How to approach an essay for Section B

For section B, you have to remember to make connections NOT comparisons. You do not have to struggle to find out ways in which your texts relate to each other.

Remember, you can write three separate sections here and still be relevant--in fact, writing a (timed) section at a time is a good way to practise for this paper. It is also good to know just what you can write, in terms of length, at full tilt in 20 mins--don't plan for more than that in the exam, or you will write half a geat essay.

You do not have to treat all sections exactly equally--BUT do not expect to get good marks if you write a page on two texts and one paragraph on the third.

Things that are bad to do include:

• putting in irrelevant information just because you know it
• Shoe-horning in context ditto
• quoting critics unless they are spot-on relevant
• retelling the story (the examiner KNOWS it!)
• Feature spotting (more on this later)
• Not mentioning the question or addressing it
• constantly repeating the question because you can't think of anything to say
• Not referring to your texts.

Things that are good to do include:

• precise reference to the terms of the question, drawing them out to create a genuinely interesting discussion.
• using your knowledge of narrative techniques properly--relating them to features of the story and the meaning created.
• Giving examples with quotation and detailed analysis
• Thinking all the time 'HOW?' that is--not 'what' is the story being told, but 'how' is it told?
• Don't forget your section A skills! Consider the use of Narrative voice and ‘voices’ more generally, Point of view, Key structural points: beginnings, climaxes, endings, Structural patterning, echoing, foreshadowing, repetition, Key significances, such as places, aspects of time and chronology.
• Don't write about character--but about characterisation
• Remember that the story does not come out of nowhere—you need to discuss the choices that the author has made when deciding how to tell this particular story

When you are planning, mahe the question the heart of your plan. You can even use a grid plan, as at GCSE, to make it clearer how to structure your answer. It might seem schematic, but it is better to have an answer tht ticks the boxes of the assessment criteria than one which wanders off the point.

Remember the AOs 1, 2 and 3. USE correct terminology--which should force you to analyse form and structure. Consider different ways of reading the text; how could it be read differently, and how does this add to its subtlety?