A2: Unit 4:
Further and
Independent
Reading
Coursework
All AOs are assessed in these two pieces of coursework
AO1
Write a well-argued, evaluative essay which focuses on the question, using appropriate terminology
and concepts
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AO2
AO3
AO4
focus on answering the question
put a clear, strong topic sentence at the beginning of your paragraph
use DETAIL and DEVELOP your points
write clear sentences (remember LESS IS MORE)
think about the structure of your essay.
Use a more sophisticated vocabulary (see examples on next pages)
Use literary terminology
Analyse the ways in which structure, form and language shape meanings in literary texts
Explore connections/comparisons between different literary texts.
 Consider alternative Interpretations.
 Evaluate the critical quotes you have chosen and weave them into your essay
Consider significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written
and received (by both contemporary and modern audiences)
Unit 4: Further and Independent Reading Deadlines
Task 1: Comparative Coursework: Doll’s House and Cat. 15002000 words
Task 2: Critical Anthology Coursework. 1200-1500 words
Intervention
Plan submitted: Weds 4th November
First draft due: Weds 25th November
Last date for draft feedback: Weds 16th December
Final deadline: Weds 13th January
Plan submitted: Weds 3rd February
First draft due: Weds 2nd March
Last date for draft feedback: Weds 23rd March
Final deadline: Weds 30th March
Second week of Spring holiday
ESSAYS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IF THEY DO NOT FOLLOW THE PRESENTATION CRITERIA
IF YOU MISS A DEADLINE YOU JEOPARDISE YOUR CHANCE OF RECEIVING HIGH QUALITY FEEDBACK
AQA A2 Coursework
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1. Comparative Study: A Doll’s House and Shirley Valentine
The Questions
1. Freud asserted that “liberation comes from within”. To what extent is this notion promoted in A Doll’s House and
Shirley Valentine?
2. ‘ Relationships in these plays are based on power not love.’ Compare and contrast the ways this is explored in ADH
and SV.
3. ‘ In the struggle for power and independence the female protagonists ultimately lose more than they gain.’ How far
would you agree?
4. ‘In ADH and SV women are presented as dependent on men and ultimately powerless.’ How far would you agree?
5. It could be said that neither A Doll’s House nor Shirley Valentine are feminist plays but are more about reasserting self,
regardless of gender. Do you agree?
What the examiners say
 You can show differences and similarities
 You don’t have to write about both texts in each paragraph
 Comparisons should illuminate readings rather than compare for the sake of it
 Only one text in this Unit 4 should be in translation (i.e A Doll’s House)
 There should be one draft with oral feedback
There are many ways to skin a cat, as they say, but here are a few ideas on how to structure your essays more effectively:
 Set out your thesis/argument VERY CLEARLY in the introduction
 Work chronologically through the acts of the two plays, comparing them as you go. This is helpful as it means that you
are automatically writing about structure.
 Structure the essay under Form/genre, Structure, Language (word and syntax) and compare how these elements
present the message of the two plays.
 Split your essay into two: argument and counter argument, comparing as you go.
 Structure each point around a critical quote that answers the question.
Here are a few mini-questions that will help ensure you don’t simply repeat what you have read or heard in class.
1. At the end of the play, Nora slams the door to the “doll house” and walks away. Yet she leaves Torvald with hope for
“the greatest miracle.” Why did Ibsen write an ambiguous ending? Cite evidence from Nora’s and Torvald’s closing
speeches to indicate what you believe to be the ultimate ending to this drama. How does this compare to the ambiguity
of SV’s ending? Why do both plays have ambiguous endings? Is it because they are both “realist” dramas?
2. Consider the character of Torvald Helmer. Is Torvald an antagonist? A misogynist? Or could Torvald be just as much a
victim of nineteenth century societal norms as Nora? What about Joe? And Costas?
3. Is it satisfying that neither Nora nor SV take the easy option and run away with Costas and Dr Rank?
4. Ibsen infuses his play with vivid dramatic devices such as the many artificial lights, the letter hitting the mailbox, and
the slamming door. How does the dramatic genre help tell the playwright’s story in a manner unparalleled by the novel
form? And what about the wall, the rock,the kitchen etc in SV?
5. A Doll’s House is full of references to dolls, puppets, and playthings. Trace these references throughout the play while
summarizing Ibsen’s ideas about gender and societal roles. How do they compare to the various props/symbols used in
Shirley Valentine?
6. What is the role of Dr. Rank in A Doll’s House? Is he simply a friend and admirer? Or is he more? Explain. How can you
compare him to Costas in SV?
7. Mrs. Linde tells Krogstad, “I’ve learned to be realistic. Life and hard, bitter necessity have taught me that.” How is A
Doll’s House a realistic play? What sets it apart from other nineteenth century dramas we’ve read? How does A Doll’s
House help define the realistic movement in drama? Similarly, what is “Kitchen sink” drama? What are the similarities
and differences with Realist drama?
8. Is there any comedy in ADH? How does Willy Russell use comedy to tell his story in SV? What can comedy do that more
serious drama can’t?
9. Why does Russell use the monologue form? What meanings does it bring out that the 3-act drama doesn’t? Also, how
does Ibsen use the tragic genre to bring out meanings in ADH?
10. Why is he so careful to reproduce Shirley’s Liverpudlian accent? Is it significant that ADH was set in Norway and SV in
Liverpool?
11. Are Shirley and Nora truly liberated at the end? To what extent?
12. Would a contemporary audience view these plays in the same way as we view them today?
13. Do the plays still have resonance for us today?
14. Is ADH a tragedy?
15. Is Shirley Valentine a comedy?
16. Can comedy be used to present a serious message?
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2. The Critical Anthology
Past Questions
Feminist readings
1. “Gone Girl: sexist portrayal of a crazed woman or feminist manifesto?” Discuss.
2. Gone Girl has been described as being the “crystallisation of a thousand misogynistic myths”. To what extent do you
agree?
3. There is much for a feminist to applaud in Shakespeare’s portrayal of the women in Macbeth. Do you agree?
4. The women in The Great Gatsby are presented only as archytepal stereotypes: To what extent do you agree?
5. For Angela C, storytelling is more important than making a didactic feminist statement. To what extent do you agree?
6. How, and how successfully, does Pratchett challenge gender roles in Monstrous Regiment?
Marxist readings
1. To what extent does viewing Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from a Marxist perspective open up potential meanings in the
text?
2. To what extent does Mary Shelley's Frankenstein advance a Marxist analysis of 19th-century English society?
3. Does Shakespeare present Lady Macbeth as a strong feminist icon or simply a tragic victim of the patriarchal society in
which she lives?
4. How far would you agree that Orwell presents capitalism as a destructive force in Down and Out in Paris and London?
5. “The way we think and the way we experience the world around us are either wholly or largely conditioned by the way
the economy is organised.” Is this statement relevant to Fitzgerald’s exploration of the American Dream in The Great
Gatsby?
6. ‘In the conflict between idealism and materialism, idealism triumphs.’ How far would you agree in relation to Heart of
Darkness by Conrad?
7. Focusing on alienation, how might Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte be approached from a Marxist perspective?
Metaphor
1. Based on your reading of the Critical Anthology, consider the use of metaphor in . . .
2. How, and how effectively does Gilman use metaphor to present the oppression of women in The Yellow Wallpaper?
3. How, and how effectively, does Fitzgerald use symbolism to explore the idea of the American Dream in The GG?
4. How, and how effectively, does Auden use metaphor to explore the relationship between humans and time?
5. ‘How, and how effectively, does . . . explore the idea of . . . in . . . through her use of symbolism and allegory?
6. How, and how effectively, does Plath use symbolism in Black Rook in Rainy Weather to explore the workings of the
creative mind?
7. ‘Milton’s presentation of Satan would be of particular interest to a Marxist critic.’ Discuss with particular reference to
Paradise Lost, Book 1, lines 76-334.
The Canon
1. To what extent do you consider American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis to be a valuable text?
2. What do you think makes The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton such a valuable text?
3. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: Write an article for The TES which argues why this text should be on the A Level
syllabus.
4. In what ways, and to what extent, do you consider The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath to be a valuable text?
5. ‘Comic texts are usually afforded/ accorded lesser status than other genres.’ With particular reference to Monstrous
Regiment, by Terry Pratchett discuss how far you think this comment is justified.
6. ‘Even though it won The Booker Prize, The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes lacks complexity and depth.’ How far
would you agree?
7. To what extent can On the Road by Jack Kerouac be considered a novel of significance and value?
8. ‘Too restricted in style and subject matter to be of much value.’ How far would you agree in relation to Raymond
Carver’s short stories?
9. ‘Gothic texts are often accorded a lesser status than other literary genres.’ How far would you agree with this in
relation to Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice??
10. To what extent can The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark be considered a valuable text?
11. To what extent does Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen deserve its classic status?
You can use the following to help you word your own question:
12. Having read the critical material on whether it is possible to define the aesthetic nature of literature, explore and
evaluate the aesthetic qualities of a poem of your choice.
13. Based on your reading of the critical material, write an argument for the inclusion (or exclusion) of an author of your
choice into the A Level Literature canon of texts
14. To what extent is feminist criticism helpful in opening up potential meanings in text x?
15. What potential significances can be found when studying the use of metaphors in text y?
AQA A2 Coursework
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What the examiners say
 The Critical Anthology is considered one of the set texts
 Use quotations from the Anthology to illuminate the second text
 EVALUATE the ideas and views expressed in the Anthology
 Only one text in Unit 4 should be in translation (i.e A Doll’s House)
 There should be one draft with oral feedback
Extra Materials
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There are plenty of materials on the English Blog to help you
Don’t forget the library and your own notes
Check out copies of The English Review in the library
If you haven’t already, get yourselves a copies of York Notes Advanced for the appropriate texts
Read the introductions in your editions of the texts
Presentation of Your Essay
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Names of characters, texts, places, authors etc have capital letters and are written in full. In titles of texts, capitalise all
words except prepositions (to, through, of, by, on etc), except when they are at the beginning of the title e.g. Of Mice
and Men.
Call an author by their full name the first time they are mentioned and then by their surname only (never just their first
name)
Titles
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Titles of texts are shown in italics OR underlined, not in inverted commas (Macbeth or Macbeth not “Macbeth”).
Titles of poems or short stories are written using inverted commas, to differentiate them from the collection of poetry
or stories of which they are part. (The poem ‘Death of a Naturalist’ is found in the book Death of a Naturalist.)
Quotations
 If the quotation is a whole sentence, you can add it to the end of the sentence, incorporating it into your paragraph, but
you must use a colon to introduce it:
o The opening of Pride and Prejudice clearly establishes the novel’s obsessive relationship between marriage
and wealth: ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in
want of a wife.’ Here Austen suggests that . . .
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Where the quotation is a phrase extracted from a sentence, it can form part of your sentence:
o The fact that the action of the poem is placed in ‘the heart / Of the townland’ demonstrates the uneasy
relationship between town and country life.
o (Note: the slash (/) shows where a quotation spans a line break in poetry)
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If you wish to clarify an aspect of your quotation, use square brackets to demonstrate words that aren’t part of the text:
o “I shan’t show you anything else. You’re [Rank] being naughty.”
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If you wish to omit a section of text from your quote, use an ellipsis (. . . ):
o ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man . . . must be in want of a wife.’
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It is best to use single inverted commas for quotations rather than double. If you have to quote a speech in fiction, the
speech marks will appear inside the quotation marks like this:
o ‘”Hello,” said Martha. “How are you?”’
Bibliography
 Your essay should always be followed by a bibliography – a list of books you have consulted – with some data (author,
publisher, date) that will allow others to locate the text if they want to. The following is an example of a standard way
of setting out a bibliography:
o McEvoy, S (2009) Tragedy: A Student Handbook. London: English and Media Centre
 Web-based sources must be referenced:
o www.norton.com/nael (accessed 21 October, 2013)
Finally . . .
Drafts to be sent to me on my Google Mail; tcourtenaythom.202@uclacademy.org and labelled as follows:
ADH Yasmin 1
CA Yasmin 1
Always include your name, the full title of the essay and a word count. it is not enough to have your name on the document title,
it must also be on the essay itself.
AQA A2 Coursework
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A Level Vocabulary
Synonyms for explaining opinions/concepts
Say
Assert, affirm, maintain, mention, declare, announce, remark, state, propose,
paraphrase
Think
Believe, consider, imagine, judge, regard, suppose, conjecture, ruminate
Represent
Personify, embody, typify, symbolise, indicate, depict, characterise, delineate,
illustrate, give the impression of/that, reproduce, outline, assume the role of,
impersonate, dramatise, portray
Suggest
Imply, insinuate, intimate, indicate, hint, allude, evoke, bring/call to mind, conjure up,
purport
Distinguish/able, contrast, in contrast to, alternate, alternative/ly, oppose, opposite/in
opposition to, differentiate
Compare
Describe
Criticise
Explain, portray, depict, illustrate, express, communicate, review, trace (an
argument/idea), summarise, define
Denigrate, defame, disparage, assess, analyse, evaluate, appraise, critique,
disapprove, censure, pass judgment on, find fault with, condemn, decry
This quotation. . .
(avoid!)
The audience
This interpretation, view, opinion, citation, passage, extract, reference, excerpt,
reading
Spectators, viewers, listeners, onlookers, those watching/hearing
The
book/play/poem
Show
Novel, text, drama, work, extract, chapter, passage, verse, stanza
Demonstrate, display, express, illustrate, confirm, appear, indicate, spectacle
Descriptions of language/style/effects
Tone
(Mode of) expression, style, vocabulary, idiom
Style
Elaborate, rhetorical, fluent, forceful, verbose (wordy), perspicuous (expressed or
expressing clearly), concise, elegant, precise
Descriptions of
tone
Sarcastic, cruel, sardonic (mockingly scornful, heartless), bitter, sycophantic (servile,
flattering, sucking up), irritable, livid, indignant, incensed, excitable, cheerful,
contented, elated, depressed, demoralised, pathetic, fragile, bold, confident,
whinging, complaining, pleading, dismissive, attentive, gentle, understanding, harsh
Unnecessary
Superfluous, needless, pointless, redundant, gratuitous, unwarranted, uncalled-for,
excessive, avoidable, preventable
Necessary
Essential, fundamental, required, compulsory, obligatory, indispensable, basic,
crucial, vital, mandatory
Clear, understandable, palpable, noticeable, apparent, evident, observable,
recognisable, discernable
Deliberately, methodically, intentionally, purposely, with intent, consciously,
calculatingly, by design, knowingly, purposefully
Obvious
On purpose
Weak
Vulnerable, susceptible, naïve, defenceless, helpless, exposed, in danger
Strong
1) Physically: powerful, burly, brawny, muscular, strapping, sturdy, tough, stalwart,
robust, sturdy, stout, solid, durable, resilient
2) Argument: convincing, sound, clear, clear-cut, persuasive, compelling, effective,
formidable
3) Feelings: keen, staunch, dedicated, firm, fanatical, zealous, eager, fervent, great,
intense, deep, deep-seated, fierce, powerful, potent, passionate, ardent
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Language bank
Basic
Introduction
I am going to write about . . .
More sophisticated
This essay will explore/examine the topic/issue/question of N,
focusing on several different aspects of the text/topic in order
to show/demonstrate/prove/suggest that . . .
I will answer the question by saying . . .
Argument
I think
It is clear/apparent/evident that
It would be logical/reasonable to assert/claim/ argue that . . .
I believe
A compelling/powerful/forceful argument can be made by
saying that . . .
I would argue
A highly credible line of argument can be made by saying that .
..
A highly credible line of argument is . . .
It seems sensible to state/say that
It is impossible to deny/ignore that . . .
A pertinent instance of . . . can be found/identified/
observed/seen in Act 1 Sn 1, when . . .
Evidence
Introducing it:
In Act 1 Sn 1 . . .
This happens in Act 1 Sn1 . . .
Throughout Act 1 Sn 1 one can see/ it could be said that there
are several/many/a few/notable occurrences of . . . . One of
these is . . .
Analysing it in relation to the question:
These words show . . .
This language/symbolism is . . .
These words show . . .
This language/symbolism is . . .
. . . is used with particular skill/precision/effect in Act 1 Sn 1, as
...
This technique/device/use of language is highly
effective/moving/significant, as the word/phrase . . . could hold
connotations of/relate directly to/evoke/link to/ . . . for the
reader
This particular use/employment of . . . can be seen to
support/substantiate/refute/ negate/undermine the notion/idea
/argument/theory of . . . , as/since/because
In Chapter 7 Amir says/declares/states that . . .. This . .
Embedding quotes:
A good quote from Chapter 7 is . . .
In Chapter 7, the phrase . . . ., used by Amir to describe Baba .
..
Chapter 7 contains Amir’s declaration that Baba is…
Hosseini uses the events of Chapter 7 to show Amir’s feeling
about his father, as the character passionately states that . . .
AQA A2 Coursework
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A2 Unit 4 Indicative Content
Task 1 Comparative: Indicative Content:
o
o
o
o
o
o
write a comparative essay on at least two texts
show an informed knowledge and understanding of both texts
investigate aspects of form, structure and language comparatively across texts looking at how they
shape meanings
find similarities and differences within texts, informed by different interpretations and critical
approaches
consider and evaluate possible contexts of production and their effects comparatively across texts
consider and evaluate possible contexts of reception and their effects comparatively across texts.
Task 2 Critical Anthology: Indicative Content:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
write in an appropriate form for the task, such as a short essay, a review, a piece of journalism
show an informed knowledge of the critical ideas they are testing and of the literary text(s) they are
applying them to
show how form, structure and language affect the way literary texts can be read
make connections between the critical material and literary text(s)
consider possible different interpretations in the light of the critical source material and other ideas
including their own
consider and evaluate possible contexts of production and their effects comparatively across texts
consider and evaluate possible contexts of reception and their effects comparatively across texts.
A2 Unit 4 CW Mark Scheme
Band 2 (6 – 10 marks)
AO1 some use of critical vocabulary despite technical weakness
AO1 simple attempt at structuring argument/ usually relevant with some focus on task
AO2 some awareness of how form and structure shape meanings
AO2 some awareness of how aspects of language shape meanings
AO3 some connections made between texts
AO3 some reference to different interpretations of texts/ some textual support
AO4 some consideration of contexts of reception
AO4 some consideration of possible contexts of production
Band 3 (11 – 15 marks)
AO1 use of some critical vocabulary and generally clear expression
AO1 some structured argument though not sustained/ relevant with focus on task
AO2 consideration of some features of form and structure and how these features shape meanings
AO2 consideration of some aspects of language and how these aspects shape meanings
AO3 consideration of connections between texts
AO3 consideration of different interpretations of texts, with general textual support
AO4 consideration of contexts of reception
AO4 consideration of possible contexts of production
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Band 4 (16 – 20 marks)
AO1 use of accurate critical vocabulary and clear argument expressed accurately
AO1 relevant with clear focus on task/ informed knowledge and understanding of texts
AO2 consideration of how specific features of form and structure shape meanings
AO2 consideration of how specific aspects of language shape meanings
AO3 detailed consideration of connections between texts
AO3 clear consideration of different interpretations of texts with apt supportive references
AO4 examination of contexts of reception
AO4 examination of possible contexts of production
Band 5 (21 – 25 marks)
AO1 use of appropriate critical vocabulary and well structured argument expressed accurately
AO1 relevant with sharp focus on task/ detailed knowledge and understanding of texts
AO2 exploration of several features of form and structure with evaluation of how they shape meanings
AO2 exploration of several aspects of language with evaluation of how they shape meanings
AO3 detailed and evaluative discussion of connections between texts
AO3 clear consideration of different interpretations of texts with evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses and
with significant supportive references
AO4 detailed exploration of contexts of reception
AO4 detailed exploration of possible contexts of production
Band 6 (26 – 30 marks)
AO1 use of appropriate critical vocabulary and technically fluent style/ well structured and coherent
argument
AO1 always relevant with very sharp focus on task and confidently ranging around texts
AO2 exploration and analysis of key features of form and structure with perceptive evaluation of how they shape
meanings
AO2 exploration and analysis of key aspects of language with perceptive evaluation of how they shape meanings
AO3 detailed and perceptive understanding of issues raised in connecting texts
AO3 perceptive consideration of different interpretations of texts with sharp evaluation of their strengths and
weaknesses and with excellent selection of supportive references
AO4 excellent understanding of contexts of reception with detailed links between context/text/task
AO4 excellent understanding of possible contexts of production with detailed links between context/text/ task
AQA A2 Coursework
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