Task 2: How to Get Full Marks (OCR GCSE English Literature): Model Answers

Task 2: How to Get Full Marks

• Balanced Comparison: Ensure that you provide a balanced analysis of both poems. Highlight both the similarities and differences in how the poets address the theme or topic. Make sure your comparison is well-organised, with clear links between the poems.

• Contextual Analysis: Demonstrate an understanding of the contexts in which the poems were written and how these influence their themes and tone. Discuss how historical, cultural, or personal contexts shape the poets' perspectives.

• Use of Quotations: Use quotations from both poems to support your points. Make sure that the quotations you choose are relevant and help to illustrate the similarities and differences you are discussing.

• Critical Terminology: Use literary terms to enhance your comparison. Discuss the use of metaphor, structure, and tone in both poems, and how these elements contribute to the overall meaning and impact.

**Example**: To get full marks when comparing *Lament* by Gillian Clarke and *Flag* by John Agard, you might explore how both poems critique the consequences of conflict. Discuss how Clarke uses vivid, sorrowful imagery to depict the environmental and human devastation caused by war, while Agard uses irony and a simple, repetitive structure to question the symbolic power of a flag and its role in inciting violence.