The Student Room Group

GCSE AQA English Literature - June 2016 *Official Thread*

Scroll to see replies

Original post by Ram235
Good question! Personally I doubt the American dream will come up, however if it does, I don't think they will specifically ask you to demonstrate the idea through using the characters as such, however both of the questions you have stated are similar, in that both require the usage of characters. That being said, they are bound to make this years paper much harder, so it should follow that if the American dream does come up, the first bit will most probably be the paragraph on the 'fatta the lan' then part B as per usual will be to show how the American dream is demonstrated throughout the text. As I said, I personally don't think the questions will be based on the American dream.

Hope that answers your question, sorry for the long post.


I'm just wondering... why do you doubt that it will come up? Nothing like it has ever come up before. Yes you're right, I really don't want them to force me to use just one character for a theme though. I hope it isn't a lot harder, I mean, I know we're the last year of this spec but it can't be ridiculously difficult ,surely? Thanks for the answer, i like long posts :wink:
Here are some themes that might come up:
- the american dream
-lonliness
- discrimination/inequalities/ segregation
- disability (mental/physical)
- poverty
- predatory nature (although idoubt it cos brutality came up in 2015)
Hope this helps.
If we revise all these themes then they can't catch us out. (:
I'm doing AIC, OMAM and the conflict cluster for poetry. I seriously hate it and I'll probably just get a grade B. \Anyone else doing the same or got good revision material especially for poetry?
Any predictions on what will come up in question 17 or 18 for unit 2 (conflict) ???
Original post by Char4ncubex
I'm doing AIC, OMAM and the conflict cluster for poetry. I seriously hate it and I'll probably just get a grade B. \Anyone else doing the same or got good revision material especially for poetry?
Any predictions on what will come up in question 17 or 18 for unit 2 (conflict) ???


I do the relationship cluster but I think Venn diagrams are quite useful for poetry revision as it helps you to think about what poems you would compare and what you would talk about (the similarities and differences)
For people doing the Crucible: do you think we could get a question about how Miller presents the Putnams or a question just on one of the Putnams, EG just Goody Putnam? Sorry if that wasn't well explained...!
Reply 244
Original post by Pepsi Cola :)
Thanks for your reply - yeah, that is also a strong possibility. Thanks for your ideas :smile: What other book are you studying? I am doing the Crucible :/

An inspector calls, good luck!
Reply 245
Original post by Ella_08
I'm just wondering... why do you doubt that it will come up? Nothing like it has ever come up before. Yes you're right, I really don't want them to force me to use just one character for a theme though. I hope it isn't a lot harder, I mean, I know we're the last year of this spec but it can't be ridiculously difficult ,surely? Thanks for the answer, i like long posts :wink:
Here are some themes that might come up:
- the american dream
-lonliness
- discrimination/inequalities/ segregation
- disability (mental/physical)
- poverty
- predatory nature (although idoubt it cos brutality came up in 2015)
Hope this helps.
If we revise all these themes then they can't catch us out. (:


Thanks for the themes!! The reason I think the dream theme won't come up is because almost every other theme links to this, so it makes it so much easier as opposed to harder. For example, Crooks' loneliness is the source for his dream, however loneliness on its own is a theme. I though this year there will be something along the lines of the predatory nature of human, but I haven' seen the 2015 paper yet :smile: And you are right, it shouldn't be ridiculously hard, but I'm sure it will be harder than previous years, which I guess could mean lower grade boundaries, but we are miles away from that point!
Original post by pink.lemonade
I do the relationship cluster but I think Venn diagrams are quite useful for poetry revision as it helps you to think about what poems you would compare and what you would talk about (the similarities and differences)


Thanks☺️
Reply 247
Any one doing Journey's end?
I am doing Lord of the flies and Of mice and man. oK Most of all I don't feel literally confident and also the most important thing I do to revise is just link everything up. Literally everything with quotes obviously.
Reply 249
Hi, is anyone doing pride and prejudice?
Anyone doing Lord Of the Flies? I'm terrified for it!
I'll be doing AIC and OMAM (on my birthday, might I add!) and to be honest I'm bricking it. The mystery surrounding what it could be about really gets to me! I know I'll most likely be okay but I'm just quite worried about what it could be about. I think, from reading this thread, I'll be placing my bets on the Candy/dog and Carlson shooting scene or the Lennie/Curley fight for part (a). Then following on from that in part (b) i guess it would be about the instilled prejudiced views of the time and survival of the fittest (linking to Candy's dog and Carlson) or for the other prediction of the Lennie/Curley fight, it could be to do with reputation and masculinity on the ranch. I think these are quite difficult, so they could come up.

For AIC, I'm less worried because of the two options you get, however in every mock I have done, I have only picked the themes question. I am just unsure of how to write so much about one character. We have been taught to make three paragraphs on the question and then a paragraph on settings, symbols and theorists, as well as an intro and conclusion. So I just find there is more to write about for the theme question.
Does anyone have any notes, regarding AIC, at hand? All help will be appreciated. Thanks :smile:
Reply 253
This, I'm sure will help
If anyone wants Mr Bruff's A* Club Videos (private links) for GCSE English Literature and English Language, PM me!


Posted from TSR Mobile
Yeah I paid £25 for these videos but I barely have time to watch them and do my own extended responses for English literature what with the other GCSEs I need to revise for.
Original post by MIST_123
If anyone wants Mr Bruff's A* Club Videos (private links) for GCSE English Literature and English Language, PM me!


Posted from TSR Mobile

The thing is though, he does and goes throughout the relationship cluster in unit 2 poetry while my school is doing conflict which is rotten😩
Reply 257
hey does anyone have any predictions for what poems in the relationships cluster and short stories will come up in the exam? any ideas appreciated!
Reply 258
Original post by Char4ncubex
The thing is though, he does and goes throughout the relationship cluster in unit 2 poetry while my school is doing conflict which is rotten😩


but there's so many resources online for conflict! i honestly started thinking it'd be better to do that cluster instead because of the amount of links i found. unfortunately i don't know/ had them because i don't need them (doing relationships)
Is there anyone doing Kindertransport? If yes, know of any revision resources and what are your predictions? I have a feeling the ratcatcher will come up as it has never come up as a question before.

Quick Reply

Latest