SCHOOL : DILKUSHA METHODIST HIGH SCHOOL YEAR/LEVEL : YEAR 12

SUBJECT : ENGLISH DATE : 19TH JULY – 30TH JULY, 2021

STRAND Writing and Shaping

SUB STRAND Language Learning Processes and Strategies
CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOME Select appropriate writing strategies to effectively construct a
variety of text types for a particular purpose and audience

LITERATURE ESSAY WRITING

Important to note :
1. As in Year 11, Questions in the Literature section of an English Year 12 exam paper is similar, that
is, there are 3 Questions : PROSE, POETRY and DRAMA. PROSE includes Novel and Short stories.
You can only answer 1 question from Prose – either Novel or Short Stories!! As we have not
covered Drama, everyone will answer Poetry. The second choice will be from Prose with a choice
from either Novel or Short Stories.

2. Poetry Themes and Short Story Themes

Poetry Short Stories
Theme : Social Issues Theme : Relationship
1. Meditatio 1. Preliminary Inspection
2. The Old 2. The Cabuliwallah
Theme : Progress Theme : Values
1. Reality 1. The Gift of The Magi
2. Kidnapped 2. A Day in the Country

3. Format
Novel [4 Paragraphs] Poetry & Short Stories [6 Paragraphs]
Paragraph 1 – Introduction Paragraph 1 – Introduction
Paragraph 2 – Answer to (a) Paragraph 2 – Text 1; Answer to (a)
Paragraph 3 – Answer to (b) Paragraph 3 – Text 1; Answer to (b)
Paragraph 4 – Conclusion Paragraph 4 – Text 2; Answer to (a)
Paragraph 5 – Text 2; Answer to (b)
Paragraph 6 – Conclusion
Follow DBH format for the INTRODUCTION
D – define
B – background
H – highlight

4. Marking Criteria
Please note the following:
1. -½ from the total for not writing correct question number or option.
2. -½ from the total for not underlining / highlighting / quote marking the title of the text in the
essay
3. -1 from the total for not using appropriate drama and poetry quotes in the essay (it is important
to quote lines from the poetry and drama texts) If less than 2 quotes, -1.
4. -½ from the total for using wrong poetry and drama quotes.

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5. If wrong text (not a Year 11 text) used:
 Mark as normal
 Total
 Divide by 3
e.g. If total is 14/15, then divide by 3 i.e. 14 ÷ 3 = 4.67(round off total to the nearest ½).
Therefore, the total will be 4.5/15. If someone’s total is after division is 1.8, then the nearest ½ is
2. If the total after division is 2.16, then the nearest ½ is 2. If someone’s total after division is 2.5,
the mark will remain as is (do not round off the ½ mark)
6. If essay is not written but the plan is elaborate, give 1 mark for Plan and 1 mark for
Title/Author/Poet/Playwright (if correctly written)
7. If the essay is the plot of the story/poem/play OR does not answer the question, award a
maximum of 3:
* 1 mark for Title/Author/Poet/Playwright (if written correctly) * 2 marks for effort –
you will not award marks for content
8. Do not award marks for content if essay is not written or there is one sentence only.

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Literature Essay – Poetry [Example]
“Emotions expressed in poems can be similar to or different from the way we feel about an issue.”
With reference to two poems from the theme Social Issues;
(a) Discuss the emotions expressed on an issue. (6mks)
(b) Comment on whether you agree or disagree with the poet’s views. (4mks)

Model Plan
Paragraph 1 : Introduction
 Poems often convey emotions about issues that at times bring about conflicting reactions in readers.
 The two selected poems are “The Old” by May Ligo and “Meditatio” by Ezra Pound. Both poems
portray issues of concern to society.
 This essay will discuss the emotion expressed in each poem and whether I agree or disagree with the
poet’s views.
[1st point is DEFINE; 2nd point is BACKGROUND; 3rd point is HIGHLIGHT - DBH]
Paragraph 2 : The Old [Answer to Q, (a)]
 The emotion of sadness is expressed on the issue of rural to urban drift because the old are neglected
and left in the villages, alone and to fend for themselves.
 The poem talks of the old man cooking over a fire and working in his garden, left alone with no one to
care for him.
 Quote : “His friend the unseen spirits, His supporter his walking-stick, But where is everyone else?”
These words create a feeling of sadness at the plight of old people abandoned by the young in
villages.
Paragraph 3 : The Old [Answer to Q, (b)]
 I agree with the poet’s view
 The abandonment of the old in villages due to rural to urban drift is indeed a sad issue. At a time
when children are supposed to look after their elders and repay them for all they had sacrificed to
ensure a better life for their children, the children opt to leave without a care for the welfare of the
old.
Paragraph 4 : Meditatio [Answer to Q, (a)]
 An emotion of puzzlement is expressed on the issue of man’s superiority when compared to dogs
 The poem talks about how the persona cannot see how man is superior to all other living things
considering the things he has done
 Quote : “I confess, my friend, I am puzzled’
Paragraph 5 : Meditatio [Answer to Q, (b)]
 I agree with the poet’s view
 It is puzzling when one thinks that men are superior to dogs
 Men’s past behaviour has and continuous to bring environmental destruction, trauma whether it be
mental or physical; this does not reflect the behaviour of a superior being thus the confusion.
Paragraph 6 : Conclusion
 Good poems make an emotional impact on readers.
 As is the case for “The Old” and “Meditation”, each of the poems talk about matters that evoke
feelings of agreement with the poet’s views.

Above is how a Plan should be written. Write an essay using the Plan written above.
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Work Plan [only a suggestion of how to successfully complete these Literature essay Questions]
 19th July – 23rd July : Write the essay for the Model Plan (above) and answer ALL the Prose Questions
 26th July – 30th July : Answer ALL Poetry Questions

PROSE QUESTIONS
(A) Culture loss is a recurring theme in the novel studied this year.
With reference to the above,
(i) describe two examples of culture loss in the novel, (4mks)
(ii) examine what the indigenous people were doing (one per example) to minimise the impact of
the above. (6mks)

(B) With reference to the two short stories studied this year under the theme Relationships,
(i) describe the relationship between two characters in each short story, (4mks)
(ii) evaluate one lesson learnt from each relationship described in (i) above. (6mks)

(C) With reference to the two short stories studied this year under the theme Values,
(i) outline the central message in each short story, (4mks)
(ii) examine how each of the messages discussed above have changed your life for the better.
(6mks)

POETRY QUESTIONS

(A) With reference to the two poems on the theme Progress,

(i) outline the main concern raised in each poem, (4mks)

(ii) examine how each concern raised above relates to you as a student. (6mks)

(B) With reference to the two poems from the theme Social Issues,

(i) outline the issue in each poem (one per poem), (4mks)
(ii) analyse how the imagery brings out each issue discussed above. (6mks)

(C) Refer to the two poems from either one of the two themes Progress or Social Issues to answer
the following:

(i) describe two poetic devices (one per poem) used by each poet, (4mks)
(ii) explain how the above brings out the central idea in each poem. (6mks)

(D) Refer to the two poems from either one of the two themes Progress or Social Issues to answer
the following:

(i) outline the content of each poem, (4mks)

(ii) examine how each of the above has changed your view of life. (6mks)