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GCSE AQA English Literature - June 2016 *Official Thread*

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Original post by ScrewTheExams
part a and b for section B is marked as a whole out of 30 marks, so you can do 2 pages on one part and 1 on the other and still get the same mark, just make sure you cover enough for each.


Ah ok, thank you :wink: will I still have to write separate introductions and conclusions for both parts though? That's such a bother...
Original post by Ella_08
Idk just in general, like your point about "the strongest surviving" or something like that


Survival of the fittest, only the ones that are the strongest physically and mentally are able to survive.

Lennie has learning difficulties (so mentally disabled), which makes him act like a child, and he can be used and abused (like when George told him to jump somewhere or what ever he did it). He also needs a father figure like George, because without him he won't be able to survive (which you can see in the end - as he is kills Curley's Wife and is clueless alone).

Candy is old and handicapped, so he is disregarded by the other ranch workers as they view him as being useless because he is physically disabled.

Whereas, people like Carlson, they are physically fit (so, strong) and although he is isolated and does not understand what an relationship (like George and Lennie) is, he is not mentally ill like Lennie, which allows him to survive (as he is physically strong).

Obviously, there's other points but they kind of go off topic. Crooks (has a crooked back - but still can do jobs) - of course topic on racism here.
Curley's wife - she causes trouble - also sexism topic
Curley - son of boss - in charge - thinks he's big etc.
and so on
(edited 7 years ago)
I'm so nervous for my english literature gcse exam tomorrow :frown:
Of mice and men, An inspector calls and character and voice and I've done almost no revision:smile::smile::smile:
what about unit 4, any predictions Romeo and Juliet and Animal farms ??
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by stopthat
Don't be, if you've reviewed over all material you needed to you should be just fine.
GCSE English is honestly quite easy, its A-level English that is pure hell :/


I sort of have but you just can't predict it and I'm bad at adapting! lol. And yeah I can't even imagine what it's like, thank the lord I'm not doing it at A Level then :tongue:
Original post by Anygy
Ah ok, thank you :wink: will I still have to write separate introductions and conclusions for both parts though? That's such a bother...


DO NOT WRITE ANY INTRODUCTIONS OR CONCLUSIONS FOR SECTION B / OF MICE AND MEN

they gain no marks. Only write an Introduction for Section A (can't remember if conclusion is needed - but I don't think I wrote one last year and I got like 30/30 on it)

Just go straight for the analysis, which is what the question is asking you to do.
(edited 7 years ago)
Like i done a practise question for kindertransport and I'm going over of mice and men quotes but I hope the question isn't worded in a really complicated way
For section B of mice and men, I am so confused how to answer it :frown: I get how to respond to the passage but the context bit confuses me. Somebody hellpppppp
Reply 809
Original post by Emma Keetley
Those AIC questions are hard!
What could you say for them??


Q17: The fact that Gerald holds power over the senior Birlings due to the fact that the marriage appeals to Mr Birling as a business decision etc. Also his relationship with Sheila and Eric.

Q18: Time theories of Ouspensky and Dunne. Dramatic Irony used (titanic, war), Priestleys use of the ending.

Just some ideas.
Reply 810
Original post by neethumanoj
what about unit 2 ?? romeo and juliet and animal farms ??


Unit 4 you mean? There are two English Lit routes with AQA:

Route A: Unit 1 (OMAM AIC etc.) Unit 2 (Poetry cluster) Unit 3 (CW on Shakespeare)
Route B: Unit 1 (OMAM AIC etc.) Unit 4 (Shakespeare, Animal Farm etc) Unit 5 (Coursework on Poetry).

Both Unit 2 and 4 are assessed on Friday.
Original post by caseyforbes11
For section B of mice and men, I am so confused how to answer it :frown: I get how to respond to the passage but the context bit confuses me. Somebody hellpppppp


Nothing hard.

E.g. if it's Racism, you speak about how at the time in America people were racist, how black vs white were treated etc. You write about how Steinbeck uses the charatcter (in this case Crooks) to show how people were racist - of course have some quotes, and analyse the quote like you normally would do - with effect on the reader.

I would also advise you to do alternative interpretations of a quote (especially for Section A of exam, maybe not so much for section B), so 2 different meanings of the same quote / interpretations and explain it. Also have a paragraph on the language that is used.

Watch Mr Bruff's videos on YouTube on how ot strucutre A* answers and watch his analysis on some characters and the novel in general.

Good luck!
Original post by ScrewTheExams
Nothing hard.

E.g. if it's Racism, you speak about how at the time in America people were racist, how black vs white were treated etc. You write about how Steinbeck uses the charatcter (in this case Crooks) to show how people were racist - of course have some quotes, and analyse the quote like you normally would do - with effect on the reader.

I would also advise you to do alternative interpretations of a quote (especially for Section A of exam, maybe not so much for section B), so 2 different meanings of the same quote / interpretations and explain it. Also have a paragraph on the language that is used.

Watch Mr Bruff's videos on YouTube on how ot strucutre A* answers and watch his analysis on some characters and the novel in general.

Good luck!



Thank you so much! Very helpful!!!
Original post by caseyforbes11
Thank you so much! Very helpful!!!


Also, alternative interpretations are pretty much needed for an A* in poetry, which I managed to get by 1 mark :biggrin:. Be unique and creative. But from what I saw Unit 1 is marked more leniently and it's easier to get full marks.

Also, Mr Bruff all the way!
Reply 814
Some key quotes to remeber
Is anyone doing Romeo and Juliet?
Does anyone know if Abigail Williams has already come up (The Crucible)?
Also, what could you say about Rebecca Nurse???
(edited 7 years ago)
is it okay if i answer part a and part b together in of mice and men? it saves time. also do i have to do a conclusion? How long should i spend on it? someone please answer im panicking and i need a*
Could someone look at this part B I wrote for TKAM?

b) After this passage, Mr Dolphus Raymond talks about “the hell white people give coloured folks”. In the rest of the novel, how does Lee show white people giving the black community“hell”?

Spoiler

Reply 819
Original post by sabrina235
is it okay if i answer part a and part b together in of mice and men? it saves time. also do i have to do a conclusion? How long should i spend on it? someone please answer im panicking and i need a*


I've done Part A and Part B together in every essay I've done and got As and A*s. It really doesn't matter because they are marked together anyway. Just label in the margin that its your answer to A and B to make it easier for the examiner.

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