2015‘Elements of Gothic’ Predictions
After looking at previous exam papers, thisis what I believe might come up this year. I’ve gone through the AQA A2 Englishbook that I had been given photocopies of, as well as different themes andaspects that can come up for the exam. As I am studying Wuthering Heights,Frankenstein and Macbeth, I have only gone through these texts and Section B.
Remember, these are not guaranteed and shouldnot entirely be trusted.
WutheringHeights
June 14 – love being presented as emotion thatprovokes violence rather than tenderness (psychological)
June 13 – more suffering caused by diseasedmind rather than diseased body (psychological/character)
Jan 13 – above all, the novel is anexploration of fear (psychological/structure)
June 12 – ‘entrapped, imprisoned,disempowered’ (women/psychological)
Jan 12 – more suffering caused by mentalcruelty than physical cruelty (psychological/character)
Okay,so ‘psychological’ is one that comes up every year from what I can see and I’mcertain it will come up this year because the gothic genre is full ofpsychological aspects. However, I believe that the possible topic that willcome up is something to do with character for sure, but relates to somethinglike transgression or religion or maybe something to do with setting becauseneither have come up before for this text, yet have come up at least once foreither Section B, Frankenstein or Macbeth. I don’t think it will be a statementquestion because both June 12 and June 14 were statement question, so I thinkit’s more likely that it’s a ‘how far do you agree with the view that…’question.
Frankenstein
June 14 – novel is a total condemnation of transgression(transgression/religion)
June 13 – uses setting to contribute togothic effects (place & setting)
Jan 13 – boundaries between good and evilconstantly blurred, leaving reader with moral uncertainty (liminal)
June 12 – Monster is Frankenstein’s double,evil side of character? (character,doppelganger)
Jan 12 – ‘curdle the blood and quicken thebeatings of the heart’ – does she achieve her aims? (structure/psychological)
WithFrankenstein, transgression has come up last year, so I don’t see it coming upagain this year. However, psychological has only come up once so that’s apossibility because it’s come up a few times for other texts. Also, I thinkthat if transgression was to come up again, it would be more subtle, maybe withwomen – something along the lines of the lack of a ‘mother figure’? That wouldcover a lot of themes. Also, it could come up with religion, about the view ofreligion in the text, but I see that as less likely because June 14 did subtlysay it. So, it’s more likely women or psychological will come up.
Macbeth
June 14 – very moral play about punishment ofsin? (religion)
June 13 – play about nature of evil ratherthan the nature of ambition (gothicdrama/themes)
Jan 13 – (quote about Macbeth) consider himas a gothic protagonist in this context (character)
June 12 – significance of darkness andconcealment (psychological/religion)
Jan 12 – supernatural elements representMacbeth’s own internal struggles (character/psychological)
Sofor Macbeth, psychological and religion (to me) have come up twice, evencharacter. As papers are similar every two years, I’d say it would be somethingto do with themes or gothic drama, but maybe it will relate to women ortransgression at the same time? Even then, the pattern doesn’t seem to follow thatfor other texts. Still, I think it’s more likely that this will come up becausethey haven’t come up before.
SectionB
June 14 – (1) exciting because it allows usto think the unthinkable (structure/transgression)
(2) is a disturbing exploration of theunknown (psychological/other)
(3) human beings naturally inclined to evilrather than good (character)
June 13 – (1) fear and pain sources ofpleasure (psychological)
(2) ‘mad, bad and dangerous’ for gothicvillains (character)
(3) explores potential threats to normalvalues (transgression)
Jan 13 – (1) presentation of places moreinteresting than characters (place &setting/character)
(2) exploration of what cannot be explained’ (transgression/other)
(3) significance of entrapment (structure/themes)
June 12 – (1) warns dangers of aspiringbeyond limitations (religion/transgression)
(2) obsession is significant element (psychological/themes)
(3) gothic villains make evil seem attractive(character)
Jan 12 – (1) death punishment for sin (religion)
(2) demonstrates consequences of disruptingnatural order of things (transgression)
(3) lacks tension and suspense because end isalways inevitable (structure)
Sothree options for this section. Psychological is a big one, so are characterand transgression. I feel like all three will come up this year, alongside thepossibilities of women and religion. Structure doesn’t come up much but if itdoes, then it will relate to setting this year. Those seem most likely to comeup to me.
Iknow I always say women or religion but I think because this year has been ahuge year in general for feminism, as it’s always something I see. Religion andstructure are my gut feelings though and after the AS exam this year, I have togo with them too.
Let me know if you guys have any other ideas now that I've put this up!