GRAHAM JOYCE - TEACHERS' NOTES

Text taken from: TWOC

Download the original text pdf file of TWOC here.

About the book

TWOC, Graham Joyce’s twelfth novel, was published in 2005. It tells the story of fifteen-year-old Matt Norris, whose life’s been hell since a joyriding accident. His brother Jake is dead, and Jake’s girlfriend has been hideoulsy scarred. Now Jake is back, haunting Matt, appearing at his bedroom window dressed in outrageous costumes. What does he want? Why does he remember the accident differently? What exactly happened that day? They were too stoned to know…Desperate to unlock the truth, Matt attempts a reconstruction of that terrible day, with mid-blowing consequences.

Notes for Teachers

The following notes correspond to the TWOC readers' notes, where activities for reading groups can be found. 

Before reading

• Activity 1
  TWOC is an acronym for Taken Without Owner's Consent. Synonyms used by police in the UK include: UTMV - Unauthorised Taking of a Motor Vehicle, and TADA or TDA - Taken and Driven Away. TWOC has become the term used by the police in England and Wales to describe any unauthorised use of a car or other conveyance that is not actual theft (theft implies the intention to permanently deprive the owner of their goods). The term came to prominence with a sharp rise in car crime in the early-1990s. In police slang usage, twoc became a verb, with twoccing (or TWOC-ing) and twoccers used respectively to describe car theft and those who perpetrate it. These usages have filtered into general British slang. Twoccing usually describes joyriding, where all that is intended is an unauthorised use for a short period of time.

• Activity 2
  The road-safety charity 'Brake' provides the following information on joyriding in the UK here.
  By law, there are two charges relating to joyriding, explained as:
  Taking a vehicle without consent (often referred to as TWOC-ing).
  This offence is committed when a person takes a vehicle without the owner’s consent for his own or another’s use. In addition, the offence can be committed by someone who knows that a vehicle has been taken without consent and proceeds to drive it or travel in it.
  The offence carries with it:
  • a maximum prison sentence of 6 months and/or
  • a maximum fine of £5,000
  • discretionary disqualification from driving.
  Aggravated vehicle taking without owner’s consent
  This offence is committed when a person takes a vehicle without the owner’s consent and additionally it is proved that after the vehicle was taken and before it was recovered one of the following occurred:
  • the vehicle was driven dangerously on a road or other public place;
  • owing to the driving of the vehicle, an incident occurred by which injury was caused to any person;
  • owing to the driving of the vehicle, an incident occurred by which damage was caused to any property other than the vehicle;
  • that damage was caused to the vehicle.
  The offence is an either-way offence which means it can be tried at either Magistrates Court or Crown Court. If tried at Crown Court, the offence carries a penalty of:
  • a maximum prison sentence of two years
  • a maximum prison sentence of 14 years if a death was caused, 'owing to the driving of the vehicle' and the case is heard in a Crown Court.
  If tried at Magistrates Court, the offence carries a penalty of:
  • a maximum prison sentence of six months an/or
  • a fine up to £5,000

Read in detail

• Activity 1
  It seems Matt has been involved in a joyriding incident. His parents may think he needs support and are spoiling him. Perhaps his father is talking slowly and emphatically to make sure he can understand? He seems to be addressing the reader.

• Activity 2
  Jake is Matt’s dead brother. Readers may think he’s just an 'imaginary friend', but there’s a clue on page 1: 'I think about rolling a spliff just to keep my thoughts off Jake. Just a  little one. Though that might have Dad knocking on the door and going, ‘Jake! What’s That Funny Smell?’' Who would Matt’s father address in that way?

• Activity 3
  Name: Matt
  His room: Full of technology – has a window where he can see Jake
  What he likes: Listening to music at full blast, Debbie Summerhill, Playing Gravity Drop! On his Playstation
  What worries him: Jake at the window – his parents’ attitude since 'it happened'
  Any other information you consider important  

• Activity 4
  Open answer. Surely readers will want to know what it is that happened and has led to the present situation, who Jake is, what Matt will do about Jake’s presence at the window.

After reading

• Activity 1 & 2: Open answers
  

Extension

• Activity 1: Refer readers to the Brake webpage.