Michael Frayn Spies - please reply quickly!

im taking spies for the 3rd time at the end of may. i just dont know whats going wrong i seem to do so much revision but just blank in the exam, i have even resorted to buying it on audiotape (its on repeat on my ipod)

One of the things my teacher did was to get us all to write an essay on what we thought the key message of the book was. After I'd done this I found the practice papers a lot easier because you're always working towards the same conclusion.

Maybe spend a bit of time thinking about what you think the key message is. There is no 'right' answer, but it is a really useful exercise.

this may sound really stupid but what is the key message of the book?

Don't worry, as I said, there is not 'right' answer. My message was something to do with how the book showed that social boundaries (e.g. gender, age, race, class) are not as big as perceived and how they were over exaggerated by Stephen in an attempt to formulate his own sense of identity.

But, everyone in my class came up with different ones.

I've got typed revision notes on Uncle Peter if that helps. I'll attach.

I've also just found typed notes of mine on themes and also symbols, images & motifs, if anyone wants them?

ahh thanks that really helps alot. Are you taking the exam too or have you already done it?im not looking forward to it.

YES PLEASE! i would very mcuh appreciate it!

They took some digging out, but motifs/symbols/imagery and themes notes are attached

They took some digging out, but motifs/symbols/imagery and themes notes are attached

Yeah, I discussed the war one.
I thought it looked substantially easier,
keith/stephen were affected by the war in how they play their games without any serious thinking, playing in the ruins of the old house, "army two man corps etc" and how in all of stephens imaginations of the future, the fact that he might be bombed or the war actually effecting him never arises.

Standard uncle peter dribble.

Talked about the Wheatleys.

Concluded mentioning that Frayn didnt bring politics into the war, you feel sorry for unlce peter as you did with stephens aunt bombed in germany by "uncle peter, or someone like him" and that this allowed him to purely focus on something or other.

The identity question was WAYYY to vague for me.

LOL same... This will be the THIRD time im doing this stupid exam and im crapping myself ... I just want to get a B !!! arrg

Good Luck everyone!!!

April

Third time for me as well, and I've once again left revision to the last few days. Guess I only have myself to blame.