AQA_2024: A-level English Literature A - Paper 2B Texts in Shared Contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the Present Day (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme).

AQA_2024: A-level English Literature A - Paper 2B Texts in Shared Contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the Present Day (Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme). A-level ENGLISH LITERATURE A Paper 2B Texts in shared contexts: Modern times: Literature from 1945 to the present day 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 Insert for use with Section B (enclosed)  a copy of each of the set texts you have studied for this paper. 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 7712/2B.  Read all of the questions. Then choose either Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3. Answer one question from Section A and both questions from Section B from your chosen option. You must answer questions from only one option.  Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information  The marks for questions are shown in brackets.  The maximum mark for this paper is 75.  You will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.  In your response you need to: – analyse carefully the writers’ methods – explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about – explore connections across the texts you have studied – explore different interpretations of your texts. For A-level English Literature A Paper 2B: Texts in Shared Contexts: Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the Present Day, focus on the following key areas: 1. Key Themes:  Social Change and Class: Many post-1945 texts explore shifts in social structure and class identity. In A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams critiques social class through Blanche's fall from grace. In The Caretaker by Pinter, class conflict is central to the characters' interactions.  Identity and Alienation: Post-war literature often deals with personal identity and societal alienation. In The Road (McCarthy), alienation is explored through survival in a post-apocalyptic world, while in The Buddha of Suburbia (Kureishi), characters struggle with racial and cultural identity in a changing society.  The Decline of Traditional Values: Many texts address the collapse of traditional values and the search for new meaning. In The Homecoming (Pinter), the erosion of family norms and the breakdown of social order are explored. Lord of the Flies (Golding) critiques the loss of innocence and the descent into savagery.  Gender and Power: Gender roles and power dynamics are key themes in many post-1945 texts. In A Doll’s House (Ibsen), Nora’s escape from an oppressive marriage challenges gender norms. The Handmaid’s Tale (Atwood) examines power and control over women's bodies in a dystopian society. 2. Key Texts:  A Streetcar Named Desire (Williams): Examine the clash between the old South (Blanche) and the new (Stanley), and themes of desire, power, and class.  The Caretaker (Pinter): Focus on power struggles, class, and the breakdown of communication between the characters.  The Road (McCarthy): Analyze themes of survival, the human condition, and father-son relationships in a post-apocalyptic world.  The Buddha of Suburbia (Kureishi): Discuss issues of race, class, and sexuality as the protagonist navigates life in modern Britain.  The Handmaid’s Tale (Atwood): Explore gender oppression, dystopian society, and power dynamics in a totalitarian regime.  Lord of the Flies (Golding): Investigate the breakdown of societal norms, the descent into savagery, and the loss of innocence in a group of boys stranded on an island. 3. Literary Techniques:  Social Realism: In texts like The Buddha of Suburbia and A Streetcar Named Desire, characters reflect the socio-political contexts of their times. Look for how settings and dialogue reflect class divisions and social issues.  Symbolism: Consider symbols in texts like The Handmaid’s Tale, where objects like the red robes and white bonnets symbolize oppression and the control of women.  Modernist Techniques: Look for stream of consciousness, fragmented narratives, and existential themes in texts like The Road.  Theatre of the Absurd: In The Caretaker, Pinter uses ambiguity and absurd dialogue to critique society’s disintegration. 4. Exam Strategy:  Compare and Contrast: Practice comparing how different texts explore similar themes (e.g., power, class, identity).  Focus on Key Passages: For texts like A Streetcar Named Desire or The Handmaid’s Tale, analyze key scenes where social issues or themes of power and identity are most evident.  Contextual Awareness: Understand the historical, political, and social contexts of post-1945 literature and how these shape the texts’ themes and characters. 7712/2B IB/H/Jun24/G4006/E7 2 Option 1 Section A: Poetry Set Text Answer one question in this section. Feminine Gospels – Carol Ann Duffy Either 0 1 Examine the view that this collection is dominated by conflict between women and men. You must write about at least two poems in your answer. or [25 marks] 0 2 ‘In the collection, Duffy presents women as always showing great personal courage.’ Examine this view. You must write about at least two poems in your answer. Skirrid Hill – Owen Sheers or 0 3 ‘In Skirrid Hill, Sheers presents masculinity as being always toxic.’ Examine this view of the collection. You must write about at least two poems in your answer. or 0 4 Examine the significance of pain in Skirrid Hill. You must write about at least two poems in your answer. [25 marks] [25 marks] [25 marks] IB/H/Jun24/7712/2B 3 Option 1 Section B: Drama and Prose Contextual Linking Read the Insert. Answer both questions in this section. Read the Insert carefully. It is taken from A Trick I Learned from Dead Men, a novel by Kitty Aldridge, published in 2012. Lee Hart lives in a remote cottage with his younger brother, Ned, who is deaf, and their widowed stepfather, Lester. Their mother has been dead for seven years. Lee, who is in his mid-twenties, works as a trainee undertaker alongside an older colleague, Derek. The extract begins as the local florist, Lorelle, arrives at the funeral home with a delivery of flowers. Answer both questions. 0 5 Explore the significance of loneliness and social isolation in this extract. Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways that Aldridge shapes meanings. and [25 marks] 0 6 Compare the significance of loneliness and social isolation in two other texts you have studied. Remember to include in your answer reference to how meanings are shaped in the texts you are comparing. You must use one drama text and one prose text in your response. Turn over for the next section [25 marks] Turn over ► IB/H/Jun24/7712/2B 4 Option 2 Section A: Drama Set Text Answer one question in this section. A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams Either 0 7 Examine the significance of the relationship between Blanche and Stella in the play. [25 marks] or 0 8 Examine the significance of music and songs in A Streetcar Named Desire. [25 marks] Top Girls – Caryl Churchill or 0 9 ‘In Top Girls, Churchill presents a world in which there is no hope for the powerless.’ Examine this view. [25 marks] or 1 0 Examine the significance of resistance in Top Girls. [25 marks] IB/H/Jun24/7712/2B 5 Option 2 Section B: Prose and Poetry Contextual Linking Read the Insert. Answer both questions in this section. Read the Insert carefully. It is taken from A Trick I Learned from Dead Men, a novel by Kitty Aldridge, published in 2012. Lee Hart lives in a remote cottage with his younger brother, Ned, who is deaf, and their widowed stepfather, Lester. Their mother has been dead for seven years. Lee, who is in his mid-twenties, works as a trainee undertaker alongside an older colleague, Derek. The extract begins as the local florist, Lorelle, arrives at the funeral home with a delivery of flowers. Answer both questions. 1 1 Explore the significance of loneliness and social isolation in this extract. Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways that Aldridge shapes meanings. and [25 marks] 1 2 Compare the significance of loneliness and social isolation in two other texts you have studied. Remember to include in your answer reference to how meanings are shaped in the texts you are comparing. You must use one prose text and one poetry text in your response, at least one of which must be a text written post-2000. You must write about at least two poems. Turn over for the next section [25 marks] Turn over ► IB/H/Jun24/7712/2B 6 Option 3 Section A: Prose Set Text Answer one question in this section. Waterland – Graham Swift Either 1 3 Examine the significance of the novel’s Fenland setting. [25 marks] or 1 4 Examine the view that men are presented as brutal oppressors of women in Waterland. [25 marks] The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood or 1 5 Examine the significance of the Aunts in the novel. [25 marks] or 1 6 Examine the significance of mothers and motherhood in The Handmaid’s Tale. [25 marks] IB/H/Jun24/7712/2B 7 Option 3 Section B: Drama and Poetry Contextual Linking Read the Insert. Answer both questions in this section. Read the Insert carefully. It is taken from A Trick I Learned from Dead Men, a novel by Kitty Aldridge, published in 2012. Lee Hart lives in a remote cottage with his younger brother, Ned, who is deaf, and their widowed stepfather, Lester. Their mother has been dead for seven years. Lee, who is in his mid-twenties, works as a trainee undertaker alongside an older colleague, Derek. The extract begins as the local florist, Lorelle, arrives at the funeral home with a delivery of flowers. Answer both questions. 1 7 Explore the significance of loneliness and social isolation in this extract. Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways that Aldridge shapes meanings. and [25 marks] 1 8 Compare the significance of loneliness and social isolation in two other texts you have studied. Remember to include in your answer reference to how meanings are shaped in the texts you are comparing. You must use one drama text and one poetry text