Revision for WJEC English Literature A2 exam: help!!

I'm doing Lear/Oedipus and Blake, I've left revision a little late for this (concentrating on Maths and Physics) so I'm playing catch up.

For Blake I've been trying to select as few poems as possible to cover the most ground (at the moment it's Tyger/Lamb, Pretty Rose Tree/Sick Rose, and both of the Chimney-sweepers), these seem to cover most themes (I also considered School Boy, Little Black Boy, Holy Thursday, London, both Introductions and Human Abstract/Divine Image and I may still learn a quote here or there from these). I'm predicting childhood (or something easily relatable) will come uo.

I've attached a spreadsheet of the Poetry questions and what the mark scheme says in regards to Blake.

In the exam, for both essays, I'm planning to make three points (plus an introduction and conclusion) with approximately 15 quotes, 5 pieces of expanded on critic, 6 links, and 6 reference to context. Do you think this will be sufficient (I need a B to achieve an A overall, or an E to achieve a B overall)?

Blake - PPQ.pdf66.7KB

Reply 5

Antspitfire333

6

I am doing the same course: Blake, Measure and Malfi. Blake I can do (A in my latest essay) but the plays I cannot. We've been taught not to 'analyse' like we do in Blake, which is usually my basis of thought (how I actually do the english) is void for this part of the exam. I can readily recall/link aspects of the plays to relevant themes i.e the Duke 'appears' to be a Friar but in 'reality' plays a Machiavellian trick on Angelo (and the other characters), such was a question last year. However, this 'stating' is not enough: being 'critical' is, apparently, what I must do. Even then, do I question how is a theme included in a play, how successful that theme is played out by the characters or something else? My understanding becomes especially ambiguous when it is a one worded theme- e.g 'duty'- rather than something to actually argue against, such as 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely'. Teachers do not help.
Help me!!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 6

hi for blake I am just learning six poems that can link in to a variety of themes. From what I have seen it doesn't really matter too much about what comes up as you can normally link it to whatever you want. I say this but I hope something on political ideas or contrast comes up as a question. My teacher has told us the best way to do the exam is to have a sort of checklist as you write a paragraph to see if you have included all the AOS to make it obvious to the examiner that you know your stuff! xx

Reply 7

idontevenknowY

Hey!

So the English Lit exam is on Friday and I've just been on the WJEC website and looked at the spec, it says in the A2 section that the poetry section on the exam is open book, however I've been told by my teacher that the whole exam is closed book. Can anyone help? Have I misunderstood something? Here's the link to what I read (its page 12).
http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/english/english-literature-gce-a-as/wjec-gce-english-lit-spec-from-2015.pdf?language_id=1&dotcache=no&dotcache=refresh

Thanks in advance.

Reply 8

08hussainf

14

Original post by idontevenknowY

Hey!

So the English Lit exam is on Friday and I've just been on the WJEC website and looked at the spec, it says in the A2 section that the poetry section on the exam is open book, however I've been told by my teacher that the whole exam is closed book. Can anyone help? Have I misunderstood something? Here's the link to what I read (its page 12).
http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/english/english-literature-gce-a-as/wjec-gce-english-lit-spec-from-2015.pdf?language_id=1&dotcache=no&dotcache=refresh

Thanks in advance.

It's a closed book exam so you need to know your quotes by heart!

Reply 9

OP

Original post by Annemariexx

hi for blake I am just learning six poems that can link in to a variety of themes. From what I have seen it doesn't really matter too much about what comes up as you can normally link it to whatever you want. I say this but I hope something on political ideas or contrast comes up as a question. My teacher has told us the best way to do the exam is to have a sort of checklist as you write a paragraph to see if you have included all the AOS to make it obvious to the examiner that you know your stuff! xx

Good idea! Which poems did you chose?

Reply 10

Original post by AHC25

Good idea! Which poems did you chose?

I am definitely revising the two holy Thursdays, because they are really good for questions on imagery, simplicity, politics, society, children or religion. And then I am looking at Echoing Green and London (London is really good for context) and the then little boy lost and little boy found from innocence. What ones are you focussing on?

Reply 11

Nifeylolaxo

The exam is the day after tomorrow and I am freaking out soo much right now. Is it necessary to know all of Blake's poems off by heart or can I get away with a few?????

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 12

OP

Original post by Annemariexx

I am definitely revising the two holy Thursdays, because they are really good for questions on imagery, simplicity, politics, society, children or religion. And then I am looking at Echoing Green and London (London is really good for context) and the then little boy lost and little boy found from innocence. What ones are you focussing on?

Ahh nice! I haven't done a couple of those but I'm focusing on both Nurses Songs, both Holy Thursdays, both Chimney Sweepers, London, the Lamb, The Tiger, The Little Vagabond, The Garden of Love, The Schoolboy and the Sick Rose (maybe a couple of others too...) ((Obviously I'm not doing what you're doing but your way makes 100% more sense!)) :wink:

Reply 13

shaylux

8

How many poems per essay is everyone aiming for? I'm trying to do 2/3 with a couple snippets of others..

Reply 14

Original post by AHC25

Ahh nice! I haven't done a couple of those but I'm focusing on both Nurses Songs, both Holy Thursdays, both Chimney Sweepers, London, the Lamb, The Tiger, The Little Vagabond, The Garden of Love, The Schoolboy and the Sick Rose (maybe a couple of others too...) ((Obviously I'm not doing what you're doing but your way makes 100% more sense!)) :wink:

Wow you have done so much, like genuinely that has made me feel like ... honestly all the poems you have under the belt you are going to do amazing! honesty you got this! :smile:

(mine isn't sense its mainly focusing on one exam far more than any others and then realising that English should have been focussed on a bit more)

Reply 15

Original post by Nifeylolaxo

The exam is the day after tomorrow and I am freaking out soo much right now. Is it necessary to know all of Blake's poems off by heart or can I get away with a few?????

hey only learning 6, if your panicked try and find two poems that go into almost all the themes you can think of, my go to is Holy Thursdays and London vs Echoing Green, hope this helps xx

Reply 16

OP

Original post by Annemariexx

Wow you have done so much, like genuinely that has made me feel like ... honestly all the poems you have under the belt you are going to do amazing! honesty you got this! :smile:

(mine isn't sense its mainly focusing on one exam far more than any others and then realising that English should have been focussed on a bit more)

Ahh thank you so much! I haven't learnt them all off by heart though! Just key quotes etc. And I know what you mean! I did that last year and it didn't end very well so I'm revising a bit harder this year!

Reply 17

OP

Original post by shaylux

How many poems per essay is everyone aiming for? I'm trying to do 2/3 with a couple snippets of others..

I'm doing 4 but that's what my college has told everyone to do! I think 3 would definitely be enough though!

Reply 18