Task 1: Close Reading: How To Get Full Marks (OCR GCSE English Literature): Model Answers

English Literature Analysis Guide

Choose the Right Passage

• Pick a rich passage: Select a passage that is dense with literary techniques and offers plenty of material for analysis. The passage should allow you to explore key themes, character development, and the author's use of language, form, and structure.

Analyse Deeply, Don't Summarise

• Focus on analysis: Go beyond simply explaining what happens in the passage. Dive into how the author uses language to create meaning. For example, don't just state that the author uses a metaphor—explain how that metaphor adds depth to the character or theme and how it influences the reader's understanding.

Use Literary Terms Accurately

• Demonstrate your knowledge: Incorporate relevant literary terms like imagery, symbolism, or irony. Use these terms accurately to show that you understand how the author's techniques contribute to the overall meaning of the text.

Quote Effectively

• Choose relevant quotes: Select short, precise quotations from the passage to support your points. After presenting a quote, make sure to analyse it thoroughly, explaining how it contributes to the meaning of the passage and ties into the broader themes of the text.

Link Analysis to Broader Themes

• Connect to the text's themes: Always relate your analysis back to the broader themes of the text. Show how the specific details of the passage reflect the larger concerns of the work as a whole. This demonstrates your ability to understand the passage within the full context of the text.