Black Sheep in Exams in Germany?
Apr 28th, 2009 | By Ben Peek | Category: UncategorizedYesterday, I was left a comment on my blog by Lisa, who I assume is German. She said, “Hey Ben!!!
Do you know that your book Black Sheep was chosen for the German final examinations. Sounds kind of interesting. I think I am going to buy it to read the whole book. Hope I did well in analysing the scene.
Good luck for your career, Lisa.”
So.
I had no idea. Anyone else heard this?
I’d be curious to see what scene they used, and if it was translated into German, and how that happened, and if anyone was contacted about it. Hell, I just got no idea what’s going on. Perhaps another Ben Peek wrote another Black Sheepand it is him.
April 29th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Ben, how goes it?
I was wondering if there was a way of contacting you? I have a request from a fellow writer and PhD student at UNSW. You can get me on the email provided. Hope to hear from you soon.
Cheers.
May 1st, 2009 at 3:46 am
Hey Ben,
it’s right, what Lisa said. In the final exams for the subject “English basic course” you can choose two topics:
One was a globalization text and the other one was your dystopian novel. I chose it ;-). It was the extract, where Isao is send to prison.
Tasks:
1.) You should write the situation of Isao and what his crime was.
2.) Analyse the extract (atmosphere, language etc.)
3.1) Write a comment with the today’s problem with Multiculturalism.
May 1st, 2009 at 4:38 pm
man, that’s cool. thanks so much for that.
June 8th, 2009 at 12:24 am
Hi Ben,
this is the only way I found to contact you, I hope it’s the right one.
I’m actually one of those teachers whose students were given an extract from your novel Black Sheep in their Abitur exam. To be honest, I told them to take the other topic, because I was afraid they couldn’t handle the novel extract. Most students seem to have done so here in Northrhine Westphalia. On the other hand I went straight to Amazon and ordered the book. I haven’t started reading it though because it just doesn’t seem like one of those nice bedtime readings and besides I’m deep in Inkworld (Cornelia Funke) right now - totally different, I assume. Today I googled you and read that you are compared to Atwood and Ishiguro? I absolutely adore Atwood and I loathe Ishiguro, I never finished The Remains of the Day because it almost bored me to death. So I wonder what to expect from you. I’ll keep you posted from this side of the globe, if you want.
By the way, in Germany each state makes its own high school exams. Northrhine-Westphalia introduced the so-called central exam (same exam for all students) a few years ago. It seems that the ministry picks out teachers to hand in proposals, one of them must have read your novel. Although the requirements have always included dystopian novels like Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451 and The Handmaid’s Tale, students may not get extracts fromt he novels they are required to read.
Baerbel (Barbara)
June 8th, 2009 at 3:45 am
hey baerbel,
thanks for leaving your comment. i’ve been particularly thankful of everyone whose come into contact with black sheep this way leaving me a note–got no other way to do so otherwise
you’re right that the book isn’t a comfy bedtime kind of book, but here’s hoping you dig it. the comparison of atwood and ishiguro is very nice, of course, but not one that i’d pay any particular attention too. though, personally, i always liked the latter more than the former, but both are fine writers, in my opinion (and nice company for small old me).