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AQA A Level English Language and Literature Paper 1 (May 23, 2019)

This is a discussion thread for the first Lang and Lit paper on Thursday!

How's everyone feeling?
Not too bad, just trying to memorise different links I've got between my novel and poetry anthology and then learning quotes for the Play. How about you?
Original post by WolfofGatsby
Not too bad, just trying to memorise different links I've got between my novel and poetry anthology and then learning quotes for the Play. How about you?

Not too bad. My biggest worry at the moment is flicking through my copy of Handmaid during the exam, desperately trying to find which chapter a specific extract is from.
Reply 3
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Respondz
9
Good luck everyone :smile:

Anyone who's doing handmaid got any tips for describing fantasy/dystopia etc

also context

and structure for poetry questions
(edited 4 years ago)
Ahhh, now that's a problem. I think the extract will definitely be a fairly significant part in the novel, so as long as you can remember if the extract was near the start or near the end, you should be fine.
Original post by SpacePatroFan189
Not too bad. My biggest worry at the moment is flicking through my copy of Handmaid during the exam, desperately trying to find which chapter a specific extract is from.
Good luck!
Original post by Respondz
Good luck everyone :smile:

Anyone who's doing handmaid got any tips for describing fantasy/dystopia etc

also context

and structure for poetry questions
Original post by Respondz
Good luck everyone :smile:

Anyone who's doing handmaid got any tips for describing fantasy/dystopia etc

also context

and structure for poetry questions

For poetry, just remember that you don't have to compare the two poems at all - my tutor said you should structure your answer so it's almost like two different essays. Both can be spoken about in total isolation.

For Handmaid, there's loads you can discuss for context:
- Atwood's visit to Afghanistan in the 1970s
- Herstory vs. History
- Offred's storytelling is a means of both resistance and survival
- Tropes of dystopian literature (e.g. an unreliable narrator)
- How the recent TV show has been interpreted differently
- Queer theory
- Environmental criticism (remember Atwood was a member of the Green Party)
- Traditional family values/rejection of feminism in 1980s America
- Serena Joy being based on Phyllis Schlaffy
- Atwood is Canadian - it's easy for her to criticise the USA
- Atwood's satirical intent
Etc...

For the creation of a dystopian world, I usually talk about Offred's narrative technique, e.g. mixing fictional schema and real-world schema, the fact she's an unreliable narrator who's as clueless as the reader, and her use of analepsis, which informs the reader of Gilead's creation.
Reply 7
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Respondz
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Thank you :smile:
Reply 8
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m_o_s.s
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Paris and handmaids were brill but how did everyone feel about the poetry? I had Duffy and it completely threw me:frown:
How did everyone do and what did you mention in answers
Original post by Sarah32452
How did everyone do and what did you mention in answers

Original post by m_o_s.s
Paris and handmaids were brill but how did everyone feel about the poetry? I had Duffy and it completely threw me:frown:

I couldn't be happier with how I did on the Anthology, which is very ironic given it's my least favourite part of the course by far (the question was actually predicted by my tutor a couple of weeks ago - is she a psychic?). Duffy was also very good - I chose the memories question and did The Cliche Kid for my chosen poem. It's actually Handmaid that I'm a bit concerned about (I did the Janine question). I did use lots of terminology, discussed context/dystopia and narrative but my analysis just wasn't as deep as it usually is and I ultimately ran out of time at the end, only managing 3 sides of A4 :frown: Still, I thought about the AS paper and ended up getting an A there, so fingers crossed!
Aww that’s good, I did before you were mine with memories is that good poem to put as well
Reply 12
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m_o_s.s
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Original post by SpacePatroFan189
I couldn't be happier with how I did on the Anthology, which is very ironic given it's my least favourite part of the course by far (the question was actually predicted by my tutor a couple of weeks ago - is she a psychic?). Duffy was also very good - I chose the memories question and did The Cliche Kid for my chosen poem. It's actually Handmaid that I'm a bit concerned about (I did the Janine question). I did use lots of terminology, discussed context/dystopia and narrative but my analysis just wasn't as deep as it usually is and I ultimately ran out of time at the end, only managing 3 sides of A4 :frown: Still, I thought about the AS paper and ended up getting an A there, so fingers crossed!


Our english teacher predicted the question also which was fab. In Handmaids tale I chose the one about men and talked about the patriarchal opression of women etc. I was super happy with my analysis in that one however forgot to mention a few basic aspects e.g. patronyms and a couple generic conventions. I bombed poetry which im still kicking myself about. Overall though, especially taking into consideration paper two which i thought went really well, i think it was a good paper. How was your paper two?
Late reply but I’m currently a Year 13 student doing all my exams next May. Does anyone remember the questions that came up, I study Handmaids Tale and Carol Ann Duffy. I’m trying to be crafty and figure out which poems won’t come up next year.
Heyy, can you please tell me what came up for paper 2 streetcar named Desire -
Original post by SpacePatroFan189
This is a discussion thread for the first Lang and Lit paper on Thursday!

How's everyone feeling?


Original post by Respondz
Good luck everyone :smile:

Anyone who's doing handmaid got any tips for describing fantasy/dystopia etc

also context

and structure for poetry questions


Original post by WolfofGatsby
Good luck!


Original post by m_o_s.s
Paris and handmaids were brill but how did everyone feel about the poetry? I had Duffy and it completely threw me:frown:

hi does anyone know what came up for Hamlet or streetcar in 2019 - need it for revision
Hey, I was just wondering if you can remember the Handmaid's Tale question on Janine? Would be much appreciated :smile:
Original post by m_o_s.s
Our english teacher predicted the question also which was fab. In Handmaids tale I chose the one about men and talked about the patriarchal opression of women etc. I was super happy with my analysis in that one however forgot to mention a few basic aspects e.g. patronyms and a couple generic conventions. I bombed poetry which im still kicking myself about. Overall though, especially taking into consideration paper two which i thought went really well, i think it was a good paper. How was your paper two?

Hey, I was just wondering if you could remember the Handmaid's Tale question on men? Would be much appreciated! :smile:
Original post by m_o_s.s
Our english teacher predicted the question also which was fab. In Handmaids tale I chose the one about men and talked about the patriarchal opression of women etc. I was super happy with my analysis in that one however forgot to mention a few basic aspects e.g. patronyms and a couple generic conventions. I bombed poetry which im still kicking myself about. Overall though, especially taking into consideration paper two which i thought went really well, i think it was a good paper. How was your paper two?

Hey

Original post by SpacePatroFan189
I couldn't be happier with how I did on the Anthology, which is very ironic given it's my least favourite part of the course by far (the question was actually predicted by my tutor a couple of weeks ago - is she a psychic?). Duffy was also very good - I chose the memories question and did The Cliche Kid for my chosen poem. It's actually Handmaid that I'm a bit concerned about (I did the Janine question). I did use lots of terminology, discussed context/dystopia and narrative but my analysis just wasn't as deep as it usually is and I ultimately ran out of time at the end, only managing 3 sides of A4 :frown: Still, I thought about the AS paper and ended up getting an A there, so fingers crossed!

Hey, I was just wondering if you could remember the question on Janine for Handmaid's Tale? Would be much appreciated! :smile:

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