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OCR GCSE English Literature 22nd May 2012

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Is anyone else doing the exam tomorrow?
I'm doing A View from the Bridge and not looking forward to it.

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Reply 1
Yep doing same thing. What you nervous about?
I'm doing Of mice and men, and An inspector calls.
For a 40 mark question, I really don't know what to put in my question...Any tips? Aiming for C/B grade for both.
Yup doing that also :biggrin: my target being A/A* i am trying to some revision, that's all I can do tbh and considering we don't know what the questions will be on or about we are in the dark, so lets just hope they haven't made it too difficult eh? :smile: and i am also doing of mice and men also... such fun :biggrin:
Original post by melissaandthecat
I'm doing Of mice and men, and An inspector calls.
For a 40 mark question, I really don't know what to put in my question...Any tips? Aiming for C/B grade for both.


I'm doing those as well! - For OMAM just throw in lots of context about the troubled times and the problems with life etc, but all you need to is answer the question over and over. Just take it line by line and see how each line 'makes it dramatic' or whatever; then quote what you found, explain how it answers the question, and move to the next line :biggrin:

I'm no expert, but if you just answer the question, quote, explain quotes, and show a bit of background knowledge to the texts, you'll easily get your B/C
Original post by OllieGCSEs
I'm doing those as well! - For OMAM just throw in lots of context about the troubled times and the problems with life etc, but all you need to is answer the question over and over. Just take it line by line and see how each line 'makes it dramatic' or whatever; then quote what you found, explain how it answers the question, and move to the next line :biggrin:

I'm no expert, but if you just answer the question, quote, explain quotes, and show a bit of background knowledge to the texts, you'll easily get your B/C


Do we need to bring anything in? How do we get the quotes, do we just refer to the one in the passage they give us?
Reply 6
Doing OCR Of Mice and Men tomorrow too...how are you revising?
Original post by melissaandthecat
Do we need to bring anything in? How do we get the quotes, do we just refer to the one in the passage they give us?


For me, they provide copies of the texts. If you're doing exactly the same thing as me etc, they should provide you with two questions, an extract based one and a general one. The extract will focus on a sample of the text, and you answer the question according to that, and ONLY that, so you take quotes from there etc (which i find easier), the general one will require you to make your own references etc, which is harder in my opinion.

Gotta run now :frown:, good luck everyone!
Original post by OllieGCSEs
For me, they provide copies of the texts. If you're doing exactly the same thing as me etc, they should provide you with two questions, an extract based one and a general one. The extract will focus on a sample of the text, and you answer the question according to that, and ONLY that, so you take quotes from there etc (which i find easier), the general one will require you to make your own references etc, which is harder in my opinion.

Gotta run now :frown:, good luck everyone!


OH, ok. Thanks! Good luck everyone too!
Reply 9
Guys how did you find it in the end?
Reply 10
Original post by Gorganite
Guys how did you find it in the end?


It was okay. :smile:

How about you??
Reply 11
I did A View From the Bridge and the extract was AWFUL :frown:
Reply 12
Original post by tomaird
I did A View From the Bridge and the extract was AWFUL :frown:


What did you write about in the extract?
My points were the growing inevitability of the tragic fate
The perverse nature of the love for his niece -highlighted by alfieri and his objectification of Catherine.
Eddie's emotional trauma as he is helpless to change the events occuring around him, and how he doesn't understand it so lashes out.
How the law is unable to help him and forces him to eventually betray his whole community. (that was my weakest point).
You?
I did An Inspector Calls then Of Mice and Men.

I regret taking the passage based question for AiC, it wasn't awful and I think I made good points but it wasn't analytical enough. I said some things like Mrs Birling's replies are short and staccato like when trying to resist revealing the information she is hiding, which then changes later in the passage, but I didn't do enough of it, so expecting a B. :frown: It was alright I guess.
I said stuff like Mrs Birling's condemning of her own grandchild and how she brings up 'responsibility' at the end of the passage, the Inspector's huge influence, especially over Sheila, the fact that the older generation seem more concerned with their image compared to the younger Sheila who is 'more impressionable' and how that relates to Priestely's left-wing views as it is a Morality Play.. They sound like they could make good points but I didn't write them well enough or analyse words/phrases enough.

Of Mice and Men was good though, it was a nice short passage and there was a lot to say. i.e. Curley wears high-heeled boots like his father to try and replicate the authority that his father commands, but doesn't quite convince us that he does, as Steinbeck repeats the fact that the man is 'young' and inexperienced. Then I repeated what it says in the York Notes about the fact that Steinbeck starts with vivid imagery when describing a character first and how his descriptions hold great meaning, similar to a play's stage directions which adds to the play-like structure of the novel or something.. Then I talked about the relationship between Lennie and George, the hint at homophobia 'so it's that way', and what life was like for minorities there, then I talked about foreshadowing what happens later in the novel. Plus some other stuff. I hope I did well :L
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 14
Original post by Disintegration
I did An Inspector Calls then Of Mice and Men.

I regret taking the passage based question for AiC, it wasn't awful and I think I made good points but it wasn't analytical enough. I said some things like Mrs Birling's replies are short and staccato like when trying to resist revealing the information she is hiding, which then changes later in the passage, but I didn't do enough of it, so expecting a B. :frown: It was alright I guess.
I said stuff like Mrs Birling's condemning of her own grandchild and how she brings up 'responsibility' at the end of the passage, the Inspector's huge influence, especially over Sheila, the fact that the older generation seem more concerned with their image compared to the younger Sheila who is 'more impressionable' and how that relates to Priestely's left-wing views as it is a Morality Play.. They sound like they could make good points but I didn't write them well enough or analyse words/phrases enough.

Of Mice and Men was good though, it was a nice short passage and there was a lot to say. i.e. Curley wears high-heeled boots like his father to try and replicate the authority that his father commands, but doesn't quite convince us that he does, as Steinbeck repeats the fact that the man is 'young' and inexperienced. Then I repeated what it says in the York Notes about the fact that Steinbeck starts with vivid imagery when describing a character first and how his descriptions hold great meaning, similar to a play's stage directions which adds to the play-like structure of the novel or something.. Then I talked about the relationship between Lennie and George, the hint at homophobia 'so it's that way', and what life was like for minorities there, then I talked about foreshadowing what happens later in the novel. Plus some other stuff. I hope I did well :L


My points for Of Mice and Men were:
Curley's attempt to show dominance through his aggressive stances (to make up for his short height and tiny descriptions)-showing the importance of masculine dominance in the ranch and the hierarchy.
George's patience with Curley's aggression so as not to step out of his position in the strict hierarchical regime on the ranch.
Curley's immediate attack on the defenceless Lennie (due to his mental disadvantages) and how he depends on George to back him up.

And then because my english teacher always tells me to write 4 points-and by this stage I was running out...
His suspicions in their closeness because it is an uncommon relationship to have in such hostile times of unemployment where every man must fight for himself rather than protect a companion.

do you think they sound ok?
Original post by milworthy
My points for Of Mice and Men were:
Curley's attempt to show dominance through his aggressive stances (to make up for his short height and tiny descriptions)-showing the importance of masculine dominance in the ranch and the hierarchy.
George's patience with Curley's aggression so as not to step out of his position in the strict hierarchical regime on the ranch.
Curley's immediate attack on the defenceless Lennie (due to his mental disadvantages) and how he depends on George to back him up.

And then because my english teacher always tells me to write 4 points-and by this stage I was running out...
His suspicions in their closeness because it is an uncommon relationship to have in such hostile times of unemployment where every man must fight for himself rather than protect a companion.

do you think they sound ok?


Yeah, they sound better than mine anyway :tongue: I said stuff similar to George's patience for Curley, that they're hopelessness reflects the authority/advantages that Curley has over them, being the boss' son.
I guess we won't know until results day. :|
Reply 16
did anyone do the extract for to kill a mockingbird?
Reply 17
Original post by Disintegration
I did An Inspector Calls then Of Mice and Men.

I regret taking the passage based question for AiC, it wasn't awful and I think I made good points but it wasn't analytical enough. I said some things like Mrs Birling's replies are short and staccato like when trying to resist revealing the information she is hiding, which then changes later in the passage, but I didn't do enough of it, so expecting a B. :frown: It was alright I guess.
I said stuff like Mrs Birling's condemning of her own grandchild and how she brings up 'responsibility' at the end of the passage, the Inspector's huge influence, especially over Sheila, the fact that the older generation seem more concerned with their image compared to the younger Sheila who is 'more impressionable' and how that relates to Priestely's left-wing views as it is a Morality Play.. They sound like they could make good points but I didn't write them well enough or analyse words/phrases enough.

Of Mice and Men was good though, it was a nice short passage and there was a lot to say. i.e. Curley wears high-heeled boots like his father to try and replicate the authority that his father commands, but doesn't quite convince us that he does, as Steinbeck repeats the fact that the man is 'young' and inexperienced. Then I repeated what it says in the York Notes about the fact that Steinbeck starts with vivid imagery when describing a character first and how his descriptions hold great meaning, similar to a play's stage directions which adds to the play-like structure of the novel or something.. Then I talked about the relationship between Lennie and George, the hint at homophobia 'so it's that way', and what life was like for minorities there, then I talked about foreshadowing what happens later in the novel. Plus some other stuff. I hope I did well :L


What exam board did you do? I did a completely different question for OMAM by the looks of it :confused:
Original post by mintbear
What exam board did you do? I did a completely different question for OMAM by the looks of it :confused:


OCR, the new-ish spec that started in 2010.
I did OMAM and AIC too, and judging by the fact that i didn't walk out regretting anything, i like to think i did well enough for my target :smile: (Y)

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