Mudlarks
of Glastonbury
• In Victorian times mudlarks were children who prowled the mudflats of
the Thames at low tide to retrieve items of value. There is an idea of
finding treasure in squalor that could maybe be applied to Glastonbury
2005 which was a mud bath but which people took pleasure in. The
Mudlarks were also a 1950’s group, but |I don’t know if there’s any
relevance in that.
• The pictures tell the story as much as the words do, and take up a proportional amount of space.
• This is a piece very much in the first person – like Elizabeth Day’s
• The subhead refers to Julius Caesar “Veni, vedi, vici”; “I came, I saw, I conquered”. TASK: What do we call this technique of using a group of 3?
• Paragraph 1 uses a series of verbs which bring a sense of drama to the events. TASK: Identify and list them.
There is a short sentence “Then came the deluge” sandwiched between the longer sentences on either side. TASK: What is the effect of this?
• Paragraph 2 contains some grammatical “errors” . TASK: Identify and analyse the effects of these deliberate mistakes.
• Paragraph 3 describes events at the Avalon stage. TASK:
What does the name of the stage tell us about the type of act playing
there? What other word in the paragraph reinforces this? What do you
think Liddle’s attitude to these people is? What is your evidence?
• Paragraph 4 suggests that the mud is on a grand scale. TASK:
How does Liddle use language to suggest the extent of the mud? Comment
on the effectiveness of the words “Such as Devon”.
• Paraagraph 5 uses the phrases “immense, sultry and beatific” and “filthy, wet and miserable”. TASK: Comment on these phrases.
• Paragraph 6 shows Liddle laughing at both himself and the situation.
The festival is depicted as being very PC (politically correct). TASK:
In what ways is the festival shown to be PC? Comment on the
significance of “botuloburger”. Google “trustafarian” – go to Urban
Dictionary – and provide a definition.
• Paragraph 8 sees the article turn; it becomes less an extended
anecdote and more an exploration of the changing ethos and philosophy
of Glastonbury. TASK: What evidence does he cite of this change?
• Paragraph 9 – TASK: Why does he say people used to go to Glastonbury?
• Paragraph 10 – TASK: What does he say Glastonbury has become?
• Paragraph 11 points out contrasts in the appearance of different kinds of festival goer. TASK:
What are they and what do they suggest about the direction in which the
festival is headed? What simile does he use to suggest that Glastonbury
has gone upmarket?
• Paragraph 12 has an oxymoronic opening sentence. TASK: Explain what is meant by oxymoronic and quote the words which give this effect.
• Paragraph 13 suggests that Liddle finds the behaviour of the other journalists hypocritical. TASK: Identify and quote the evidence which supports this assertion.
• Paragraph 14 is one sentence. TASK: What do you think is the tone of this sentence?