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AQA English Literature B exam - 17/01/2011

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Reply 100
Original post by Mizikei
I think I'd just about manage 1 but I'd hate 2 to come up. I need to go over the other chapters again though. I think I'd be okay with chapter 8.


I just DON'T know what you'd put for 2! All I can talk about is the fact he gets drunk and the narration becomes distorted :|
The exam is tough, because the exam board dont actually know what they want, so its hard for teachers to understand what to actually teach.

I managed to scrape 84/120 - which is a B - that partnered with my 72/90 for coursework meant i fell just short of the A.

The texts i had studied were (for section A) Gatsby (for section B) Kite Runner, Tennyson and Keats.

Keats is just pure torture to learn for the exam - so i decided to get a tutor, who since october has taught me all of Rossetti's poetry for section A; which has gone amazing.

My tutor has really made me see - that you have to play their game. You could write a technically fluent essay - yet still only get a low mark. You have to make sure - you access the A0's.

Section A) I) - focuses on the narrative METHODS. Write what the writer is doing "repetition, anaphora, analepsis..." ect- and dont forget how it affects YOU.

You can kind of guarantee your marks for section A - through knowing your text pretty well - and literally learning your essays, and context.

Section B - my advice, is you cant predict the question, so why bother. No-one could predict "crisis or repetition" last January. January's questions are usually weird, because they save the well known questions for June (time, characterization, endings, narrators) You just have to ensure you know at least one text amazingly - so you can begin with it, have a sharp focus on task, so you access band 5/6. The other texts do not have to be equal - just make sure you talk about them. Providing one of the texts is VERY STRONG - you can't get a low mark, because they assume a best fit policy. Im not saying neglect the other 2 texts; its just better to have one solid and 2 good, than 3 mediocre paragraphs.

Also make sure you explore the points you make - thats where alot of us went wrong. If you explore - your guaranteed a B.

Hope this helps - and i do wish you all luck :wink:
Reply 102
Original post by thefirstnotlastsamurai
The exam is tough, because the exam board dont actually know what they want, so its hard for teachers to understand what to actually teach.

I managed to scrape 84/120 - which is a B - that partnered with my 72/90 for coursework meant i fell just short of the A.

The texts i had studied were (for section A) Gatsby (for section B) Kite Runner, Tennyson and Keats.

Keats is just pure torture to learn for the exam - so i decided to get a tutor, who since october has taught me all of Rossetti's poetry for section A; which has gone amazing.

My tutor has really made me see - that you have to play their game. You could write a technically fluent essay - yet still only get a low mark. You have to make sure - you access the A0's.

Section A) I) - focuses on the narrative METHODS. Write what the writer is doing "repetition, anaphora, analepsis..." ect- and dont forget how it affects YOU.

You can kind of guarantee your marks for section A - through knowing your text pretty well - and literally learning your essays, and context.

Section B - my advice, is you cant predict the question, so why bother. No-one could predict "crisis or repetition" last January. January's questions are usually weird, because they save the well known questions for June (time, characterization, endings, narrators) You just have to ensure you know at least one text amazingly - so you can begin with it, have a sharp focus on task, so you access band 5/6. The other texts do not have to be equal - just make sure you talk about them. Providing one of the texts is VERY STRONG - you can't get a low mark, because they assume a best fit policy. Im not saying neglect the other 2 texts; its just better to have one solid and 2 good, than 3 mediocre paragraphs.

Also make sure you explore the points you make - thats where alot of us went wrong. If you explore - your guaranteed a B.

Hope this helps - and i do wish you all luck :wink:


Thank you, that's a lot of help. Will definitely be sure to make note of what you've said! +Rep :smile:
Reply 103
Original post by Mizikei
I don't think anyone does to be honest, including some of the examiners. I know some who got their grade E paper remarked and got an A...


Oh dear, glad I'm not alone though :tongue:
Original post by RoseRequiem
I'm also resitting, was only 7 marks off an A. I heard rumours that our examiners last year marked loads of papers wrong though, maybe they ****ed up ours too! :tongue:

I'm doing Gatsby, Birdsong, Thomas Hardy poerty and W.H. Auden poetry.

How are you all revising? I'm trying to learn a few quotes off by heart so I don't spend ages flicking through books to find specific parts (big time waster). What I learned from last year is to really answer the question, and not keep chanting in my head 'form, structure language'... because it should come naturally when writing the answer!


YES, THEY GAVE ME AN E!!! My whole class's (except myself), paper was remarked and went from D's-A's/E's-A's/C's-B's. Bloody ridiculous - really not looking forward to it.
Hows everyone revising?
Your welcome

The marking is really unpredictable - i know people predicted A's who got E's and people predicted C's who got 120/120.

Ridiculous right?

I hope this exam is alright - and AQA get examiners who know what the hell they're talking about.

All we can do is pray aye?

:wink:
Reply 106
Although I know it's far too late - it really bugs me that AQA seem to have screwed up across the UK and they get away with it! If they do it again this year....dsokmsdksmcf!
I've just decided to have a nervous breakdown as I have concluded I know nothing about anything. So I'll be running straight to my tutor tomorrow for help haha. I know the facts but I can't remember how to analyse or what it means... Doesn't help that I've spent the entire week with flu unable to revise :frown: Anyone got tips for answering Section A on poetry?
Reply 108
Original post by thefirstnotlastsamurai
Your welcome

The marking is really unpredictable - i know people predicted A's who got E's and people predicted C's who got 120/120.

Ridiculous right?

I hope this exam is alright - and AQA get examiners who know what the hell they're talking about.

All we can do is pray aye?

:wink:


AQA are ridiculous, and it's unfair that this has happened! Hopefully the exam won't be that bad! Apparently, they are marked by undergrad students getting paid roughly £2 per paper so I guess they don't feel motivated to mark properly.

ALSO: How are you guys revising now? I think I've run out of things to do.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Popat21
AQA are ridiculous, and it's unfair that this has happened! Hopefully the exam won't be that bad! Apparently, they are marked by undergrad students getting paid roughly £2 per paper so I guess they don't feel motivated to mark properly.

ALSO: How are you guys revising now? I think I've run out of things to do.


Certain quotes can really be manipulated to fit most questions - so go into the exam, with a few of the best quotes memorised, with the analysis of them firmly in your head.

Also - dont be so nervous, if we fail (again) we can always retake ahah!
Reply 110
Bleuh, anyone got any good stuff for Kite Runner? Or W.H Auden? There's quite a lot for Rossetti & Gatsby but not the latter two!
Original post by esachica
Bleuh, anyone got any good stuff for Kite Runner? Or W.H Auden? There's quite a lot for Rossetti & Gatsby but not the latter two!


For Kite Runner - I'd say the Cambridge Wizard Student Guide aint too bad - for section B purposes its totally useable. York Notes - is absolutely sh*t.
Reply 112
Original post by Popat21
AQA are ridiculous, and it's unfair that this has happened! Hopefully the exam won't be that bad! Apparently, they are marked by undergrad students getting paid roughly £2 per paper so I guess they don't feel motivated to mark properly.

ALSO: How are you guys revising now? I think I've run out of things to do.



My teacher was saying how there are thousands of people who take this in the summer and much less in January so he's hoping some of the senior examiners will mark them instead.
Reply 113
I have no idea how to hit AO3 in the exam :| Any tips?
Reply 114
Original post by esachica
I have no idea how to hit AO3 in the exam :| Any tips?


Alternative analyses. So if you have a quote give one interpretation of what you think it means and why then another one. Also talk about which one you think's more valid because that gets you a high grade. It's also about 'supportive references' so use lots of quotes.
Reply 115
Original post by esachica
Bleuh, anyone got any good stuff for Kite Runner? Or W.H Auden? There's quite a lot for Rossetti & Gatsby but not the latter two!


It's a bit long but here:

The Kite Runner


Key Quotes:
- There is a way to be good again (RK)
- For you, a thousand times over (Hassan, Farid)
- We spoke our first words. Mine was Baba. His was Amir. My name. (Amir)
- True redemption is…when guilt leads to good. (RK)
- There was brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that even time could not break. (Amir)
- It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime...(Baba?)
- A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything (Baba)
- Genetic lottery (Amir)
- Double standard (Amir)
- Hassan never denied me anything
- It’s Rahim Khan’s pinky my finger curls around
- ‘God help us if Afghanistan ever falls into the hands…’

Key Themes
- Brotherhood
- Redemption
- Atonement
- Betrayal
- Kites
- Prejudices
- Violence
- Extremes (dichotomy) e.g. Afghanistan weather, landscape, religion




















Chapter 1
- 1st person retrospective narration
- Creates mood/tension
- Motif of kites introduced
- Theme of conflict, atonement and loyalty introduced
- Past/kites are personified ‘claws its way’ and ‘pair of eyes’
- Pathetic fallacy of frigid yet is also sexual (foreshadows rape)
- Microcosm of book (starts in Kabul ends in San Francisco)
- Extremes of Afghanistan and the USA are introduced
- Sentence length varies. Short sentences emphasis the content ‘Hassan the hareliped kite runner’ and ‘It was my past of unatoned sins’

Chapter 2
- Hassan is described as a ‘Chinese doll’ so he is too good to be true/unreal or it is referring to his Hazara features
- ‘Reveries of infidelity’ vs. Ali. Extremes are introduced again re religion
- Foreshadowing with the first words of H and A. Alludes to their brotherhood so adds to theme
- Anecdotes characterize Baba, Amir, Ali and Hassan

Chapter 3
- Dual narration with author’s voice showing the good Afghanistan aiding the destination
- Foreshadowing ‘God help us if Afghanistan ever falls into their hands…’
- Baba and the bear represents Afghanistan vs. Russia
- Foreshadowing at the relationship between Hassan and Baba ‘even put his hand around him’
- ‘Tree trunks’ sturdy, old, reliable
- Foreshadows ‘I was always learning things about Baba from others’ and ‘a boy who won’t stand up for himself…’

Chapter 4
- Inadequate narration ‘I never thought as Hassan and me as friends’
- Motif of the Wall of Ailing Corn introduced (symbol of childhood)
- ‘Blood red’ has a negative connotation
- Irony of Rostam and Sohrab
- Characterisation of Amir as childish
- Stream of consciousness ‘what does he know, that illiterate Hazara?’
- Ends on a cliffhanger

Chapter 5
- Dual narration to show the beauty of Afghanistan (Hosseini’s message)
- Motif of kites introduced
- Tension between Amir and Hassan is introduced





Chapter 6
- Use of war imagery to describe kite fighting. Foreboding. ‘Gun’ ‘bullet’ ‘like a soldier trying to sleep in the trenches’
- Foreshadows the relationship between Baba and Hassan ‘Sometimes I wished…he’d let me be the favourite’
- Use of short sentence ‘Cracked up.’ Shows the casual relationship between Amir and Hassan
Chapter 7
- Pivotal point of the plot
- Focalised narration
- Use of rhetorical questions shows unreliable narration of Amir
- Intrusive narration ‘lost’
- ‘Blameless blue’ shows retrospective narration
- Use of analepsis and prolepsis
- Stream of consciousness narration with the ‘lost’

Chapter 8
- Narrative voice alienates Amir from the reader or builds sympathy
- Monster is a symbol of Amir
- Car sickness is a manifestation of his guilt
- Afghani lexis
- Immature re Baba’s glasses and his concern for Hassan
- Short sentence of ‘Baba smiled. Winked’ shows informality of their relationships
- OTT narration
- Ends on a low point with darkness and this has negative connotations

Chapter 9
- Notebook is a symbol of Amir’s talents as a writer
- Excessive use of questions show Amir’s childishness
- Narrative surprise when Baba forgives Hassan ‘Baba stunned me by saying’
- Hassan is a foil to Amir: he is brave and Amir is a coward
- Pathetic fallacy with the ‘iron gray’ sky and ‘sheets of rain’

Chapter 10
- Use of subtitle moves the plot forward towards the denouement and adds confusion
- Baba characterized ‘grumbles’ as opposed to ‘roars’
- Fragmented narrative re Kamal adds to inadequacy
- More mature voice of Amir
- Direct address 2nd person present tense to build connection with reader
- Stream of consciousness narration either builds sympathy for Amir or alienates him from reader
- Claustrophobic ‘burst into prayer’
- Analepsis
- Cyclical with the past that follows Amir
- Introduction of ahesto boro
- Hassan is a symbol of happiness
- RUSSIAN INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN

Chapter 11
- Another subtitle adds to the progression
- Links to old Afghanistan
- Baba’s ulcer a symbol of his life in America (homesick)
- Increased use of American lexis shows Amir’s comfort at living in America ‘jay walk’, ‘six million dollar man’
- Soraya described as a ‘Princess’ intertextual link to his mother
- ‘Like a man cured of a tumour’ foreshadows
- ‘Steel hands’ show Amir is still childish and the pain he is in
- Intrusive narration whilst describing General ‘often used and unnaturally shiny’

Chapter 12
- Introduction of Soraya means an increase in Afghani lexis
- Narrative surprise re illness of Baba shows inadequacy of Amir or draws a connection between Amir and reader?
- Analepsis on p140 re Pashtuns to emphasis Afghani ideals even in the foreign setting

Chapter 13
- Soraya is heavenly with the ‘procession’ that follows her and being a ‘pari’
- Motif of ahesto boro (intertextual link shows the past is inescapable)
- Stream of consciousness and switches from past to present emphasis the dream-like state Amir is in ‘I see…I remember…’
- Layering of setting –American with Afghani culture
- ‘Afghanistan was forgotten’. Afghanistan is a metaphor for Hassan.
- Round character of Baba who ‘put her up to…’ reading the stories
- Soraya characterized as masculine and a foil to Amir, she ‘pulled me to her’
- Baba is a foil to the General who ‘had kept his family on welfare’
- Hassan and his wife are a foil to Amir and Soraya
- Gap when Baba dies to add tension
- Immature as Amir is old yet ‘terrified’

Chapter 14
- Subtitle adds to progression
- Panoramic presentation spurs the plot forward ‘the past ten years’
- Kites mentioned ‘pair of kites’ link to chapter one and foreshadows
- ‘Grand Ball princess’ link to mother though princess is not capitalized anymore showing decreased of love as age increases
- Foreshadowing ‘toss a football to his son’ in the park
- ‘Time softened’ relationships between parent/child

Chapter 15
- Cliffhanger prepares the reader for a switch in narrative perspective
- ‘Barbs of guilt’ represent theme of redemption
- semantic field of death re Rahim Khan links to Baba

Chapter 16
- Switch in narrative voice is refreshing and engages the reader
- No inadequacies due to Rahim’s narration
- Empathy built for Amir as he and the reader are in the same position
- Historiographical metafiction of Hassan’s life
- Hassan characterized by non naïve Rahim Khan so not very flat
- Rahim Khan seen as wise, religious, respectful
- Motif of childhood destroyed
- Anecdote of Sanaubar reiterates theme of redemption
- Intrusive narration ‘as you know, Amir jan’

Chapter 17
- Epistolary form to hear the voice of Rahim Khan and a break from Amir
- Narrative surprise of Hassan’s death coupled with short sentences to increase the drama
- Afghani lexis
- Anticlimactic ending

Chapter 18
- Interior monologue with switch between facts and emotions
- Analepsis to emphasis Baba’s beliefs and show how he betrayed Ali
- Coffee shop is a metaphor for his life
- Inadequate narration with the questions and Hassan being his sibling
- Redemption of Baba
- Short sentences and paragraph close the chapter climactically
- ‘Blood red’ sky forebodes and links to chapter 4

Chapter 19
- Amir plants money for good reasons at the end linking to earlier chapter re Hassan (ROUND CHARACTER?)
- Increase in Afghani lexis

Chapter 20
- References to do with Afghanistan and Amir’s memories in a linear chronology
- Coincidence re Amir’s mother
- Afghani’s are coping ‘put on his broken glasses’
- Destroyed orphanage is a symbol of Baba’s good deeds being destroyed

Chapter 21
- Inadequate narration as Amir shuts his eyes during the death
- Simplistic analepsis in present tense, innocent and childlike.
- Amir and Hassan are ‘we’
- Projected future juxtaposed with actual future to create sympathy
- Analepsis re Baba
- Irony of John Lennon glasses


Chapter 22
- Redemption achieved (DESTINATION)
- Cathartic
- Inadequacy at failing to realize it’s Assef
- Stream of consciousness narration
- Prolepsis adds to the confusion and increases the pace
- Echoes earlier chapters re Sohrab and his slingshot
- ‘Shadows’ and ‘killed’ forebode
- ‘White Talib’ wears black so purity/evil. Confusion of imagery shows the confusion of Assef’s character
- Many sounds add claustrophobia

Chapter 23
- Epistolary form shows Baba’s character
- Inadequate narration
- Fragmented/stream of consciousness
- Time fumbled as Amir is disorientated
- ‘Faces’ repeated to confuse reader
- Harelip reminds us of earlier chapters re Hassan

Chapter 24
- ‘You people are a little reckless’ foreshadows as does ‘it’s dangerous to make promises’
- Narrative surprise re Ray’s daughter and attempted suicide of Sohrab either to put us in Amir’s position or highlight inadequacies

Chapter 25
- ‘He is alive’ is narrative surprise
- Fragmented sentences show inadequate narration
- Stream of consciousness ‘my old life…’
- Culture clash shown yet Amir mocks America with ‘the End’
- Cathartic ending
Reply 116
Original post by Popat21
X


Thanks so much for the help! I hope you didn't have to type all that out for me. But much appreciated for sharing :smile:
popat that is really impressive, with that sort of revision you should ace this exam. If anyone has something similar but for small island share it!
Reply 118
For Browning in June 2010 it was the patriot that came up wasn't it? and Auden was As I walked out one evening?
Reply 119
Original post by esachica
Thanks so much for the help! I hope you didn't have to type all that out for me. But much appreciated for sharing :smile:


Ah no, I just copied and pasted it from a Word doc.

In case I forget, GOOD LUCK GUYS!

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