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The Martians as inhuman and monstrous
Section B: 19th century prose. The War of the Worlds by H G Wells. The extract describes the narrator seeing the Martians for the first time.
Explore how Wells presents the Martians as inhuman and monstrous, in this extract and elsewhere in the novel.
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Marking points
- 1 Covers the extract and elsewhere in the novel.
- 2 Analyses Wells' methods with references.
- 3 Addresses relevant context and SPaG.
- 4 May use the listed indicative ideas or other valid evidence.
Full-mark answer
A strong answer would analyse the Martian's grotesque physical details and the narrator's horrified response in the extract, then link to wider moments showing Martian anatomy, violence, technology and possible parallels with human colonisation.
Why this answer loses marks
The Martians look horrible and scare people.
This describes monstrosity but misses how Wells language and the wider novel develop the presentation.