The History Boys: Ethics - Analysis & Annotation

English
Year 9
0 questions
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About This Worksheet

A worksheet exploring ethical themes in The History Boys through scene summaries and analysis prompts designed to develop critical thinking and literary annotation skills.

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The History Boys: Ethics - Analysis & Annotation

Subject: EnglishGrade: Year 9
Name:
Date:
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Grade Year 9
A

Scene Summary and Context

In this pivotal scene from 'The History Boys', the characters grapple with moral dilemmas regarding honesty, privilege, and the pursuit of knowledge. The scene depicts a classroom setting where the teacher challenges the students' values, asking them to consider the ethics of their ambitions. As the conversation unfolds, the characters debate whether ends justify means, and how personal integrity conflicts with societal expectations. The dialogue is rich with subtle hints of irony and character tension, exemplifying themes of morality and educational integrity. Short phrases such as 'the truth', 'the right choice', and 'what's fair' are embedded within the dialogue, serving as focal points for analysis of ethical language and character motivation. This scene exemplifies how theatrical techniques like dialogue, tone, and word choice are used to explore complex moral issues.
1.
Identify one phrase from the scene summary that highlights a central ethical dilemma.
[2 marks]
2.
What is the primary moral question posed by the teacher in this scene?
[2 marks]
3.
Analyse the use of dialogue in conveying the moral tension between characters.
[4 marks]
4.
Identify and explain one literary technique used in the scene summary to emphasise ethical themes.
[3 marks]
5.
Select the phrase that best demonstrates irony in the scene: 'the truth', 'the right choice', or 'what's fair'.
[1 mark]
Aa) 'the truth'
Bb) 'the right choice'
Cc) 'what's fair'
6.
Discuss how the characters' perspectives on honesty reflect broader societal values.
[4 marks]
7.
Create a short speech (25 lines) where one character argues in favour of moral flexibility. Include at least two rhetorical devices.
[5 marks]
8.
In your speech, ensure you use rhetorical questions and parallelism to strengthen your argument. Check off these devices in your response.
[3 marks]
9.
Reflect on how the theme of ethics in the scene relates to your own experiences or current events.
[4 marks]
10.
Summarise in your own words the main ethical conflict presented in the scene.
[2 marks]

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Details

Created
12/31/2025
Updated
12/31/2025
Type
worksheet