The Dead I Know

Content notes

The Dead I Know was the CBCA Older Readers Book of the Year in 2012. As the publisher recommends it for readers aged 14+, you could conceivably adapt this unit of work for study by Year 9 or 10 students. You would, however, need to carefully consider the nature of the story before doing so.

Take special care when deciding whether/how to teach this novel if any of your students have suffered a bereavement. There are frank and visceral descriptions of dead bodies being prepared for burial, as well as the process of cremation. There are also references to suicide, mental health, violent bullying, a motor vehicle accident, family violence and murder, the death of a pet, disrupted schooling, and caring for a loved one with dementia. Please be cautious about teaching this novel (and consult/provide additional resources and support) if anyone in your class has a close association with these experiences. Scot Gardner’s descriptions are vivid, and he does not shy away from being truthful about tragedy or the physical realities of death and violence.

The Dead I Know lends itself to study by older students due to its mature content and its focus on work, social and community issues. It is especially suitable for Essential English Unit 2. This unit has been written not only as a close study of the novel, but also as a springboard into various types of writing concerning the aforementioned issues. The novel is relatively brief and very engaging, with simple yet highly effective and compelling language, making it especially suitable for Year 11 classes with reluctant readers.

Page numbers have been taken from the 2011 edition of The Dead I Know (ISBN 9781742373843) published by Allen & Unwin.

Introductory activities

Kick-off conversation

Set up three signs around the classroom that say:

1. Yes, that would be great!
2. Yes, but I’d have some hesitation.
3. No way in the world!

Point out the signs to students and then ask this question:

If someone offered to give you a behind-the-scenes tour of a funeral home, how would you respond?

Ask students to go and stand near the sign that best reflects their thinking.

Now ask:

If someone offered you work experience or a part-time job in a funeral home, how would you respond?

Again, ask students to stand near the appropriate sign.

Finish by placing students in small groups containing people with a mixture of answers. Encourage them to discuss why they responded the way they did.

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Initial response to the novel and its subject

If students have not started reading The Dead I Know, read the first two or three chapters together so they understand the premise. Then, as a class, discuss the following questions:

1. How did you react when you realised that this story was going to be about someone working in a funeral home? What did you expect?
2. How has death traditionally been portrayed in literature and film? Can you think of some examples?

An optional follow-up to this discussion would be to have students research artworks depicting death(s). Prompt them with classic paintings such as Ophelia (1851–1852) by Sir John Everett Millais, The Lady of Shalott (1888) by John William Waterhouse (and read the Tennyson poem if you have time), and other paintings representing the figure of death like Death and the Maiden (1908) by Marianne Stokes. Discuss how some artists romanticise death, while others depict it as terrifying. What does this tell us about human nature in response to death?

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Personal response on reading the text

Distribute the personal response handout (PDF, 49KB), which looks at:

• some of the assumptions students may have about the novel and its main character
• how their thinking may change during reading (‘I used to think … but now I think …’)
• whether they think the novel is confronting and depressing OR life-affirming and hopeful (or both!)

Ask students to fill in the ‘Before Reading’ section, and give them time to discuss their answers with a partner.

If they have already finished reading the novel, proceed to the ‘During Reading’ and ‘After Reading’ sections and ask students to fill them in. Alternatively, hold ‘During Reading’ until students have read at least half the novel, and ‘After Reading’ until they have finished.

Collect the handouts and keep them safe so that students can revisit them later in the unit.

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Outline of key elements of the text

Chapter summaries

Place students in pairs. Allocate each pair a few chapters so that all 36 chapters are accounted for (e.g. one pair gets Chapters 1–3, another gets Chapters 4–6, and so on). If your class is on the small side, you may wish to make this an individual activity instead (if time allows).

Ask students to fill in a chapter summary (PDF, 47KB) for each chapter that they have been allocated. They will identify:

• the main plot development(s)
• any revelation(s) of character/major character development(s)
• the three most effective descriptions, together with their effects and a summary of the language Gardner has used to achieve this effect

Upload or make copies of each chapter summary so that everyone in the class gets a full set. Allow time for students to read through the summaries to refresh their memory of the overall plot.

Now have students form new pairs and use the summaries to create a tension graph, tracking the rise and fall in tension throughout the novel (PDF, 67KB). Point out that this is strongly linked to Aaron’s experiences as the first-person narrator.

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Character familiarisation

Divide students into groups of three or four and allocate one main character to each group. It does not matter if you have a large class and need to double up, as long as each of the following is accounted for:

• Aaron
• Mam
• John Barton
• Skye Barton

Each group should discuss and make notes about their allocated character using the character familiarisation sheet (PDF, 47KB).

Finish by asking students to make a poster for classroom display, summarising the information from their sheets. They should include pictures to help illustrate as many of their ideas as possible.

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Synthesising activity

Themes and ideas overview

Below is a list of themes from the novel. Write each theme in the middle of a large sheet of paper and arrange the sheets around the classroom. Then ask students to move from one sheet to another, writing ideas about the key plot points, character developments or actions/events that relate to that theme.

NOTE: The examples beside each theme are for your own reference; use them to prompt students’ thinking OR, if necessary, to supplement this task with explicit instruction. The examples are not prescriptive, and students may come up with others on their own.

Depending on how detailed the responses are, you may need to allow some time for whole class discussion and reflection to help fill any gaps.

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Using this information, students will write a paragraph or two explaining how ONE important theme is presented in The Dead I Know. Remind them to use examples from the text wherever possible.

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The writer’s craft

Structure and character development: Aaron’s dreams

Discuss with students the use of short chapters and the story’s two-week timeframe, together with the device of the italicised dream sequences. Point out that new details are added with each dream Aaron has. Look at these sequences and help students to notice the almost filmic quality of their focus and framing: they begin with extreme close-ups and move out to include more details, eventually revealing the full scale of the horror. Ask students how this affected them as they read the novel. If time permits, they could storyboard the dream sequences from start to finish.

Explain that Gardner has used this structural device not only to build tension in the rapidly developing plot, but also to develop Aaron’s character. Distribute the dream sequences handout (PDF, 59KB) and talk students through this detailed language study. Point out the examples that are already filled in, then ask students to spend some time revisiting Aaron’s dreams and completing the rest of the worksheet.

NOTE: There are 14 dream sequences throughout the novel. If this is too many for individual students to work through, divide the sequences between pairs or groups. They can then share their findings with the rest of the class so that everyone can complete their tables and track the developments across these scenes.

Now point out another structural feature: the dream sequences occur more frequently towards the end of the novel. What is the effect of this structural device? How does this relate to the other things happening in Aaron’s life? Prompt students as needed to consider:

• his new preoccupation with death and exposure to traumatic sights, thoughts and ideas
• the increasing stress of caring for Mam
• his desire to live up to all his responsibilities, and the difficulty of doing so

Ask students to write one or two paragraphs in response to the following question:

How does Scot Gardner use the recurring device of dreams to help develop Aaron’s character in The Dead I Know?

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More on characterisation: showing, not telling

In this activity, students will look at John Barton and his interactions with Aaron as an example of characterisation achieved through dialogue and action (showing, not telling).

Read Chapters 1 and 2 together (pp. 1–10). Ask students to identify dialogue and actions that show us what John Barton is like. Highlight the initial tension between him and Aaron, e.g. the ‘fist’ of silence on p. 2, or the ‘hole’ in the conversation on p. 9.

Distribute John Barton’s characterisation sheet (PDF, 56KB) and ask students to look up the quotes to complete the table. Again, if necessary, you can divide the examples among pairs/groups and have them report their findings to the rest of the class.

Come back together to discuss what sort of man John Barton is. Focus on how he treats others, what motivates him, and how his personality and actions affect the people in his life. As an additional evaluative exercise, you could discuss which quotes are most significant or effective in illustrating John’s character. Emphasise that Gardner has deftly shown rather than told readers all of this, and that this is an important aspect of good writing.

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Contrast, characterisation and development

Introduce students to the term ‘foil’ and explain how Skye Barton, with her bold and talkative nature, acts as a foil (or contrast) to Aaron, who is withdrawn, self-protective and taciturn at the beginning of The Dead I Know. This can lead to a discussion of how Aaron’s character develops and changes over the course of the novel. A significant device in this process is the motif of talking, with its associated ideas of laughter and sharing details from the past.

Walk students through Aaron’s development by examining the following passages:

Ask students to draft three paragraphs explaining how Aaron changes over the course of the novel. They can use the examples above as a starting point and add other key quotes that they feel are significant in showing Aaron’s character development. Once their drafts are completed, collect and hold onto them for a future lesson.

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Contrast and settings

Discuss with students the use of two contrasting settings in the novel:

1. Aaron’s home (the van and caravan park)
2. The Bartons’ home (the house and funeral parlour)

Distribute the contrasting settings handout (PDF, 44KB) and ask students to work in small groups to complete it.

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Setting and character: Aaron and water

This activity will help students see how setting can be closely linked to character. Some of the most lyrical passages in the novel – and some of the most revealing about Aaron’s turbulent past and sense of self – are connected with water and the natural environment. Together examine the following passages, focusing on Aaron’s ambivalent relationship with the water: at times threatening, at others comforting, sometimes both.

Discuss the ambiguous nature of this imagery as a reflection of Aaron’s trauma, his difficulty coping with recent events, and his desperation to be free from (or to feel something other than) his pain.

Hand back the three paragraphs that students composed earlier (Contrast, Characterisation and Development). Direct them to edit their writing, adding any relevant details from their subsequent work on setting. Consider modelling this process using one of your student’s responses as a sample (with their permission and collaboration).

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Using language for specific narrative purposes

Ask students to re-read Chapter 7 (pp. 31–41). This is Aaron’s first time in the coolroom, followed by Mr Arthur Terrence Dean’s funeral. Note that Aaron doesn’t directly tell the reader how he feels, yet Gardner still manages to make his feelings clear. Finish by giving students the following creative writing task:

Think of a time when you felt uncomfortable in a place/situation you’d never been before. Write 500–800 words describing this experience in a way that conveys your discomfort, without explicitly telling the reader that you were uncomfortable.

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Narrative point of view

Discuss with students the effect of first-person narration (as opposed to second-person, third-person limited or third-person omniscient). Explore how the book may have been different if it was written in the third person. Would it have been equally effective? Ask students to find examples of first-person narration from the text that offer insights into what Aaron is going through. Based on these, how could we describe his voice in the novel?

As an optional activity, students could rewrite a passage from the novel in the third person, then compare both versions and discuss the effects of each.

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Language and style

Visceral language

The Dead I Know contains a lot of visceral detail. Introduce this term to students and ask them to find an example of visceral language from the novel. Invite them to explain (verbally or in writing) how this language works to evoke a response in the reader. They can then practise writing analytically about how this example (or another one) affected them, and how Gardner used language to achieve this effect.

If students need help finding examples of visceral language, direct them to Chapters 9 (pp. 52–58), 13 (pp. 69–74), 16 (pp. 86–92) and 18 (pp. 100–108), as well as the dream at the beginning of Chapter 29 (p. 172).

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Vocabulary exercise

Aaron has quite a sophisticated vocabulary, adding to the complexity and mystery of his character. He has missed a lot of schooling and experienced many disruptions, yet he seems very literate. Point this out to students, then direct them to build their own vocabulary by doing ONE of the following:

1. Look up the definitions of the words below and write them down.
2. Work with a partner to look up the definitions of the words below (split the list in half), then create a word match activity for your partner to complete.
3. As above, but instead of a word match generate a crossword for your partner to complete, writing clues based on the definitions you have found.

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Synthesising task

Writing vividly

Gardner builds character and plot tension through unusual descriptions (e.g. ‘lugubrious’ leather chairs on p. 2; Mrs Carmel Gray’s ‘gelid’ fingers on p. 14) and remarkably vivid – often confronting – language.

Direct students to describe something unappealing or confronting using ‘beautiful’ (or at least vivid and expressive) descriptive language. They should consider whether they will write in the first or third person, and explain why they are making this choice. Remind students to use language that shows the reader how the narrator/protagonist is reacting to the scene, without explicitly tell them.

Suggested scenarios include:

• seeing a child’s face covered in snot
• being vomited on
• seeing an open wound
• stepping in dog poo in bare feet
• finding maggots in your food

Challenge students to make their writing as evocative (and revolting!) as they can, and to make the narrator/protagonist’s reactions clear through showing rather than telling. Remind them to engage the senses as much as they can, and to use literary techniques in their work.

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Ways of responding

Class debate

Revisit the personal response handout from the Initial Response section (Personal Response on Reading the Text) and debate the final question: is The Dead I Know confronting and depressing overall, OR life-affirming and hopeful? Encourage students to listen to each other and support their own assertions with concrete examples from the text.

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How does this text fit with other literature?

Discuss some common features of coming-of-age texts, then place students in groups and ask them to identify these features in The Dead I Know.

If time permits, read Stephen King’s novella The Body or watch Rob Reiner’s 1986 film adaptation, Stand By Me. Help students discover the similarities between Gardner and King’s texts, such as:

• the importance of friendship and valuing one another
• shared goals
• overcoming threats and obstacles
• coming to a sober and mature understanding of death and respect
• breaking through emotional barriers
• relationships that shift over time

Alternatively, students could read Steven Herrick’s verse novel The Simple Gift* in their own time. Even if they have not read this coming-of-age text, they can still complete the following exercise:

Read the overview for The Simple Gift by Steven Herrick on the publisher’s website.

Without looking at the blurb on the back cover, write a similar synopsis for The Dead I Know using The Simple Gift as a model. Keep it short (no more than 70 words) and try to incorporate some aspects of character, plot and theme.

* Reading Australia resource available

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Rich assessment task 1

Reviewing the novel

1. Scaffolding: learning the form and preparing to write

Direct students to read some reviews of The Dead I Know. Share the links below, and perhaps give them time to browse the reader comments on Goodreads.

• Kirkus Reviews
• ReadPlus
• Weeksy Reviews

For each review, ask students to identify (by underlining, highlighting, etc.) the following features:

• evaluative language (judgements about the novel, positive and negative aspects of the review)
• references to how setting is evoked
• references to characters/characterisation
• references to use of language and style
• references to themes/important ideas

2. Writing the review

Now ask students to write their own reviews for The Dead I Know. Before commencing, discuss the concept of a balanced review and how a confronting book can also be a good book. Encourage students to consider how other readers and their classmates have responded to Gardner’s novel, and to acknowledge this diversity of opinions when writing their review.

Give students time to draft and plan the structure of their review. To help with scaffolding, provide the following word bank for writing about the novel:

Explain any unfamiliar terms. Challenge students to use at least FIVE words from this list. Also challenge them to add ONE sophisticated word of their own choosing (and to highlight it wherever it appears).

Students should aim to write 500 words for their review.

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In-class writing tasks

Use The Dead I Know as a springboard for composing ONE of the following creative, social, community and workplace texts.

NOTE: Due to the potentially sensitive nature of some of these tasks, you should proceed cautiously with students who may have concerns in these areas and ensure that adequate supports are in place.

Option 1

You have been invited to speak at a symposium about providing support and alternative educational pathways for students in exceptional circumstances (e.g. foster care, illness, family disruption, pregnancy). Write a speech entitled ‘A Second Chance’ that explores these ideas by drawing on the themes of The Dead I Know (e.g. having a ‘fair go’, seeing the good in someone by looking beyond the surface).

Option 2

Imagine that John Barton and Aaron Rowe are creating a manual for funeral directors. Research the features of a manual and compose a section entitled ‘Respect for the Dead and Their Families’.

NOTE: You don’t need to include details about preparing bodies for burial, unless this is something you are particularly interested in pursuing. You should, however, do some research about the real-life experiences of funeral directors. Here are some useful Australian examples:

• HuffPost – What It’s Actually Like To Work In A Funeral Home
• Burnett Regional Funeral Services – What is it like to be a funeral director?

Option 3

Compose a feature article for a website or magazine about ‘local hero’ John Barton and his contribution to society. You could explore how he turned his loss and grief into something fulfilling; his church involvement; his kindness toward troubled youths; his services to local families; and/or the compassion with which he treats the people in his care.

Option 4

Imagine that 30 years have passed since the end of the novel. Aaron has taken over JKB Funerals, and John Barton has recently passed away. Compose a eulogy for John’s funeral, to be delivered by Skye or Aaron, OR compose his obituary for the local newspaper, written by Aaron.

Option 5

Interview a person whose work involves helping people during times of loss (if you know such a person), such as:

• a nurse
• a doctor
• a funeral director
• a celebrant
• a minister of religion

Use this information to write an imaginative diary entry about a day at work from that person’s perspective.

Option 6

Research the impact of caring for someone with dementia. Write a brochure for young people about coping with a parent or grandparent with dementia.

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Final reflections

1. Ask students to revisit their ‘I used to think … but now I think …’ statements from the personal response handout (Initial Response > Personal Response on Reading the Text). Would they change what they wrote at the start of the unit? What would they add now?
2. Have students list what they see as the three most important themes in The Dead I Know. They can share these with the class or in small groups, justifying their opinions with references to the text.
3. Tell students that the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) named The Dead I Know as the Older Readers Book of the Year in 2012. Discuss what the judges may have seen in the novel to justify this honour.
4. Give each student a sticky note and ask them to record TWO ways in which studying this book/unit has improved their own writing, and ONE improvement they wish to aim for in future. Display these on the whiteboard or elsewhere in the classroom.

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Rich assessment task 2

Composing a persuasive letter

Imagine that The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner is about to be banned from study at your school, on the basis of being too dark and confronting for young readers. Write a letter to your Principal and Head of English to persuade them that this novel is a valuable work of literature and should remain on the school’s curriculum.

Before you start planning your letter, do some research about banned books (both historical and contemporary) and reflect on the reasons for book bans. Consider your own position on censorship and when/whether you think it is appropriate. The following resources may also be useful:

• Rupert Wallis’ 2014 Guardian article, ‘Why death is so important in YA fiction’
• Gavin Van Eede’s interview with Scot Gardner for the 2021 Coal Creek Literary Festival
• Your answers (and revisions) to the personal response handout
• The work you have done in class around the characters, language and important themes in The Dead I Know

Your letter must contain the following (not necessarily in this order):

• An acknowledgement that the novel is sometimes confronting (with examples)
• Discussion of the novel’s important themes and why they are significant (with examples)
• Evaluation of the novel’s language, i.e. what is so effective about Gardner’s writing (with examples)? How can students benefit from reading well-written texts like this?
• References to your own response to the novel and how this compares with others
• How you have benefited from reading the novel in terms of personal development, the development of your English skills, or both

Plan the structure of your argument carefully, and make sure you can support all your points with evidence from the novel. As this is a letter rather than a formal essay, you may write in the first person; however, you will still need to structure your writing carefully, using a serious tone and well-chosen, compelling and persuasive language. To that end, make sure you plan, draft, edit and proofread your work carefully before submitting it for assessment.

Your letter should be 600–800 words in length.

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