English Literature Examinations Literature Paper 1-1 hour and 45 minutes Section A: Shakespeare: Macbeth (34 marks) Sample Question- You will be given an extract from Macbeth. Starting with this extract, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a powerful man. Write about: how Shakespeare presents Macbeth in this speech how Shakespeare presents Macbeth in the play as a whole. Top Tip- You will always be asked about a character or a theme. You might be asked about. Lady Macbeth as a weak/powerful woman Macbeth as a hero/villain Theme of friendship Theme of bravery Theme of violence Theme of betrayal Section B: 19 th Century Novel: A Christmas Carol (30 marks) Sample Question- Starting with this extract, how does Dickens present Scrooge as an outsider to society? Write about: how Dickens presents Scrooge in this extract how Dickens presents Scrooge as an outsider to society in the novel as a whole. Top Tip- You will always be asked about a character or a theme. You might be asked about. Scrooge as a changed man Theme of friendship Theme of poverty
Paper 2-2 hours and 15 minutes Section A: Modern Prose: An Inspector Calls (34 marks) Sample Question- EITHER How and why does Sheila change in An Inspector Calls? Write about: how Sheila responds to her family and to the Inspector how Priestley presents Sheila by the ways he writes. OR How does Priestley explore responsibility in An Inspector Calls? Write about: the ideas about responsibility in An Inspector Calls how Priestley presents these ideas by the ways he writes. Top Tip- THINK about which question you are going to pick. Section B: Poetry (30 marks) Sample Question- Compare how poets present attitudes towards a parent in Follower and in one other poem from Love and relationships. Themes to revise Romantic relationships Loss and longing Desire Parent/child relationships Section C: Unseen Poetry (32 marks) You will have two questions to answer. 1.In To a Daughter Leaving Home, how does the poet present the speaker s feelings about her daughter? 2. In both Poem for My Sister and To a Daughter Leaving Home the speakers describe feelings about watching someone they love grow up. What are the similarities and/or differences between the ways the poets present those feelings?
Useful Links http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/english/gcse Locate past papers here http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramamacbeth/ Macbeth Revision Link http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/summary.html Macbeth Plot Summary http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/christmascarol/summary.html A Christmas Carol Plot Summary http://www.gradesaver.com/an-inspector-calls/study-guide/summary An Inspector Calls Plot Summary http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramainspectorcalls/ An Inspector Calls Revision Link How do I Revise!? Watch adaptations of the plays/novels to refresh your memory. As you watch, make notes on characters and themes. The question will always ask you about one of these! Use the links above to read the plot summaries to ensure that you understand the narratives. You could write these up in your own words, on a timeline or draw a storyboard. Learn key quotations about characters and themes.
Key Quotations- Macbeth Macbeth is a soldier who is respected- "Brave Macbeth noble Macbeth. Macbeth believes his manhood is of paramount importance- "I dare do all that may become a man, who dares do more is none." Lady Macbeth is aware of her husband s limitations- "Yet I do fear thy nature; It is too full o' the milk of human kindness. Macbeth is set on becoming King- "I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition." Macbeth is fearful of killing King Duncan- False face must hide what the false heart doth know. Macbeth hallucinates- "Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand?" Macbeth does not sleep after murdering King Duncan- 'Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep. Macbeth deals with news of Lady Macbeth s death with grief- Out, out, brief candle! Macbeth does not believe that he can be killed, no man of woman born shall harm Macbeth Macbeth is not afraid to die at the end of the play- I'll fight till from my bones my flesh be hack'd. Lady Macbeth Lady Macbeth recognises her role as a woman in this time but refuses to conform to it, unsex me here. Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband into killing Duncan- screw your courage to the sticking place. Look like th innocent flower but be the serpent under t. Macbeth forgets to leave the daggers with King Duncan. She is not afraid to help, Give me the daggers. Macbeth sees her husband as weak, My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white. Lady Macbeth commits suicide at the end of the play as she cannot cope with her grief.
A Christmas Carol Scrooge Scrooge does not deal with the death of his business partner- Scrooge never painted out Old Marley s name. There it stood, years afterwards, above the warehouse door: Scrooge and Marley. Scrooge is mean with money- But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind- stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Scrooge is harsh both physically and mentally- Hard and sharp as flint Scrooge is lonely and prefers to be away from society- solitary as an oyster. External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. Scrooge does not treat those around him with respect- Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You re poor enough. Scrooge does not understand the value of family time- Every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.' Scrooge does not believe that poor people have the same rights- If they would rather die, said Scrooge, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. Scrooge has transformed by the end of the novella- I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. Marley Marley is a terrifying warning for Scrooge- I wear the chain I forged in life, After death, Marley cannot rest- No rest, no peace. Incessant torture of remorse. Marley recognises his ignorance and uses this to warn Scrooge- Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business! Fred Fred demonstrates how you don t have to have money to be kind- A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you! cried a cheerful voice. He doesn t understand his Uncle- What reason have you to be morose? You re rich enough. I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you; why cannot we be friends? I ll keep my Christmas humour to the last.
Scrooge asks Fred why he married- Because I fell in love. Fred is respectful to Scrooge even though he treats him badly- Fred drinks for his Uncle Fred, and it would be ungrateful not to drink his health. Here is a glass of mulled wine ready to our hand at the moment; and I say, Uncle Scrooge. Tiny Tim Tiny Tim serves as a message to Scrooge- Alas for Tiny Tim, he bore a little crutch, and had his limbs supported by an iron frame. God bless us every one. said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
An Inspector Calls Mr Birling Mr Birling has a strong physical presence- heavy looking, rather portentous man Mr Birling believes that his business is the most important thing- a hard headed practical man of business Mr Birling wants his business to expand- perhaps we may look forward to a time when Crofts and Birlings are no longer competing but are working together Mr Birling believes that he knows a lot about society- (Oh dear!) The Germans don t want war When talking about the Titanic unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable Mr Birling doesn t believe that rich/poor should mix. He is a capitalist- mixed up together like bees in a hive community and all that nonsense a man has to mind his own business and look out for himself and his own. He accepts no responsibility for the death of Eva Smith- the wretched girl s suicide she d had a lot to say far too much so she had to go of course. I must say Sybil, that when this comes out at the inquest, it isn t going to do us much good. The whole story s just a lot of moonshine. He isn t the greatest father (Eric-) You re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he s in trouble. That s why. Mrs Birling Mrs Birling believes that men and women have different roles- (To Sheila) when you re married, you ll realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend all their time and energy on their business. You ll have to get used to that, just as I had. (To Inspector Goole) You know of course that my husband was Lord Mayor only two years ago... (On Eric s drinking) he s only a boy.
Mrs Birling has expectations about the rich/poor- Girls of that class. Mrs Birling should be helping in the community and accepts no responsibility- You re a member, a prominent member, of the Brumley Women s Charity Organization, aren t you? We ve done a great deal of useful work in helping deserving causes. I didn t like her manner. She impertinently made use of our name. I did nothing I m ashamed of. IG to Mrs B. She came to you for help at a time when no woman could have needed it more. She was claiming elaborate fine feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl of her position. I blame the young man. He ought to be dealt with very severely. Gerald Gerald recognises the error of his ways- (Sheila to Gerald) Except for last summer when you wouldn t come near me. My God!...I ve suddenly realized taken it in properly that she d dead! I didn t install her there so I could make love to her. I didn t feel about her as she felt about me. Eric Eric accepts responsibility- I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty. (Mrs B) You stole money! You re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he s in trouble. That s why. You killed her and the child she d have had too my child You re beginning to pretend as if nothing s really happened at all. And I can t see it like that. The girl s still dead, isn t she? we helped to kill her. Sheila Sheila does not want to see things in the same way her Mother does- In response to mother s comment that women must get used to their husbands working all the time: I don t believe I will. Sheila recognises that things should change- But these girls aren t cheap labour they re people.
Sheila accepts responsibility and recognises the error of her ways- I felt rotten about it at the time and now I feel a lot worse. She was very pretty and looked like she could take care of herself. I hate to think how much he knows that we don t know yet. I know I m to blame and I m desperately sorry. he s giving us rope so that we ll hang ourselves. You were the wonderful fairy prince. You must have enjoyed it, Gerald.
Key quotations for Love and Relationships poetry cluster. When we two parted, Lord Byron. When we two parted In silence and tears Thy vows are all broken And light is thy fame Why wert though so dear? They name thee before me A knell in mine ear Long, long shall I rue thee, Half broken hearted Think about this phrase! Love s philosophy, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Nothing in the world is single; All things by a law divine In one another mingle- Why not I with thine?
Porphyria s Lover, Robert Browning The rain set early in to-night, When glided in Porphyria; Happy and proud; at last I knew Porphyria worshipped me; I debated what to do. That moment she was mine, mine, fair, I found a thing to do. and all her hair In one long yellow string I wound Tree times her little throat around, And strangled her. I am quite sure she felt no pain. As a shut bud holds a bee, I warily oped her lids. And all night long we have not stirred, And yet God has not said a word!
Sonnet 29- I think of thee! Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I think of thee!-my thoughts do twine and bud About thee, as wild vines, about a tree, When he s with her, I do not think of thee-i am too near thee. Neutral Tones, Thomas Hardy. And the sun was white, as though chidden of God, starving sod greyish leaves The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing Since then, keen lessons that love deceives, And wrings with wrong, have shaped to me Your face, Letters from Yorkshire, Maura Dooley. It s not romance, simply how things are. Is your life more real because you dig and sow? pouring light and air into an envelope. our souls tap out messages across the icy miles.
The Farmer s Bride, Charlotte Mew. Three summers since I chose a maid, Too young maybe- When us was wed she turned afraid Of love and me and all things human; Lying awake with her wide brown stare. We chased her, flying like a hare Before our lanterns. And turned the key upon her, fast. The women say that beasts in stall Look round like children at her call. Sweet as the first wild violets, she To her wild self. But what to me? What s Christmas time without there be Some other in the house than we! The brown of her-her eyes, her hair, her hair!
Walking Away, Cecil Day-Lewis I watched you play Your first game of football, then, like a satellite Wrenched from its orbit, go drifting away I have had worse partings, but none that so Gnaws at my mind still. And love is proved in the letting go. Eden Rock, Charles Causley. They are waiting for me somewhere beyond Eden rock: They beckon to me from the other bank. I had not thought it would be like this. Follower, Seamus Heaney. His shoulders globed like a full sail strung An expert. I stumbled in his hob-nailed wake, Sometimes he rode me on his back I was a nuisance, tripping, falling, Yapping always. But today, It is my father who keeps stumbling Behind me, and will not go away.
Mother, any distance, Simon Armitage Mother, any distance greater than a single span Requires a second pair of hands. You at the zero end, Anchor. Kite. your fingertips still pinch The last one-hundredth of an inch I reach towards a hatch that opens on an endless sky To fall or fly. Before you were mine, Carol Ann Duffy Your polka-dot dress blows around your legs. Marilyn. The decade ahead of my loud, possessive yell was the best one, eh? and whose small bites on your neck, sweetheart? I remember my hands in those high-heeled red shoes, relics, That glamorous love lasts where you sparkle and waltz and laugh before you were mine.
Winter Swans, Owen Sheers. as we skirted the lake, silent and apart, They mate for life you said (referring to the swans) I noticed our hands, that had, somehow Swum the distance between us And folded, one over the other, Like a pair of wings settling after flight. Singh Song! Daljit Nagra. after vee hav made luv Like vee rowing through Putney- my bride (repeated 3 times) She effing at my mum In all di colours of punjabi tiny eyes ov a gun And di tummy of a teddy She hav a red crew cut And she wear a tartan sari She runs a Sikh lover site where she book dem for meat at di chees ov her price-
Climbing my Grandfather, Andrew Waterhouse. I decide to do it free, without a rope or net. earth-stained hand. The nails are splintered Still firm shoulder smiling mouth knowing The pulse of his good heart.