for your english literature gcse, you will sit two exam

One essay

For your English Literature GCSE, you will sit two exam papers. It is important to know what you need to revise for each and how important each component is.

Literature Paper 1 Total Time: 1 Hour 45

Romeo and Juliet

Animal Farm

Romeo and Juliet Two-part question:

3a) Extract analysis of L+F+S (20 marks)

3b) Essay exploring what Shakespeare suggests about a theme throughout the play and how this links to his context (20 marks)

Animal Farm

15/16) Exploring how Orwell presents a character, theme or setting through the novel, and how this links to context. (40 marks)

Literature Paper 2 Total Time: 2 Hours 15

A Christmas Carol

Poetry

A Christmas Carol Two part question:

4a) Extract analysis of L+F+S (20 marks)

4b) Essay exploring what Dickens suggests about a character, theme or setting throughout the novel

(20 marks)

Poetry Two questions:

11) Compare two unseen poems to each other based on ideas and L+F+S (20 marks)

10) Compare one poem from the anthology to another based on ideas, L+F+S, and context (20 marks)

Tips for Q10

• Make sure you read the question first before deciding on the points you’ll make and the evidence you’ll use. The question will give you a hint on what to focus on.

• Try to link language, form and structure analysis to the points you’ve made.

• Try to link the points you’re making to historical context too

• Use comparative connectives like: similarly/ in contrast/like X/unlike X

What are the main assessment objectives?

• 15 marks are awarded for AO2, which is about you proving that you can identify and analyse the language, form and structure techniques that help to prove your points.

• 5 marks are awarded for AO3, which is about you

showing that you understand how the ideas/ techniques in the poem link to the poet’s biographical/historical context.

For the poetry section of Paper 2, you will be focusing on the cluster of poems related to Time and Place.

For Question 10 you need to know all 15 of the poems in this cluster, so that you can compare ideas between the poem that is named and the unseen poem they’ll give you.

For Question 11 you will be given two unseen poems that you will need to compare.

Below is a table which identifies which poems are easily compared based on themes like time and place etc. You’ll find the themes along the top in yellow, and a grey box underneath that for all the poems that explore that

theme.

Poem and Poet Time Period Identity Memories Journeys Experience Senses Nature Time Alienation Detachment

1 ‘London’ by William Blake Romantic Era 1800-

1890

2 ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’ by William Wordsworth

3 ‘To Autumn’ by John Keats

4 ‘Home Thoughts from Abroad’ by Robert Browning

Victorian Era 1837-

1901

5 ‘I started Early – Took my Dog’ by Emily Dickinson

6 ‘Where the Picnic was’ by Thomas Hardy

7 ‘Adlestrop’ by Edward Thomas

8 ‘In Romney Marsh’ by John Davidson

Contemporary Period

1945-present

9 ‘Absence’ by Elizabeth Jennings

10 ‘Stewart Island’ by Fleur Adcock

11 ‘First Flight’ by U.A. Fanthorpe

12 ‘Nothing’s Changed’ by Tatamkhulu Afrika

13 ‘Hurricane Hits England’ by Grace Nichols

14 ‘Postcard from a Travel Snob’ by Sophie Hannah

15 ‘Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan’ by Moniza Alvi

However, these are NOT the only ideas that can be compared so feel free to make other connections between the poems.

What is the poem about? ‘London’ by WiLLiam bLake

Key quotes and language analysis The poem is about the narrator walking round the city of London and noticing how miserable people are and how many are affected by it. He blames people in power as they do not seem to be helping. He describes the city as impoverished and oppressed. The first two stanzas focus on people he sees and hears, the third stanza focuses on those he holds responsible and the last focuses on people mainly the young to help the reader think about the need for change

Tone • The tone of the poem is both angry and hopeless. • The poem is melancholic as the narrator seems distraught by

what has happened to the city over time.

Context • William Blake was a Romantic poet who spoke out against

social injustices and the negative effects of the Industrial Revolution.

• Romantic poets focused on the ideal of freedom, feelings about changes happening in their time and the glorification of nature but Blake focused mainly on change, social injustice and freedom.

• Blake wrote the poem ‘London’ in the aftermath of the French Revolution.

• Blake was born in London and enjoyed wandering through the streets of London since he was a child. And growing up he noticed how religion and the government had negatively affected London.

1. ‘I wander through each chartered street’/’chartered Thames’- in stanza 1 Blake uses repetition of ‘chartered’ to show that everything in the city is owned by the government and he is powerless.

2. ‘Cry of every man’/ ‘infant’s cry of fear’ –in stanza 2 auditory imagery is used to show the despair everyone feels.

3. ‘Mind-forged manacles’- in stanza 2 the metaphor is used to show that people are trapped in every way including their thoughts and attitudes.

4. ‘Blackn’ing church’/ ‘blood down palace walls’ – in stanza 3 symbolism is used to highlight the fact that the church is corrupt as it is tarnished by its failure to look after people and the monarchy do nothing to protect the ordinary people who suffer in their cities.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a dramatic monologue as he is speaking

passionately about the suffering he sees. • The poem has four stanzas with four lines in each to reflect on the

cyclical nature of social injustice. • The poem uses an ABAB rhyme scheme to imitate the pattern of

walking making us feel like we are also walking with him and witnesses to the suffering..

• Overall, the meter of the poem is iambic tetrameter to reflect the consistent oppression of urban life that Industrialisation brought.

‘Composed upon Westminster bridge’ by WiLLiam WordsWorth Key quotes and language analysis

What is the poem about? The poem is about the most beautiful sight that the poet has found, which is a view of London early in the morning before any man-made machines started working. Wordsworth has chosen to show his admiration for this sight after it left him with feeling content.

Tone • The tone is relaxed and calm which is stablished through

the visual imagery and the leisurely pace of the poem. • The tone of the poem is also awe and surprise as he was

not expecting to stumble on this beautiful site.

Context • William Wordsworth wrote this poem when he was on a

coach en-route to France to meet his illegitimate daughter. It would seem that the beauty he saw that morning helped him to feel less anxious.

• Wordsworth is a famous Romantic poet who was concerned with the relationship of man versus nature.

• Romantic poets focused on the ideal of freedom, feelings about changes happening in their time and the glorification of nature which Wordsworth refers to in his poem.

1. ‘Earth hath not anything to show more fair’- Wordsworth uses hyperbole to claim that this view is the best in the world and uses archaic words like ‘hath’ to create a lyrical feel to the poem.

2. ‘Silent, bare’- the use of the adjectives reinforces the absence of man

and potentially nature as everything is still.

3. ‘All bright and glittering in the smokeless air’- the adjectives emphasise that the air is unpolluted. The plosive ‘b’ is used to contrast the natural light shining through the man-made city.

4. ‘Ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples lie’- the list of man-made

structures is used to contrast with nature to show that they are beautiful structures without the presence of man.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a Petrarchan sonnet. The first eight lines introduce

the idea that this is a beauty he has never seen before and the last six lines focus on a comparison between London and the countryside.

• Wordsworth uses enjambment most at the beginning of the poem to reflect on the awe he has of the view that he is describing.

• He seems astounded at the end of the poem and he uses exclamation marks to show that he is energised and surprised by this beauty.

• The meter of the poem is iambic pentameter which is a traditional meter possibly chosen to emphasis the Romantic ideal of going back to nature as a source of inspiration.

What is the poem about?

to autumn’ by John keats Key quotes and language analysis

The poem is a description of the different stages of Autumn as the season transitions into winter. It considers how the beauty of nature changes over time. The poet personifies Autumn as a woman, focusing on the idea of fleeting beauty over time.

Tone • The tone of the poem is melancholic as he thinks about time

passing by. • The tone is also reflective as he focuses on the senses

describing the changes of abundance, (touch) harvesting (sight) and decay of nature (hearing). He seems to be conscious that change is inevitable.

Context • Keats composed this poem after taking a country walk. This was

typical of a Romantic writer as they took inspiration from nature as they considered nature to be restorative.

• Romantic poets focused on the ideal of freedom, feelings about changes happening in their time and the glorification of nature.

• Keats expresses his appreciation of nature and his concerns about change in this poem.

• Keats experienced great loss at a young age as his father died and this shaped his understanding that the human condition. He understood that life is very short.

• Keats wrote this poem a year before he passed away after suffering from Tuberculosis. He was 25 years old when he died.

1. ‘Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun’ – in stanza 1, personification is used to imply that Autumn is a woman who is close friends with the sun which helps fruit ripen in abundance. This emphasises the beauty of nature.

2. ’Sound asleep, Drows’d with the fume of poppies’- in stanza 2 the

verb drows’d and olfactory imagery creates a lethargic feeling creating a peaceful scene preparing the reader for the next stage which is death.

3. ‘In a wailful choir the small gnats mourn’-in stanza 3 aural imagery

is used to emphasis the melancholy tone.

4. ‘While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day’- in stanza 3 alliteration is used to emphasis the passing of time and the harsh reality that death is round the corner.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a pastoral ode which highlights and

praising the particular time of year. • The poem is divided into three stanzas with a rhyme scheme that

follows a regular pattern then includes a variation to reflect the idea that there is a cycle to life but change should be expected as it is not mechanical or repetitive.

• The meter of the poem is iambic pentameter which is a traditional meter possibly chosen to emphasise the Romantic ideal of going back to nature as a source of inspiration.

‘home thoughts from abroad’ by robert broWning What is the poem about? The poem is about missing England as he is living abroad and he is feeling melancholy as he imagines the beauty of England as springtime approaches. The poet celebrates the beauty of nature. The poem begins by describing England in April when spring comes and follows the narrators imagination of what it would be like to be there. He ends the poem by comparing his surroundings with England to reveal his sadness of missing this experience in England.

Tone • The tone of the poem is admiration, longing and

wonder. • The tone is happy. Even though the poet is feeling

sad and homesick the joy that the season brings and the imagined imagery in England uplifts his mood.

Context • Robert Browning composed this poem when living in

Italy. It would seem that he was homesick. • Browning indicates that the poem could be written

from someone else’s perspective and this could be his wife Elizabeth Barrett Browning who had to move to Italy to improve her health. We can assume that it is her who will never see England in Spring.

• Even though Browning is a Victorian poet, he seems to take inspiration from nature like the Romantics.

Key quotes and language analysis 1. ‘Oh to be in England when April is there’- in stanza 1 the speaker uses an

exclamatory sentence to show his longing to be back home. ‘April’ is personified as a visitor making reference to the coming of Spring.

2. ‘Whoever wakes in England’- in stanza 1 the poet uses a different perspective

to show that this is an imagined experience. The use of alliteration emphasises that this is a shared experience by those living in England.

3. ‘And the white-throat builds and all the swallows’/ ‘blossomed pear tree’- in

stanza 2 the poet uses visual imagery of the abundance of nature to create a tranquil scene. The repetition of the word ‘and’ emphasises his excited tone to see these rare bird sightings.

4. ‘Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower’- in stanza 2 the speaker uses the

superlative adjective ‘brighter’ to show that he is attempting to compare his current setting to one he would like to escape to. The juxtaposition of the flowers he sees shows there is no comparison.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a short lyric or an inverted sonnet as he is

ironically praising a place he is not living in anymore. • The poem is divided into two stanzas to juxtapose the contrast of the two

months. Potentially this could reflect the divide between what he remembers to expect and what he imagines.

• The meter of the poem is irregular to reflect on the idea that this imaginary experience brings him overwhelming joy.

‘i started earLy-took my dog’ by emiLy diCkinson What is the poem about? A young girl takes a morning walk to the sea with her dog. She enjoys playing by the sea until the tide comes which frightens her so she runs back to the town for safety. The poem is an imagined experience and is often considered an exploration of the poet’s imagination.

Tone • The tone of the poem shifts according to the speakers’ feelings.

It begins innocent and joyful but turns anxious and finally reflective.

• The tone is also reverent as she shows respect for the ‘Might’ sea.

Context • Emily Dickinson was an American writer who lived in isolation.

(A recluse) • Growing up, she had a Newfoundland dog. After his death in

1866, she very rarely left the home. • She was brought up in a Puritan New England town, which

encouraged an orthodox and conservative approach to Christianity. Which meant that she was used to very rigid rules which is reflected in the style and form of her poetry.

• Dickinson was writing during the 19th century. A time when most Victorian poets focused on ideas relating to the senses, nature, time, religion versus science conflict, morality and the interest in myths and folklore.

Key quotes and language analysis 1. ‘Visited the sea the mermaids in the basement’- in stanza 1 the

poet uses the sea as a metaphor for a house to create a hidden magical world.

2. ‘Frigates- in the upper floor extended Hempen Hands’- in stanza

2 she personifies the ropes of ships to seem like they are drawing her closer to the sea. The sea seems hypnotic.

3. ‘He would eat me up wholly as a Dew upon a Dandelion’s

sleeve’- in stanza 4 the tide is personified as a man possibly Poseidon,, seeming dangerous and threatening. She uses juxtaposition to contrast the tide and the vulnerable imagery to emphasis how terrifying it is. The visual imagery is used to show respect for nature.

4. ‘His Silver Heel’- the metaphor describes how the wave is

breaking into foam as she looks back now that she is safe on land. The imagery seems less threatening now.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a ballad to emphasise the strength and

power of the sea as this form typically used strong rhymes. • Uses a rigid rhyme and syllable structure to create a hymn like

melody to reflect on her religious beliefs. • The poem uses many dashes to reinforce the speakers timidness

towards the power of nature.


‘Where the piCniC Was’ by thomas hardy

Key quotes and language analysis The speaker recalls a memory of a place he and friends had a picnic in the summer. A wind blows over which leads to him thinking about the changes of the present day. He realises that coming here has proved that this place is no longer filled with life. The speaker uses the turn of summer to winter as the changes that happen in life. The fact that he chooses to only use two lines to describe summer and the rest for winter reflects that he is in a state of grief.

Tone • The tone of the poem is reflective as the speaker considers

the changes that have happened throughout his life. • The tone of the poem is melancholic as the speaker

describes his feelings of loneliness and loss.

1. ‘I slowly climb’- in stanza 1 the use of the adverb ‘slowly’ reinforces that he is taking a leisurely walk to an important location and the memories that are attached to this place are affecting his emotional state.

2. ‘A cold wind blows and the grass is grey’- in stanza 2 the adjectives used

to describe the scenery are bleak to emphasise his sad mood. The hard consonants express the sharp stabs of inner pain that he might be feeling.

3. ‘The sea breathes brine’- in stanza 3 the sea is personified to emphasise

the idea of sadness as he embraces the salty air which could refer to him embracing his tears.

4. ‘Has shut her eyes’- in stanza 3 the speaker uses a euphemism to refer

to the fact that Emily is dead to reflect on his bereavement period.

Context • The poem was written after the death of his first wife

Emma. • Her death was unexpected and even though they had

become estranged, Hardy was traumatised by her death and decided to revisit places in Cornwell that were linked to their courtship.

• Like most Victorian poets, Hardy focused this collection on nature, the passing of time and a pessimistic attitude towards life.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a lyric poem as the poet uses imagery to

symbolise his loss. • The poem has three stanzas which symbolise the past, present and

future. • The inconsistent rhyme scheme to reflect his bereavement. • In the second stanza the poet uses a lot of enjambment and uses an

exclamation mark to emphasise his lack of control over his emotions as he is not prepared to start thinking about the future without his wife.

‘adLestrop’ by edWard thomas

What is the poem about? The poet went on an express train from Oxford to Worcester six months before the outbreak of the war and the train made an unscheduled stop. He recalls this moment in time to describe England as sunny and innocent. It focuses on an appreciation of nature and a time that was lost but still remembered.

Tone • The tone of the poem is reflective, peaceful and nostalgic

as it focuses on a place that could easily be forgotten after it was abandoned during the war.

• The tone of the poem is also calming as the sensory detail used helps the reader feel like they are taking a moment to pause and enjoy nature.

Context • Edward Thomas was a poet known for his sensitive

observations of the countryside. • All his poetry was written during the last few years of his

life. • Thomas enlisted in the British Army in 1915 and was killed

in action at the Battle of Arras in 1917. • Thomas seems to have drawn inspiration from Romantic

poets in this poem as he focuses of the beauty of nature.

Key quotes and language analysis 1. ’Yes, I remember Adlestrop’- in stanza 1 the speaker uses first person

and colloquial language to emphasis that the poem is based on one of his memories that he fondly talks about.

2. ‘The steam hissed someone cleared his throat’- in stanza 2 the poet uses

sibilance and auditory imagery to help the reader visualise the memory.

3. ‘And willows’/’and grass’/ ‘and meadowsweet and haycock’- in stanza 3

the poet lists the abundance of natural imagery that surrounds him and uses the repetition of the word ‘and’ to emphasis his connection to nature.

4. ‘And for that moment a blackbird sang’- in stanza 4 the poet uses

auditory imagery again to recall the tranquillity of the scene. He uses the noun ‘moment’ to reflect on the idea that this moment in time is fleeting and short. One which can’t be replicated again.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is free verse to show the liberation of nature. • The poem consists of four stanzas with four lines in each stanza to

highlight the fact that this image of Adlestrop is timeless and fixed as a memory that will never change.

• It follows a clear ballad rhyme scheme of ABAB to imitate the rigid state of this tranquil scene.

in romney marsh’ by John davidson

What is the poem about? The poem is about the poets love of the place Romney Marsh, a wetland area that stretches between Kent and West Sussex. He goes into great detail of the natural landscape expressing his admiration of its beauty as he takes a leisurely walk around the town and heads towards the sea.

Tone The tone of the poem is peaceful and filled with admiration due to the rich descriptions of the surroundings.

Context • John Davidson was a Scottish writer known for his

ballads. • Davidson was brought up in a religious family as his

father was an Evangelical Union Minister (Branch of Christianity)

• Davidson suffered from depression and often found solace in exploring nature.

• Unlike other contemporary writers, Davidson seems to gain inspiration for his poetry from the Romantic Period drawing on the appreciation of beauty and nature.

Key quotes and language analysis 1. ‘I went down to Dymchurch Wall’- In stanza 1 the speaker uses the noun

‘Dymchurch Wall’ to refer to the famous sea wall that has protected the marsh since the Roman era. The reference helps the reader to contemplate on the endurance over time of preserved sites.

2. ‘Yellow sunlight fall on knolls’- in stanza 1 the speaker uses colour imagery to

suggest that nature provides warmth and life.

3. ‘Upper air like sapphire glowed: And roses filled Heaven’s central gates’- in stanza 3 the speaker uses vivid visual imagery of the colours that surround him to reflect on the precious beauty he has found. The religious imagery leads the reader to think that he feels nature is transcending and able to help him escape into a peaceful state.

4. ‘Shrill blew the wind; and shrill the wire’- in the final stanza the speaker uses

auditory imagery to imitate the sounds of the wind which is calming.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a traditional pastoral ballad to reflect on the

importance of this place as is passed down from generation to generation. • The poem consists of seven stanzas, a number which is symbolic in Christianity

as it means completeness or perfection. • The rhyme scheme follows a regular ABAB structure to imitate the calming

movements of the landscape being described.


‘absenCe’ by eLizabeth Jennings Key quotes and language analysis

The poem is about the speaker going back to a place where she met the person the poem is dedicated to. It is clearly a place that holds many memories and the lack of change in this place disturbs her as she feels it does not represent the changes that have happened within her. The absence of the person who she shared this place with brings her grief as she doesn’t feel she can enjoy the scenery.

Tone The tone of the poem shifts from calm to melancholic as the poet feels in anguish of the fact that this place has not changed.

Context • Elizabeth Jennings was a British poet who took

inspiration from her religious background as she was very careful with following rigid structures and basing ideas on tradition.

• Jennings did not like to use her autobiographical information in her poems so it is unclear who this poem is dedicated to it could be a person or even a pet.

• Jennings was part of The Movement who typically included a realisation in their poems.

1. ‘Nothing was changed’/ ‘no sign/’nothing to instruct me’- in stanza 1 the speaker uses a repetition of negatives to emphasise her distress that there is nothing has changed revealing her discomfort when visiting this place.

2. ‘The fountains sprayed their usual steady jet’-in stanza 1 uses the onomatopoeia

in the word ‘sprayed’ to emphasis that this is monotonous and there are no signs that time has passed which emphasises her sense of loss.

3. ‘The thoughtless birds that shook out of the trees singing in ecstasy’- in stanza 2

the speaker personifies the birds as they doo not share her grief so nature does not bring her solace.

4. ‘Your absence seem a savage force’- the adjective ‘savage’ describes nature as

threatening and it is hurting her. She realises that the absence of the person or thing that should be enjoying this experience with her is a force that makes her struggle with her inner turmoil.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is a lyric poem which is a traditional style with clear

rhymes which effectively helps the reader focus more on the subject matter. • The poem is divided into three stanzas each comprised of five lines. The

rigid structure of the poem makes it seem frozen in time doe to its rigid structure reinforcing the confines of the speakers grief.

• The ABABA rhyme scheme is melodic which focuses attention on the language and the emotional content; suited to the sincere and unpretentious emotions of the speaker.


‘steWart isLand’ by fLeur adCoCk Key quotes and language analysis

The poem is about a speaker who visits their home island in New Zealand. Whilst she is there she realises that even though this place is beautiful it is a place of deceit and this makes the speaker feel uncomfortable and justified for leaving this place when they migrated a long time ago.

Tone • The tone is quite bitter as every image in the poem is

tainted by deception. • The tone is also conversational and direct implying that this

poem is based on the poet’s thoughts and feelings about her past.

Context • Fleur Adcock was born in New Zealand but moved to

England around the age of 5. • She eventually moved back to New Zealand when she was

about to go to university but she felt a sense of loss and homesickness when leaving England.

• This struggle with her national identity is explored in her inability to accept the beauty of the island in the poem.

• As a contemporary writer, Fleur includes the theme of identity, entrapment, travel and culture. These themes help consider how time and place can change in meaning to a person.

1. ‘True: there was a fine bay’ – the speaker uses colloquial language to show that this conversation expresses their feelings through the subtly of expression. The colon signifies a reluctance to admit that the island is beautiful

2. ‘Maori fisherman with Scottish names’-the speaker contrasts the

nouns ‘Maori’ and ‘Scottish’ to reference historical colonization and express that this is an unfortunate loss of culture.

3. ‘Too cold to swim’- the speaker has negative responses to her

surroundings. The adjective ‘cold’ could symbolise her detachment and alienation in her home island.

4. ‘Bitten by sand-flies'/’mad seagull jetted down to jab its claws’- the

memory of this experience is loaded with aggressive verbs which reflects her feelings of the environment being hostile and unwelcoming to her.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is block form as there is no pause or break

between each verse which could reflect the idea that these are the speakers internal thoughts.

• The poem is written free verse as it reflects that these are her thoughts and feelings that are not restricted.

• The poem is one stanza to represent the subject matter which is an island.


‘first fLight’ by u. a. fanthorpe Key quotes and language analysis

The poem is about two speakers who experience a flight differently. The first speaker seems to be afraid of flying and is very observant whereas the second speaker seems like an experienced passenger who is indifferent. The poem focuses on the idea of the world getting smaller.

Tone • The tone of the poem is reflective as it is a

commentary of the changing society. • The first speaker is anxious and observant.

This creates a tone of awe and wonder • The second speaker is indifferent. This creates

a tone of detachment.

Context • U.A Fanthorpe left teaching and worked in a

psychiatric hospital where she found inspiration for her poetry due to the conversations and observations of people.

• Fanthorpe is deeply patriotic and incorporates British values and tradition into all her poetry.

• As a contemporary writer Fanthorpe includes themes of technology and intertextuality in her poetry to help us think about the apprehensions and changes in society.

1. ‘A sudden swiftness, earth slithers’/’this is rather a short hop for me’- in the beginning juxtaposition is used as the first speaker is interrupted by the second speakers ambivalence to the experience. Speaker 1 uses lots of sibilance to show that they are nervous as this is their first flight experience and the plane is taking off heightening their anxiety.

2. ‘Broad meringue kingdom’/’crinkled tangerine stain’- in the middle of the poem the

first speaker uses metaphors to describe the clouds and the sun as beautiful and shows appreciation of how nature can calm their nerves. The visual imagery is transcendent but this is not something the second speaker appreciates. Perhaps to show how desensitised we are becoming.

3. ‘Beijing, know where that is Beijing Peking’- towards the end of the poem, the second

speaker uses repetition of ‘Beijing’ to boast that they are well-travelled. The use of colloquial language reinforces the difference between the two speakers as there seems to be a economic wealth divide between the two. Speaker two is possibly a business person.

4. ‘Too cold. Too near the sun’- the last line spoken by speaker 1 is an allusion to the

Greek myth of Icarus who dared to fly too close to the sun and died to reflect on the idea that technology advancement is at its peak. The line is also a paradox to reveal the poets observation that we as a society are becoming colder due to these advancements.

Structure and form • The poem is written in free verse contrasting between two voices which are

interspersed. • There is no regular rhyme scheme and irregular line lengths to reflect the

speakers apprehension about the changing progressive society.


‘nothing’s Changed’ by tatamkhuLu afrika Key quotes and language analysis

The poem is about how a place in South Africa is still affected by the apartheid that has been abolished. The poet focuses on the idea that the racial divide that lawfully separated people based on skin colour might have been abolished but the economic struggle of those living in District 6 still face means that areas like these are still poverty stricken which maintains the divide between races.

Tone The tone of the poem is angry and immediate as the poet seems irritated that significant change has no impact on this place, District 6.

Context • The poet Ismail Joubert in Egypt, Tatamkhulu Afrika (his Xhosa

African name means Grandfather Africa) was a political protestor who was imprisoned in the same jail as Nelson Mandela for 5 years.

• He actively fought against the apartheid system. The system put people into a ranking system which gave more privileges to White people. The darker your skin, the less you were entitled to and this included land, wealth, education and job roles. To this day South African townships and areas are still separated according to skin colour as communities stayed together due to wealth or prejudice.

• During the 1970s, the beginning of the apartheid, all inhabitants living in District 6 were forcibly removed and to make space to move white people into this area. They destroyed most of the houses and buildings leaving it as an abandoned lot.

• As a contemporary writer, Afrika focused his poem on political change, race and belonging versus detachment to a place.

1. ‘Seeding grasses thrust bearded seeds into trouser cuffs, cans, trodden on, crunch’- in stanza 1 the speaker uses the harsh alliteration of ‘c’ to create the sound of the wasteland that is very dry as he walks around. He focuses on the visual imagery around him to consider how the land is unkept.

2. ‘District six. No board says it: but my feet know it’- in stanza 2 the poet

uses the noun District Six to show that this was home for the poet and visiting this place after the end of the apartheid is fuelling his anger. The use of caesura implies that there is an invisible barrier that he is aware of as he walks around the area.

3. ‘New, up-market haute cuisine.. whites only inn’/ ‘working man’s café

sells bunny chow’ – in stanza 3 and 6 the poet uses juxtaposition to show the economic divide still separates race. He uses the slang term ‘bunny chow’ to refer to a meal that is associated with comfort as the name implies that you can eat it with your hands

4. ‘Nothing’s changed’- in the final stanza the poet repeats the title to

show that over time the speaker is still angry and there is no difference. It leaves the reader with a feeling of hopelessness and despair.

Structure and form • The poem is written in free verse to reflect that it is a true reflection of

his inner thoughts. • The irregularity of the lines reveals that the poet is struggling to

control his emotions which are mainly angry. • The poem is divided into seven stanzas.


‘hurriCane hits engLand’ by graCe niChoLs Key quotes and language analysis

The poem is a memory in which the poet shares her thoughts after her experience of the storm/hurricane that hit England in 1987. The speaker draws on images that represent her clash between her two cultures: Guyanese and English. The poem is about the experience of coming to terms with a new life and a different culture.

Tone • The tone of the poem is mostly positive as the speaker seems to

welcome the weather seeing it as a positive sign. • The tone of the poem shifts in stanza 5 to a more reflective tone

to think about the deeper meaning of the hurricane.

Context • Grace Nichols is a British West-Indian writer who focuses on the

connections between the Caribbean and British culture in her poetry.

• Nicholas was born in Guyana and moved to the UK when she was 27 years old so uses her history, Creole language and heritage to influence her writing.

• Growing up in Guyana meant that the hurricane weather was something she became accustomed to.

• Immigration was a central political issue during the time she wrote the poem as it was a debate Margret Thatcher’s government often discussed.

• Like most contemporary writers, Nichols explores the theme of identity, heritage, belonging vs alienation and culture.

1. ‘Fearful and reassuring’ – in stanza 1 the speaker describes the hurricane using an oxymoron to reveal her conflicting emotions as she feels both afraid and soothed by the storms power.

2. ‘Talk to me Huracan/’talk to me Oya’- in stanza 2 the speaker uses

anaphora to emphasis her plea to be closer to her heritage. The use of the nouns refer to deities from the West Indies allowing the speaker to show her pride of her Creole language and heritage.

3. ‘What is the meaning of old tongues reaping havoc in new places?’- in

stanza 3 the speaker personifies the wind as a language which she understands but one which England is afraid of. She also uses inversion of a common phrase to show that this havoc is something she needed in order to feel comforted and less homesick due to its familiarity to her

4. ‘Come to break the frozen lake in me’- in the final stanza the speaker

uses a metaphor to reveal her feeling of detachment to her roots and has considered the coming of this storm as an important time in her life and must have some symbolic meaning.

Structure and form • The poem is written in free verse form with some rhymes to reflect

the speakers feelings of struggling with her cultural identity. • The poem begins in third person but shifts to first person- this is to

reveal that the poet is feeling more accepting and comfortable with herself as the poem progresses.

• The poem is divided into seven stanzas with irregular lines to reflect that the speaker is very emotional and moved by this experience.

‘postCard from a traveL snob’ by sophie hannah What is the poem about? The poem is about a person who can be classified as a Travel Snob. The person is writing a postcard whilst they are staying at a resort town and the person is boasting about how they are more superior in comparison to everyone.

Tone • The tone of the poem is pretentious as the

speaker seems to think they are elite in comparison to those around them.

• The tone of the poem is also mocking and judgemental which seems to be targeted at British tourists who do not care to learn about the culture of the places they visit.

Context • Sophie Hannah is a British writer from

Manchester who was brought up in a middle class society.

• Her poem was written in the 1990s when there was an increase in the tourism industry due to package holidays and more teenagers taking a gap year.

• As a contemporary writer, Hannah’s poetry considers themes of travel, detachment to your surroundings and tourism.

Key quotes and language analysis 1. ‘Drunken tourist types-perish the thought’- in stanza 1 the poet uses the adjective

‘drunken’ to reveal her judgemental attitude of people who go on these holidays. The use of outdated slang expression suggests that the speaker is of an affluent background and feels they can be separated from the other tourists at the resort.

2. ‘I’m sleeping in a local farmers van-it’s great’- in stanza 2 the speaker uses the

adjective ‘local’ to seem as if she is more culturally aware of her location as she tries to converse with the locals. However, the interjection reveals that she is unhappy and lonely living like this.

3. ‘I’m not your sun-and-sangria-two-weeks small-minded-package-philistine-abroad’- in

stanza 3 the speaker uses colloquial language to reveal her feels of disdain towards holiday makers in lively resorts. She uses the adjectives as insults but instead are a reflection of the speakers choice to stay in unsatisfactory conditions.

4. ‘I am an anthropologist in trunks’- int eh final stanza the speaker uses the noun to

make a witty statement but it is an ironic statement as the speaker has avoided people rather than observed them.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is free verse to reflect that these are the speakers internal

thoughts. • The poem is divided into four quatrain stanzas each consisting of four lines to

visually parallel the shape of a postcard. • There is a consistent alternating rhyming scheme ABAB to make the poem seem

playful to emphasis that this is a poem that is mocking rather than one with aa serious message.

‘presents from my aunts in pakistan’ by moniza aLvi Key quotes and language analysis

What is the poem about? The poem is an autobiographical account of how the poet remembers being a teenager and receiving gifts from Pakistan. It recalls her thoughts, feelings and memories of struggling with her cultural identity of being both English and Pakistani. She focuses on being both attracted and repelled by her heritage.

Tone • The tone of the poem is nostalgic as she seems to

cherish these memories. • The tone of the poem is also apprehensive as the

speaker seems confused and feels guilty for her reaction to the gifts.

Context • Moniza Alvi was born in Pakistan but moved to

England when she was only a few months old. • Alvi’s father was from Pakistan and her mother was

from England. Having a dual identity meant that she struggled with the idea of belonging.

• The poem focuses on a specific time in her life when identity becomes a crucial part of growing up.

• As a contemporary writer, Alvi explores the themes of identity, culture, heritage, detachment and alienation at a particular time in history.

1. ‘They sent me a salwar kameez peacock-blue’- in stanza 1 the poet uses the metaphor ‘salwar kameez’ to represent the country Pakistan. The adjective ‘peacock’ is used to reflect the vibrance, feeling of awe and exotic nature of the gift. The gift is something the speaker already feels a sense of detachment towards.

2. ‘Was alien in the room’- in stanza 2 the speaker uses the adjective ‘alien’ to

bring her conflicted feelings and her low self esteem in considering her embracing her heritage as she feels she is inadequate.

3. ‘My salwar kameez didn’t impress my schoolfriends’/ ‘but often I admire the

mirror-work’ – in stanza 5 the speaker juxtaposes the opinion of her friends and her own which seems to be one of admiration for the clothes. The symbolism of the ‘mirror’ is a reflection on her inner conflict at this moment. She seems like an outsider.

4. ‘No fixed identity staring through the fretwork’- in the final stanza the speaker

uses colloquial language and visual imagery to reflect on her feelings of alienation as there is a barrier between her and her English and Pakistani identity.

Structure and form • The form of the poem is free verse and is written with indented lines across

the page to appear restless. This is to reflect her wavering emotions about her cultural identity.

• The poem is divided into seven stanzas with an irregular number of lines to reflect the speakers conflicting emotions.

Once you’ve revised the 15 poems, the next thing to think about is how to approach the kind of essay question you’ll get asked. But whatever the question, you need to work through the following steps:

STEP 1: Read the question carefully and underline key words. The second poem is your choice, which means you

This means that you need to compare ideas which means

using comparative connectives.

This means that you need to comment on language, form and structure in both poems.

Every question will identify a theme, which is what you should base each of your

points on.

Every question will also identify one poem from the

anthology which you have to write about

have to decide which of the other 14 poems in this

cluster is best to use, but you’ll have to do this from

memory as you won’t have a copy of this poem in the

exam!

1 0 Compare the way poets present ideas about how a city is described in ‘London’ and in one other poem from the ‘Time and Place’ cluster.

STEP 2: Spend 5 minutes planning ideas. Context: Blake lived there + saw Ind. Rev. first-hand

Wordsworth was just visiting so maybe more impressed

Memorised quotes: e.g. ‘marks of weakness, marks of woe’ e.g. ‘the black’ning church’, ‘blood’ etc.

Structure & Form

Intro/Conc: What is your answer to the question and

Ideas: What comparative points could you make on the theme they’ve given you • Both Romantic poets but… • The people in the city are presented

differently – one’s good, one’s bad • The landmarks in the city are presented

differently – one’s good, one’s bad

Poem 1: London Poem 2: Westminster

Bridge Theme: Cities

Writers’ feelings/attitudes Blake-negative/Wordsworth- positive

Poem 1- V. regular and monotonous -> bad Poem 2- Petrarchan sonnet -> love Language & Structure Poem 1- Uses things like listing, repetition, emotive lang, and metaphors to emph. misery / Poem 2- Uses things like listing, similes, and personification to emph. positives

what context can you use? Although both poems were written during the Romantic era, they present the city of London differently

Once you’ve written a brief introduction, you need to make sure that your main paragraphs alternate back and forth between the poems, which should give you four main paragraphs.

In paragraph 1 you’ll make your first point about poem 1, and then compare it to poem 2 in paragraph 2.

Then in paragraph 3 you’ll make your second point about poem 1, and then compare it to poem 2 in paragraph 4.

For each pair of paragraphs, we’d recommend the following structure:

• Comparative point and link to poem 1 – remember to mention the theme that you’ve been given

• Evidence and analysis of LSF in Poem 1 – identify the techniques that prove your point and give evidence

• Link to context – make sure this is relevant to the point you’ve making

• Comparative point and link to poem 2 – remember to mention the theme that you’ve been given

• Evidence and analysis of LSF in Poem 2 – identify the techniques that prove your point and give evidence

• Link to context – make sure this is relevant to the point you’ve been making

To see what your paragraphs might look like in practice, we’ve given you some annotated models to look through.

This one would get a grade 3 or 4, which is ok, but wouldn’t be considered a solid pass.

Read on to see what they’ve done well, and what they need to work on.

One key difference between the poems is the way they present the people in the city. In Blake’s poem, for example, it’s clear that the people in the city are poor and miserable. We see this when Blake tells us that he sees ‘marks of weakness and marks of woe’ in ‘every face’ he meets as he’s walking through the city. The repetition of ‘marks’ suggests that the people’s faces are stained with sadness and suffering, showing that the people in this city are miserable. Perhaps this is because Blake actually lived in the city, so he’d seen the effects of the Industrial Revolution first-hand.

In William Wordsworth’s poem, however, the people in the city seem calm and peaceful. We see this when the poet tells us that ‘the very houses seem asleep’. By personifying the houses, Wordsworth suggests that it isn’t just the houses who are asleep, but the people who live in them who are asleep as well. And this suggests the people who live the city are at peace. Perhaps this is because William Wordsworth was new to the city, and because he was in a wealthier part of the city than Blake.

Comparative point linked to poem 1

Evidence and analysis of LSF in poem 1

Context



Context

Grade Strengths and Weaknesses

3/4 Points are comparative, which is good There is SOME evidence and SOME analysis of LSF And there is SOME context in both paras However, only one LSF technique is identified to prove each point And the context is a little vague

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To get more marks, you need to add more evidence and analysis, and you need to make your context more precise. Read on to see what this looks like in practice:

One key difference between the poems is the way in which they present the people who live in the city of London. For Blake, for example, it’s clear that the people in the city are poor and miserable. We see this because throughout the poem he lists all the people who are suffering, from the ‘Man’ to the ‘Infant’, and from the ‘Chimney-sweeper’ to the ‘hapless Soldier’ and the ‘youthful Harlot’. By listing so many people, including adults and children as well as men and women, Blake suggests that everyone in this city is suffering. This is something that he reinforces through his repetition of the word ‘every’. For example we’re told that ‘in every face’ he sees ‘marks of weakness’ and ‘marks of woe’, and that ‘in every cry of every Man’ and in ‘every Infant’s cry’ he hears ‘mind-forged manacles’. By repeating this word so many times, he reinforces the idea that there’s no-one in this city who isn’t suffering. Perhaps the reason Blake did this is because he was born and raised in London, and he had seen the poverty which was created by the Industrial Revolution first-hand. And perhaps Blake hoped that, by writing a poem about that, wealthy and educated people would do something about that, as he was known for being a political poet.

Unlike Blake, who suggests that the city streets are full of people suffering, Wordsworth suggests that the streets are empty, but because of the way he personifies the city as a whole he suggests that the people in the city are at peace. We see this when he personifies the houses and tells us they seem ‘asleep’. By describing the houses as ‘asleep’, Wordsworth suggests that the people who live in the houses are also asleep, whereas Blake suggested the streets were really cramped and crowded. This may be because, unlike Blake, Wordsworth was describing a very wealthy area, where people didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to go to work, whereas Blake was describing a poorer part of town. After all, Westminster Bridge is the place where the Houses of Parliament are, so it’s a place that’s associated with wealthy, educated people, who create laws and keep the peace, suggesting that the people who live in this part of the city are civilised and cultured.



Context



Context


5/6 Points are clear and comparative In para 1, two techniques are identified, and eleven quotes are given In both paragraphs the context is detailed and precise However, the second paragraph still only picks out one technique and one quote, so the paras are imbalanced

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One key difference between the poems is the way in which they present the people who live in the city of London. For Blake, for example, it’s clear that the people in the city are poor and miserable. We see this in the first stanza, where he tells us that ‘in every face [he] meets’ he sees ‘marks of weakness, marks of woe’. This is a very hyperbolic statement, and one which is emphasised even more by the repetition of the word ‘marks’ and the alliteration of the words ‘weakness’ and ‘woe’. The noun ‘marks’ is ambiguous, in the sense that it’s not clear whether he’s referring to dark circles around the eyes, which would suggest tiredness, or red rings around the eyes, which would suggest sadness, and it’s possible he’s actually suggesting both. But it’s also unclear because a ‘mark’ is something you can’t rub off or get rid of, suggesting that the effect this city has had on its people is permanent, and that it can’t be undone. But this isn’t the only way Blake suggests that the people in this city are poor and miserable. He also suggests it by using listing and repetition in stanza two, when he tells us that ‘in every cry of of every Man’ and ‘in every Infant’s cry of fear’ he can hear ‘the mind-forged manacles’. Again, the repetition of ‘every’ makes this a very hyperbolic statement, but this is not the worst thing. The worst thing is the fact that he juxtaposes the nouns ‘Man’ and ‘Infant’, as if to prove that everyone in the city is affected – from the very young to the very old – and the fact that he tells us both are imprisoned by ‘mind-forged manacles’. The alliteration draws our attention to the adjective ‘mind-forged’, which means ‘made in the mind’, and this is sad because it means that these people think that they are like prisoners in this city when they’re not. But the final way in which Blake suggests that the people in this city are poor and miserable is in stanzas three and four, when he lists even more people who are suffering, including ‘the Chimney-sweeper’, ‘the hapless Soldier’, and ‘the youthful Harlot’. Again, by listing one job that was done by children, and two jobs that were done by adults, Blake suggests the suffering in this city was universal. But by also listing a job that was done by women and a job that was done by men, he emphasises this even more. Perhaps this is because Blake was born and raised in London, and had seen the poverty which was created by the Industrial Revolution first-hand. And perhaps Blake hoped that, by writing a poem about that, wealthy and educated people would do something about that, as he was known for being a political poet.

Wordsworth, on the other hand, barely mentioned any people when he wrote the poem ‘Westminster Bridge’. Instead, he personifies the city as if it was a person, and based on the way that he does this he suggests that the people in the city are at peace. We see this when he describes the houses as being ‘asleep’, the river as gliding ‘at his own sweet will’, and the city as wearing ‘the beauty of the morning’ ‘like a garment’. By using this adjective to personify the houses, Wordsworth suggests that the people in the city are also asleep, whereas Blake suggested the streets were heaving with people everywhere you looked. This may be because, unlike Blake, Wordsworth was describing a very wealthy area, where people didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to go to work, whereas Blake was describing a poorer part of town. After all, Westminster Bridge is the place where the Houses of Parliament are, so it’s a place that’s associated with wealthy, educated people, who create laws and keep the peace, suggesting that the people who live in this part of the city are civilised and cultured. He suggests the same thing by listing some of the things those people have built, like ‘ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples’, suggesting that the people who’ve built this part of the city are incredibly skilled, as if there’s no end to their talents. It’s possible that Wordsworth was particularly impressed by this because he didn’t grow up in a city. Instead, he grew up in Devon, which is in the countryside, and so maybe that’s why he’s so impressed at the technological advances the people in this city have made during the Industrial Revolution, whereas Blake may have taken these for granted. Either way, his presentation of the people in this city really couldn’t be more different.



Context



Context


7/8 Points are clear and comparative Para 1 identifies 7 different techniques and gives 8 different quotes, Para 2 identifies 3 techniques and 5 different quotes – the only issue really is the very slight imbalance The context in both is also really precise, especially in Para 2, where it’s woven THROUGHOUT the paragraph, and not just tacked on at the end

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And finally, just for reference, we’ve given you a student-friendly mark-scheme to assess your work against.

Grade Criteria

1 Very little attempt made to compare the poems. Mainly spoken about the poems in isolation An attempt to identify LFS technique or explain quotes. Little use of quotes to support ideas Some mention of relationship the poem has to the context about the poet. Student only discussed one of the poems

2-3 Identified some similarities or differences Identified a few L/F/S techniques (usually focusing on one poem more than the other) with some attempt to explain why they are used Some use of quotes to support ideas Some attempt to link comments about the poem to the context

4-5 Compares the differences and similarities of the poems focusing on ideas Understands and explains LF/S techniques about each poem and explains why they are used. Quotes are continuously used to support ideas Some attempt to contrast the way poets present ideas through techniques Precise use of linked comments about the poem to the context

6-7 Compares a variety of differences and similarities of the poems A range of quotes are used to support ideas Effectively comments on the use of many LFS techniques and explains the effectiveness Understands and explains how techniques are used in contrast by the poets. Detailed and varied comments about the context linked to the content or analysis.

8-9 Perceptive comparison and contrast of a variety of similarities and differences of the two poems Well selected use of a range of quotes to support ideas Thoughtful comments on the use of many LFS techniques with continuous evaluation of the effectiveness Effectively explains how the techniques and ideas are contrasted between both poets Detailed and perceptive understanding of the links between the poems and the context Consideration of alternative interpretations of the poem based on context.

for your english literature gcse, you will sit two exam

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