AS English Literature Revision
Day
April 2014
LT1 Section A: Poetry
Which Poems?
Identify which poems the following lines come
from
“The lough waters
Can petrify wood.”
“The globe has spun. He stands in a wooden O.”
“Or in the sucking clubber I would splash
Delightedly and dam the flowing drain”
“Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away”
“Rattling the classroom window
Like a ruler across the knuckles”
“The lough waters
Can petrify wood.”
“The globe has spun. He stands in a wooden O.”
“Or in the sucking clubber I would splash
Delightedly and dam the flowing drain”
“Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away”

The Relic of Memory

Alphabets

Poem

Digging

Hailstones
“Rattling the classroom window
Like a ruler across the knuckles”
Principle Examiner’s Comments

AO1: As in previous years, there is still evidence of a lack of planning in a
number of cases. Candidates have 1 hour 15 minutes to spend on Section A
and it is strongly advised that they spend at least 15 minutes planning. 1
hour is more than enough time to write a strong essay, and essays that are
well planned will be more likely to be focused and relevant.

AO2: Almost all candidates would benefit from closer focus on how meaning
is created.

AO3i: As in previous sessions, the strongest responses used the partner text
as a lens through which to discuss the core text.

AO3ii: There are still some cases where candidates do not include any
readings at all or even any tentative language (such as ‘perhaps’).
A03i: Making Connections
AO3ii: Suggested ‘interpretations
from others’ that could ‘inform’
your own reading of Heaney’s
poetry
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Helen Vendler praised Heaney "the Irish poet whose pen has been the
conscience of his country.“
His poetry is said to reflect ‘the turbulence of his homeland while
simultaneously celebrating the human spirit and the beauty of the
natural world’.
Heaney’s poetry is said to be concerned with ‘the childhood building
blocks of language and environmental surroundings’.
His work is said to be a ‘land-language-heritage triangle’.
"Heaney's writing is full of taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing."
It has been said that in Heaney’s poetry ‘it is easy to recognise the
emulation of a childlike inner voice’.
A03ii: Using Alternative
Interpretations
A03ii: Using Alternative
Interpretations
Using Alternative Interpretations

Aim to use alternative interpretations to
inform your analysis – they can either
form a part of your ‘analysis’ sentence,
after your quotation, or you could use
them as a part of your topic sentence.
Structuring Your Response
Example Introduction
What does this do well?
Structuring Your Response

•
•
•
Introduction:
Introduce two Heaney’s poems which you will
explore in your essay and the attitude expressed
in each towards the theme of the question.
Use a comparative comment to introduce
Sheers’ two poems that you will explore in your
essay.
State how the Sheers and Heaney pairings
present similar/contrasting attitudes towards the
theme of the question.
Structuring Your Response
Main Body Paragraphs

Throughout the main body of your essay,
you need to move confidently between
your partner text, Heaney, and your core
text, Sheers.
Main Body - Analytical
Paragraphs
Main Body - Analytical
Paragraphs
Structuring Your Response


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Every paragraph must start with a clear topic
sentence – you need to make it clear to the
examiner what you’re going to be exploring in
this paragraph.
Select short, specific quotations to illustrate your
point; use phrases such as ‘for example’ to
introduce them; you might choose ¾ quotations
in one paragraph to support your point
Focus on as specific feature of your quotation
and explore how it creates an effect
Structuring Your Response


Use a comparative comment to introduce
Sheers’ poem
Include a short quotation and analyse,
commenting on the effects of a particular
feature.
Comparative Phrases
The following are useful phrases to show
comparison/contrast.


Comparison: similarly/ furthermore/ equally/ in
the same way…/ also /in much the same way…/
comparably
Contrast: In contrast/ contrastingly/ on the
contrary…/ differently…
Conclusion

What does this student’s conclusion do?
Your conclusion should summarise the ideas and attitudes
in both texts and how they are similar/different
And Now a Coffee Break….

10 minutes to refresh your brains!
Planning Your Response
PLANNING YOUR
RESPONSE IS
ESSENTIAL!
Planning Your Response
Heaney 1
Structure and
Form
Language
Imagery
Poetic
Techniques
Sheers 1
Heaney 2
Sheers 2
Now It’s Your Turn!
You will have 15 minutes planning time and 30 minutes to
write your introduction, one comparative paragraph and
your conclusion.
Themes in Heaney
Revision Sheets
Heaney’s Poems
Sheers’ Poems
Theme:
Alternative
Interpretations
And Finally…Things To Do:
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Become familiar with Heaney and Sheers’
poetry
Complete Planning Grids
Complete essay
Revise terminology