OCR - A2 English Literature 2017/18

I realised that there isn't a specific forum for year 13s OCR A level Eng Lit 2017/18 yet!
So I guess we can make a start.

The texts I'm studying are:
Hamlet, A Doll's House, The Merchant's Tale
Gothic Literature: Dracula, The Bloody Chamber

Mocks are coming up (for me at least) and I know few of the questions that are coming up (it's from the 2017 paper), but I'm clueless on what extract for the gothic will come up! I know the text, but not the specific extract... frustrating!

Anyway, what are everybody's texts and how are they revising?
I'm struggling with Hamlet note taking.. ugh.

I’m doing ocr English and most of my class are pulling out D’s/E’s it is such a hard exam board
I’m doing gothic TBC/Dracula
Shakespeare I’ve done hamlet doing twelfth night this year
And doing Ibsen dolls house/ Rossetti
Currently doing my second piece of coursework

However on my first draft of coursework one a comparative essays between 2 texts I got 12/25 so would be grateful if someone could look over it for me?

Hiya

I'm doing Gothic- The Bloody Chamber and Dracula
Also doing, Tempest, Rossetti and A Dolls House.
So are the questions based around Victims for gothic and deception for paper 2? I heard that last year for the tempest it was Caliban but not sure.

It’s not in my inbox 😩sorry to be a pain could you reply to it on here please x

Oh no, is there a reason why your class is underperforming? I'm sure you'll improve though!

Also for coursework, what texts are you comparing? If I'm familiar with them I might be able to help!

Nope they just keep telling us it’s hard grade boundaries and it won’t be like that in the exam

Coursework is A Streetcar named desire
And Beloved

Ah, it's a bit unrealistic of them maybe?

What's your essay topic? I also did A streetcar named desire, but I compared it with Philip Larkin poems

My essay topic was on death, so I focused on the comparison about death

I did masculinity

Hm, I can't remember much about masculinity in Streetcar as I haven't touched that theme in ages, but there can be good points you can talk about such as:

> Stanley' masculinity is his 'identity'. There's this theme of 'insecurity' in Streetcar, so Stanley is insecure of his masculinity; he's Polish, thus he knows very well that he's looked down upon. He says that he's "100% American" out of insecurity, because he doesn't want to be classified as Polish since it has implications. So if he doesn't maintain the dominant, American figure (which is ideal in America and looked up to), he'll be emasculated.

> The idea of insecurity also explains his aggression and abuse; he's obsessed with power as he's not higher class (like Blanche), thus he asserts dominance to maintain control, which is a form of masculinity - he doesn't want to be emasculated simply because he's lower class.

> For context or interpretation, you can talk about Darwin's notion of evolution or the 'imperative' that for the sake of survival, he as a man, must maintain his masculinity - masculinity includes characteristics such as being physically strong, straight-forward thinker, no emotions etc. You can elaborate on the idea of "sexual jealousy" in which men control their female partners from cuckolding them, which is why he's constanly so in control over Stella.

> You can argue that Stanley, who reinforces the dominate, masculine male archetype, is emasculated. In the crying shower scene, he becomes emotional, so he subverts that archetype. (You can also say how his insecurity emasculate him too)

> Talk about the contrast between Stanley and Mitch; they're opposites. Stanley, the dominant, masculine archetype has a wife. But Mitch doesn't. What could Williams be suggesting?

That's all I can think of right now! Hope it helps!

I have used some but most of what you’ve said I thought Of but it wouldn’t fit with my theisis
It’s not my evidence or A02 that’s the issue x my evidence fits perfectly with beloved (which again is why I couldn’t use some of your suggestions)
I need specific A03 like precise key dates etc and not drifting from my evidence from my question
Also question we’ve been told to stick to a 2,000 word limit but it’s hard and I did but I feel like if I expanded and went over my coursework would be better and did you include every AO in every paragraph

Ah I see, I see your struggle. What kind of comparison points did you make between your texts?
And yeah, I tried to fit in all AO in one para where it best fit. But it got a bit clunky, so I cut it down. It's not really about how MUCH context, interpretations, etc. you use, it's how you USE it. So it's better to only put specific AOs where they should be and not force them into every single para

Also, just in case if you didn't know, yes the word limit is 2,000 but that excludes quotes! So the quotes you use from your texts do not count! It makes things a bit easier.

My theisis is that Morrison and Williams do portray elements of the stereotypical norms we expect men to be such as dominant however they also show men in an alternative view like compassionate etc
I did women as the leader for one point
The idea that trying to conform presents dificulities
Third point
Men are masculine

We were told we had to have anew argument I wanted to argue men were masculine but my teacher told me that wouldn’t be a fresh idea which moderators look for

Ahh I see, and hm I get what your teacher is trying to say
Personally for me, I would've started my argument that yes men are portrayed as masculine, but I wouldn't focus on it too much. So then I can counter argue and show different portals and focus on those ideas.

I'm not so sure how else I can help? Has anyone in your class got high marks of this coursework?

I wanted to do that argument but he told me I wouldn’t get a good mark. Highest mark was a C 16/25
I can email you my coursework?

The texts I'm studying are:
Paper 1:
Measure for Measure for Section 1
She Stoops To Conquer and The Merchant's Tale for Section 2

Paper 2:
Dystopia unseen for Section 1
The Handmaid's Tale and 1984 for Section 2

If anyone have any notes or helpful tips for these texts, please PM me.