MEMO – GRADE 11 JUNE 2012
Please note that the Marking Memo is merely a guide and a point of departure
for assessing candidates’ responses.
QUESTION 1
The infinite beauty of nature and the joys of loving are surely what one must be
grateful for in life.’
Is this the message of the poem?
Critically discuss, showing how the poet uses imagery and other stylistic devices to convey
meaning.
The following points need to be considered:
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The writer shows deep appreciation for his natural environment
The poem celebrates the wonders of God’s creation
The writer captures the glory of God by recording his sensory experiences (‘how should tasting touching
hearing seeing / breathing’)
The writer’s reaffirmation of his faith – (I who am died am alive again today)’.
The inexhaustible wonder and abundance of the earth – ‘...of the gay/great happening illimitably earth’.
The writer expresses his Gratitude to God – line 1
Spiritual rebirth and awareness (‘now the ears ... eyes are opened)
Imagery : ‘ the sun’s birthday’ – metaphor
‘ears of my ears’ / ‘eyes of my eyes’ – personification / paradox
‘the gay / great happening’ – alliteration
Structure (Sonnet – plus development from positive to negative to resolution); use of punctuation (and
its absence)
The light hearted spirit of joy that the writer experiences is captured in the regular rhythmic beat of lines
2 – 3 (‘for the leaping greenly spirits of trees / and a blue true dream of sky’) and of lines 9 – 10 (‘how
shouls tasting touching hearing seeing / breathing any’)
While the tone of the poem may be considered sentimental, it is nevertheless sincere, as it is a genuine
desire to express an affirmation and an admiration of life and what it has to offer.
BE GUIDED BY THE MARKING RUBRIC
[10]
QUESTION 2
2.1
interacts with the audience; challenges and gains interest
[accept good alternatives]
2.2
narrator able to identify with the inanimate snowman (their minds are similar – cold – like)
Identifies own moral structure – his way of life
Futility in stealing something of no monetary worth and difficulty of effort suggests narrator’s own
futile life
Snowman made by parents for their children – obviously stealing it and subsequently destroying it
resonates within the narrator a disdain for this kind of family structure as it may have been absent from
his or her own formative developments
[look for good developments around these ideas]
2.3
(3)
Mucky – messy (connects with “leave a mess” where the narrator deliberately defiles other people’s
homes) / indifferent / enjoys the thrill of other’s suffering
Ghost – like a malevolent spirit / something insubstantial; out of society, unacceptable
[Should explore both words]
2.4
(2)
(2)
[OPEN – ACCEPT MIXED RESPONSES]
DISTANCED: the narrator not only steals but does so with the full knowledge of the upset that his/her
actions will cause the victims. Cruelty and selfishness is the motivation for the theft of the snowman.
The narrator is preoccupied with his or her own world only
Absolves blame by saying “life’s tough”: this is “the real world”
The question is a direct challenge to the audience – almost an excuse for the narrator’s own actions
SYMPATHY: no real attachments hence the identification with the snowman as a mate
The rage expressed in destroying the snowman points too at the possibility that the narrator had a broken
childhood (and is a victim of circumstances)
The question indicates what has already been suspected: that the narrator is alone and misunderstood
and that what has been expressed is outside the realms of human comprehension)
[look for good developments around these ideas]
(3)
[10]
QUESTION 3
3.1
3.2
Expresses speaker’s intimate connection to his child
the lack of punctuation signifies the pure bond (“you” and “i” on the same level)
the immense fears that speaker has are foregrounded
(2)
These are images that connect with outside malevolent influences and occupy “dark” or evil spaces
(literally: prejudice, racial segregation, civil violence, etc)
The extended metaphor of darkness (“shadows ... eclipse”) indicates the intensity of the speaker’s
feelings
The sanctity of the child’s innocence expressed in “butterfly spirit” runs antithetically to the forces of
darkness the speaker fears
[look for an engagement with the question and appropriate substantiation: mere paraphrasis and
lifting doesn’t score marks]
(3)
3.3
3.4
They develop the love and sense of completion the new born baby has for the speaker
The unity of night and day suggests a complete cycle - the baby provides full purpose for the
speaker’s existence.
(2)
[POSITIVE]
the name that the child possesses is symbolic of new hope – maybe the pureness of the baby will usher
in a spirit of goodness: something the world has not experienced given all the terrible things alluded to
in stanzas 4 and 5 (“light” vs “dark”)
[two ideas: “name” ; “light”]
[NEGATIVE]
(Difficult to get to three marks ... 1 – 2 for ideas around the modal “shall” in that, logically, peace and
goodness not yet in our society...]
(3)
[10]
QUESTION 4
‘In EXAM POEM, Karen Press makes a critical statement about the way poetry is taught and studied
for examination purposes.’
Discuss this statement, paying attention to imagery, diction and tone.
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Consider the argument each learner presents in terms of the rubricof the question - they must
demonstrate their ability to show how the imagery, diction and tone help the writer
to convey his message effectively.
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Some will accept the guidelines as useful.
Other candidates will agree to escape from the exam room – so frustrating and tedious the task of
analysis becomes.
 The writer concedes that there is some obscurity in a poem. She has a challenging attitude towards
the study of poems and gives guidelines on the way the poem can be analysed. She refers to aspects of
analysing the simile and the metaphor. Her diction is very cleverly put to use: she uses words such as
‘like ‘ and ‘as’ to illustrate what a simile is. The writer does not shy away from the study of poetry –
rather, she encourages the reader to study poetry.
 The image of a car-crusher indicates that in the writer’s view, poems are analysed over-much and as
such lose their appeal for young readers. By using the image the writer tells us that after a poem has
been analysed it resembles a ‘battered flat package’ – its aesthetic beauty having been extracted by the
laborious ‘explaining’ till it is a useless piece of steel.
[10]
QUESTION 5
5.1
The writer concedes that there is some obscurity in a poem. She has a challenging attitude towards the
study of poems and gives guidelines on the way the poem can be analysed. She refers to aspects of
analysing the simile and the metaphor. Her diction is very cleverly put to use: she uses words such as
‘like ‘ and ‘as’ to illustrate what a simile is. The writer does not shy away from the study of poetry –
rather, she encourages the reader to study poetry.
(2)
5.2
The metaphors are appropriate – the exam mark is compared to ‘happiness’ or ‘despair’ – with
reference to passing which brings joy, and failing which plunges the student into deep sadness. The
exam poem decides the fate of a candidate – it can lead to his despair. Failure to analyse a poem is
equivalent to “breaking” the poet’s “heart” ’- when sadness sets in.
(3)
5.3
The image of a car-crusher indicates that in the writer’s view, poems are analysed over-much and as
such lose their appeal for young readers. By using the image the writer tells us that after a poem has
been analysed it resembles a ‘battered flat package’ – its aesthetic beauty having been extracted by
the laborious ‘explaining’ till it is a useless piece of steel.
(3)
5.4
Accept a well-reasoned response.
Some students will not identify with the speaker’s feelings and give as reason their enjoyment of
poems. Others who are not particularly interested in poetry will agree that the best thing to do is to
run away rather than attempt to analyse poems – especially in an examination.
(2)
[10]
QUESTION 6
‘Evil in the play, Macbeth, may be defined as the result of a lust for power.’
Critically discuss
A. Macbeth’s evil nature and its impact.
• Macbeth’s vaulting ambition – impels him on the path of evil – his helplessness
in the face of it.
• Initial meeting with Weird Sisters reveals his excited yearning (‘The greatest is behind’), for the ‘imperial
theme’ Seeds of evil inherent in his nature.
• Macbeth’s unsolicited decision to clear obstacles on the path to gaining the crown:
– ‘The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step on which I must fall down,
or else o’erleap, for in my way it lies.’
– Banquo and Fleance, threat to his security.
– Macduff and his family.
• His employment of murderers, spies.
• Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s awareness of the unnaturalness of their evil thoughts and contemplated deeds –
Macbeth’s single minded pursuit of
his obsession.
• His insensitive destruction of Scotland. World plunged into disorder, chaos.
‘Let the frame of things disjoint, both the worlds suffer’
• His unholy alliance with the Weird Sisters. Macbeth’s embraces and promotes
‘Fair is foul, foul is fair.’
• His desperate (and blasphemous) challenge of Fate.
• Macbeth’s single-minded focus on kingship and his security ultimately leads to his and Lady Macbeth’s death.
• Duncan’s good qualities as a king exacerbates Macbeth’s culpability in an evil deed for power’s sake.
B. Essays of merit will argue that, notwithstanding the evil in Macbeth and its impact on society, the
hero’s conduct is not in keeping with his essential nature but in contrast with it. And therefore the evil
generated for power’s sake is not the ‘final impression’ of the play.
In this regard, learners should discuss:
• his nobility of character as recognized by Lady Macbeth and Duncan.
• Macbeth’s grand nature at the play’s opening – his heroism, integrity, etc. – ‘Bellona’s bridegroom’?
• his vivid imagination and conscience which presents to him the terrible consequences of his proposed deed –
of damnation
• the hero’s mental torment and massive suffering before and after the deed – his state of sleeplessness.
• His increasing isolation from man and God.
• His heroic courage to accept the consequences of his crime and not to surrender – challenges Fate even to
death, even when ‘Birnam Wood come to Dunsinane’.
• Macbeth’s philosophic insight into the futility of life that is divorced from its spiritual element. ‘Life’s but a
walking shadow … a tale / told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.’
[20]
QUESTION 7
7.1
Previous Thane of Cawdor a traitor and went against Duncan
Macbeth’s brave victory over the Norwegian lord
Macbeth rewarded for his brave deeds given that the present Thane of Cawdor to be executed
(3)
7.2
7.3.1
7.3.2
7.4.1
The Weird Sisters have just met Macbeth and Banquo and prophesied that Macbeth would gain further
honours of Thane of Cawdor (and the kingship, and that Banquo would be the ‘father’ of kings.)
Banquo here expresses his surprise and shock that the Weird Sisters have predicted a truth (Thane of
Cawdor)
/‘Devil’ – Banquo acknowledges that the Weird Sisters are unnatural, darkforces.
(2)
The next step (“behind” means “next”) is to be king (the greatest) after being made the Thane of
Cawdor after being the Thane of Glamis.
(2)
[Learners who place Lady Macbeth in the same category as the Weird Sisters may receive a mark in
the range 0 – 2.] Possible ideas to explore
• Her essential humanity and natural feelings of tenderness.
• Her suppression of the natural instinct; she calls upon forces of evil to ‘unsex’ her and fill her with
direst, cruelty.
• Her sacrifice of her own integrity and physical and mental health for her husband’s ambition – her
loyalty, determination.
• Her cruelty is not natural: she shows a fierce determination to kill Duncan but her natural feelings
override her when the sleeping Duncan reminds her of her father.
• No personal gain for her.
• She cracks under the strain of her unnatural effort and withdraws – her tortured conscience ultimately
leads to her final breakdown (sleepwalking).
• Witches belong wholly to the category of evil/evil thoughts and lead people to their damnation. By
contrast Lady Macbeth has moral scruples and the essential femininity is amply demonstrated in the
tragedy (discuss instances)
• She only appears to be evil – involved in assisting her husband to commit the deed.
(4)
Evokes sympathy
• Not a criminal mind – feels the agony/error of his temptation. Knows the act goes against nature – will lead
to his damnation.
• His insight that murder will disrupt/destroy harmony/order in man and nature(“shakes so my single state of
man”) engages our sympathy.
• That he goes on to commit the deed notwithstanding the insight he has to deter him, indicates the extent of
his helplessness beside his overpowering ambition. We sympathise with his weakness.
• On other occasions also prior to the murder he is unnerved by the horror of the deed (dagger scene ...)
Alienates our Sympathy
• Having the above insight, Macbeth still commits the unforgiveable act – reveals his craving for power, his
selfishness, etc. He acts on knowledge – not on ignorance or on being misled.
As much as Macbeth states he will do nothing to become king, his later actions show the opposite: that he
initiates events that make him become the king.
• Macbeth later sees Malcolm as obstacle to the throne (“That is a step / On which I must fall down, or else
o’erleap, For in my way it lies.”)
• Kills Duncan to gain throne.
• Employs murderers to destroy Banquo and Fleance – threats to his security as king.
• Seeks out the Weird Sisters to know more about his security as king.
• Destroys Macduff’s family.
• Challenges Fate and destroys Scotland. (5)
7.4.2 Leave everything to fate (‘chance’) as it is fate that derived for his being the thane of Cawdor / will not
kill Duncan as maybe Fate will ensure his becoming king too
(2)
QUESTION 8
8.1.1
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The following techniques may be discussed (in detail):
jump-cut technique
Evey’s voiceover as a resolution to conflicts
the train crashing into the building and exploding
The grand explosion – fireworks (low angle shot)
Soundtrack – powerful Tchaikovsky music (1812 Overture)
8.1.2
V:
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(4)
covers his disfigurement / master of disguise
he iconically wears a Guy Fawkes mask to portray his rebellion against a tryrannical government
Evey:
 She wears a “mask” as she does not stand up to the oppressive society and sells herself short (in
a number of different ways) in the beginning of the film
 She holds V’s mask as a way of acknowledging her love and admiration for V
[accept good alternatives]
8.1.3
8.2.1
She has been made free by V who has helped her not to fear death; likewise she, unmasked, will be
able to engage in a new kind of peaceful liberation as opposed to the nature of V’s anarchistic
liberation.
[accept good alternatives]
(4)
(2)
Close-up long shot as opposed to men in distance
V in centre and lighting creating him as a focal point
The men are armed however V’s composure (established through a POV shot) helps to facilitate our
confidence in him
(4)
8.2.2
YES
Vigilantism is an appropriate response to the tyrannical order. The end justifies the means
NO
Anarchy can never be justified.
[OPEN-ENDED; LOOK FOR ENGAGEMENT OF THESE ISSUES IN TERMS OF FORUM
DISCUSSIONS. ALLOW FOR MIXED RESPONSES]
(4)
8.3
OPEN
The angular proportions and symmetry creating a triangle with V at the epicentre controlling the
dominoes is visually effective (in a V design). The chain reaction he sets resonates the possibilities
that emerge when one initiates change to a closed system.
(2)
[20]