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AQA GCSE English Literature Exams - 20th and 23rd May 2013 *OFFICAL THREAD*

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Reply 1880
In poetry, how do you guys approach it?

Do you make one point then say how that point is the same/different in both poems, or do you analyse one poem and then the other?
What could you have written for part b Of Mice and Men
I only wrote about how:
Crooks didn't have great importance - racially prejudiced and linked to context
Lennie didn't have great importance - disabilities

I didn't have any more time :'(, so only wrote two paragraphs for part B , what about everyone else?
What poems came up in Jan 2013 for Relationships?
Original post by cycahm
Hmm like Eric? I talked about the "half assertive" thing saying how he's not what he seems and his views are not expressed which the inspector therefore helped him and then there was this fireplace in the stage direction and I said how Eric enters at the tense moment creating sparks. Then I talked about how he is violent and didn't respect women, I then said he was violent as he forced his way into Eva smith's house, I also then said he may have had similar attitudes to me birling as he said "not really" when mrs birling accused him of stealing money so he may not be sorry after all but then on the other hand he was sorry blah blah blah. And then finally I did a terrible conclusion
So overall I think I'll not get a very good mark in this :'(


Did you notice that he did not even appear in Act 2? I wrote a lot and elaborated on it by explaining why Priestley did this and the effect on the reader and so on. I also referred to his relationship between him and his father and how his father gets his 'half shy' side out as his father is the only person who speaks for a number of lines and eric spoke to his sister and what that shows towards the attitude of women and how this gets his other side out and I just elaborated a lot!
I concluded by getting back to the question and using the point of the way Eric shows his insecurity and discomfort through his inquisitive nature. I did not waffle but I only wrote just shy of 500 words on this :frown:, hopefully I do get an A/A* overall.
Original post by mathsfreak8162
Yes what did you put for both????


Posted from TSR Mobile


Part (a) I put about Atticus = calm confidence: "knows what he was doing" (OWTTE) / intellectual superiority (no one else in court / Scout knows what he's doing)
Bob Ewell = arrogant confidence = he's white so he knows he's going to win (relate to context of 1930s America) and so he 'struts' around
Taylor = entertained by the situation = finds comedy in Atticus' superiority and interrogation of Bob Ewell

Part (b) I put the idea that Maycomb can't comprehend why Atticus is defending a black man = extent to which Maycomb is governed by Racism = they will insult Atticus and change their opinions of him just because he thinks differently / loves everybody
Hypocrisy = they insult / think Atticus is "misguided" but will re-elect him every year
Ideas of Future Attitudes: Jem = different in his thinking: non-prejudiced + Miss Maudie talks of "baby-step" = Lee presents the idea of a coming change in Maycomb's attitudes and that Maycomb will become more liberal / equal?
Original post by Elm Tree
What poems came up in Jan 2013 for Relationships?

Do you want the paper? I can send you it?
Reply 1886
Original post by Elm Tree
I spoke about when the wasps drowned. The relationship between Mum and children, and how she can be perceived as being a good and bad mother.


oooh, interesting! i did compass and torch and the father and son relationship. so much flipping symbolism.
Original post by cycahm
You mean of mice and men?


nag to kill a mocking bird
Original post by BenAssirati
So...did anyone else do Mr Pip?

The Crucible went well, although I spoke too much about Act 2 and not enough about the ending. Mr Pip was beastly, I didn't even know that passage was in the book, and I read the book 3 times! I gave up and started talking about how Jones was preaching equality and pluralism through his presentation of outsiders :/

I got 40/40 for my coursework, so hoping I didn't screw it up too badly for an A* :frown:


I did Pip! Thought the passage was awful, like you I'd forgotten it was in there. I started talking about the importance of memories, disgust at the west and other things I'm not sure were related

Part B wasn't so bad though, it was a bit too open for me but I managed almost 2 pages without too much trouble. I mainly talked about names, and ignorance and stuff. Found it hard to link to context but I think I scraped in enough to get the marks
Reply 1889
Original post by ThatGirlx
What could you have written for part b Of Mice and Men
I only wrote about how:
Crooks didn't have great importance - racially prejudiced and linked to context
Lennie didn't have great importance - disabilities

I didn't have any more time :'(, so only wrote two paragraphs for part B , what about everyone else?

I put about curleys wife and how she doesn't have a name and is just shown as a possession of Curley.
i also did candy and crooks both disabilities and crook racially prejudiced
Original post by Galileo Galilei
Do you want the paper? I can send you it?

All I need to know is what poems came up, but thanks :smile:
Hey everyone, I got 39/40 in the Shakespeare Lit coursework, what would I need in both Lit exams to get an A* overall? Again, I got 75/80 for unit 3 (which I believe is the lang coursework?) what would I need in Lang
I didn't do a conclusion for the Inspector Calls essay, will I get marked down due to this?
Last question: Are AQA very harsh markers for Lit exams because the grade boundaries appear to be incredibly low!
Thanks :colondollar:
Original post by ThatGirlx
What could you have written for part b Of Mice and Men
I only wrote about how:
Crooks didn't have great importance - racially prejudiced and linked to context
Lennie didn't have great importance - disabilities

I didn't have any more time :'(, so only wrote two paragraphs for part B , what about everyone else?

I wrote about how the boss clearly has articles of clothing which show his wealth, and distances himself from the rest of the workforce because no one ever knows his real name. I then went on to say stuff about Slim, Crooks and curley's wife, which was all too rushed for me to remember anything about :s-smilie:
Original post by sarahrimington
You only answer one of the two questions :smile: I answered part a.


Posted from TSR Mobile


No, sorry, you answer both parts (a) and (b) either separately or as one big essay
Reply 1894
Original post by Galileo Galilei
Did you notice that he did not even appear in Act 2? I wrote a lot and elaborated on it by explaining why Priestley did this and the effect on the reader and so on. I also referred to his relationship between him and his father and how his father gets his 'half shy' side out as his father is the only person who speaks for a number of lines and eric spoke to his sister and what that shows towards the attitude of women and how this gets his other side out and I just elaborated a lot!
I concluded by getting back to the question and using the point of the way Eric shows his insecurity and discomfort through his inquisitive nature. I did not waffle but I only wrote just shy of 500 words on this :frown:, hopefully I do get an A/A* overall.


I think we wrote quite similar actually! Actually what I really don't get is how Eric didn't recognise daisy rentons name and he wasn't there for half of the thing how did he even know they were talking about her?!
And yeh I wrote 2 pages on those points so hopefully.. I really want an A* though but it seems impossible now :frown:
Original post by mitchellshazia
Certainly! :smile:

31/40 in the coursework is 40 UMS, meaning you currently have 109 overall and need 71 in this exam - 48/68 in terms of raw marks (based on January's boundaries). This is less than 75% so hopefully you will be fine as well.


Hi can you do the same for me please will give you rep. Got 40/40 in the coursework and 65/70 in the poetry exam. Thanks :smile:
Original post by queenly
oooh, interesting! i did compass and torch and the father and son relationship. so much flipping symbolism.


A lot of people did compass and torch in my school :tongue: They said I was silly to choose When the wasps drowned over Compass and Torch, but I felt that it was easier to give alternative interpretations when analysing their Mum's role. Since that's what you need to do to get higher marks :smile:
Reply 1897
Original post by Dougieowner
That's a good question, I'm quite good at explaining stuff about the dog actually, I would like to include my interpretations at some point.

I like that there's a choice of two for TWIB cause I can pick the one I'm more confident with. There's usually one about overall themes which is helpful as they like you to link to the novel as a whole throughout it, but then there's usually one based around a chapter which is good to focus on one particular point; a lot about a little.

Good luck! Not many people are doing TWIB on here, most seem to be doing An Inspector Calls. But I think TWIB is more interesting and because less people have done it, the examiners might not be as bored by it cause they won't have read as many answers...


How did you find the WIB questions? Which one did you do?
Original post by Elm Tree
All I need to know is what poems came up, but thanks :smile:


can you send me it as well
Original post by cycahm
I think we wrote quite similar actually! Actually what I really don't get is how Eric didn't recognise daisy rentons name and he wasn't there for half of the thing how did he even know they were talking about her?!
And yeh I wrote 2 pages on those points so hopefully.. I really want an A* though but it seems impossible now :frown:

I tried to think outside the box, I hit the criteria for the grade I want but if I do not get it, mehh!

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