Women in Lit Comparative and Contextual Study:
Past Exam Questions for Sense & Sensibility and The Bell Jar
Specimen paper
8a Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility
‘Writing about women often portrays them as creatures of emotion rather than
reason.’
By comparing Sense and Sensibility with at least one other text prescribed for this topic,
discuss how far you have found this to be the case.
Or
8c ‘Women in literature are defined by their relationship with men.’
By comparing at least two texts prescribed for this topic, explore how far you agree with this
claim. In your answer you must include discussion of either Sense & Sensibility and/or Mrs
Dalloway.
June 2017
8a Jane Austen: Sense & Sensibility
‘Female characters in literature are unfairly restrained by social convention’.
By comparing Sense & Sensibility with at least one other text prescribed for this topic,
discuss how far you have found this to be the case.
Or
8c ‘Female characters in literature are depicted as each other’s strongest supporters’.
By comparing at least two texts prescribed for this topic, explore how far you agree with this
claim. In your answer you must include discussion of either Sense & Sensibility and/or Mrs
Dalloway.
June 2018
8a Jane Austen: Sense & Sensibility
‘Female characters in literature often dominate in home and family life.’
By comparing Sense & Sensibility with at least one other text prescribed for this topic,
discuss how far you have found this to be the case.
Or
8c ‘Female characters are often depicted as victims.’
Past Exam Questions for Sense & Sensibility and The Bell Jar
Specimen paper
8a Jane Austen: Sense and Sensibility
‘Writing about women often portrays them as creatures of emotion rather than
reason.’
By comparing Sense and Sensibility with at least one other text prescribed for this topic,
discuss how far you have found this to be the case.
Or
8c ‘Women in literature are defined by their relationship with men.’
By comparing at least two texts prescribed for this topic, explore how far you agree with this
claim. In your answer you must include discussion of either Sense & Sensibility and/or Mrs
Dalloway.
June 2017
8a Jane Austen: Sense & Sensibility
‘Female characters in literature are unfairly restrained by social convention’.
By comparing Sense & Sensibility with at least one other text prescribed for this topic,
discuss how far you have found this to be the case.
Or
8c ‘Female characters in literature are depicted as each other’s strongest supporters’.
By comparing at least two texts prescribed for this topic, explore how far you agree with this
claim. In your answer you must include discussion of either Sense & Sensibility and/or Mrs
Dalloway.
June 2018
8a Jane Austen: Sense & Sensibility
‘Female characters in literature often dominate in home and family life.’
By comparing Sense & Sensibility with at least one other text prescribed for this topic,
discuss how far you have found this to be the case.
Or
8c ‘Female characters are often depicted as victims.’
