Choose ONE Text from Drama, Prose Or Poetry

SECTION 1 — SCOTTISH TEXT — 20 marks Choose ONE text from Drama, Prose or Poetry. Read the text extract carefully and then attempt ALL the questions for your chosen text. You should spend about 45 minutes on this Section

PART C — SCOTTISH TEXT — POETRY

1. By referring to two examples from lines 1 – 6, analyse the use of poetic technique in clarifying the main ideas of the poem. 2

Candidates should analyse how the poet’s use of poetic technique helps to clarify the main ideas of the poem. 2 marks may be awarded for detailed/insightful comment plus reference; 1 mark for more basic comment plus reference. 0 marks for reference/quotation alone.

Possible answers include:

 ‘Waking’ – word choice suggests a new beginning / fresh start

 ‘Whatever the difference is’ – the contrasting word choice highlights the fact that a change, which is difficult to define or identify, as taken place

 ‘face-to-face like lovers’ – the simile suggests that the father and son have a very close and loving relationship

 ‘his four-day-old smile’ – personification used to emphasise the importance of the baby’s smile which is full of life and meaning

 ‘dawned’ – word choice suggests new beginning / fresh start / hope / promise

 ‘possessed’ – word choice suggests the power of the smile and how it is all- encompassing

 ‘would not fall or waver’ – personification used to emphasise strength and force of baby’s smile which cannot be weakened

 ‘pitched back’ – metaphor shows the instinctive, forceful response from the father to his son’s presence

 ‘old hard-pressed grin’ – alliteration and word choice used to highlight the father’s old self – his inability to feel genuine happiness

 ‘rediscovered’ – word choice conveys fact that the father has found the ability to be happy again 2 By referring closely to lines 7 – 14, identify the attitude of the father towards his son and explain how this is conveyed. 2

Candidates should identify the father’s attitude to his son and explain how it has been conveyed. 2 marks can be awarded for one example with detailed/insightful comments or two examples with more basic comments. 0 marks for reference/quotation alone.

 ‘Dear son’ – term of endearment shows that the father regards his son fondly

 ‘the truth path was as lost to me as ever’ – use of metaphor suggests the father had lost his way before the birth of his child

 ‘you cut in front and lit it as you ran’ – alliteration emphasises that his son’s sudden arrival enabled the poet to find his true path. Use of ‘lit’ and ‘ran’ convey the brightness and fun he associates with his son

 ‘the true gift’ – his son’s presence is something special

 ‘returned and redelivered, it rolled on’ – conveys the reciprocal relationship they have, where they make each other happy

 ‘the smile poured through us’ – the happiness his son has prompted is powerful and overwhelming

 ‘like a river’ – simile suggests the power and unstoppable nature of the love and affection between them

 ‘How fine’ – the relationship is precious and valuable

 ‘waking amongst men!’ – the father is pleasantly surprised that his love for his son has helped him find his true identity

 ‘I kissed your mouth’ – they have a close, loving relationship

 ‘pledged myself forever’ – he feels great loyalty to his son and will always be there for him 3 By referring closely to the whole poem, analyse the use of poetic technique to achieve a change of mood from pessimism and uncertainty to one of optimism. 4

For full marks, candidates should provide comments on example(s) showing both “stages” in the change of mood. This could be done through 2 marks for a detailed/insightful comment on one example OR more basic comments on two different examples (1+1). 0 marks for reference / quotation alone.

Examples suggesting pessimism and uncertainty

 ‘Whatever’ – word choice suggests uncertainty / inability to decide

 ‘old hard-pressed grin’ – word choice suggests the way things used to be – unable to feel genuine happiness

 ‘mezzo del cammin’- literary reference to being half-way implies a turning point / midlife crisis. The Dante reference alludes to journey through Hell.

 ‘the true path was lost to me as ever’ – metaphor suggests he has lost his purpose / way in life

Examples suggesting optimism

 ‘Waking’ – word choice suggesting new beginnings / opportunity

 ‘it all began’ – contrasting tone conveys certainty instead of earlier doubt

 ‘face-to-face’ – closeness / comfort conveyed / connotations of something being right in front of him and apparent / confirmed

 ‘like lovers’ – simile conveys a close, loving relationship and stability / connotations of earlier stages of relationship and a time of hope and promise

 ‘dawned’

 ‘would not fall or waver’

 ‘rediscovered’

 ‘you cut in front and lit it as you ran’

 ‘The true gift never leaves the giver’

 ‘Returned and redelivered it rolled on’  ‘The smile poured through us like a river’

 ‘How fine’

 ‘Waking amongst men’

 ‘I kissed your mouth’

 ‘Pledged myself forever’

4 Evaluate how effective you find lines 13-14 as a conclusion to the poem. Your answer should deal with ideas and / or language. 2

Candidates should show understanding of the term “conclusion” and show how the content of the last two lines continues ― or contrasts with ― ideas and/or language from the rest of the poem. 2 marks can be awarded for two appropriate, basic comments. A detailed/insightful comment on one example may be awarded 2 marks. Other examples are acceptable. 0 marks for reference/quotation alone.

Ideas  The father feels like he has discovered his true purpose / identity through the arrival of his son, after experiencing doubt and uncertainty before his birth.  He looks to the future and directly expresses his loyalty to his son.

Language  Poet’s positive and life-affirming tone (‘How fine…amongst men!) contrasts with his earlier doubt / lack of purpose  Use of exclamatory statement conveys his certainty and excitement about the discovery he has made  Personal pronouns (‘I’ and ‘you’) remind us that this is a direct address to his new- born son  The reference to ‘waking’ from the poem’s title emphasises the importance of this new beginning / the hope his son’s birth has brought him.  ‘pledged myself forever’ – looking forwards the poet knows his rediscovered joy will continue into the future  The word choices used in the final line (‘kissed your mouth’ and ‘pledged myself forever’) suggest a marriage and reflect the commitment made between father and son 5 *TEN MARK COMPARISON QUESTION WILL BE HERE* 10