A Level English Literature [Edexcel] Predictions

I just wanted to discuss some predictions for A Level English as I have yet to see anyone taking my combination (particularly for prose).

Paper 2: Prose ('Frankenstein' and 'Never Let Me Go')
Potentially something to do with power, women, human nature, oppression, faith, fear, rebellion, etc.

Paper 3: Poetry (Modern Poetry and Colin Burrow's Metaphysical Poetry)
I could probably guess the poems that will come up, but I have absolutely no ideas what potential themes could come up. Any ideas?

Reply 1

Katec050

11

Original post by cephalothin

I just wanted to discuss some predictions for A Level English as I have yet to see anyone taking my combination (particularly for prose).

Paper 2: Prose ('Frankenstein' and 'Never Let Me Go')
Potentially something to do with power, women, human nature, oppression, faith, fear, rebellion, etc.

Paper 3: Poetry (Modern Poetry and Colin Burrow's Metaphysical Poetry)
I could probably guess the poems that will come up, but I have absolutely no ideas what potential themes could come up. Any ideas?

I’m doing Frankenstein and NLMG for Edexcel too although I’m doing Chaucer for poetry!

Women for a prose essay sounds like a hard one, what sort of arguments would you make? I was thinking one paragraph could be along the lines of the writers showing science as a danger in replacing the maternity of womanhood, pushing the valuable connection of motherhood to the sidelines. This would be in reference to the master scientist in Frankenstein in the way that the creatures creation goes beyond human nature removing the need for female birth. Then for never maybe discuss the lack of a mother figure for the clones? I’m not sure what other paragraphs I would do for that question. I definitely need to look at the character of Elizabeth more closely . What do you think?

Reply 2

Katec050

11

Original post by cephalothin

I just wanted to discuss some predictions for A Level English as I have yet to see anyone taking my combination (particularly for prose).

Paper 2: Prose ('Frankenstein' and 'Never Let Me Go')
Potentially something to do with power, women, human nature, oppression, faith, fear, rebellion, etc.

Paper 3: Poetry (Modern Poetry and Colin Burrow's Metaphysical Poetry)
I could probably guess the poems that will come up, but I have absolutely no ideas what potential themes could come up. Any ideas?

Are you doing poems of the decade because my teacher has sent us a list of the poems that have not come up yet. Although some poems could certainly come up more than once. These are the ones that haven’t come up so far:
-history
-the deliverer
- Lammas Heirling
-the gun
-genetics
-effects
- journal of a disappointed man
-please hold
-on her blindness
- out of the bag

Reply 3

cephalothin

OP

13

Original post by Katec050

I’m doing Frankenstein and NLMG for Edexcel too although I’m doing Chaucer for poetry!

Women for a prose essay sounds like a hard one, what sort of arguments would you make? I was thinking one paragraph could be along the lines of the writers showing science as a danger in replacing the maternity of womanhood, pushing the valuable connection of motherhood to the sidelines. This would be in reference to the master scientist in Frankenstein in the way that the creatures creation goes beyond human nature removing the need for female birth. Then for never maybe discuss the lack of a mother figure for the clones? I’m not sure what other paragraphs I would do for that question. I definitely need to look at the character of Elizabeth more closely . What do you think?

I definitely would, as you said, mention how Victor usurps the role of women (and God), by defying the normal channels of pro-creation. I would also definitely mention Elizabeth, how she's objectified by the Frankenstein household and is depicted as a 'pretty present' for Victor. You could also pass an interesting comment on how Elizabeth, although proficient in the domestic sphere, is completely impotent when forced to deal with the outer world; her attempt to defend Justine's innocence is a pathetic, inevitable failure. Also, there's definitely something to be said about Safie in the De Lacey household, with it's more balanced view of sexual roles - perhaps her more masculine characterisation prevents the reader from concluding that Shelley believes Elizabeth's position is neither inevitable nor desirable.

It's a bit more difficult for 'Never Let Me Go', but you could perhaps mention something about the defined gender roles - all of the guardians being female, for example. The novel is predominantly comprised of female characters, it could be a potential allegory for the colonisation of women's bodies, with abortion being a potential undercurrent?

Clearly, my 'Never Let Me Go' knowledge is lacking in comparison to 'Frankenstein'. :redface:

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 4

cephalothin

OP

13

Original post by Katec050

Are you doing poems of the decade because my teacher has sent us a list of the poems that have not come up yet. Although some poems could certainly come up more than once. These are the ones that haven’t come up so far:
-history
-the deliverer
- Lammas Heirling
-the gun
-genetics
-effects
- journal of a disappointed man
-please hold
-on her blindness
- out of the bag

Yes! Thank you.

That's more than I expected, for Metaphysical Poetry there's only six that haven't come up. Poetry is my weakest point. :s-smilie:

Reply 5

Katec050

11

Original post by cephalothin

Yes! Thank you.

That's more than I expected, for Metaphysical Poetry there's only six that haven't come up. Poetry is my weakest point. :s-smilie:

Those sound like some really good points. I’d definitely try and avoid a women question as I think it would be difficult to compare to never.

Reply 6

Katec050

11

Original post by cephalothin

Yes! Thank you.

That's more than I expected, for Metaphysical Poetry there's only six that haven't come up. Poetry is my weakest point. :s-smilie:

I’m sure you’ll be fine! You’ve just got to think there are only a limited amount of themes they can ask for each poem. I’m just picking out the key bits of analysis I would use for each poem and applying it to themes I think suit each poem. You’ve just got to remember there are so many ways you can interpret each poem so it’s fine if it’s different to other peoples as long as you have the evidence to back it up! Good luck

Reply 7

moonz_

1

Original post by cephalothin

I just wanted to discuss some predictions for A Level English as I have yet to see anyone taking my combination (particularly for prose).

Paper 2: Prose ('Frankenstein' and 'Never Let Me Go')
Potentially something to do with power, women, human nature, oppression, faith, fear, rebellion, etc.

Paper 3: Poetry (Modern Poetry and Colin Burrow's Metaphysical Poetry)
I could probably guess the poems that will come up, but I have absolutely no ideas what potential themes could come up. Any ideas?

For prose, I do Frankenstein and The Handmaid's Tale. For predictions lol I went onto chat GPT and gave it all the prose questions from 2017 to 2023 and asked it to come up with relevant predictions for 2024 that are suitable for the given novels. andd it gave me these, could be useful to revise from them, some of them are a bit specific with a bit less room for interpretation but it's ChatGPT so yh

•

consequences of societal isolation

•

forbidden knowledge

•

human exploitation

•

unreliable narrators to shape reader's understanding of narrative

•

struggle for power

•

motherhood

•

freedom

•

identity

•

challenge traditional gender roles

•

betrayal

•

justice

•

rebellion against societal norms

•

power dynamics

•

religious symbolism

Reply 8

cephalothin

OP

13

Original post by moonz_

For prose, I do Frankenstein and The Handmaid's Tale. For predictions lol I went onto chat GPT and gave it all the prose questions from 2017 to 2023 and asked it to come up with relevant predictions for 2024 that are suitable for the given novels. andd it gave me these, could be useful to revise from them, some of them are a bit specific with a bit less room for interpretation but it's ChatGPT so yh

•

consequences of societal isolation

•

forbidden knowledge

•

human exploitation

•

unreliable narrators to shape reader's understanding of narrative

•

struggle for power

•

motherhood