English Literature

1. English Literature

2. The importance of Literature across the Federation.

3. Stanway School 5xA*-C = 62% English Literature = 75% A*-C 2011 Target 80% 180 pupils needing C and above grades to gain desired College courses. 81 already achieved C grades. There are 20 pupils within the target group who need English Lit as one of their 5 A*-C.

4. What's in the paper? Section A: Prose study - 'Of Mice and Men'. 45 minutes Section B: Pre and post 1914 poetry. - Duffy/Armitage or Heany/Clarke. 1 hour

5. Section A Prose Biggest barrier to our pupils?

6. Moving pupils from 'an appropriate comment on meaning' into the higher bands

7. Say what you see? Katie Price, AKA Jordan A multi millionaire business women, single mother who is multi talented? A publicity seeking, troubled individual who is hell bent on self destruction. A brash and loud personality who publically loves to be loathed as any tabloid story means she is receiving attention.

8. What is the 'appropriate comment' on meaning? The answer is predominantly right but it is undeveloped it merely states a point. It does not go further and link this to wider themes within the novel or the language choices or more importantly effect. Example: Animals are used within Of Mice and Men to create a sense of foreboding’ … Through the use of Animals Steinbeck explores the theme of death. Deaths within the novel gradually become more severe as they affect more central characters.

9. Discuss how Steinbeck portrays violence in the novel The violent force of nature is explored through the unpredictable natural occurrences which appear within the survival of the fittest idea which is constant within the novel. The heron in chapter one mirrors the violence which looms throughout the novel. “A stilted Heron laboured up into the air and pounded down river”. In chapter one the brush is a representation of the Garden of Eden, “the water was warm too, for it had slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight”, the peaceful and tranquil setting lures the reader into a false sense of security where they forget the symbolism of the snake. Biblical references see the snake enticing Eve to eat fruits from the Tree of temptation, however Steinbeck portrays Curley’s wife as the Biblical temptress to Lennie’s innocence. Finally, the violent death of the snake at the hands of the heron “a silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically” is then mirrored with Lennie’s demise. However, whereas nature’s violent occurrences are unemotional, George struggles with his conscience before shooting Lennie.

10. The violent force of nature is explored through the unpredictable natural occurrences which appear within the survival of the fittest idea which is constant within the novel. The heron in chapter one mirrors the violence which looms throughout the novel. “A stilted Heron laboured up into the air and pounded down river”. In chapter one the brush is a representation of the Garden of Eden, “the water was warm too, for it had slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight”, the peaceful and tranquil setting lures the reader into a false sense of security where they forget the symbolism of the snake. Biblical references see the snake enticing Eve to eat fruits from the Tree of temptation, however Steinbeck portrays Curley’s wife as the Biblical temptress to Lennie’s innocence. Finally, the violent death of the snake at the hands of the heron “a silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically” is then mirrored with Lennie’s demise. However, whereas nature’s violent occurrences are unemotional, George struggles with his conscience before shooting Lennie. Appropriate comment Thoughtful consideration Analytical response Conceptualised response

11. The layer cake! C Grade B Grade Appropriate Thoughtful Analytical A Grade Conceptualised A* Grade

12. Practical revision techniques Point Evidence Explain Effect

13. QWC Quality of written content

14. Section B Poetry

15. Comparing poems

16. Armitage Duffy Pre-1914 Clarke Heany

17. Pupils will be asked as part of the exam to choose three or more poems and compare them, or write about their similarities and differences. One way is as follows…

18. Use a four-phase approach 1. Read all the poems once for overall sense of theme, treatment and the nature of the relationship between the three poems. 2. Re-read poem A and make quick notes on the content, language, and structure. Re-read poem B, then poem C and do the same. 3. Write down what is unique (only appears in that poem) to each poem with supporting evidence (quotes/line references). 4. List the main points of similarity and difference between the three poems.

19. The preparation should allow you to structure an essay as follows: • Opening paragraph should deal with the nature of the relationships between the three poems (what makes the poems able to be compared?). • Several subsequent paragraphs which discuss the detail observed in (2) above (the content, language and structure of the poems). Concentrate first on one poem, and then the next. Link your paragraphs by using paragraph connectives. • Final paragraph should discuss the main points of similarity and difference in the poems and, if appropriate, indicate the reasons for your preference of one poem over the other.

20. Example: How does Hitcher convey the theme of Violence? Compare this to 1 poem by Duffy and another from the pre 1914 bank. The question will usually ask you how the poems show and convey the theme. Spend 10 minutes planning and this will leave you 50 minutes to write the full response Make sure you underline the theme

21. Spend 10 minutes planning! First person Begin by thinking about themes Strong characters Parent/ Child relationships Love Death Evil Strong emotions Memory Getting older

22. Hitcher Stealing Violent sociopath Jealous Angry Lacks emotion Boredom Narcissistic Enjoyment from crime Lonely destructive damaged character