Critical Essay Questions
Poetry
2015
13. Choose a poem which explores conflicting emotions.
Describe how the poet presents the conflicting emotions and discuss to what extent you find the poet’s
exploration illuminating.
14. Choose a poem in which there is a strong sense of curiosity or of wonder or of celebration.
Show how the poet conveys this feeling and discuss how it adds to your understanding of the poem as a
whole.
15. Choose a poem which explores one of the following ideas: faith, sacrifice, suffering.
Show how the poet explores the idea and discuss to what extent you find the poet’s exploration
illuminating.
16. Choose a poem in which the tone is persuasive or passionate or playful.
Show how the poet creates the tone and discuss its importance to your appreciation of the poem as a
whole.
2014
12. Choose a poem in which the poet presents an apparently ordinary situation or event in an extraordinary
way.
Show how the poet does this in such a way as to add to your understanding of the poem as a whole.
13. Choose a poem in which the poet creates a distinctive voice and/or credible persona.
Show how the poet creates the voice and/or persona, and discuss how this adds to your understanding of
the poem as a whole.
14. Choose a poem in which two or more of the following techniques significantly enhance the impact of the
poem: rhyme, rhythm, sound, imagery.
Show how the poet’s use of your chosen techniques enhances your understanding of the poem as a whole.
15. Choose a poem which you find emotionally unsettling or intellectually challenging.
Show how the poem elicits the response from you and discuss how it contributes to your understanding of
the central concern(s) of the poem.
2013
13. Choose a poem which explores the pain of love or the pleasure of love or the power of love.
Show how the poet’s exploration deepens your understanding of the pain or the pleasure or the power of
love.
Critical Essay Questions
14. Choose a poem in which humour is used to convey a serious message.
Show how the poet uses humour to convey the underlying seriousness of the poem.
15. Choose a poem in which there is a powerful evocation of place.
Show how the poet powerfully evokes a specific place to explore an important theme.
16. Choose a poem in which the poet or narrator is reflecting on a joyful experience.
Show how the reflections of the poet or narrator convey the joyfulness of the experience.
Drama
2015
1. Choose a play in which a central character provokes your dislike or disapproval.
Explain how the dramatist creates this response and discuss how it adds to your understanding of
character and/or theme in the play as a whole.
2. Choose a play in which rivalry between two characters is an important feature.
Show how the dramatist’s presentation of this feature enhances your understanding of the central
concern(s) of the play.
3. Choose from a play a key scene in which a troubled relationship reaches a crisis point.
Show how the scene reveals a crisis point in the relationship and discuss how it adds to your understanding
of character and/or theme in the play as a whole.
4. Choose a play in which there is a threat to the state or to the society in which the play is set.
Discuss how the dramatist explores this idea.
2014
1. Choose a play in which a central character experiences rejection, isolation or loneliness.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of the character’s situation and discuss how it adds to your
understanding of character and/or theme in the play as a whole.
2. Choose a play which features one of the following conflicts: traditional values versus modern thinking;
duty versus self-interest; delusion versus self-awareness.
Show how the dramatist presents this conflict and discuss how it affects your response to the play as a
whole.
Critical Essay Questions
3. Choose a play in which the opening scene establishes important elements of mood and/or character.
Show in detail how these elements are established in the opening scene and discuss how this contributes
to your understanding of the central concern(s) of the play as a whole.
4. Choose a play in which the setting in time and/or place is an important feature.
Show how the dramatist exploits aspects of the setting in a way which enhances your understanding of the
central concern(s) of the play as a whole.
2013
1. Choose a play in which a central character is slow to understand fully the seriousness of his or her
situation.
Explain how this situation has developed and discuss how the character’s behaviour influences your overall
assessment of him or her.
2. Choose a play which explores one of the following: the nature of heroism, the impact of self-delusion, the
burden of responsibility.
Discuss how the dramatist explores this central concern through her or his presentation of one or more
than one character.
3. Choose a play in which the action involves an element of disguise or subterfuge or concealment.
Discuss how the dramatist’s use of this feature adds to your overall appreciation of the play.
4. Choose from a play a scene in which you consider a character makes a significant error of judgement.
Briefly explain the nature of this error of judgement and discuss how this error and its consequences
influence your understanding of character and/or theme in the play as a whole.
Prose – Fiction
2015
5. Choose a novel in which a central character’s ambitions are thwarted by the behaviour of others and/or
by circumstances beyond his or her control.
Explain how the character’s ambitions are thwarted and discuss how the character’s reaction influences
your understanding of character and/or theme in the novel as a whole.
6. Choose a novel or short story in which betrayal or deception or naivety plays an important part.
Show how the writer explores this idea in a way which adds to your understanding of the central concern(s)
of the text.
7. Choose a novel in which one incident acts as a turning point in your understanding of a central character.
Describe the incident and discuss how it influences your understanding of the character and of the novel as
a whole.
Critical Essay Questions
8. Choose a novel or short story in which, despite the bleakness of much of its content, you can discern an
optimistic or uplifting message.
Show how the writer achieves this.
9. Choose two short stories which have endings you consider to be deeply satisfying.
Compare the ways by which each story is brought to a satisfying ending.
2014
5. Choose a novel in which loyalty or bravery or trust plays an important part.
Show how the writer explores the idea in a way which adds to your understanding of the central concern(s)
of the text.
6. Choose a novel in which the vulnerability of a central character is apparent at one or more than one key
point in the text.
Explain the situation(s) in which the character’s vulnerability emerges and discuss the importance of the
vulnerability to your understanding of character and/or theme in the text as a whole.
7. Choose a novel in which a character makes a decision which you consider unexpected or unwise or
unworthy.
Explain the circumstances surrounding the decision and discuss its importance to your understanding of
character and
theme in the novel as a whole.
8. Choose a novel or short story in which ideas and/or characters and/or incidents appear to be designed to
shock the reader.
Explain what you find shocking about the text and discuss to what extent this enhances your understanding
of the text as a whole.
2013
5. Choose a novel in which envy or malice or cruelty plays a significant part.
Explain how the writer makes you aware of this aspect of the text and discuss how the writer’s exploration
of it enhances your understanding of the text as a whole.
6. Choose a novel in which a character is influenced by a particular location or setting.
Explain how the character is influenced by the location or setting and discuss how this enhances your
understanding of the text as a whole.
7. Choose a novel or short story in which there is an act of kindness or of compassion.
Explain briefly the nature of the act and discuss its importance to your understanding of the text as a whole.
8. Choose a novel in which the death of a character clarifies an important theme in the text.
Show how this theme is explored in the novel as a whole and discuss how the death of
the character clarifies the theme.
Critical Essay Questions
9. Choose two short stories in which a central character feels threatened or vulnerable.
Compare how this situation is presented in each story and discuss which story is more effective in arousing
your sympathy for the central character.
Prose – Non-Fiction
2015
10. Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer’s committed stance on an important issue in science or
technology or the environment is clearly evident.
Explain briefly the key point(s) the writer makes about the issue and in greater detail show how the style of
writing reflects his/her commitment.
11. Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer uses humour or satire to engage the reader with his/her
argument.
Show how the writer’s use of this feature is effective in conveying the key idea(s) of the text.
12. Choose a non-fiction text in which the mood is predominantly gloomy or sombre or pessimistic.
Show how the mood is created and discuss to what extent it is important to your understanding of the key
idea(s) of the text.
2014
9. Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer’s own personality emerges as a significant feature.
Show how the style of writing conveys a sense of the writer’s personality and discuss to what extent this is
important to your understanding of the key idea(s) of the text.
10. Choose a non-fiction text which, in your opinion, deals with a fundamental truth about human nature.
Show how the writer’s presentation of key ideas enhances your understanding of this fundamental truth.
11. Choose a non-fiction text which is written in the form of a diary or a journal or a letter.
Discuss to what extent the writer’s exploitation of specific features of the chosen form is important in
conveying the key idea(s) of the text.
2013
10. Choose a work of biography or autobiography or travel writing which you feel is inspirational or moving.
Explain why you find the text inspirational or moving and discuss how the writer evokes this response.
11. Choose a non-fiction text which presents difficult or challenging ideas in an accessible way.
Explain what is difficult or challenging about the writer’s ideas and show how he or she presents them in an
accessible way.
Critical Essay Questions
12. Choose two non-fiction texts which take different approaches to the same subject.
Outline the important differences and discuss which text you find more successful.