Time

For the second half of summer term, we'll be exploring the theme of time, as a concept and as a structuring principle in stories, scripts and poetry.

To begin, we discussed our favourite times of day (from sunrise to sunset, mealtimes and 3pm). Then we did some freewriting about that time of day. Next, we thought about stories which use time in interesting ways - from Narnia to Jane Eyre! Then we read extracts from Time Passing from Virginia Woolf's 'To The Lighthouse' and the opening of Dylan Thomas' 'Under Milk Wood', and looked out how both writers showed time passing (through years or just one night). Inspired by this, the writers wrote their own pieces about the passing of time, excerpts from group members, Charlotte and David below.

Charlotte's writing on 'Time':

Raven looked back at the classroom she had known so well for the past four months. She couldn’t believe it was finally over. She remembered the briefcase sitting on the desk in the very first detention. She remembered everyone wanting to get a detention just so they could go back in time and save history. Raven also remembered the smell of the sewers they had gone back to and the Mona Lisa smile. The battle of Waterloo was always going to be a highlight. She knew never to wear that jumper again! She chuckled to herself.

“There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Will made her jump by coming into the room.

“Just wanted one last look. It seems really empty when everyone’s not here doesn’t it?” Raven tried to keep things positive.

“Detentions will never be the same, that's for sure!” Will burst out laughing but Raven could tell he was hurting too that it was over.

“We did have some fun times didn’t we? Remember that space launch?” Raven nudged him seeing a little bit of sadness come to his face.

“How can I forget?! Kylie would not stop singing spaceman for the whole journey! I won’t miss the endless singing.”

“Oh she’ll make up for it in other classes! I think she might even have made a playlist with the songs she sang.” Raven pointed at her phone.

Will patted her on the back and went towards the door. He hung back when he saw that Raven wasn’t following him.

“Come on. We can’t stay in detention forever.” Will urged her to join him.

Raven took a deep breath and left with him.

Raven couldn’t sleep. She didn’t know what it was. Maybe it was the incessant snoring coming from Erin sleeping next to her or maybe it was the owls that seemed to be hooting at the top of their lungs. A detention class camping trip sounded great at the time! A few weeks ago it would have been a lot more fun. All of them had sort of fallen out and gone back to their usual groups as much as Raven had tried to stop them.

Raven gave up and finally ventured outside the tent. Orange tents in the middle of a forest certainly made them stand out. At least she wouldn’t get lost. She stared out into the darkness suddenly hearing a whoosh. She shook her head, thinking she was going mad. It could have been a bird. It could have been a deer or maybe a fox. Let’s leave it at deer.

There it was again. Louder this time. The whoosh. Somehow a familiar whoosh that Raven had heard before. I mean who remembers a whoosh! However, there just seemed to be something about this one. Suddenly there was a rattling. Raven took a step back. Maybe more than one. She held onto the top of the tent, like that was going to give any safety.

Then out of nowhere a brief case appeared on the ground. Raven stared at it. It can’t be! She wanted to go back to the tent but who would be interested anymore? It didn’t take her long before she decided what she was going to do.

A hand appeared out of the briefcase. It waved at her and then pointed at the case. Raven smiled. Here we go again.

David's writing on 'Time':

The building stood out a mile, glass panels against the quant buildings either side.

External lifts like a utopia. Marble shined floors and big screens.

Since the explosion and the crater, it's difficult to remember the modern structure there used to be, yet the buildings on either side remain virtually untouched in their splendour.

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