🌟ENG2613 PORTFOLIO EXAMINATION
ANSWERS 🌟
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2025
Comprehensive Portfolio: Poetry • Drama • Prose
(2025)
University of South Africa (UNISA)
Due date: 06 OCTOBER 2025 20h00
Includes:
• Fully developed answers for Poetry, Drama, and Prose based on the ENG2613
Portfolio (Oct/Nov 2025)
• In-depth analysis of theme, tone, structure, language, and classroom application
• Model interpretations and moral lessons for literary texts used in the 2025 exam
• Guided teaching strategies for making poetry, prose, and drama come alive for
learners
• Comparative prose analysis of Thandi and the Hair Whisperer and Maia with
classroom activities
• Practical examples of staging a school play, reading poetry aloud, and integrating
literature into literacy development
• Harvard-style reference list and academic integrity declarations included.
, QUESTION 1: POETRY
Poem: “Mother Doesn’t Want a Dog” - Judith Viorst
1.1) Reasons the mother gives for not wanting a dog (3 marks)
The mother dislikes dogs because they smell and make a mess they shed fur, bring
in mud, and sometimes behave badly indoors. These issues worry adults more than
children since grown-ups value clean homes and responsibility, while children mostly
think about companionship and fun.
1.2) Humour in the poem (6 marks)
Humour is created through exaggerated descriptions and a playful ending.
1. The line “And flop upon your bed at night and snore their doggy snore” makes
readers laugh at the image of a dog sleeping like a person.
2. “And do disgraceful things on rugs” adds comic shock it hints at naughty pet
behaviour that’s embarrassing but relatable.
3. The final twist, “Because, more than a dog, I think / She will not want this
snake,” surprises readers and ends the poem with light-hearted mischief.
1.3) Teaching the poem “off the page” (6 marks)
1. Dramatic reading: Divide learners into pairs one reads the child’s voice, the
other reads the mother’s complaints. This helps them explore tone and
rhythm.
2. Role-play: Learners can act out the poem with props (like a toy dog or mop) to
bring humour and imagination into the classroom.
3. Creative response: Ask learners to write a short poem or draw about the pet
they would like (or dislike), linking it to their experiences.
ANSWERS 🌟
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2025
Comprehensive Portfolio: Poetry • Drama • Prose
(2025)
University of South Africa (UNISA)
Due date: 06 OCTOBER 2025 20h00
Includes:
• Fully developed answers for Poetry, Drama, and Prose based on the ENG2613
Portfolio (Oct/Nov 2025)
• In-depth analysis of theme, tone, structure, language, and classroom application
• Model interpretations and moral lessons for literary texts used in the 2025 exam
• Guided teaching strategies for making poetry, prose, and drama come alive for
learners
• Comparative prose analysis of Thandi and the Hair Whisperer and Maia with
classroom activities
• Practical examples of staging a school play, reading poetry aloud, and integrating
literature into literacy development
• Harvard-style reference list and academic integrity declarations included.
, QUESTION 1: POETRY
Poem: “Mother Doesn’t Want a Dog” - Judith Viorst
1.1) Reasons the mother gives for not wanting a dog (3 marks)
The mother dislikes dogs because they smell and make a mess they shed fur, bring
in mud, and sometimes behave badly indoors. These issues worry adults more than
children since grown-ups value clean homes and responsibility, while children mostly
think about companionship and fun.
1.2) Humour in the poem (6 marks)
Humour is created through exaggerated descriptions and a playful ending.
1. The line “And flop upon your bed at night and snore their doggy snore” makes
readers laugh at the image of a dog sleeping like a person.
2. “And do disgraceful things on rugs” adds comic shock it hints at naughty pet
behaviour that’s embarrassing but relatable.
3. The final twist, “Because, more than a dog, I think / She will not want this
snake,” surprises readers and ends the poem with light-hearted mischief.
1.3) Teaching the poem “off the page” (6 marks)
1. Dramatic reading: Divide learners into pairs one reads the child’s voice, the
other reads the mother’s complaints. This helps them explore tone and
rhythm.
2. Role-play: Learners can act out the poem with props (like a toy dog or mop) to
bring humour and imagination into the classroom.
3. Creative response: Ask learners to write a short poem or draw about the pet
they would like (or dislike), linking it to their experiences.
