AS Language and Literature
Revision Day
April 2014
LL1 Section A: Poetry
Which Poems?
Identify which poems the following lines come
from
“And truly it’s a blessing,
For what He might have done with us
It’s better only guessing.”
“To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells”
“And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill:”
“The age is best, which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;”
He burnt his candle to the snuff;
And that’s the reason, some folks think,
He left behind so great a stink.”
“And truly it’s a blessing,
For what He might have done with us
It’s better only guessing.”

There is No God, The Wicked Saith

To Autumn

Break, Break, Break

To Virgins to Make Much of Time
“To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel
shells”
“And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill:”
“The age is best, which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;”
“He burnt his candle to the snuff;
And that’s the reason, some folks think,
He left behind so great a stink.”

A Satirical Elegy on the Death of a Late
Famous General
Structuring Your Response
Example Introduction
What does this do well?
Structuring Your Response

•
•
•
Introduction:
State what Text A is, include relevant context
and state writer’s attitude to topic.
Use a comparative comment to introduce Text B.
State what Text B, include relevant context (this
will be hinted at in the exam paper) and
compare writer’s attitude to topic.
Structuring Your Response
Main Body Paragraphs
How has this student structured their paragraph?
Structuring Your Response



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.
Introduce Text A, include a quotation and use
literary and linguistic terminology to analyse.
Using a comparative comment, introduce Text B;
include a quotation and use literary and
linguistic terminology to analyse.
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
Planning Your Response
PLANNING YOUR
RESPONSE IS
ESSENTIAL!
Planning Your Response
Now It’s Your Turn!


Text A: the poem A Satirical Elegy on the Death of a Late Famous
General by Jonathan Swift
Text B: an online editorial entitled Thatcher funeral: goodbye to all
that, taken from The Guardian website,
Compare and contrast Text A and Text B.
In your response you should:
• show understanding of the meanings in each text;
• explore the influence of different contextual factors;
• use integrated linguistic and literary approaches to analyse the texts.

You will have 15 minutes planning time and 20 minutes to
write your introduction, one comparative paragraph and
your conclusion.
And Now a Coffee Break….

10 minutes to refresh your brains!
LL1 Section B: The Time Traveler’s
Wife and The Time Machine
Principle Examiner’s Comments
“ The key to doing well on this section
relies on knowing the texts extremely well
in order that pertinent selections relevant to
the question can be made at speed.
”
Quiz Time!


http://www.gradesaver.com/the-timemachine/study-guide/quiz1/
http://www.shmoop.com/time-travelerswife/quotes-quiz.html
Context in The Time Machine

There are key points of context you need to be
familiar with in Wells’ The Time Machine:
*The Industrial Revolution
*Capitalism in Victorian England
*Social Darwinism
*Entropy
*Victorian Science Fiction
*H G Wells and Socialism
Example Questions
Identifies TTW
extract
Focus of
extract
Focus of whole text and
comparison with TTM
Structuring Response
Introduction
*State how theme/character is presented in both
texts – focus on links
*Expand on how theme/character is presented in
extract of TTW
*Expand on how theme/character is presented in
rest of novel
*Compare/contrast how theme is presented in
TTM

Structuring Response
Analysis of Extract
“There are many approaches to structuring a response that can be successful
but the simplest and clearest is to track the passage through line by line
providing detailed integrated discussion and then to move on quickly to
the second part of the question.” (Principle Examiner)
*Aim to track through the extract, aiming to
identify at least five points that answer the
question. Aim to cover a range of
linguistic and literary techniques (including
grammar/lexis/phonology etc.)
Structuring Your Response
Whole Text and Partner Text
“In the second part candidates should select at least one other episode from the core and partner
texts to develop their answer. It is possible to look at more than one other example from each
text, but candidates should guard against simply identifying lots of episodes.” (Principle Examiner)
•
Aim to cover at least three points from another area of the TTW. Introduce
your comments in the following way:
Elsewhere in the TTW, the theme of …. is presented as…
•
Aim to cover at least three other points from TTM, noting points of context,
comparison and contrast as you do so. Introduce your comments on the
following way:
In the TM, the theme of … is similar/different…
•
As you do so, you could refer back to the TTW!
Conclusion

You will need to summarise how both
texts are linked in the portrayal of the
theme/character in the question and
reflect on reasons for
similarities/differences.
How to Revise: Aim to Collate Your
ideas on Themes and Characters

Themes
Death
Fear
Violence
Friendship
Love
Strength and Weakness
Knowledge
Science
Power
Control
Free Will
Freedom and Captivity
Creativity
Loneliness
Childhood
Determinsim
Parents
The Present
Change
Time
Time Travel The Past
The Future
Loss
Memories
Planning
Niffeneggar’s Attitude
Characters
Theme:
Events
Links to TTM
And Finally…Things To Do:
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Become familiar with TTW and TTM
Complete Planning Grids
Complete essay
Revise terminology