Key:
Carol Ann Duffy: English Literature exam
L = language
S = structure
M = meaning
Question: How does Duffy powerfully portray the speaker’s feelings about her
mother in Before You Were Mine?
Introduction:
• Powerful feelings = strong emotions
• How shown in poem = daughter’s love and affection for mother
Point
Romantic description
linked to film star
Evidence
‘Your polka-dot dress
blows round your legs.
Marilyn’.
Affectionate
‘That glamorous love
lasts’
Graphic, dazzling image
‘where you sparkle and
waltz’
Conclusion:

Most powerful feeling and why?
Explanation
L – ‘blows round you legs’
– carefree
S – ‘Marilyn’ – single word
sentence – impact /
special mother – like
Marilyn Monroe
M – admires mother
L – ‘glamorous’ – dazzling
/ splendid mother
S – ‘love lasts’ – sustained
sentence (alliteration and
‘s’) – reflects ‘love’ =
strong / long lasting
M – bond with mother is
strong and caring
L – ‘sparkle / waltz’ –
alluring image = magnifies
mother
S – final impacting line –
resonates: image
sustained
M – a compliment that is
highly sensory and
mesmeric
Key:
Carol Ann Duffy: English Literature exam
L = language
S = structure
M = meaning
Question: How does Duffy present such a memorable impression of people at
work Head of English?
Introduction:
• Memorable impression = strong image that stays in your mind
• How shown in poem = teacher - sarcasm, insults, expressions
Point
Strict – stifles learning
Boaster / pompous
Patronising / backhanded
compliment - insincere
Evidence
Explanation
‘Now L – ‘sit’ – orders /
sit up straight and listen’. aggressive style
S – ‘Now…sit’ –
enjambement – expect
poet to enter – instead
sharp and stern
M – Teacher focus on
behaviour / image of
class not learning /
engagement
‘I’ve written quite a bit
L – ‘quite a bit’ –
of poetry myself’
emphasises own
capabilities
S – ‘I’ve’ and ‘myself’
either end of line –
thrusts himself into the
limelight / main focus
M – Rival to visiting poet
– feels threatened?
‘gave an insight to an
L – juxtaposed: ‘insight /
outside view’
outside’ – trapped in
school / only snapshot
S – ‘insight / outside’ –
quick acknowledgement =
insincere
M – teacher does not
appreciate visiting poet =
patronising – vague
content
Conclusion:

Most memorable impression and why?
Key:
Carol Ann Duffy: English Literature exam
L = language
S = structure
M = meaning
Question: How far does Duffy’s writing create sympathy for the liar in Liar?
Introduction:
• Sympathy = when you feel sorry for someone
• Liar = tells lies (which is wrong) but she can’t help it and no-one helps her,
only judges her harshly.
Point
Harsh accusations
followed by softer /
gentler views
Evidence
‘Liar
She made things up’
Extreme lie and harsh
response
‘I nearly drowned …
Rotten’
Society jumps to
conclusions
‘The ambulance whinged
all the way
to the park where she
played with the stolen
child’
Explanation
L – euphemistic / softens
– empathise with Susan
S – short, high impact
introductory sentence –
contrast harsh ‘Liar’ title
M – Susan accused of
being a liar – pronoun
‘She…’ – ambiguous victim
/ villain?
L – ‘drowned’ – lies goes
too far or desperate for
attention?
S – ‘Rotten’ – short,
sharp, dismissive
response = sympathy?
M – Juxtaposition
between extreme lies
and unpleasant response
= uncaring society =
sympathy?
L – ‘whinged’ – society
irritated by her
S – ‘she played’ (innocent
action) juxtaposes ‘stolen
child’ (society’s
assumption) = sympathy
M – Action after
wrongdoing – no help
before = sympathy?
Conclusion:
 To what extent do you feel sympathetic towards the liar, Susan?