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HOЁRSKOOL OVERKRUIN
ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE
GRADE 12
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION PAPER 2: LITERATURE
DATE: 8 SEPTEMBER 2016MARKS: 80
MEMO
SECTION A: POETRY
PRESCRIBED POETRY
QUESTION 1: POETRY – ESSAY QUESTION
With close reference to the diction, imagery and tone, discuss how the poet/speaker’s awareness of time is conveyed in this poem.
Your essay should be 250-300 words in length (about ONE page)
[ONLY GUIDELINE – MARK GLOBALLY AND ACCEPT ALTERNATIVE WELL-SUBSTANTIATED ARGUMENTS]
Emphasises the poet’s preoccupation with time
Focuses attention on the one thing he lacks and cannot control
Acts like a metronome – making the reader aware that time is passing
All the actions that he associates with time are large and ambitious. There is so much to do and too little time to do it in
The expectation of death is created from the start hence the reader feels pity for the poet who uses words like “when”
The repetition of “when” adds a speculative tone
The repetition of “never” heightens the poignancy of the poem as it suggest the finality of death
The word “then” has the effect of providing an answer to his anticipated fears.
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OR
QUESTION 2 – LAKE MORNING IN AUTUMN
2.1 / What is unusual about the stork’s presence at the lake?The stork is early. There are no other storks there (usually storks migrate at a specific time of the year in flocks) / (2)
2.2 / With clear reference to specific diction, critically discuss how the poet effectively employs personification to highlight the strain of the stork’s journey.
“contemplative” and “ponderously” suggests that the stork is in deep thought and is reflecting on the journey he has already made.
“sighed” suggests a realisation that the journey is not yet over/not looking forward to what still lies ahead, and that the stork is bracing himself to boldly continue the tiring journey. / (3)
2.3 / How does the word ‘regally’ (line 18) contrast with the image presented in the final line?
‘regally’ suggests royalty, sophistication and elegance, while the final line suggests clumsiness and exhaustion. The stork has not yet lifted his legs and slowly and clumsily stumbles upward – movement not quite majestically elegant. / (3)
2.4 / Comment on how the pace in the last stanza contributes to the meaning of the poem.
Slower pace; last line very slow to indicate bird’s slow movements because it is probably exhausted
The slow pace introduces a sad tone – bird is on an endless journey. / (2)
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QUESTION 3 – ON THE MOVE
3.1 / What does the diction used in lines 1-3 suggest about the movement of the birds?‘scuffing’, ‘spurts’ and ‘wheeling’ suggest quick, sudden movements. It refers to the purely instinctual reflexes of the birds when startled. / (2)
3.2 / Refer to line 6: “One moves with an uncertain violence.”
Discuss how this line effectively draws a contrast between the birds and man.
Where birds move by instinct and therefore have a purpose that is defined by nature, “uncertain violence” suggests that man moves with speed/aggression/danger, but is undirected and therefore without purpose. / (2)
3.3 / Consider stanza 2 as a whole and comment on how the attitude of the bikers can be considered as ironic.
The bikers intend to convey an appearance of strength, power and masculinity (‘robust’), bringing dominance and intimidation with the noise of their motorcycles. YET, the speaker suggests that this attitude is a mere facade that hides their own insecurities (‘strap in doubt’) / They are deceiving themselves to believe that their movement has meaning (‘almost hear meaning in their noise’) / (3)
3.4 / Refer to line 38-40: “At worst, one is ... not keeping still.”
What do you think the poet is proposing is the ‘worst’ and the ‘best’ of mankind constantly being “on the move”?
The poet suggests that it is best that man is in constant motion because it gives him a sense of purpose to move towards a specific goal. The worst part is that he is in constant motion WITHOUT reaching his goal as the goal is unreachable and unidentified. The purpose lies in the moving itself, as reaching an unidentified goal is impossible. / (3)
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QUESTION 4 – FUTILITY
4.1 / Explain the relevance of “fields unsown” (line 3) in view of the rest of the poem.The dead man’s life will never “grow”;
his life, cut short, is an “unsown field”;
2nd stanza: “wakes seeds” – soldier‟s lost life is an „unwoken seed‟.
(Any 2) / (2)
4.2 / How does the poet establish a sense of hope in the first stanza? Refer to the diction he uses in your answer.
He uses words like “gently”, “whisperings”, “kind” - suggests tender
attempt to restore life;
“always” – surely, logically, it will happen again;
“will know” – indicates hope, confidence.
(Any 2 + well-written response = 3 marks) / (3)
4.3 / Refer to stanza 2. Discuss how the poet uses phonic devices to express his anger and frustration. Quote in support of your answer.
Alliteration: st – sounds suggest spitting out words to indicate frustration, anger.
Mostly single syllable words – slows down pace, more emphasis to stress importance of each word; indicates anger, deliberateness. (TWO + quotes = 3) / (3)
4.4 / Comment on the effectiveness or otherwise of the question marks in stanza 2.
Effective: repetition reaches a climax when no answers are reached.
OR
Not effective: breaks up rhythm – thus sense of unease. / (2)
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AND
QUESTION 5: UNSEEN POETRY CONTEXTUAL QUESTION (COMPULSARY)
Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow.
5.1 / Consider the title “I feel a poem ...”. What is implied by the title about theprocess of writing poetry?
Poetry starts on an emotional level. It is not simply a cerebral process but
comes from your inner being. / (2)
5.2 / Justify the use of personification in lines 3 and 4.
The beginning of the poem is compared to a developing foetus inside the
membrane of one’s soul thus extending the idea of creating a poem gaining lifefrom one’s inner being. / (2)
5.3 / The poet chooses to repeat certain words and phrases. Suggest what this addsto the poem as a whole.
“Deep” is repeated several times to emphasize that the thoughts for the poemare coming from the inner depths; repetition of “beating” shows the sense ofdesperation to get the poem written; repetition of “crying” adds to this. / (3)
5.4 / The theme of the poem concerns growth and change. Account for why the poetchooses to end the poem on an inconclusive note by using ellipsis.
The ending is inconclusive because just as one does not know what the babywill be like when it is born – or even if it will survive birth – so one does not knowwhat poem will emerge – what will it be about? Will it ever be completed? / (3)
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TOTAL SECTION A: [30]
SECTION B: THE NOVEL – ANIMAL FARM
QUESTION 6: ESSAY QUESTION
“But if there were hardships to be borne, they were partly offset by the fact that life nowadays had a greater dignity than it had had before.” Chapter 9Considering life on Animal Farm under Napoleon’s rule, assess to what extent the “greater dignity” of their lives compensates for their “hardships”. Your essay must be 400 – 450 words (2 – 2½ pages) in length.
GUIDELINE ONLY – ACCEPT ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE WELL-ARGUED
This appears to be a cynical observation about the animals’ life on what soon will be known (again) as Manor Farm.
Through Squealer and Napoleon’s well-orchestrated propaganda campaign, the animals are under the illusion that their lives are much better than under Jones’s rule.
The propaganda campaign is successful, because the animals revere Napoleon and lose sight of their miserable conditions.
The promises of shorter working hours, retirement plans and other benefits gradually dissipate, and the relentless dis-information campaign waged by Squealer is successful. The animals are unable to prove the existence of the Seven Commandments, and are so brow-beaten that they accept the subtle changes, e.g. “No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.”
Their lives lack dignity. Napoleon, however, leads a very dignified life – he lives in Jones’s house, eats from his dinner service, sleeps on his bed, etc., in the company of the other pigs, too.
Napoleon’s life is cleverly portrayed as one not of “selfishness and privilege”, but rather of sacrifice; he dislikes apples and milk, but forces himself to consume them for the benefit of all the animals. By elevating Napoleon to an almost mystical god-like figure, Squealer convinces the animals that they are privileged because he is their leader.
There is nothing dignified about working impossibly long hours, receiving scant rations, witnessing the slaughter of their own kind by Napoleon’s dogs, watching Boxer driven away to the knackers, and generally suffering daily hardships while the pigs are living the high life.
There cannot be any justification for their suffering. It is precisely their suffering that removes any dignity that they might have had. Their hardships are “offset by the fact that life” will not get better – they are doomed.
NOTE: Learners should understand the irony of the statement, and explore “dignity” in terms of pigs’ and animals’ lives. They are suffering, not enjoying “compensation”.
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QUESTION 7: CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.
EXTRACT A
7.1 / “Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech.”How is this action of Napoleon typical his character?
Napoleon is power-hungry and deems himself as important as Old Majojor. Here he claim’s Old Major’s position of authority for himself to literally display is superiority and show his dominance. It is typical of his character to get his own way by taking what he wants. / (3)
7.2 / Discuss Napoleon’s motives for banishing Snowball from the farm and branding him a ‘criminal’
Napoleon realises that he needs to eliminate Snowball as his political rival. This is done by chasing Snowball off the farm and then obliterating Snowball’s good reputation. Snowball poses a threat to Napoleon’s authority and reputation, as he is a more egalitarian leader who wants to share the spoils of the farm with all of its inhabitants. / (3)
7.3 / Using this extract as a starting point, explain how this event directly contributes to the deaths of many animals later on in the novel.
Pigs who tried to protest were executed. At the same time dogs tried to kill Boxer but failed (Boxer speaks up here loyally in favour of Snowball
In this event, Napoleon identifies who would pose a potential threat to him by speaking up against his decisions. / (3)
7.4 / `Loyalty and obedience are more important”
Comment on how the loyalty and obedience shown by the animals toward the pigs ultimately leads to their downfall.
The animals offer their loyalty to whomever takes charge and provides for their basic needs. They enslave themselves, with little thought for what they are forfeiting. Their unquestioning faith leads to their downfall because they swap one controlling master (Jones) for another (Napoleon), who simply takes advantage of them.
[Award 3 marks for three ideas or 3 marks for two ideas well discussed.] / (3)
AND
EXTRACT B
7.6 / Harsh conditions were a reality for the animals, yet Squealer’s propaganda was successful. Discuss why.The ultimate success of Squealer’s propaganda lay not so much i his undoubted skill as in in the fact that the animals themselves wanted to believe what they were told. They took a great deal of pride in their ‘freedom’. This pride is coupled with their unfailing and misplaced faith in Napoleon, their ignorance and the low intelligence / (3)
7.7 / Addressing one another as ‘comrade’ is a prominent custom throughout the novel. Critically comment on the significance of Napoleon suppressing this practice in the final chapter of the novel.
The word is used to create the illusion of equality and that the animals are united and share a common interest. It appeals to the animal’s sense of loyalty and pride in their “system of equality”
It is significant that Napoleon suppresses it in the final chapter, as his position of power is secured and there is no longer a need for this illusion. At the end of the novel it is clear that the animals are NOT equal, and suppressing the use of the word ‘comrade’ signifies this. / (3)
7.8 / Explain how the satirical nature of the novel is conveyed in the last paragraph of the extract.
In this paragraph, the author mocks the democratic voting system of a Republic. Holding an election where there is only one eligible candidate is a ridiculous notion. Through this mockery, the author highlights the futility of practising such a political system/freedom/choice in a corrupt society under a tyrannical ruler. / (3)
7.9 / In contrast to the system of equality envisioned by Old Major, a system of rank and hierarchy has emerged.
Do you agree with this point of view? Present your argument with close reference toat least TWO examples in the novel as a whole.
The animals were never equal from the very beginning and rank and hierarchy determined privileges and luxuries given to the pigs alone, rather than being shared. The pigs live in the house, other animals have to move aside when they pass, they get rations of beer and their young are discouraged from mixing with the other animals. These examples create a separation between pig and other animals and imply that the pigs are superior. / (4)
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TOTAL SECTION B: 25
SECTION C: THE DRAMA – THE CRUCIBLE
QUESTION 8: ESSAY QUESTION
Arthur Miller comments that The Crucible ... is either a warning of tyranny on the way or areminder of tyranny past.
Examine how, in the play, it is tyranny that leads to conflict and ultimately, tragedy.
Here is the basis for answering this essay. Use the following as a guideline only.
However, also allow for answers that are different, original and show evidence of
critical thought and interpretation.
• The initial conflict arises from young girls’ boredom and wanting to have “sport”
in the woods.
• They are oppressed as they are bound by Puritan laws which largely take away
any form of enjoyment, laughter and physical release such as found through
dancing.
• Women are also forbidden to speak in Church. The girls’ desire for self-expression
partially contributed to the dancing and laughing in the woods
causing the conflict.
• They are also intrigued by the exotic such as Tituba and the unknown such as
conjuring spirits.
• If the society had allowed for more fantasy and play, the girls might not have
been so intrigued by the supernatural.
• The above all leads to the dancing in the woods, Parris seeing them, Betty’s
“hysteria” and accusations of witchcraft.
• Theocracy also plays a role in the conflict. The Church and State being one
means there is no place for independent assessment of whether the law is
right. How can God be wrong?
• Those who think independently such as Proctor also cause conflict as it goes
against the status quo.
• Those such as Parris whom Proctor challenges then uses the weight of religion
and theocracy to oppress into submission (or to attempt to do so).
• Many were unhappy for being punished for sins as if the sins were crimes.
They were also unhappy about the restrictive laws so to break free they would
ignore them and break the rules.
• The church-state, i.e. theocracy, then used the witch-hunt (via Danforth, Parris
and Hale) as a way of re-gaining control.
• This then leads to the tragic consequences of the trials and executions.
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QUESTION 9: CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
9.1 / Refer to ‘It is a pretence, Elizabeth.’Proctor hates hypocrisy. Explain how this affects his relationship with Reverend Parris.
Proctor sees Parris as being the ultimate hypocrisy, because he preaches to his congregation about being ‘good’, but is materialistic rather than godly. He seems to care only about his own possessions and life, instead of the lives of the people in his congregation whom he so severely judges. For this reason, John argues with Parris and makes his dislike of the man extremely clear. / (3)
9.2 / Elizabeth alludes to the fact that John is his own worst judge. Discuss the validity of her assessment in light of the events in the play as a whole.
He struggles to live with the guilt of his lechery and is unable to see any goodness in himself because of his sin. He is unable to forgive himself for his affair with Abigail. He overcomes his guilt and follows his conscience when he refuses to lie to save himself, thereby accepting Elizabeth’s forgiveness and also forgiving himself. / (3)
9.3 / Explain how Elizabeth undergoes a process of self-understanding and how this contributes to her sense of peace when John is hanged.
Elizabeth realises through the court proceedings how much she loves John and that it was her own insecurities which led her to be suspicious of him from the time they were married. She facilitated his adultery by being a ‘cold’ wife. She comes to the realisation that John really does love her but that he cannot live with alie. Therefore, at his death, she has peace in the knowledge that he has done what is right for him. / (3)
9.4 / Refer to “If it is a lie I will not accept it!”
Based on your knowledge of the play as a whole, comment on the irony of Danforth’s statement.
Up to this point, Danforth has been selective about what HE deems as truth or lie. He sees truth as being something that conforms to standards and actions which HE has determined. Instead of listening to reason, he is determined to pursue his own interpretation of events as he is too bent on maintaining the power of his position.
[Award 3 marks only if irony is discussed] / (3)
9.5 / Refer to ‘Parris, hysterically, as though the tearing paper were his life: Proctor, Proctor!’
Account for Parris’s desperate need for Proctor’s confession.
Because of Abigail’s disappearance, Parris fears that the villagers will persecute him and rebel against the judges’ convictions. Proctor’s confession is his last desperate attempt at casting doubt on the innocence of those who have hanged. Without the confession of a respected citizen like Proctor, Parris’s reputation will be ruined and he will lose his position in the ministry. / (3)
9.6 / Refer to ‘Rebecca: Let you fear nothing! Another judgment waits us all!
Discuss how Rebecca's moral standard is important to an understanding of the outcome of the play.
She stands by her principles and refuses to be forced into making a false confession, as this will condemn her soul. This influences the outcome of the play as Proctor follows her example: he chooses execution in order to preserve his reputation and his soul, rather than save his own life and live as a liar. / (3)
9.7 / Comment on the dramatic impact of the reference to the drums:
'(From outside a drumroll strikes the air.)', '(Again, a short burst of drums)', '(The final drumroll crashes, then heightens violently.)' and 'the drums rattle like bones in the morning air'.
The drums signify the start of the executions and help to increase the tension as they and the scene build to a climax. The drums reach a crescendo as the victims are executed. The drums heighten the tragedy and poignancy of the scene. The menacing tone of military drums is foreboding/ominous. Traditionally, drums are associated with executions and signify doom. The detail, 'the drums rattle like bones' conveys an image of death. The clattering of the drums is a jarring, unnerving sound, which is in keeping with the tense atmosphere. / (3)
9.8 / The nature of justice in Salem acts as criticism of a theocratic system.
Critically discuss to which extent you agree or disagree with this statement.
The events in The Crucible emphasise the harsh nature of Salem’s belief system. State and Church are synonymous. Justice in Salem is preoccupied with punishment and retribution. Justice in Salem society is based on a strict religious code where the threat of damnation hangs over citizens for the slightest transgression. Such a rigid system sacrifices objective truth-seeking for obedience to authority and the following of doctrine. This, in turn, sacrifices true justice and harms the innocent.
[Accept mixed responses.]
[Credit valid alternative responses.] / (4)
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