels house
• Characterisation protagonist, Mrs Wan etc.
• Turning point / epiphany Neil realises his
  disease is not as bad as his mother had made him
  believe

8
Character List

• Neil Fry - protagonist
• Neils mum
• Mrs Wan
• Anne (Michaels sister)
• Michael Middleton
• Mr Mrs Middleton

9
Plot

• Neil Fry, a shy self-effacing teenage boy has
  psoriasis. He is encouraged unwillingly by his
  mother to stay at his friend (Michael's) house.
  Neil goes, however he finds himself longing to be
  back beside his over bearing mother. The story
  builds up to a climax as the weather gets
  increasingly hotter, Neil worries more and more
  about whether his friend will discover his skin
  rash and perhaps think less of him therefore he
  conceals it. Michael continually asks Neil to go
  swimming. Neil refuses, consequently they argue.
  The protagonist then finds himself alone on the
  beach, abandoned by his best friend and finds a
  kitten. He returns it to Mrs Wan, an
  unconventional who lends a compassionate ear to
  the boy. He has an epiphany when talking to Mrs
  Wan and realises that in the sunlight, it didnt
  look so red. Hence Neil changes an anxious
  adolescent to a confident individual.

10
Turning Point - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Evaluation/ personal response
The protagonist has an epiphany, after talking to Mrs Wan, where he realises that his skin disease is not as bad as his mother has made him believe In the sunlight it didnt look so red By close analysis the reader can see that Neil is now relieved of the pressure to conceal his body. Just as the sun brings in a new dawn, so too is the boy evolving into a confident individual
Michael stumbles upon their relaxed conversation and is shocked by his discovery Mrs Wan, mum says could you tell her where his voice trailed off seeing Neils chest, the cheese grater is? Clearly, the use of the ellipsis indicates Michaels sheer surprise towards this uncommon scene. Neil, who is displaying his chest to his best friend and a stranger, is now aware that he should never have been ashamed of his disease. Without a catalyst Mrs Wan Neil would not have had an epiphany and the two boys would not have overcome the obstacle which stood in the way of their friendship.
11
Setting in MTJTD
12
Higher Essay Question

• Choose a novel/short story in which the writers
  use of setting has a significant part to play in
  your appreciation of the text as a whole
• Show how the writers use of setting contributes
  to your understanding of character and theme.

13
Nat 5 Essay QuestionWhat are you being asked
to do?

• Choose a novel or a short story or a work of non
  fiction in which setting is an important feature.
• By referring to appropriate techniques, explain
  how the writer creates the setting, and then go
  on to show how this feature contributes to your
  understanding of the text as a whole.

What techniques does the poet use to explore
setting? How has the poets word choice etc.
conveyed the setting of the text?
Identify the different settings. Why is setting
important? How does it help you understand the
themes/ideas of the text?
14
Writing a CEL

• As the short story is organised into 3
  sections/settings (including the final
  paragraph), it makes sense to organise your essay
  in a similar way.
• You will be planning your essay in groups and
  will have to come up with your own topic
  sentences, quotations, analysis and personal
  response.
• It is crucial that you focus on the essay task
  throughout.

15
Setting

• A) The Holiday Home
• B) The Beach
• C) Mrs Wans Home
• Finally - The various comparisons/contrasts we
  can make with Neils home and the other settings.
• We will look at how McLaverty uses the setting to
  help explore themes
• (overprotective parenting his mother, the
  awkwardness of adolescence and dealing with a
  chronic skin condition)
• And the development of Neils character
  (characterisation).

16
Setting

• A) The Holiday Home

17
Setting - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Analysis/Evaluation/ personal response


More than Just the Disease begins with Neil who
is situated in his friends (Michaels) holiday
home the initial setting. As Neil has not got
the comfort or guidance of his mother he is
extremely agitated.
Everything in it seemed of an unusual design
The house appears to be strange and of an
unusual design, thus already provoking sympathy
for him as the reader learns he is
psychologically alone.
However, the setting of the Middletons holiday
home is warm and inviting.
They were all sitting in the growing darkness of
the large front room, Michael drinking hot
chocolate, Anne his sister with her legs flopped
over the arm of the chair...
MacLavertys description of the growing
darkness in the room and that Anne flopped her
legs over the chair help create connotations of
laziness and tranquillity. Therefore the reader
is given the impression that the Middleton family
are laid back and welcoming and that they would
fully understand and respect Neils skin
disease which is crawling over his chest.
18
Setting - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Analysis/Evaluation/ personal response


Despite the laidback ambience he still feels
uptight and uneasy as he is in an alien
environment. The informal mood of Michaels
holiday home is present in every room, including
the kitchen. Neil finds this to be bizarre
because he has strict, regimented rules in his
own home
Here people just arrived and poured themselves
cornflakes and went off to various parts of the
room, or even the house, to eat them.
Through MacLavertys repetition of the
conjunction and he emphasizes the hectic
lifestyle and breakfast routine of the Middleton.
Or even the house is isolated by dashes in
parenthesis to accentuate the spontaneity in
deciding where to eat. The setting of this short
story plays a very important part in my
appreciation of the text as a whole.
19
Setting

• B) The Beach

20
Setting - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Analysis/Evaluation/ personal response


It is in the second setting of the beach where
the tension between the two boys rises and the
story builds up to a climax. Michael asks Neil to
go swimming with him, but is unaware of why he
constantly refuses therefore they argue and
their relationship begins to deteriorate. The
weather mirrors the rising temperature.
The next day was scorching hot...heat
corrugating the air...Neils thighs were sticking
to the plastic of his chair.
The authors use of word choice such as
scorching hot, corrugating and sticking
suggest Neil is desperate to accompany his friend
for a swim but is still too self-conscious.
As the unbearable heat increases, pathetic
fallacy comes into focus just as the heat rises,
so too does the tension and bitterness between
the friends, until an argument occurs
Useless bloody Mamas boy said Michael. He got
up flinging a handful of sand at Neil and ran
down to the water. Some of the sand went into
Neils eyes, making him cry.
The expletive bloody spoken by Michael
indicates his frustration and perhaps lack of
understanding towards Neil. In my opinion,
Michaels actions were incorrect and I feel great
sympathy for the apprehensive protagonist. Even
the fact that Michael ran off to the water is
imperative because he knows Neil cannot follow
him.
21
Setting

• C) Mrs Wans Caravan
• Also Turning Point.

22
Setting - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Analysis/Evaluation/ personal response


When the young boy is marginalised on the beach
he discovers Mrs Wans frail kitten and decides
to return it. The setting of Mrs Wans caravan is
crucial because it becomes a catalyst for Neil to
have an epiphanic experience and it dramatically
influences his thoughts. In this third, and
final, setting Neil feels comfortable and safe
Nothing was clean...tins of kit-e-Kat
opened...fork encrusted with the
stuff...everything was untidy.
MacLavertys word choice is vital to the setting
as encrusted and untidy convey this
disgustingly unkempt caravan where the eccentric,
old Mrs Wan dwells. It is ironic though, that
Neil should feel at ease here because it is the
complete antithesis to his own meticulous
domestic abode.
The untidiness and randomness of the caravans
contents manage to provoke a new, positive
personality to form within Neil. He even explains
his problems to the inquisitive Mrs Wan.
A thing on my chest In the sunlight it
didnt look so red.
Neil Fry finally realises his psoriasis is not as
hideous as his opinionated mother had led him to
believe. MacLavertys use of the noun sunlight
is effective because just as the sunlight
brings in a new dawn so too is the adolescent on
the threshold of a new beginning. I am extremely
pleased for Neil and I feel a surge of
appreciation for Mar Wans bohemian environment
because without it he would not have became the
confident individual he is now.
23

• Writing a plan

24
Introduction

• Your plan should be very detailed and should
  indicate
• A) what you will write about in the Introduction
• B) Topic Sentences for each paragraph
• C) Main Body What you will deal with in each
  paragraph (There is no need to copy out all the
  information from the tables as long as you have
  indicated that this is where you will find the
  information).
• D) what you will write about in the Conclusion
• Remember you must
• 1) show Understanding ( of the central
  concerns/themes of the text
• 2) Analyse and Evaluate the techniques used by
  the writer
• 3) make your Personal Response to the features of
  writing very obvious in each paragraph

25
Plan Plan
Intro Title of text and writer Opening line?
Intro The subject Summary - themes How ? Outline (Implicitly) What will your essay explorethe main points.. Refer back to question
Para 2 Topic Sentence Look back at Section 1 What quotes will you use?
Para 3 Topic Sentence Look back at Section 2 What quotes will you use?
Para 4 Topic Sentence Look back at Section 3 and Conclusion What quotes will you use?
Conclusion Sum up what you have written in your essay. (Use words of task and Topic Sentences from the body of your essay.) Personal Response should be restated There should be no new ideas in the conclusion. Quotes should not be used in the conclusion.
26

• Writing an Introduction

27
1) The Introduction

• Introduction a useful structure to use when
  writing an introduction is TAGLS.
• T text/title
• A author/poet
• G genre
• L link to task(Opening line) key points of
  essay (End of para)
• S - Summary of what the text is trying to do
  LINK TO THEME
• P.S Remember to use the wording of the question
  in the opening line.

28
Model Intro

• Bernard MacLavertys More than Just the Disease
  is a short story in which the setting helps the
  reader to appreciate the text as a whole. The
  setting also plays a vital part in the change of
  character Neil Fry who is thirteen years old
  yet he must continually deal with numerous
  difficulties his overprotective mother, the
  awkwardness of adolescence and his chronic skin
  condition psoriasis. The story falls naturally
  into three settings which leads up to a climax
  then descend into a dénouement (resolution of
  plot). Through MacLavertys use of
  characterisation and setting Neil Fry transforms
  into a self-assured young man.

29

• Writing the Main Body of your Essay

30
Main Body of Essay

• Following on from that, you should continue to
  develop your response. REMEMBER STRUCTURE for
  each point you make, you should have
• Topic sentence/Point what is this particular
  paragraph going to be about? Remember the wording
  of the original question
• Context Introduce the quotation.
• Evidence how can you support the point you have
  made?
• Explanation analysis - HOW does the writer
  reveal theme? Techniques and effects
• Comment evaluation how has the theme/
  character / conflict / setting etc been
  introduced / developed? Relate to task !!!

31
Model Paragraph

• More than Just the Disease begins with Neil who
  is situated in his friends (Michaels) holiday
  home the initial setting. As Neil has not got
  the comfort or guidance of his mother he is
  extremely agitated. The house appears to be
  strange and of an unusual design, thus
  already provoking sympathy for him as the reader
  learns he is psychologically alone. However, the
  setting of the Michael Middletons holiday home
  is warm and inviting
• They were all sitting in the growing darkness
  of the large front room, Michael drinking hot
  chocolate, Anne his sister with her legs flopped
  over the arm of the chair...
• MacLavertys use of the words such as growing
  darkness and flopped both have connotations of
  laziness and tranquillity, therefore the reader
  can clearly see that the Middleton family are
  welcoming and that they would fully understand
  and respect Neils skin disease which is
  crawling over his chest.

32
Model Conclusion

• Re-introduce topic/ refer back to the question
• Summarise the main points of your essay
• Sum up your opinion of the text or what you have
  learned in a personal reflective comment without
  using I.
• There should be a clear sense of progression and
  development in your conclusion.
• In conclusion, the setting of More than Just the
  Disease does, in fact, play a significant part
  in my appreciation of the text as a whole. The
  three key settings house, beach and caravan, are
  imperative for the healthy transformation of the
  young boy. This finely sculpted short story
  finishes on an optimistic note as the reader is
  left feeling delighted that the protagonist had
  managed to overcome the negative influences which
  he was subjected to every day. Any anxious
  adolescent reading More than Just the Disease
  will now realise they are not alone in brooding
  over any appearance concerns which they may have.

33
Approaching a turning point style question
34
Turning Point Question Structure

• 1) Intro
• 2) Turning Point Epiphany, setting, irony,
  anecdote about lepers, feels at ease with the
  stranger who will disappear from life, sharing
  secret and unbuttoning of shirt
• 3) The Holiday Home (How Neils character is
  revealed to us Influence of mother, contrast of
  holiday home with his own routine, awkwardness,
  self conscious description of psoriasis is a
  must).
• 4) The Beach Pathetic Fallacy, building
  tension, anxiety of Neil parallels weather, leads
  to embarrassing revelation, reaction ,
  deterioration of relationship between Michael and
  Neil, Mamas boy comment.
• 5) Final Para/Ending Change, compromise,
  confidence demonstrated, water symbolic of
  purification, not ready to stay long in the
  breakers.

35
1) The Introduction

• Introduction a useful structure to use when
  writing an introduction is TAGLS.
• T text/title
• A author/poet
• G genre
• L link to task(Opening line) key points of
  essay (End of para)
• S - Summary of what the text is trying to do
  LINK TO THEME
• P.S Remember to use the wording of the question
  in the opening line.

36

• Bernard MacLavertys More than just the Disease
  is a short story in which there is a vital
  turning point stemming from the theme of parental
  influence, which is explored through the main
  protagonist, Neil Fry, a young boy suffering from
  psoriasis. The reader is aware that Mrs. Fry,
  Neils mother, has a tremendous effect on her
  son, causing him to be awkward and ashamed of his
  disease. However, the pivotal turning point of
  Neil meeting the eccentric Duchess, Mrs. Wan,
  gives the young boy an opportunity to steer
  towards independence. Moreover, MacLavertys
  skilful use of characterisation and language
  convey the power of the short story in todays
  society, where one often conceals aspects of
  ones life to avoid embarrassment. Hence, this
  shows why the turning point is crucial in the
  development of Neil.

37
2) Turning Point

• Epiphany, setting, irony, anecdote about lepers,
  feels at ease with the stranger who will
  disappear from life, sharing secret and
  unbuttoning of shirt

38

• At the outset of the story, Neil is portrayed as
  a timid child, very much suppressed by his
  mothers teachings of how to conduct oneself in
  good society, which in her opinion, is Neils
  friend, Michaels family, with whom he is
  holidaying. Whilst on this trip, Neils life
  changes for the better due to his encounter with
  Mrs. Wan, a peculiar stranger, who provides Neil
  with an understanding ear. This is seen as the
  catalyst for Neils paranoia to diminish. Neil
  manages to be very open with Mrs. Wan as she is
  an inquisitive stranger, and is very much
  sympathetic, which gives Neil a sense of
  security. Neil is amazed to find himself
  revealing his disease to Mrs. Wan, and in doing
  so his insecurities are lessened
• In the sunlight it didnt look so red
• This short, but effective sentence demonstrates
  clearly that Neil is viewing his disease
  differently. The sunlight is imperative in this
  example, as it portrays a new day in which Neil
  is able to become more confident and independent.
  MacLavertys use of it didnt look so red
  emphasises Neils newfound confidence, as he
  believes that his disease is visually less
  disgusting. After days of keeping his psoriasis a
  secret, Michael is finally made aware of the
  disease, when he interrupts Mrs. Wan and Neil
• Mrs. Wan, Mum says could you tell her where.
  his voice tailed off seeing Neil s chest, ..
  the cheese grater is?
• The use of the ellipsis indicates that Michael
  has noticed Neils psoriasis and is startled,
  hence, pauses, however, he starts speaking
  immediately, to avoid further embarrassment. This
  moment is seen as the epiphany of the story, as
  now, Neil has nothing to hide. Michael has a
  quiet understanding of the situation shown
  through, Neither boy said a word..

39
Turning Point - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Evaluation/ personal response
The protagonist has an epiphany, after talking to Mrs Wan, where he realises that his skin disease is not as bad as his mother has made him believe In the sunlight it didnt look so red By close analysis the reader can see that Neil is now relieved of the pressure to conceal his body. Just as the sun brings in a new dawn, so too is the boy evolving into a confident individual
Michael stumbles upon their relaxed conversation and is shocked by his discovery Mrs Wan, mum says could you tell her where his voice trailed off seeing Neils chest, the cheese grater is? Clearly, the use of the ellipsis indicates Michaels sheer surprise towards this uncommon scene. Neil, who is displaying his chest to his best friend and a stranger, is now aware that he should never have been ashamed of his disease. Without a catalyst Mrs Wan Neil would not have had an epiphany and the two boys would not have overcome the obstacle which stood in the way of their friendship.
40
3) The Holiday Home Section

• (How Neils character is revealed to us
  Influence of mother, contrast of holiday home
  with his own routine, awkwardness, self conscious
  description of psoriasis is a must).

41
Key Sentence to demonstrate you will now link
back!

• For example In order to fully appreciate the
  significance of the turning point, it is
  imperative to examine the character of Neil prior
  to the event.

42
Holiday Home - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Evaluation/ personal response
A little too ornate for my taste vulgar almost.

It is evident to the reader that Neils actions
and behaviour are determined by his mothers
influence, exhibited by the fact that she
insisted that he goes on holiday with the
doctors family. Therefore, it is ironic when
Neil finds the holiday home to be a strange
house, with a relaxed and comfortable
atmosphere, much different from Neils home life.
However, MacLavertys use of italics shows Neils
mothers voice slyly commenting in his head.
These opinions have such great impact on Neil
that they influence his feelings
The negative word of vulgar shows that Neils
mother believes the house decor to be
distasteful, connoting her rude and opinionated
nature. The typography MacLaverty uses not only
imprints Neils mothers effect on the page by
visually captivating the reader, but also
imprints her influence in Neils head. Neils
mother has a judgemental and patronising tone,
conveying her dislikeable personality. Hence, the
reader is able to regard the turning point as
critical as Neil can finally remove himself from
his mother and develop into a more independent
young man.
The reader is able to detect that Neil is not
accustom to the differences of Doctor Middletons
holiday home. For example, the Middletons
routine is differs completely from Neils. In
Neils strict home, he sits with his mother for
breakfast, whereas in the doctors home, the
family do not eat together and it is completely
informal. This is shown through
Here people just arrived and poured themselves
cornflakes and went off to various parts of the
room, or even the house, to eat them.
Even though Neil feels relaxed in the blasé
atmosphere of the holiday home, he still hides
his psoriasis from the family.
43
Holiday Home- Analysis of text
Point Evidence Evaluation/ personal response


Neil is self-conscious and awkward due to his
disease and wishes for it to miraculously
disappear. Neil thinks of it as some vile
creature invading his skin, which is emphasised
by the word crawling. However, MacLaverty uses
a powerful image to describe how revolting Neils
psoriasis has become
a redness with an edge as irregular as a map and
the skin flaking and scumming off the top.
This ghastly image portrays how Neils psoriasis
affects him physically, however, through use of
disgusting language, the reader can observe that
it affects him mentally as well. The use of the
simile as irregular as a map shows that just as
the countries on a map have misshapen coastlines,
so Neils psoriasis mirrors this and has
distorted outlines. The use of the word
scumming connotes a sense of filth and grime,
hence portraying Neil to be unclean. Furthermore,
the word flaking suggests that Neils skin is
peeling, conveying intense pain. Therefore, it is
clear that meeting with Mrs. Wan is essential in
Neils life as he is able to look at his disease
from another perspective.
44
4) The Beach Section

• 4) The Beach Pathetic Fallacy, building
  tension, anxiety of Neil parallels weather, leads
  to embarrassing revelation, reaction,
  deterioration of relationship between Michael and
  Neil, Mamas boy comment.

45
The Beach - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Evaluation/ personal response


The weather in MacLavertys work mirrors the
feelings of the central character, Neil.
This skilful technique of pathetic fallacy
engages the reader and effectively describes
Neils distress. As the temperature increases so
does Neils anxiety, as he feel obliged to go
swimming. However, this is not possible without
Neil revealing his psoriasis, which is
unthinkable.
This leads to Neil tying to conceal the truth by
inventing a ludicrous excuse. Neil explains that
he has his period, displaying his immaturity,
as this is impossible.
The reader finds this quite humorous. The family
react in very different ways, however, none of
them make Neil feel uncomfortable or idiotic.
Mrs. Middleton takes on a motherly persona and
informs Neil that he is quite safe and no one
will force him to swim
46
The Beach - Analysis of text
Point Evidence Evaluation/ personal response


Neils relationship with Michael begins to
deteriorate because he will not tell him why he
refuses to swim. Michael become infuriated with
Neil
Useless bloody Mama boy, said Michael. He gol
up flinging a handful of sand al Neil and ran
down to the water.
The reader can see clearly that Michael is
angered, shown through the mild expletive of
bloody. The word Useless conveys a notion
that Michael is worthless and hopeless hence,
this shows deterioration in the friendship.
Furthermore, this deterioration is emphasised by
the word flinging, suggesting that Michael is
acting violently towards Neil. The reader is
saddened by this disintegration in the friendship
of Neil and Michael however, the turning point
in the story offers a way in which this can be
resolved.