AQA_2024: A-level English Language and Literature - Paper 2 Exploring Conflict. (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)

AQA_2024: A-level English Language and Literature - Paper 2 Exploring Conflict. (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme) A-level ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE Paper 2 Exploring Conflict Wednesday 5 June 2024 Materials Morning Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes For this paper you must have:  an AQA 12-page answer book  a copy of the set texts you have studied for Section A and Section B. These texts must not be annotated and must not contain additional notes or materials. Instructions  Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7707/2.  There are two sections: Section A: Writing about Society Section B: Dramatic Encounters  Answer three questions in total: two questions from Section A and one question from Section B.  Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information  The maximum mark for this paper is 100.  The marks for questions are shown in brackets. There are 55 marks in total for the questions in Section A and 45 marks for the question in Section B.  You will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. Advice It is recommended that you spend 80 minutes on Section A and 70 minutes on Section B. For A-level English Language and Literature Paper 2: Exploring Conflict, here’s a concise revision guide focusing on the key areas: 1. Understanding Conflict:  Types of Conflict: o Internal Conflict: Struggles within a character’s mind or conscience (e.g., moral dilemmas, emotional struggles). o External Conflict: Struggles between characters, or between characters and external forces (society, nature, etc.). o Social/Political Conflict: Conflict related to societal issues, class, race, gender, or political ideologies. o Interpersonal Conflict: Conflict between individuals, often driven by differences in values, desires, or personalities. 2. Key Themes in Conflict:  Power: Many texts explore the theme of power—how it is gained, abused, and lost. Conflict often arises from power struggles, whether personal or societal.  Identity: Characters often struggle with their own identities or are in conflict with societal expectations regarding their roles, which can create tension.  Morality and Ethics: The conflict between what is morally right or wrong, and the consequences of actions, often drives character decisions and the plot.  Revenge and Justice: Conflicts may center around seeking revenge or obtaining justice, raising questions about the morality of vengeance versus forgiveness. 3. Conflict in Character Relationships:  Protagonist vs. Antagonist: Central to many works, this conflict drives the narrative, with the protagonist seeking to overcome the antagonist.  Conflict Between Groups: Social, cultural, or ideological groups may be at odds, with their conflicting values, beliefs, and goals creating larger societal conflicts.  Family and Personal Conflicts: Tensions within families or close relationships often highlight personal growth, alienation, or the collapse of relationships. 4. Language and Structure in Conflict:  Dialogue: The use of dialogue in expressing conflict between characters. Pay attention to tone, choice of words, and how this reflects tension.  Narrative Structure: The way in which conflict is built and resolved. Look for rising tension, moments of climax, and eventual resolution.  Juxtaposition: Contrast between characters, settings, or ideas that heightens conflict. This could involve oppositions in personality, social status, or moral outlook.  Symbolism: Look for symbols (objects, settings, or actions) that represent or intensify conflict (e.g., a storm representing inner turmoil). 5. Conflict in Genre and Form:  Drama: In plays, conflict often drives action and can be emphasized through stage directions, dramatic pauses, and changes in tone.  Poetry: In poems, conflict may be expressed more subtly through metaphor, imagery, and rhythm. Look for emotional and conceptual tensions.  Prose: In novels or short stories, conflict is usually developed through character development, inner monologue, and plot structure. 7707/2 IB/G/Jun24/G4004/E4 2 Section A Writing about Society Answer on one text in this section. Answer both questions on your chosen set text. Either Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer 0 1 Read the section of Chapter 2, from ‘Ken Thompson, the owner of an Anchorage auto-body shop, Gordon Samel, his employee, and their friend Ferdie Swanson, a construction worker, set out for the bus on September 6, 1992, stalking moose.’ to ‘You better call the troopers. There’s a man back in the bus by the Sushana. Looks like he’s been dead for a while.’ This describes the finding of Chris’s body by a group of local Alaskans and their notification of it to the State Troopers. Recast the base text into an account that Ferdie Swanson gives to an Alaska State Trooper about the discovery of Chris’s body. In your transformation you should consider:  Swanson and his friends’ reactions to the discovery of Chris’s body during their intended hunting trip  his interactions with the state trooper and his impressions of Chris’s final days in the bus. You should write about 300 words. and [25 marks] 0 2 Write a commentary explaining the decisions you have made in transforming the base text for this new account and the effects of reshaping Krakauer’s original description. In your commentary you should:  consider how you have used language to shape your intended meaning  demonstrate the connections between the base text and your transformed text  structure your commentary clearly to express your ideas. You should write about 400 words. [30 marks] IB/G/Jun24/7707/2 3 or The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: or the Murder at Road Hill House – Kate Summerscale 0 3 Read the section of Chapter 18, from ‘In the summer of 1881 Whicher fell ill with gastritis and a stomach ulcer, and on 29 June, after his stomach wall was perforated, he died, aged sixty-six.’ to ‘This love of flowers had originated with Jack Whicher’s father, the Camberwell gardener, and seemed now to have been passed on through the first sixty years of the detective force, from man to man.’ This describes the lives and careers of the detectives Jack Whicher and Dolly Williamson after the Road Hill House murder case had concluded. Recast the base text into an account that a detective inspector, who worked alongside Whicher and Williamson at Scotland Yard, gives to a new police officer. In your transformation you should consider:  the detective inspector’s observations about the impact of the murder case on Whicher and Williamson  the detective inspector’s own experiences of policing and views about the detective force of the time. You should write about 300 words. and [25 marks] 0 4 Write a commentary explaining the decisions you have made in transforming the base text for this new account and the effects of reshaping Summerscale’s original description. In your commentary you should:  consider how you have used language to shape your intended meaning  demonstrate the connections between the base text and your transformed text  structure your commentary clearly to express your ideas. You should write about 400 words. [30 marks] Turn over ► IB/G/Jun24/7707/2 4 or The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald 0 5 Read the section of Chapter 6, from ‘It was a halt, too, in my association with his affairs.’ to ‘Tom and I shook hands, the rest of us exchanged a cool nod, and they trotted quickly down the drive, disappearing under the August foliage just as Gatsby, with hat and light overcoat in hand, came out the front door.’ This describes an unexpected visit by Tom Buchanan, Mr Sloane and an unnamed lady to Gatsby’s house. Recast the base text into an account that Mr Sloane gives to another West Egg resident about this meeting with Gatsby. In your transformation you should consider:  Mr Sloane’s feelings about meeting Gatsby and his views of Gatsby’s character  Mr Sloane’s own status within the wider social world of West Egg. You should write about 300 words. and [25 marks] 0 6 Write a commentary explaining the decisions you have made in transforming the base text for this new account and the effects of reshaping Fitzgerald’s original description. In your commentary you should:  consider how you have used language to shape your intended meaning  demonstrate the connections between the base text and your transformed text  structure your commentary clearly to express your ideas. You should write about 400 words. [30 marks] IB/G/Jun24/7707/2 5 or The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini 0 7 Read the section of Chapter 5, from ‘Baba never missed Hassan’s birthday.’ to ‘Because that was the winter that Hassan stopped smiling.’ This describes Hassan’s birthday and Baba’s surprise gift of an operation to remove Hassan’s facial disfigurement. Recast the base text into an account that Dr Kumar gives to a family member about his visit to Afghanistan. In your transformation you should consider:  Dr Kumar’s impressions of the relationships he observes at Baba’s house and family reactions to Hassan’s gift  Dr Kumar’s experiences of visiting Afghanistan and his feelings about carrying out Hassan’s surgery. You should write about 300 words. and [25 marks] 0 8 Write a commentary explaining the decisions you have made in transforming the base text for this new account and the effects of reshaping Hosseini’s original description. In your commentary you should:  consider how you have used language to shape your intended meaning  demonstrate the connections between the base text and your transformed text  structure your commentary clearly to express your