In Section A part (b) the question will require you to focus on one or more of the following on the novel you have studied: plot, setting(s), character(s), theme(s). For your response, you need to determine which parts of the novel you will refer to in your answer.
When approaching this question, you should:
- Try to respond flexibly and imaginatively to the demands of the question set
- Give a personal and unique response to the novel:
- Examiners will reward original and well-focused answers
- Synthesise a developing argument (make the same argument clearly all the way through your answer)
- Try to write imaginatively and with a fresh, creative approach:
- Your response should not be hindered by rehearsed, generalised ideas
- If possible, you should give alternative interpretations of the aspect being discussed:
- For example, “On the one hand… however, this could also be seen to represent…”
- Quotations should always relate to the point being made and be relevant to the theme being discussed:
- Trying to introduce learnt quotations that do not necessarily link to the theme or the discussion is not reflective of a Level 5 answer
- This is where a detailed knowledge of the novel is essential as it enables you to select from a wide range of examples
When approaching AO1, you need to ensure that your response keeps a clear focus on the question. Any quotations you choose to use should always be directly relevant to the focus of the question, but you don’t always need to use quotations to score highly for AO1: referring to plot points can be just as successful. Below is an example of how you might use both direct quotations and textual references to support a wider argument, using the following question on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol as an example:
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In this extract, Scrooge allows his clerk, Bob Cratchit, to finish work.
Explain how Bob Cratchit is portrayed elsewhere in the novel.
In your answer, you must consider:
- what Bob Cratchit says and does
- why he is important in the novel
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AO1: Interpretations of the novel
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Bob Cratchit is first introduced in Stave I, though his character remains unnamed and silent in this chapter and he is simply referred to as “the clerk”. By omitting Bob’s name and referring to him only by his occupation, Dickens conveys Scrooge’s myopic perception of Bob in terms of labour, rather than as a human being. Bob’s silence also signifies his irrelevance and insignificance as a lower-class person in the eyes of members of the wealthier classes, such as Scrooge. Dickens uses his character to underscore Scrooge’s cruel and exploitative behaviour: Bob works in a “dismal little cell”, suggesting a gloomy confinement from which he cannot escape, which could be viewed as a wider symbol of his poverty. He is too fearful to ask Scrooge for more coal to replenish his fire and instead tries “to warm himself at the candle”. Furthermore, Dickens's depiction of Bob invokes sympathy from the reader. He is deferential, patient, courteous and civil to Scrooge, despite Scrooge’s poor treatment of him.
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The examiner is looking for you to present a personal judgement on the novel, and this needs to be evidenced by references to the novel. Throughout your response you should aim to adopt a critical and mature style so that you demonstrate a perceptive understanding of your text. You should also aim to add your own interpretations and ensure that all of your points are fully developed. Below is an example of how you can extend your point to add your own interpretations and judgements:
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AO1: Interpretations of the novel
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As a character, Bob remains relatively unchanged throughout the novel and he is presented as the ideal family figure. He is a devoted father and husband who is loved and respected by his family and through Bob, Dickens underscores his message about the importance of family and its centrality to people’s lives. His relationship with his children is continually shown to be loving and affectionate, as when he is constantly described as either physically with them, or asking after them: “Tiny Tim upon his shoulder”/“Why, where’s our Martha?”. Furthermore, Dickens uses the character of Bob as a reminder of the humanity of the lower classes. Despite Scrooge’s cruelty towards Bob and his wife’s anger towards Scrooge, the family still display their compassion in raising a toast to Scrooge (Bob encourages his family to do so and calls Scrooge “the Founder of the Feast”). This demonstrates Bob’s kind-spirited and forgiving nature and he is presented as a virtuous and righteous character. Bob’s insufficient wages mean that he cannot provide adequate care for his son. However, even though Bob struggles financially, he is deeply appreciative of what he, and his family, have.
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