New Town Soul Notes

brianroche07

I have taken over a Sixth Year English class who have studied New Town Soul (Dermot Bolger), I'm Not Scared and Othello for their comparative.

Being honest I feel New Town Soul is a terrible text but I have to work with it as it is too late now to study another text. I am finding it very difficult to get extra notes on it and feel that just to read other people's viewpoints on it would be helpful. We are looking at it under the theme of deception/betrayal.

If you have anything on it could you kindly share!!!

dbolger

I just came across this and notice that you don’t seem to have had much success in getting feedback. The great thing I enjoy about literature is that it is absolutely subjective and how a novel or play or poem may resonate with one reader and be thoroughly disliked by another one, with both responses being sincerely held and equally valid. I am sorry that you are having some difficulties about finding ways to approach New Town Soul with your class – and it is unfortunate that you inherited a text that was not of your choice. But – while I would not be in a position to offer any opinion as to how this book relates to “I’m not Scared” or “Othello” – if you or your class wished to send me a short set of questions that you felt might shed light on some of the more abstruse aspects of the plot or the characters, then I would be very happy to drop you back some notes on these points as the author, if you felt that it might help to understand my intent in how I wished to explore certain themes within the novel. if this is the case then just drop me a message to the website of New Island.

brianroche07

Thank you for your reply. I feel in hindsight that my words my have been a bit harsh and may have reflected my frustration about the difficulty getting another person's view of the text rather than anything else. I will certainly take you up on your offer to email some questions to you. I will meet the students on Monday I send their questions on to the email of New Island afterward. I will say that many of my students really enjoyed the novel New Town Soul. Thank you again for your kind offer.

feardeas

I read this book with an ordinary level leaving cert class last year when they were pre leaving. I have to say that I have rarely seen a class as engaged with a novel as they were. I intend to read it with this year's pre leaving higher level group. It will be interesting to work with the modes for 2016 but when the students are engaged with the novel it is a great step.

allprops

I too am using New Town Soul. Mr. Bolger , that is a very classy and dignified reply. I have been a fan since I read The Journey Home when it was first published. It is Still one of my favourite Irish novels.
Brian, Sometimes, with the comp, I think people worry about finding a theme to fit and forget about the other modes. What makes New Town Soul such a good teaching text is the split narrative. When you get on to Literary Genre, you will be grateful for it. I have prepared notes on it, including chapter summaries and comparative grids. If you dm me, I will be happy to share.
By the way, I am not using I'mNot Scared because I think that is not so great, which just goes to prove the author's point.

feefoofum

Hey I am looking for a bit of help with this novel also. I'm doing it this year for the first time with a very average OL group and was wondering if you could send me on any notes you have on it?

MrJones1973

Dermot Bolger has his own web site. E mail him. I also found notes in complete English by fiona Kirwan

evolving_doors

just a follow up... Dermot has agreed to do a Q&A on the forum (the thread should be up at this stage (dont use this one!)), if anyone had time to post up a few questions to get things going, thatd be great!

EngT2015

Is there any chance I could bother you for those notes too allprops???
Am struggling to get my head around text as comparative and would be very greatful for any guidance??

Many thanks!!

evolving_doors

Probably doesn't help with your exact request EngT2015 but just to reiterate that there is a Sticky at the top of this forum where Dermot Bolger has agreed to discuss anything about the novel! I don't know if he's still around but it'd be pity if an opportunity like this was missed.

In saying all that, I havn't gotten the time to read the book myself just yet either!

dbolger

Just in reply to Gebgbegb (Moderator), to say that I am still around in that I get notifications if something is posted here. But Engt2015 appears to be looking for actual notes from Allprops which, I suspect are far better structured in terms of a teaching perspective than anything I could send. This is because teachers would be far more attuned and nuanced in examining the text in the context of how their students would write it it in a comparative fashion. So I am just happy to be there in other thread that the moderator has set up, to simply answer any direct questions about any event or character in the book that may be causing confusion to a teacher and I am happy to do so, I don't have any sort of structured notes on the text of the nature that I think would be useful to Engt2015 or other teachers in relation to their thinking about approaching it in a comparative sense.

unevenelephant

Hi allprops,
I was wondering if you could send me those notes too?!
I'd really appreciate it thank you!
Also kudos on the novel Mr.Bolger it was extremely difficult to put down!
Thanks

CKeoghan

Hi all props,
I wonder if it was possible you could share your notes on this novel . I am a parent of a leaving cert student who is studying this alongside citizen Kane for the comparative question and was unable to find notes online to help.
Kind regards Ckeoghan

prosciutto

Would it be possible to get those notes from allprops? Having difficulty getting students to fully grasp the novel.