Timings

1
Timings

• This exam lasts for 1 hour 45 minutes.
• You need to spend 45 minutes on Section A.
• You need to spend 1 hour on Section B.

2
What youre being tested on

• In this exam, you will be
• writing about
• Your prose text in Section A.
• The poetry from the Literature section of your
  Anthology in Section B.

3
The prose text

• Read the question carefully.
• Underline key words so that you know exactly what
  youre being asked to do.
• Prepare a plan in which you write down your key
  ideas or points (think PEE!).
• Look through the text and select short quotations
  that will back up these ideas.

4
What the examiners are looking for

• A sensitive, detailed and well-expressed response
• Comments on language
• structure
• form
• Brief quotations to support your ideas
• A willingness to explore different
  interpretations and layers of meaning
• A willingness to explore the effect of the
  writers choices.

5
You need to think about . . .

• What important characters say, do and represent
• How characters and relationships change and
  develop
• The use of minor characters what function do
  they serve?
• How the writer uses different settings to bring
  out ideas and feelings
• The importance of key events in the novel

6
. . . continued . . .

• Why the writer orders events in the way that s/he
  does
• How the writer shows ideas, thoughts and feelings
  by means of the language characters speak
• How the writer shows ideas, thoughts and feelings
  by the use of description
• Key images, metaphors, similes in the novel
• Why the novel starts/finishes in the way that it
  does

7
. . . and again!

• What you are left thinking and feeling at the end
  of the novel
• What you think the writer was trying to say
  when writing the novel
• The appropriateness or significance of the
  novels title
• Your own responses to the novels characters,
  themes and ideas

8
The poetry

• Remember, you will be writing about either
• Simon Armitage and Carol Ann Duffy
• Or
• Seamus Heaney and Gillian Clarke
• You will also be writing about some of the
  pre-1914 poems.

9
How many poems?

• You will need to write about 4 poems in this
  essay.
• You dont need to write the same amount on each
  one.
• At least one poem will be named.

10
Planning the poetry essay

• As always, read the question carefully. Some
  questions have two parts to them make sure that
  you read both parts.
• Again, underline the key words so that you know
  exactly what youre being asked to do.
• As you are writing about four poems, divide your
  page into four so that you can prepare a suitable
  plan.

11
Planning continued

• Choose the poems carefully.
• Write down your key ideas or points (think PEE!).
• Look through the text and select short quotations
  that will back up these ideas.
• Look for similarities and differences between the
  poems that you can comment on when youre
  comparing them.

12
What the examiners are looking for

• A sensitive, detailed and well-expressed response
• Comments on language
• structure
• form
• Brief quotations to support your ideas
• A willingness to explore different
  interpretations and layers of meaning
• A willingness to explore the effect of the
  writers choices
• The ability to make suitable comparisons between
  texts

13
You need to think about

• The subject matter of the poems
• The form (e.g. sonnet) and structure of the poem
• The writers use of images
• The voice that the poet uses 1st person,
  personal, adopting a persona, tone of voice
• The significance of sounds within the poem

14
. . . continued . . .

• The effect that the poem has upon the reader
• The effect that key words or phrases have upon
  the reader
• The thoughts, feelings and ideas that are being
  explored in the poem
• The appropriateness or significance of the title

15
Some useful poetic terms
16
Finally . . .

• Youve worked hard and now is the time to show
  the examiner how knowledgeable you are.
• Good Luck from
• everyone in the English Department!