Grade 12
, © Department of Basic Education 2020
This content may not be sold or used for commercial purposes.
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Grade 12 English Home
Language Mind the Gap study guide for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by
Oscar Wilde
This publication has a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Sharealike license.
You can use, modify, upload, download, and share content, but you must acknowledge
the Department of Basic Education, the authors and contributors. If you make any
changes to the content you must send the changes to the Department of Basic
Education. This content may not be sold or used for commercial purposes. For more
information about the terms of the license please see:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
Copyright © Department of Basic Education
2020 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, South
Africa
Contact person: Dr Patricia Watson
Email:
Tel: (012) 357 4502
http://www.education.gov.za
Call Centre: 0800202933
The first edition of the series published in 2012 for the Revised National Curriculum
Statement (RNCS) Grade 12 Mind the Gap study guides for Accounting, Economics,
Geography and Life Sciences; the second edition of the series, published in 2014, aligned
these titles to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and added more
titles to the series, including the CAPS Grade 12 English Home Language Mind the Gap
study guide for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Acknowledgements
The extracts from the novel in this study guide are from The Picture of Dorian Gray by
Oscar Wilde. Published by Reprinted by permission of
Mind the Gap team
Series managing editor:
Production co-ordinators:
Authors: Colleen Callahan, Selvie Chetty, Sizwe Jabe, Justin Kennedy, Siphatisiwe Patricia Ndlovu and Belinda Retief
Editors:
Expert readers: Bulara Monyaki
Proof reader:
Designer:
Illustrators:
Series cover illustration:
Onsite writers’ workshop support:
, © Department of Basic Education 2020
Ministerial foreword
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has pleasure in releasing
the third edition of the Mind the Gap study guides for Grade 12
learners. These study guides continue the innovative and committed
attempt by the DBE to improve the academic performance of Grade 12
candidates in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination.
The study guides have been written by teams of exerts comprising
teachers, examiners, moderators, subject advisors and coordinators.
Research, which began in 2012, has shown that the Mind the Gap
series has, without doubt, had a positive impact on grades. It is my
fervent wish that the Mind the Gap study guides take us all closer to
ensuring that no learner is left behind.
The third edition of Mind the Gap is aligned to the 2014 Curriculum and
Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). This means that the writers Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP
have considered the National Policy pertaining to the programme, Minister of Basic Education
promotion requirements and protocols for assessment of the National
Curriculum Statement for Grade 12 in 2014.
The Mind the Gap CAPS study guides take their brief in part from the
2019 National Diagnostic report on learner performance and draw on
the Grade 12 Examination Guidelines. Each of the Mind the Gap study
guides defines key terminology and offers simple explanations and
examples of the types of questions learners can expect to be asked in
an exam. Marking memoranda are included to assist learners to build
their understanding. Learners are also referred to specific questions
from past national exam papers and examination memos that are
available on the Department’s website – www.education.gov.za.
The CAPS editions include Accounting, Economics, Geography, Life
Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Physical Sciences.
The series is produced in both English and Afrikaans. There are also
four English Home Language study guides a guide for each of the
Grade 12 prescribed literature set works included in Paper 2.
Prescribed Poetry, Life of Pi, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Hamlet.
Please remember when preparing for Paper 2 that you need only study
the set works you did in your EHL class at school.
The study guides have been designed to assist those learners who
have been underperforming due to a lack of exposure to the content
requirements of the curriculum and aim to mind-the-gap between
failing and passing, by bridging the gap in learners’ understanding of
commonly tested concepts, thus helping candidates to pass.
All that is now required is for our Grade 12 learners to put in the hours
required to prepare for the examinations. Learners, make us proud –
study hard. We wish each and every one of you good luck for your
Grade 12 examinations.
Matsie Angelina Motshekga,
MP Minister of Basic
, © Department of Basic Education 2020
Table of contents
Dear Grade 12 learner .........................................................................................ix
How to use this study guide ................................................................................ xi.
7 study tips ...........................................................................................................xi
On the exam day ..................................................................................................xi
Overview of the English Home Language Paper 2: Literature Exam .................. xii
What are the examiners looking for? ................................................................. xii
Question words .................................................................................................. xiv
Introduction ................................................................................... 16
1. The author’s background .......................................................... 16
2. Setting, Context and Timeline ................................................... 17
3. Characters ................................................................................ 19
4. Plot Development...................................................................... 24
5. Themes ..................................................................................... 28
6. Symbols .................................................................................... 30
7. Style .......................................................................................... 32
.....................................................................................................................
Chapter analysis ............................................................................................. 33
Answering the Literary Essay ...................................................................... 40
Practise the Literary Essay .......................................................................... 45
Answering the Contextual Question.............................................................50
Practise the Contextual Questions ............................................................. 50
References .................................................................................................. 59
Rubric for the Literary Essay ...................................................................... 60
, © Department of Basic Education 2020
This content may not be sold or used for commercial purposes.
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Grade 12 English Home
Language Mind the Gap study guide for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by
Oscar Wilde
This publication has a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Sharealike license.
You can use, modify, upload, download, and share content, but you must acknowledge
the Department of Basic Education, the authors and contributors. If you make any
changes to the content you must send the changes to the Department of Basic
Education. This content may not be sold or used for commercial purposes. For more
information about the terms of the license please see:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/.
Copyright © Department of Basic Education
2020 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, South
Africa
Contact person: Dr Patricia Watson
Email:
Tel: (012) 357 4502
http://www.education.gov.za
Call Centre: 0800202933
The first edition of the series published in 2012 for the Revised National Curriculum
Statement (RNCS) Grade 12 Mind the Gap study guides for Accounting, Economics,
Geography and Life Sciences; the second edition of the series, published in 2014, aligned
these titles to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and added more
titles to the series, including the CAPS Grade 12 English Home Language Mind the Gap
study guide for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Acknowledgements
The extracts from the novel in this study guide are from The Picture of Dorian Gray by
Oscar Wilde. Published by Reprinted by permission of
Mind the Gap team
Series managing editor:
Production co-ordinators:
Authors: Colleen Callahan, Selvie Chetty, Sizwe Jabe, Justin Kennedy, Siphatisiwe Patricia Ndlovu and Belinda Retief
Editors:
Expert readers: Bulara Monyaki
Proof reader:
Designer:
Illustrators:
Series cover illustration:
Onsite writers’ workshop support:
, © Department of Basic Education 2020
Ministerial foreword
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has pleasure in releasing
the third edition of the Mind the Gap study guides for Grade 12
learners. These study guides continue the innovative and committed
attempt by the DBE to improve the academic performance of Grade 12
candidates in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination.
The study guides have been written by teams of exerts comprising
teachers, examiners, moderators, subject advisors and coordinators.
Research, which began in 2012, has shown that the Mind the Gap
series has, without doubt, had a positive impact on grades. It is my
fervent wish that the Mind the Gap study guides take us all closer to
ensuring that no learner is left behind.
The third edition of Mind the Gap is aligned to the 2014 Curriculum and
Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). This means that the writers Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP
have considered the National Policy pertaining to the programme, Minister of Basic Education
promotion requirements and protocols for assessment of the National
Curriculum Statement for Grade 12 in 2014.
The Mind the Gap CAPS study guides take their brief in part from the
2019 National Diagnostic report on learner performance and draw on
the Grade 12 Examination Guidelines. Each of the Mind the Gap study
guides defines key terminology and offers simple explanations and
examples of the types of questions learners can expect to be asked in
an exam. Marking memoranda are included to assist learners to build
their understanding. Learners are also referred to specific questions
from past national exam papers and examination memos that are
available on the Department’s website – www.education.gov.za.
The CAPS editions include Accounting, Economics, Geography, Life
Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Physical Sciences.
The series is produced in both English and Afrikaans. There are also
four English Home Language study guides a guide for each of the
Grade 12 prescribed literature set works included in Paper 2.
Prescribed Poetry, Life of Pi, The Picture of Dorian Gray and Hamlet.
Please remember when preparing for Paper 2 that you need only study
the set works you did in your EHL class at school.
The study guides have been designed to assist those learners who
have been underperforming due to a lack of exposure to the content
requirements of the curriculum and aim to mind-the-gap between
failing and passing, by bridging the gap in learners’ understanding of
commonly tested concepts, thus helping candidates to pass.
All that is now required is for our Grade 12 learners to put in the hours
required to prepare for the examinations. Learners, make us proud –
study hard. We wish each and every one of you good luck for your
Grade 12 examinations.
Matsie Angelina Motshekga,
MP Minister of Basic
, © Department of Basic Education 2020
Table of contents
Dear Grade 12 learner .........................................................................................ix
How to use this study guide ................................................................................ xi.
7 study tips ...........................................................................................................xi
On the exam day ..................................................................................................xi
Overview of the English Home Language Paper 2: Literature Exam .................. xii
What are the examiners looking for? ................................................................. xii
Question words .................................................................................................. xiv
Introduction ................................................................................... 16
1. The author’s background .......................................................... 16
2. Setting, Context and Timeline ................................................... 17
3. Characters ................................................................................ 19
4. Plot Development...................................................................... 24
5. Themes ..................................................................................... 28
6. Symbols .................................................................................... 30
7. Style .......................................................................................... 32
.....................................................................................................................
Chapter analysis ............................................................................................. 33
Answering the Literary Essay ...................................................................... 40
Practise the Literary Essay .......................................................................... 45
Answering the Contextual Question.............................................................50
Practise the Contextual Questions ............................................................. 50
References .................................................................................................. 59
Rubric for the Literary Essay ...................................................................... 60
