How to revise for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?

I'm sitting my English Literature exam on 20th May and I am really struggling to revise for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

The title of the exam is:

Edexcel English Literature Unit 1: Understanding Prose (Higher Tier)

I honestly don't know how to revise and I hope that I haven't started too late.

What exactly do I need to analyse? Is there a good revision guide available?

I want to get the highest grade possible.

Can someone please help me?

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Reply 1

MedMed12

I didnt actually read the book for ym course. I used loads of online reviews to help me write it
I have a 3000 word essay based on this book got an A* 52/54 - ill send it to you if you like! :smile:

Reply 2

PeanutButter2000

Ask your teacher for previous exam questions on the book and do a bunch of practice essays and get your teacher to mark them, then closer to the exam try perfecting your essay planning technique, take about 5 minutes at the start of the exam to create a good plan to follow. Other than that just get familiar with the mark scheme by reading some off the exam board websites, read the book again and make notes on the chapters, learn a few generic quotes that can be applied to most questions in the exam. I only ever did Jekyll and Hyde for my coursework so I don't know what kind of questions you get on it.

Reply 3

username877577

Original post by MedMed12

I didnt actually read the book for ym course. I used loads of online reviews to help me write it
I have a 3000 word essay based on this book got an A* 52/54 - ill send it to you if you like! :smile:

Did you study any other books? What exam board?

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Reply 4

a123a

i did this exam and did jekyll and hyde!!! for the jekyll and hyde part you need to practice identifying words/phrases that can help to understand what type of character Utterson is (or any other character - 8 mark Q) then for the next part Q you need to comment on the effect of language of a certain theme/setting or character. The next part of the Q will focus on a theme present within the extract, e.g. horror, and finally the last part is basically the previous part but on a different part of the novella...(you have to choose the extract)
So to revise, make sure you know some character traits of the main characters
Make sure you know how to comment on language and how to explore the effect, e.g. the use of imagery/alliteration/ pathetic fallacy helps to intensify the mood/tone/(named theme) in the extract...
Make sure you know how to explore the main themes in the novella, try picking a random page in the book and explore the theme. horror/secrecy/mystery/suspense
And lastly, make sure you know where to find another extract in the novella that explores the selected theme in the exam, so you dont waste time looking for another section that has the theme. (a lot of memory basically)
give different interpretations of ideas and make sure you include literary devices for literature exams, these will help to get the highest band!!!

this got me an A* so it should for you!!!

PS time management is key for this exam, spend about 10min on the part (a) around 12min on part (b) and (c) and about 20min on part (d) and 5min checking/planning and then 45min on your Q about the novel you studied e.g. heros of mice and men rani and sukh...

edit: have you done the poetry?

Reply 5

username1108615

Original post by JST1

Hey! I sat this exam in January and got 100 per cent...I would look through past mark schemes and high light everything that comes up commonly in all of them. Also there are some really good websites which have amazing notes, learn some of the facts off there then expand on them in the exam. Just make sure that you understand exactly what the question is asking and underline all things relevant to the question in the given extract in the exam. Here are some of the websites I used...

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/jekyll/
http://www.gradesaver.com/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde/study-guide/short-summary/

The questions tend to be quite similar and they near enough always ask about the character of Utterson so make sure you understand his character properly.

Reply 6

turtle12345

Original post by strawberries123

What were the questions?

Reply 7

username1108615

Original post by turtle12345

What were the questions?

The questions that I got asked in my exam were to do with Utterson's character. Jekyll's character and suspense. I had to answer the first three using the extract and I had to find another extract in the book to analyse for the last question which was also on suspense.

Reply 8

JST1

Original post by strawberries123

Did you use any revision guides? If so, are there any good ones available? There's one from York Notes but that's from 1997 and there isn't any newer one than that.

Reply 9

username1108615

Original post by JST1

Did you use any revision guides? If so, are there any good ones available? There's one from York Notes but that's from 1997 and there isn't any newer one than that.

I used a revision guide for Of Mice and Men but used the Internet for Jekyll and Hyde..yes the revision guide I used is actually really really good, its available on amazon, here's the link for it. I'm not sure how old it is, but it helped me get my grade either way, I would recommend using it :smile:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philip-Allan-Literature-Guide-GCSE/dp/1444108727

Reply 10

JST1

Original post by strawberries123

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philip-Allan-Literature-Guide-GCSE/dp/1444108727

I'm doing Of Mice and Men in the same exam too. I've already got 2 revision guides for that which are from CGP and York Notes (this one seems to be better). Plus, I've got to do OMAM in my English Language exam in June, and its not a hard text to understand.

Reply 11

keerat

Original post by MedMed12

I didnt actually read the book for ym course. I used loads of online reviews to help me write it
I have a 3000 word essay based on this book got an A* 52/54 - ill send it to you if you like! :smile:

hey could you please send it to me as well to [Removed - please use PMs or post here] thanks

Reply 12

keerat

Original post by strawberries123

what did you learn for the exam? and also what about the poetry exam and the of mice and men exam?

Reply 13

username1108615

Original post by keerat

what did you learn for the exam? and also what about the poetry exam and the of mice and men exam?

For the exam all I did was use some websites, write some notes and learn as many points about the book as I could the just expand on them in the exam and always relate to the extract they give you. Also look at the mark scheme and make sure you understand exactly what its asking you to do, for example for the exam board that I did, we had to make sure we related to social, cultural and moral effects in Of Mice and Men.
For the Of Mice and Men exam I would use the book that I have previously mentioned on this thread...it's really good and helps develop your understanding loads, that's probably the best way to revise for Of Mice and Men. It also gives you some example essays which are helpful.
For the poetry exam remember to mention and compare techniques that the writer has used for example, alliteration, repetition, ironies etc. and make sure you analyse and evaluate which is where your top end A or A* marks will come from. You have to make sure you understand the purpose.
Before you go into the exam read over your notes and you should be fine! :smile:

Reply 14

kavstar

Anybody have the jan 2013 paper for this exam?

Reply 15

Hogwarts01

Original post by MedMed12

I didnt actually read the book for ym course. I used loads of online reviews to help me write it
I have a 3000 word essay based on this book got an A* 52/54 - ill send it to you if you like! :smile: