AS CCEA English Literature

Does anyone have any predictions for Kavanagh/Yeats and Gatsby? There's so much to focus, I kind of want to narrow it down a little x

Reply 1

CERC

Original post by amelia0006

Does anyone have any predictions for Kavanagh/Yeats and Gatsby? There's so much to focus, I kind of want to narrow it down a little x

well last year, gatsby was relevance to the modern reader and realism so i doubt they will come up again!
Women could easily come up as it hasnt been tested recently, but i think thats a very easy question tbh! Or else something to do with Fitzgeralds dismal view of thr 1920s being a view thought by many!

I did Gatsby last year and if you need any help you can definitely ask!!
My advice would be to:

- Read the novel say five times ( if you dont have time, read online summaries - just know when everything happens, it makes essay writing easier)
- write out important quotes from each chapter
-as your writing quotes out, think to what question you would use them in e.g. Tom's racist rant could be used in a realism question where your showing the racist attitudes of the time etc.
do timed essays - not only will this allow you to write within the time, it will mean that you can construct arguments better and will be able to retrieve quotes quicker
- have dates and facts e.g. Clara Bow as being the 'it' girl of the 1920s, the date of the 19th and 18th Amendments, laws and regulations past to limit immigrants. These will make your essays sound more professional and that you know what your talking about.

but most importantly. know your quotes! because the question will have to allow you to argue and so therefore must allow you to use your knowledge of the text, if you KNOW your quotes you will be able to attempt most questions with little else revision!

Hope this helps! I know you didnt ask for tips but i just thought i'd pass on my knowledge! :smile:

Reply 2

amelia0006

Thank you so much! The tips are really helpful! The only thing is my teacher has given us a lot of essays to do over study leave in preparation, saying that she wants them planned and done well/detailed now, not to focus on timing so im not sure whether ill have enough time to do timed essays as well?

Reply 3

CERC

Original post by amelia0006

Your teacher is definitely right! Take say, two or three essay questions and plan, plan, plan. That way you'll be able to construct arguments and will have practise for the real thing. Get your teacher to mark these. (When i did detailed, untimed essays I did about 8 pages - too much for a real exam but its really good exam prep and gives you experience of recollecting quotes, dates, facts.)

If your happy with the way you approach essays, then do at least one timed essay. Theres nothing worse than going into an exam and not knowing how long to spend on certain points.

What's more, i found that the same points could be made for different essays. for example, the referencing to flappers, prohibition, gangsters could be applied to a realism question as well as a question about fitzgeralds dismal outlook on the life in the 1920s!

From my own experience, essay writing is the best prep. Last year a week before my exam i did a realism essay and got 55/60 and the exam question was a realism question, so i was able to regurgitate my answer! LOL

Anyway, best of luck!!