Professional paper
Elements of Western Culture and History in Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. A Possible Resource for Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Joanna Łękawska
orcid.org/0000-0002-3138-1008
; University of Warsaw
Abstract
This paper aims to explore the elements of Western culture and history
in Neil’s Gaiman’s novel Neverwhere and show how it can be used in teaching efl.
The novel is an urban fantasy set in London, in which the protagonist by accident
discovers the existence of London Below, a realm ruled by its own laws, but very
connected to its counterpart in the “real” world. The city of London is almost
a character in the novel, with both its dark and illustrious moments of history
and the complexities of a modern city. The novel may be used to teach London
geography and explore its rich history. Each tube station or street name which
is mentioned contains an additional meaning, which helps the reader broaden
their vocabulary and improve the use of metaphoric language. The novel also
abounds in allusions to literary works, from Robinson Crusoe, Shylock from
Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, to Mansfield Park. Lastly, by exploring the
reality of London Below, the novel may be used as a teaching tool for the problem
of homelessness and the attitudes that surround it, all in the context of tefl.
Keywords
urban fantasy, literature, efl, London, metaphor, homelessness
Hrčak ID:
255695
URI
Publication date:
13.4.2021.
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