Great War Literature GCSE Study Guide on "Journey's End"

• New, revised and expanded edition of our popular study guide especially for GCSE students;
• Supports GCSE Syllabus;
• Useful in-depth summary of the play;
• Detailed sections on Character Analysis, Themes and Comparisons provide a valuable resource for examinations, coursework and individual essays;
• Historical Significance and Biography of R. C. Sherriff give additional depth and understanding;
• Glossary of terms used within the play and explanation of ranks within the British Army give students extra background information.

This Literature Study Guide includes notes on:

Introduction: A brief overview of the play, Journey's End by R C Sherriff.

Synopsis: An in-depth summary of the three acts of the play, Journey's End, outlining the main events that take place. Clear and concise, these notes are especially useful for revision and refreshing a student's knowledge and understanding of the play.

Glossary of Terms: The military terminology used within the play is explained.

Characters: Vital to the comprehension of Journey's End, our Study Guide gives detailed character analysis of Stanhope, Raleigh, Osborne, Trotter, Hibbert and Mason. Essential points of focus are the effects of the war on the individual and their reactions to their surroundings and experiences.

Historical Signficance: An understanding of the setting of an historical play is fundamental to a full comprehension of the events that take place.

Ranks in the British Army: Provides a brief outline of the role of each of the ranks involved in the play.

Biography: A biography of R C Sherriff, the author of Journey's End.

Themes: Of particular value, this section of the Guide explains the main themes of the play. Topics covered are:

• Futility
• Boredom
• Schooldays
• Family
• Humour

Comparisons: Considered by many to be the key asset of our Guides, this section helps students compare and contrast various aspects of Journey's End with other literature of the First World War, including the poetry of Siegfried Sassoon, E.A. Mackintosh, Robert Nichols, Edmund Blunden, Wilfrid Wilson Gibson and Edith Nesbit, as well as the novels Strange Meeting by Susan Hill, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque and The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West.

Essay Questions: This section is designed to encourage students to look more thoroughly into a given theme, topic or character and then apply these methods to other areas of study.

General Advice to students: Useful tips on examination techniques.

Further Reading: Useful suggestions of books, with brief descriptions, that we believe enhance the reader's understanding of the play.

Bibliography