Reading Guide: Anne Tylers A Slipping-Down Life

& A Level Comparative Coursework Planning

Before reading:
-

Jot down notes on teenage life (pre-reading lesson):

o Make some notes (in any form that suits you) on
teenage life. You can cover any aspects of teenage life
you feel are relevant, but you may wish to consider:
The pressures teenagers face
The aspects/types of popular culture that are most/least
important (film, music, TV)
Representations of teenagers in the media/popular
culture (the fiction versus the reality?)
Read and answer questions on Anne Tyler interview

As you read:
-

To what extent does Tylers depiction ring true/false with you?

o What might be the reasons for this?
To what extent can you see some of Tylers interview comments
reflected in this early novel (the third Tyler published)?

Part I: Chapters 1-4

Chapters 1-4 function almost as the first act of the novel: they introduce
and establish several key characters, and in chs 3-4 focus on the act that
is the catalyst for the rest of the novel.
Chapter 1
1. Give a brief plot synopsis of this chapter (3-5 bullet points)
2. What do you notice about the use of time in the opening pages
(from novels opening to inside her history book. [p/.5?])
3. How do you respond to the opening sentence?
4. How do you respond to the presentation of Evie and Drumstrings?
5. 2-3 moments/quotes you find interesting and brief explanation as to
why

Chapter 2
1. Give a brief plot synopsis of this chapter (3-5 bullet points)

2. How do you respond to the sketch of female teenage life in the

opening 4 paragraphs of the chapter?
3. What does Evie and Fay-Jeans conversation tell us about these
characters? What do you make of Evies response to Fay-Jeans
offer?
4. What do you make of Drumstrings lyrics?
5. What is the significance of Drumstrings response to Evie taking the
picture?
6. How do you respond to Evies assessment of her actions (last
paragraphs of chapter)?

Chapter 3
1. Give a brief plot synopsis of this chapter (3-5 bullet points)
2. What is the significance of the contrasts between Evie and Violet in
the opening paragraph (what is Tyler telling/showing us?)?
3. How do you respond to Evies action, and to her response to her
own action?
4. Why is this chapter so short?

Chapter 4
1. Give a brief plot synopsis of this chapter (3-5 bullet points)
2. What do you make of the way the doctor treats Evie?
3. What is the significance of the act to Evie? How do you respond to
this?
4. How is the father presented, and what is the significance of the bed
jacket?
5. Why is Evie pleased when her father leaves?
6. How is Drumstrings presented in this chapter, especially in the final
paragraph?

Part II: Consider the following, in relation to the novel as

a whole:
1. Where does the title of the novel come from (or, rather, from whom in
the novel does it come)? What is its significance?
2. The relationship between Clotelia and Evie (issues of class and race;
dependency; theme of maternity in the novel)
3. Evies relationship with her father; Tylers depiction of Mr. Decker;
Evies reaction to his death
4. Evies relationship with her Violet; their similarities/differences; Violets
role/influence; why does Violet feature gradually less in the novel?
5. The relationship between Evie and Fay-Jean
6. The relationship between Evie and Drumstrings how does it develop;
how does Evie develop as a result of her relationship with Drumstrings?
7. What is your final view of Evie? Is she a victim? Does she take charge
of her life? Does the novel end hopefully or pessimistically?
8. Can you make any links (comparisons/contrasts) between moments in
the novel and Tylers comments in the interview we read?

Part III: Planning Your Comparative Coursework (25003000 words)

Note: You can only choose texts originally written and
published in English. No translations (unfortunately).
III.A:
Short Proposal (to be completed before the end of term)
Text I:

Text II:

Themes/Issues/Topics:

Possible focuses/techniques to investigate:

III.B: Detailed Planning (due week beginning Mon.

12/09/16)
Text I
Title

Author

Year
published
Author
nationality
Text set in
(e.g.
London,
England be
as precise
as possible)
Form/genre
(e.g. novel;
science
fiction
novel; etc.)
Plot
synopsis
(approx.
150 words)

Themes/issu
es raised in
text

Text II

Title

Author

Year
published
Author
nationality
Text set in
(e.g.
London,
England be
as precise
as possible)
Form/genre
(e.g. novel;
science
fiction
novel; etc.)
Plot
synopsis
(approx.
150 words)

Themes/issu
es raised in
text

Possible
compariso
n (2-3
ideas)

Possible
thesis
(what will
you
argue?)

(E.g. representation of the outsider; presentation of

male/female/racial identity)

(E.g. In A Slipping-Down Life, Tylers protagonist Evie is

presented as whereas in [Text II])

Part IV: Research (due week beginning Mon. 19/09/16)

Background Reading Text I (min. 3-4 articles)
Author

Title

Source
Brief
(e.g.
summary
website,
of content
newspape
r; cut &
paste full
URL)

Your
response
(useful or
not?
Why/why
not?)

Background Reading Text II (min. 3-4 articles)

Author

Title

Source
Brief
(e.g.
summary
website,
of content
newspape
r; cut &
paste full
URL)

Your
response
(useful or
not?
Why/why
not?)