baffle:
the noun form of the verb, “baffle.” If something “baffles” you, you don’t understand it and are confused or frustrated as a result.
dramatic:
the adjective form of the noun “drama”(a theatrical play, but also similar things in films, novels and real life)
monologue:
a speech in a play etc. which is heard only by a silent audience (“mono”=one; “logue”=speaking)
theme:
subject, main idea
motive:
reason for doing something
opposition:
the noun form of the verb “oppose”
hatred:
the noun form of the verb “hate”
reveal:
show something that has been hidden, make known
calm:
opposite of “excited”
logical:
reasonable, based on careful thought (here, the opposite of “emotional”)
emotional:
based on emotion (fear, love, hate etc)
commit a crime:
do something that is against the law
duty:
what a good person must do
charged:
i.e. charged with a crime (officially accused)
recognize:
know who someone you see is because you have seen them before
• Introduction:
• In this story, there are many references to Katharine Gun’s thoughts and feelings, for example, to her feeling of bafflement in the face of the fact that countries were “still” dropping bombs on one another or her idea that she could perhaps prevent the war if she could show the British people how their government was helping the American government with its war plans.
• The idea of this activity is to use some of this information to create a “dramatic monologue,” about one minute long, on one of the following themes. A dramatic monologue is a “speech” in a play or poem in which only one person speaks and expresses his or her thoughts, feelings and motives.
• Theme 1:
• Katharine speaks about her opposition to war; about her inability to understand why, at this point in history, countries are going to war against one another; and about her belief that her government wants war and is trying to get the support of the people by getting them to feel fear and hatred toward Iraq.
• Theme 2:
• Katharine speaks about her belief that she can perhaps prevent the war by revealing secret information about the co-operation between the UK and the US; about her belief that calm and logical speech is needed; and about how she is torn between not wanting to commit a crime and the feeling that she has to do her duty.
• Theme 3:
• Katharine speaks about the lonely and frightened life she led between the time she lost her job and the time she was finally charged; about how she didn’t look for a job because she didn’t want to answer questions about what she had done; and about how she was afraid of being recognized on the street etc.