Sailmaker Textual Analysis
Final Question
The final question is worth 8 marks.
This will be worth 8% of your overall Nat 5 marks, so it
is a very important question.
This could easily make the difference between two
bands – a B could easily become a C if you fail to
answer this question correctly or similarly a C could
drop below the passmark.
Approach to this Question
Approach the final question using a mini-essay
approach.
Split your mini-essay into four different points which
relate to themes identified in the extract, and write two
marks worth of answer for each theme.
Advised Structure
 Intro – Address the question and identify what
four themes you can see in the extract (very short
sentence).
 Point One – Theme 1.


Use a quote from elsewhere in the play to show why the
theme is important.
Explain the quote you have chosen and why it is important
to the rest of the play.
Use the above format for Themes 2, 3 and 4.
Example Introduction
Question:
This extract looks at the relationship between Alec and
Davie. Comment on the relationship, saying what
factors influence their relationship throughout the
play.
Intro: In this extract themes of family relationships
are made clear, and we can also recognise the
importance of poverty, dealing with grief and religion.
Example Point Structure
In this extract we can see the theme of religion as Alec
says ‘Jesus to come walking across the back and tell
me everything was alright’. This is continued later in
the play when Alec says ‘If the lord Jesus had come
into my heart, I should know’. This shows Alec’s
struggle with faith. Alec has been using religion as an
escape from his problems – both his mother’s death
and his father – so religion is a central motif in the
relationship between Alec and Davie.