Category: OCR English Literature

“Every silver lining has a cloud behind it”. (The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, Twain). Explore the presentation of Urbanisation in your literature, based on the quotation above. In your writing you should focus on Great Gatsby and other sources you have read.

jwpblog May 10, 2019

I have set this title to the U6 as they approach the end of their teaching. We have used all the possible past papers and several of my wider exploratory essay questions, many of which can be heard in discussion …

Possible exam themes for OCR A level ELit: American Literature

jwpblog April 30, 2019

I have found this list of questions from the University of North Carolina. Whilst the University are asking very specific questions at times, the themes under consideration are useful and give students a good idea of the nature of …

Unseen for US Literature (OCR): Howells – A hazard of new fortune

jwpblog March 18, 2019

Taken form the 2018 summer examination paper, this passage was the basis for my current U6th mock examination ... howells unseen passage for consideration. From the outset the passage establishes contradictions between attitudes to the Sabbath; perspectives of the …

US Lit Unseen: White Fang for OCR A level

jwpblog March 4, 2019

Jack London's novel pitches man against nature in order to focus upon the 'indomitable' spirit of humanity when faced by the immense barrier of nature. This theme is explored in much literature reflecting the pioneer era - humans in …

USA lit essay discussion

jwpblog February 26, 2019

'In the Land of the Free, the Journey: Quest, conquest and homecoming, is the driving force of literary exploration.' Explore this idea in the texts you have read. Be sure to use GG in your response and to refer to …

A give back: Marking US lit A levels

jwpblog February 13, 2019

I recently set this essay for my Upper 6th. The results were variable. For many the essay swiftly became an exercise in listing isolated characters or situations and the Assessment Objectives became lost. The driving AO is AO3 in …

Unseen give back

jwpblog February 12, 2019

The unseen from Wright's 'Man who was almost a man' with discussion of unseen technique and direct reference to a student unseen, attached below. https://jwpblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/190212_001.mp3 Doc3 Read More "Unseen give back"