Appendix 3: Sample Examiners’ report

Advice to candidates on how Examiners calculate marks

It is important that candidates recognise that in all papers, three questions should be answered in order to get the best possible mark (ensuring that the rubric for the paper has been followed accordingly).

Examiners follow a simple mathematical formula when awarding a final overall mark: they give each answer a mark out of 100 (up to three answers only, as required by the exam paper); they then total all available marks; and finally they divide the total by three, thus giving an average overall mark.

So, if your first answer is given 57%, your second answer is given 56%, and your third answer 50%, then the calculation will look like this:

57 + 56 + 50 = 163

163 ÷ 3 = 54.3

Overall mark: 54%

Two good essays and no third essay will always bring the mark down. So, if in the example above a third answer was not given, the calculation would look like this:

57 + 56 = 113

113 ÷ 3 = 37.6

Overall mark: 38%

In this case, even if the candidate had written a ‘poor’ third answer getting a mark of 40% their overall mark would be higher than not attempting an answer at all:

57 + 56 + 40 = 153

153 ÷ 3 = 51

Overall mark: 51%

Note in the example above how the 40% mark, while low, still enables the candidate to achieve an overall mark in the Lower Second category, which is in keeping with their first two marks of 57% and 56%. Not answering a third question would see the candidate lose considerable marks and drop two whole classes. It could also mean the difference between a pass and a fail.

Candidates are thus strongly advised to give equal attention across the paper, plan their time accordingly, and attempt to provide three answers of roughly the same length and as full as possible. Candidates are also reminded that it is totally unnecessary to copy out the question again into the answer book; a question number in the margin is sufficient enough, and this will also save valuable minutes.

Introduction

A key feature of the English programme is that every subject guide contains a Sample examination paper from a recent year, as an example to students new to the course, and a copy of the corresponding Examiners’ report. Additionally, students can access an archive of past papers and Examiners’ reports on the VLE.

Since Explorations in Literature is a new course launching in the 2012–2013 academic year, there are neither any past papers nor past Examiners’ reports. However, as this guide includes a Sample examination paper so that students can familiarise themselves with the format and types of questions likely to be asked, it seems only fair to offer some sample comments regarding some of the ways in which the questions might be approached. Please note: there are no ‘model answers’ to these, or any other questions, on the English programme – English is not an information-based subject, but rather a subject which invites debate, argument and exploration based on research both into text and context. Thus, what follows here are some pointers and suggestions regarding how you might tackle the kinds of questions asked here in order to help you prepare for assessment. Of course, there might be other approaches not mentioned here that you think of as you continue with your studies – such approaches will help you in future examinations, where you are invited to apply your knowledge.

General remarks

Strong answers in the field tend to do the following things:

Weaker answers tend to do the following:

In short, strong answers are those where a candidate applies their knowledge of a text to answer a given question; weaker answers are usually those where a candidate supplies and exhausts all their knowledge in the hope that some of it will be relevant to the question. Examiners look for application of knowledge through a constructed argument, and not for evidence that the text has, at least, been read. Examiners want to know what you think about the text and the possibilities of interpreting it.

Section A

Question 1

Answers which deal with the theme of recurrence and return on a multiplicity of levels would do well: both the literal homecoming of Odysseus as well as the figurative return of themes. Strong answers would present an argument either supporting the statement that The Odyssey is preoccupied with recurrence and return, perhaps containing an element of critique, or presenting an argument to the contrary with evidence from the text. A thorough knowledge of the episodic nature of the narrative, demonstrating an awareness of the ways in which this story would have originally been told, would do well.

Question 2

This question asks for a discussion of the ways in which violence is presented ambivalently in a text from this section. Answers which detail the violent scenes in texts such as The Odyssey, Metamorphoses, or The Inferno would do well here, especially those which attempt a typology of the different types of violence presented or enacted and their functions within the narrative. Strong answers would explore historical/contextual reasons why there would have been a fascination with violence, as well as providing an account for the linguistic representation of this violence through close textual analysis.

Question 3

A discussion of fate in Antigone would present and analyse the places in the text where fate is thematically suggested, and construct an argument either for the significance of its role or the lack thereof. Strong answers would state outright either that fate has an important role or that it does not and, in both cases, would present other alternative themes which might have a prevalent role such as kinship, pride or revenge.

Question 4

This question is asking for a discussion of Dante’s presentation himself as Dante the poet, and his interaction with the famous poets and others who he encounters in Hell. The placing of himself within his own text is an interesting trope worth discussion, and could lead to a discussion of his self-consciousness as a poet and even his potential attempt to insert himself within a literary canon.

Question 5

The interrelation between Chaucer’s pilgrims and the tales they tell is a topic ripe for in-depth analysis, especially of the language they choose to use and its level of appropriateness. A strong answer to this question would select a few of the characters and discuss to what extent their tales are emblematic of their personalities. Pilgrims with characters suggestive of licentiousness or bawdiness may reflect these in their tales, or those associated with piety and correctness may demonstrate these aspects in theirs. Strong answers would analyse these traits in detail, suggesting subtleties and complexities in the relationships between the teller and their tale, or perhaps present an example where a teller and a tale do not seem to fit so well. Candidates could also suggest reasons why Chaucer chose to structure his teller and tale in this way

Question 6

This question requires detailed description of the linguistic and rhetorical methods employed by Ovid; imagery and figurative language used and the effects this has on the reader. Consideration of the historical context in terms of the way the stories would have been disseminated would strengthen answers, as would a discussion of the narrative traditions which Ovid was building upon. Strong answers would suggest ways in which Ovid was subverting tradition, and perhaps discuss the concept of ‘metamorphosis’ and how this is linguistically rendered.

Question 7

This question is asking for a discussion and critical analysis of the presentation of ‘the boisterous world of simple folk’ in one of the chosen texts. The quote in this question is ripe for critical engagement, which would require some knowledge of medieval social structuring. Candidates could comment upon the ways in which medieval society was divided, and perhaps the interesting points in the texts where people of vastly different social standings had the opportunity to interact. Exemplary texts for this question would therefore be those displaying characters across a broad range of social classes, for example Dante’s Inferno or Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.

Question 8

Some technical and contextual knowledge of the alliterative poetic style is essential for this question, both in its historical position as the ‘Alliterative Revival’ and in its particular use in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. A strong answer would present a range of examples from the text to illuminate a detailed discussion of the alliterative style, as distinguished from other poetic structures. These examples would be compared and contrasted against one another, with the candidate relating the poetic structure to the narrative events and demonstrating the ways in which these interact with one another.

Question 9

This question offers the candidate the opportunity to discuss the Metaphysical poets’ various explorations of love within their work. This would include the figurative tropes and conceits used; the world perspectives presented within the poems; the presentations of the object of desire, and the different characterisations of love itself. The collection Metaphysical Poetry counts as one text, and students are free to analyse either the work of one or more poets from this text.

Question 10

This question is deliberately open and broad, and could be approached in a number of ways. Milton’s religious themes are clearly omnipresent, and so candidates could choose from many approaches to the texts as their focus. The personification of the main characters, particularly the ‘dramatic hero’ of Satan, is an area ripe for discussion and asks for an awareness of the subtleties of Milton’s portrayal. This would involve some analysis of the types of language used to describe the various characters and settings, and the tone and effect of the reported dialogue between characters. Strong answers might demonstrate some historical/contextual awareness of the religious situation at the time, and Milton’s difficult position therein.

Question 11

This question requires a clear differentiation between the differing types of ‘poetic’ and ‘social’ convention which Pope may be satirising in the text. This requires an account of the conventions themselves, both textual and contextual: strong answers may draw parallels between conventions of text and context. A thorough knowledge of the heroic epic form Pope is mocking in the poem, as well as the superficiality of the characters and the mythological figures they represent. Strong answers may comment critically upon Pope’s position as satirist and poet.

Question 12

A question which pertains to the narrative form of Joseph Andrews requires some knowledge of the history of the novel; candidates should be aware of Fielding’s inspiration in the form of Cervantes, and the fact that the novel as a genre was only in its infancy at this stage. Strong answers could engage critically with the terms of the question, contending the pejorative nature of the ‘merely’ and arguing that the ‘loose connection’ between adventures is of a more subtle, thematic or philosophical nature than a chronological one.

Section B

Question 13

This question requires a detailed knowledge of the plot progression of Emma; the maturation of Emma’s character and the effects this has on the plot. Strong answers might incorporate other significant themes into their essay which interrelate with Emma’s characterisation, such as social standing, etiquette or love, as well as perhaps questioning the concept of self-knowledge in general and questioning whether Emma ever actually possesses this.

Question 14

A question phrased in this way asks for evidence from Great Expectations which either supports or undermines it. Candidates could attempt a definition or explanation of ‘sentimentality’ within literature; strong answers might relate this trope to Victorian society and explain why it was prevalent at this time. Answers which discuss various points in the text in detail, and debate as to whether they are sentimental or not and reach a conclusion backed up by textual evidence would do well.

Question 15

Again, this question requires some explanation/definition of a ‘self-conscious’ narrative technique. Strong answers would contextualise this form and relate it to Modernist writing in general. Examples from Joyce’s writing would support the answer; particularly strong answers would demonstrate, with examples, the metamorphosis of the language throughout the text and perhaps link this to the development of Stephen’s own self-consciousness or self-knowledge.

Question 16

Candidates approaching this question would do well firstly to explain the nature of the power struggle between Jean and Julie, and then ascertain to what extent this is due to gender. Strong and discursive answers would explore other potential sources for this power struggle as well as gender, the most obvious being social class. Candidates would give evidence of the ways that the language of the text is directed towards asserting or relinquishing power at various points, and perhaps exploring the points at which the power balance shifts and suggesting reasons why.

Question 17

This question could be applied to a large number of texts in a variety of ways. Specificity as to the types of philosophical questions being approached by any particular text would be helpful, such as metaphysics in Donne’s love poetry, fate in Antigone, the broad spectrum of philosophical enquiry covered in Joyce’s A Portrait, existentialism or nihilism in Beckett. Strong answers would explore the ways in which these themes are explored, as well as describing the philosophy and giving evidence of its presence within the text.

Question 18

An answer to this question might present evidence from Prufrock which deals with ‘thought’, and then some evidence which deals with ‘feeling’. Strong answers would problematise the distinction between ‘thought’ and ‘feeling’, perhaps using both textual and contextual evidence to support an argument that these two cannot be separated in Eliot’s work and suggesting reasons why.

Question 19

This question asks for evidence of a lack of sensible meaning in Waiting for Godot. Candidates would be expected to pick out extracts from the text and analyse their potential for ‘meaning’, relating these extracts to the statement in the questions and assessing them accordingly. Strong answers could explore the potential for Beckett’s work to be read affirmatively; the figure of the ‘idiot’ and the signification of ‘nothing’ need not be seen in a negative light.

Question 20

This complex question asks whether Woolf’s narrative style in terms of individual subjective consciousness either supports or undermines the cohesion of the text. This answer would require some evidence from the text to demonstrate the candidate’s awareness of this narrative preoccupation within Mrs Dalloway, and then an assessment of this style’s function within the general structure of the novel. Strong answers could state that ‘cohesion’ is not Woolf’s aim, perhaps referring back to the general theme of fragmentation within modernism.

Section C

Question 21

Each of these themes works well with particular texts. The earlier texts such as Homer’s The Odyssey or Sophocles’ Antigone contain lots of material pertaining to chivalric or heroic codes, whereas later texts are less applicable to this theme. Themes such as humour or female sexuality are more widely applicable, although there is generally more to say about a theme such as female sexuality in texts with a female protagonist such as Atwood’s The Penelopiad (although not exclusively). A text such as Carrington’s The Hearing Trumpet contains material to discuss about humour, but female sexuality could also be discussed within this text.

Question 22

This question is asking for a description of both the representation and the function of the underworld and/or hell in two texts. The two most obvious texts which contain much material for this question are Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Strong answers would compare and contrast between these representations, perhaps in both their aesthetic rendering of the underworld and any explicit or implicit moralising. Answers which demonstrate historical or contextual knowledge would also do well.

Question 23

These very different themes – the supernatural, the passage of time, and resentment – are prevalent in different texts. There are elements of the supernatural, for example, in any of the texts which deal with Greco-Roman mythology and gods; some may argue equally that Milton’s Paradise Lost contains elements of the supernatural. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is ripe for a discussion of both resentment and the supernatural. The passage of time is a broader theme; for example, this is dealt with in very different ways in Austen’s Emma and Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway. Resentment occurs in Strindberg’s Miss Julie in a different way to a text such Hardy’s Jude the Obscure. The key is to compare and contrast the way each theme is explored in the two texts chosen, and describe the effects of this.

Question 24

Sin and reconciliation are clearly prevalent themes in the texts which deal with religious topics such as Dante’s Inferno, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Milton’s Paradise Lost, but strong answers could also be written drawing from texts which explore the topic more subtly, such as Homer’s The Odyssey, Sophocles’ Antigone or Atwood’s The Penelopiad.

Question 25

This question would need some explanation of the form and function of literary ‘realism’, and would explore the potential ‘realism’ in two texts before Shakespeare’s time. Commentary on the relation between realism and various literary forms, and the times at which these forms became popular, would strengthen an answer. Strong answers might select two texts which either support or undermine the claim, and provide textual and contextual evidence to demonstrate this.

Question 26

There are many resourceful female characters in the texts on this syllabus, in both earlier and later texts. Antigone is resourceful in a different way to Atwood’s Penelope; Carrington’s Marian is resourceful again in a different way to Austen’s Emma. Again, strong answers would differentiate between texts, demonstrating the different ways in which their female characters display resourcefulness.

Question 27

Disguise, soliloquy and magic are all relatively marginal themes which call for varying types of answers. The term ‘soliloquy’ relates most obviously to dramatic texts, with the most obvious choice being Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Candidates may find that there is less to discuss in the non-dramatic texts, although they should not be put off unconventional choices of texts in any question as long as they can back up their choices with evidence from them. Disguise and magic call for texts which incorporate these concepts, so texts such as Homer’s Odyssey and/or Atwood’s Penelopiad might be considered for disguise, whereas Homer’s Odyssey and/or Ovid’s Metamorphoses might be considered for magic.

Question 28

This is a very open question, which could be applied to a large number of texts on the syllabus. It depends very much on the evidence presented by the candidate for their particular text. For example, metaphysical love poetry pushes the imagination to its limits in terms of the extravagant conceits employed, which is very different from the imaginative leaps required when reading Milton’s Paradise Lost or Dante’s Inferno. Again, the ability of the candidate to differentiate between texts and provide some contextual commentary would strengthen answers.