Tasmanian Secondary Assessment Board
ENGLISH LITERATURE
Senior Secondary 5C
Subject Code: EN823
External Assessment
2003
Time: Three Hours
On the basis of your performance in this examination, the examiners will provide
results on each of the following criteria taken from the syllabus statement:
Criterion 3
Discuss key themes and values central to particular texts.
Criterion 4
Critically examine devices and structures used by writers for
particular purposes.
Criterion 6
Interpret, analyse and evaluate specific texts, using terms and
criteria appropriate to the task.
Pages:
11
Questions: 52
©
Copyright for part(s) of this examination may be held by individuals and/or organisations other
than the Tasmanian Secondary Assessment Board.
English Literature
CANDIDATE INSTRUCTIONS
Candidates MUST ensure that they have addressed ALL of the externally assessed criteria on this
examination paper.
There are three sections to this paper.
Answer THREE questions, ONE question from each section.
Answer each question in a separate answer booklet.
All answers should be in essay form.
You must not use the same text, writer or literary form as the basis for your answer in Section A
and Section C. For example, if you base your answer on a novel in Section A, you must write on a
play or poet in Section C; if you write on a play in Section A, then you must write on a novel or
poet in Section C, etc.
Candidates are reminded that handwriting, spelling and expression which make it difficult to read
what candidates mean will adversely affect their assessment.
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English Literature
SECTION A
Answer ONE question from this section.
Base your answer on ONE prescribed novel, play or poet.
If basing your answer on the work of a poet, you should refer to at least three poems.
Use a separate answer booklet for this section.
This section assesses Criterion 3.
1.
‘Hopes and dreams are a sustaining force for many individuals.’ Discuss the validity of this
statement in relation to a text you have studied this year.
2.
A character’s feeling of isolation can affect his/her journey through life, but many characters
emerge wiser and stronger. What has the writer of your choice given you to understand about
this?
3.
‘The power of love will triumph over destructive forces and evil.’ Consider this statement
with detailed reference to a text you have studied this year.
4.
‘Writers explore lives linked to change.’ Discuss this statement with detailed reference to a
text you have studied this year.
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English Literature
SECTION B
Answer ONE question from this section.
The question for each poem is identical.
Use a separate answer booklet for this section.
This section assesses Criterion 4.
5.
Write a critical commentary on the relation between form and content in the following poem.
Show how features such as imagery, diction, structure and tone contribute to the meaning of
the poem.
When, Dearest, I but think of Thee
When, dearest, I but think of thee,
Methinks all things that lovely be
Are present, and my soul delighted:
For beauties that from worth arise
Are like the grace of deities*,
Still present with us, though unsighted.
Thus, while I sit and sigh the day
With all its borrowed lights away,
Till night’s black wings do overtake me,
Thinking on thee, thy beauties then,
As sudden lights do sleepy men,
So they by their bright rays awake me.
Thus absence dies, and dying proves
No absence can subsist* with loves
That do partake of fair perfection:
Since in the darkest night they may
By love’s quick motion find a way
To see each other by reflection.
The waving sea can with each flood
Bathe some high promont* that hath stood
Far from the main* up in the river:
O think not then but love can do
As much, for that’s an ocean too,
Which flows not every day, but ever!
Sir John Suckling
(1609 – 1642)
*deities – gods or goddesses
*subsist – to exist, be
*promont – promontory; a point of high land which juts out into the water
*main – ocean
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English Literature
6.
Write a critical commentary on the relation between form and content in the following poem.
Show how features such as imagery, diction, structure and tone contribute to the meaning of
the poem.
Cultural Meeting
At a long table paper, pencils, glasses of water,
Deliberations, reports, heated exchanges,
And thoughtful, absent glances out of windows.
“Mr Chairman, allow me to make a question.
I speak not for a country but a people –
Sir, I speak today for writers in exile*.”
Sad, sallow Germanic* faces; eyes heavy,
Hands restless, shuffling a bundle of memoranda:
He pauses, waits, being long used to waiting.
He speaks for those forgotten in camps and prisons,
All those forbidden the bread of their own country;
Its wells and streams, its plunging ravenous* rivers.
Over the paper their black words driven, straggling*,
Summon from under restricting ice of absence
The reedy singing of long-ago green water.
From under the black roots of the trees, violets,
From under the snow the faint, curled fronds of fern,
The cry of a bird from out of the winter darkness.
The cry of a word from the heart and the word is “exile”,
It falls from the pen like a bullet-shot through the paper,
And a charred black hole gapes like a fatal wound.
Afterwards, at lunch, beside me, speaking little,
Hands moving restlessly among the breadcrumbs,
He ate as one whose hunger would never be filled.
Rosemary Dobson
(1920 –)
*exile – a person compelled by circumstances to live away from his or her native land
*Germanic – relating to or characteristic of Germany or its people, language or culture
*ravenous – extremely hungry
*straggling – to stray or fall behind
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English Literature
7.
Write a critical commentary on the relation between form and content in the following poem.
Show how features such as imagery, diction, structure and tone contribute to the meaning of
the poem.
Above Pate Valley
We finished clearing the last
Section of trail by noon,
High on the ridge-side
Two thousand feet above the creek
Reached the pass, went on
Beyond the white pine groves,
Granite shoulders, to a small
Green meadow watered by the snow,
Edged with Aspen*—sun
Straight high and blazing
But the air was cool.
Ate a cold fried trout in the
Trembling shadows. I spied
A glitter, and found a flake
Black volcanic glass—obsidian*—
By a flower. Hands and knees
Pushing the Bear grass*, thousands
Of arrowhead leavings over a
Hundred yards. Not one good
Head, just razor flakes
On a hill showed all but summer,
A land of fat summer deer,
They came to camp. On their
Own trails. I followed my own
Trail here. Picked up the cold-drill*,
Pick*, singlejack*, and sack
Of dynamite.
Ten thousand years.
Gary Snyder
(1930 –)
*Aspen – a kind of tree
*obsidian – dark, glass-like rock
*Bear grass – a type of wild American grass resembling bear’s fur
*cold-drill – a tool
*pick – a tool
*singlejack – a tool
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English Literature
8.
Write a critical commentary on the relation between form and content in the following poem.
Show how features such as imagery, diction, structure and tone contribute to the meaning of
the poem.
Geography Lesson
When the jet sprang into the sky,
it was clear why the city
had developed the way it had,
seeing it scaled six inches to the mile.
There seemed an inevitability*
about what on ground had looked haphazard*,
unplanned and without style
when the jet sprang into the sky.
When the jet reached ten thousand feet,
it was clear why the country
had cities where rivers ran
and why the valleys were populated.
The logic of geography –
that land and water attracted man –
was clearly delineated*
when the jet reached ten thousand feet.
When the jet rose six miles high,
it was clear that the earth was round
and that it had more sea than land.
But it was difficult to understand
that men on earth found
causes to hate each other, to build
walls across and to kill.
From that height, it was not clear why.
Zulfikar Ghose
(1935 – )
*inevitability –no other way of doing something
*haphazard – set out at random
*delineated – marked out
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English Literature
SECTION C
Answer ONE question from this section.
Base your answer on a prescribed novel, play or poet.
Do not write on the same text, writer or literary form (ie. poetry, drama, novel) as in Section A.
Use a separate answer booklet for this section.
This section assesses Criterion 6.
POETRY
William Wordsworth
9.
What is Wordsworth’s view of our relationship with nature? How does he use poetic form,
imagery and language to illustrate this interest in one longer poem or three shorter poems?
10.
‘Imagery is the essence of all forms of poetry. It brings a poem to life and releases emotions.’
Discuss the use of imagery in one of Wordsworth’s longer poems or three shorter poems.
Margaret Scott
11.
‘Often a moment in time or a simple experience is the starting point for a Margaret Scott
poem, but it leads into a much deeper reflection on life in many ways.’ Discuss this statement
by referring to Scott’s use of language, structure and imagery in three of her poems.
12.
‘The past and the present are often explored in combination in the poetry of Margaret Scott.’
Discuss this statement with reference to three of her poems.
Gwen Harwood
13.
Gwen Harwood’s poetry shows us our world and the challenges we face. How does she use
form, poetic language and imagery to do this in three of her poems?
14.
In Gwen Harwood’s poetry, changes in an individual’s perspective or attitudes are caused by
external forces, usually in the form of a person or an event. Explore the ways she highlights
this in three of her poems.
D. H. Lawrence
15.
‘D. H. Lawrence vividly contemplates things, people and places.’ Discuss this statement by
referring to three of his poems, exploring language, symbolism and imagery.
16.
‘Perhaps the overall effect of D. H. Lawrence’s poems is one of contrast: a delighted sense of
life in its moment-by-moment flow; and an equally strong sense of life linked to change,
decay and death.’ Discuss this statement with close reference to the techniques he uses in
three of his poems.
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English Literature
Philip Larkin
17.
‘Philip Larkin’s poetry captures the experience of ordinary people in contemporary life.’
Examine the ways he does this in any three poems, with particular reference to imagery,
diction and tone.
18.
‘Philip Larkin uses a deliberately low-key tone in his poems to reveal deeper truths.’ Discuss
this statement with regard to three of Larkin’s poems and the techniques he uses in them.
Robert Gray
19.
‘Robert Gray’s poems seem very simple. This simplicity is, however, deceptive.’ Discuss the
imagery he uses and the language and rhythm he develops to create a sense of life’s
complexity in three of his poems.
20.
‘Beneath the apparent confidence of Robert Gray’s poetry lies a mood of anxiety and doubt.’
Discuss how he evokes this mood in any three poems you have studied.
NOVEL
Snow Falling on Cedars – David Guterson
21.
Ishmael realises that in the destructiveness of nature lies an awful beauty. How is this the key
to the range and purpose of the imagery in Snow Falling on Cedars?
22.
David Guterson alternates between scenes taking place in the courtroom in the present and
flashbacks from the past. How does Guterson use the narrative structure to deepen our
understanding of what it means to be human?
The Invisible Worm – Jennifer Johnston
23.
‘In Jennifer Johnston’s fiction, individuals frequently feel disconnected from other things and
other people.’ Explore this statement with reference to structure, symbolism and narrative
voice.
24.
Jennifer Johnston draws the reader into a total absorption in the fortunes of her central
character. What techniques does Johnston employ to achieve this?
Shadow Baby – Margaret Forster
25.
How effectively does Margaret Forster use narrative devices to shape and link Evie’s and
Shona’s stories?
26.
Discuss the range and purpose of Forster’s use of the dominating imagery of shadows in
Shadow Baby.
Silas Marner – George Eliot
27.
The structure of Silas Marner features parallel plot, foreshadowing and flashback. How do
these elements operate within the structure of the text?
28.
How does George Eliot use a range of settings to reveal emotional states in Silas Marner?
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English Literature
Shallows – Tim Winton
29.
The narrative in Shallows is woven from many strands: time-shift, imagery, setting and
symbolism. Show how Tim Winton has combined at least two of these strands to express the
main concerns of this novel.
30.
The present and the past seem unreconciled in Shallows. How does Tim Winton establish a
sense of continuity and of change?
Emma – Jane Austen
31.
Setting should not be taken as referring only to descriptions of landscapes: it includes time,
place and social conditions. Discuss the functions of setting in the presentation of the main
concerns in Emma.
32.
How does the role of Jane Fairfax function in Emma? Explore the use of contrast,
juxtaposition and symbolism.
Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
33.
‘In Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Tess experiences many different emotional states. As she
moves from location to location, the settings mirror these states.’ Discuss this statement with
particular reference to mood and symbolism.
34.
‘In Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Hardy describes scenes of nineteenth century English rural life.
However, his characters are incomplete and melodramatic.’ Discuss this statement with
reference to two or three male characters from the novel.
Benang – Kim Scott
35.
Benang is a tragic tale. Discuss how Kim Scott uses structure and point of view to heighten
the impact of tragic events in the novel.
36.
‘You can have stories which address history and create new understandings of it in some
way.’ Discuss the narrative methods Kim Scott uses to broaden our understanding of
Aboriginal identity in Benang.
Felicia’s Journey – William Trevor
37.
Felicia’s Journey is depressing and dark. How does William Trevor use imagery and setting
to evoke this atmosphere?
38.
‘ Felicia’s Journey depicts a confrontation between innocence and evil.’ How does William
Trevor use the characterisation of Felicia and Mr Hilditch to portray this confrontation?
DRAMA
King Lear – William Shakespeare
39.
Chaos in the natural realm is central to King Lear. How does Shakespeare use symbolism and
imagery to convey this?
40.
‘However far Lear travels, he remains a prisoner.’ What dramatic effects does Shakespeare
use to show us King Lear’s dilemma?
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Twelfth Night – William Shakespeare
41.
Explore the significance of Feste’s role in Twelfth Night.
42.
Twelfth Night is a play based upon a series of contrasts. Explore these contrasts, with
particular reference to character and setting in your response.
Arms and the Man – George Bernard Shaw
43.
How does Shaw use elements of humour to make us contemplate issues surrounding war in
Arms and the Man?
44.
How does Shaw use irony to contrast the characters of Major Sergius Saranoff and Captain
Bluntschli in Arms and the Man?
All My Sons – Arthur Miller
45.
All My Sons dramatises the experience of family.
characterisation and setting to present this experience?
How does Arthur Miller use
46.
All My Sons culminates in the death of Joe Keller. Discuss the ways in which Arthur Miller
builds dramatic tension in the play.
A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams
47.
At the centre of A Streetcar Named Desire lies the struggle between Blanche du Bois and her
brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. How is the nature of that struggle depicted dramatically?
48.
Discuss Tennessee Williams’ use of symbolism, including colour, in A Streetcar Named
Desire and show how it is central to the play.
Dead White Males – David Williamson
49.
According to David Williamson, his life’s preoccupation is ‘…to analyse people in conflict’.
What are the major conflicts in Dead White Males and what techniques does Williamson use
to portray them?
50.
Discuss David Williamson’s adventurous use of dramatic techniques in Dead White Males.
Cosi – Louis Nowra
51.
‘I wanted people to laugh and then look back.’ Discuss Louis Nowra’s use of different types
of humour to confront serious issues in Cosi.
52.
Louis Nowra shows us human beings interacting with each other primarily through the use of
dialogue. What other dramatic techniques does he employ to communicate the main concerns
of Cosi?
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