The Lovely Bones: 'Imagined Worlds' Study Guide for AS/A Level AQA

AS Paper 1: Views and Voices ◆ A Level Paper 1: Telling Stories

Enter the poignant fantasy world of The Lovely Bones, in which the tragic death of Susie Salmon opens up extraordinary possibilities, allowing an innovative, constantly developing narrative style and a rare depth of characterisation. Students will explore the all-encompassing themes of growing up, family life, grief, loss and fulfilment from the unique perspective of an exceptional narrator in this modern American classic.

Guide your students through the text with in-depth study notes and activities to explore the linguistic and literary methods by which authors present their fictional worlds. Co-teachable and specifically written for the 2015 AQA Language and Literature specification.

  • Preparatory material sets the scene with analysis of context, plot, narrative structure, characterisation and setting
  • Chapter-by-chapter walk-through covers the whole novel
    • Clear summaries and insightful, student-friendly commentary ensure a full knowledge of each chapter
    • Varied activities, including consolidation questions, discussion questions, active learning tasks, extensions and essay questions, deepen understanding and encourage independent interpretation – suggested answers included!
  • Whole-text activities focus students on exam preparation – plus comprehensive glossary and bonus genre section for A Level students

What do teachers say about this resource? (9013)

A very comprehensive resource closely linked to the specification. This resource is exactly what teachers need for this text. It is thorough and detailed and covers many aspects that I had not come across before. A great addition to the first Lovely Bones resource that I have from ZigZag.

The chapter by chapter analysis was interesting and uncovered layers of meanings not immediately apparent on a first read of the novel. There is a lot covered in this resource to provide an excellent companion to the specification. I particularly valued the section on theories such as Linguistic determinism in the analysis of Chapter Two. Not something I had thought of adding in before. Each chapter is accompanied by questions and activities and the repetitive nature of these was good - it meant that for each chapter, there was a range of ideas to consolidate the learning and exploration.

It was good to see the language frameworks referenced throughout the resource, and explained in a way that would enhance the learning of Y12/13 students. It reinforces the message given to students and allows the teacher to have the confidence that what they are teaching is in line with the requirements of the examination board.

Each chapter is linked to the frameworks and is underpinned by detailed analysis and interpretation of the text. There is some terminology that is new to me, such as literary onomastics, which will add a further level to the students' knowledge and hopefully, enhance their analysis. I particularly enjoyed the close focus on the fantasy genre, often an area that students struggle to integrate well into their essays.

A fantastic companion to the resources I already have, closely linked to the specification and a real focus on linguistics and the fantasy genre.

M Smyth, Assistant Vice Principal & Peer Reviewer