Important Information- The Literature Exam

The exam will focus on key Assessment Objectives. Below is a list of questions and the assessment objectives for each section. Below each question is an indication of how you might answer the question/ things you might include.

An Inspector Calls is Section A
Of Mice and Men is in Section B

Literature Exam Outline

Skills targeted in Section A

AO1

Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations.

AO2

Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.

Skills targeted in Section B

AO1

Respond to texts critically and imaginatively; select and evaluate relevant textual detail to illustrate and support interpretations.

AO2

Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.

AO4

Relate texts to their social, cultural and historical contexts; explain how texts have been influential and significant to self and other readers in different contexts and at different times.

Section A Questions and things you might include

Arthur Birling says, ‘If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it?’ How does Priestley present ideas about responsibility in An Inspector Calls?

AO1

May refer to Birling’s quote and thus his attitude to responsibility – and other characters’ attitudes to responsibility and how they are different.

The Inspector’s attitude to responsibility – ‘each of you helped to kill her’ – and his final speech to a wider audience – ‘millions and millions of Eva Smiths...’

Socialist views about responsibility – collective responsibility – everyone in society linked.

Ideas about the play as a warning about how we should be responsible for our actions.

AO2

The words ‘responsible’ and ‘responsibility’ are used by most characters in the play – comment on some examples ‘fire and blood and anguish’ – significance of the choice of these words.

The use of stage directions to reveal the characters’ reactions to what the Inspector has to say about how they treated Eva Smith.

How Priestley creates a sense of self-satisfied smugness about the Birling family, where and how they live – thus little sense of their need to move outside the family and think of others [except Sheila/Eric].

 

How do you respond to Gerald in An Inspector Calls? How does Priestley make you respond as you do by the ways he writes?

AO1

Aristocrat – ideas about class system – essentially engaged to someone ‘beneath’ him

Not as willing as Sheila to admit his guilt – at first pretends he never knew Daisy Renton – link with Mr Birling?

Seems to have some genuine feelings for Daisy Renton

In Act 3, Gerald tries to come up with as much evidence as possible to prove the Inspector is a fake – wants to protect himself rather than change himself.

Which generation does he ‘fit’ most readily with?

AO2

Regular references to Gerald’s ‘disappearance’ the previous summer makes the audience wonder about him.

References to any stage directions which reveal Gerald’s attitudes / feelings.

How Priestley creates a sense of self-satisfaction in Gerald when he thinks ‘Everything’s all right now’.

Presentation as an ‘easy, well-bred young man-about town’.