Question Constellation Sign up for free OCR · GCSE · English Literature · Higher
Female characters take control
This is part b) of Question 1 on Anita and Me. Candidates answer on another moment from the studied text rather than on the printed extracts.
Explore another moment in Anita and Me where female characters take control.
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Study the marking See what earns credit and compare it with a full-mark answer.
Marking points
- 1 Chooses a relevant moment elsewhere in Anita and Me.
- 2 Explains how female control is presented in that moment.
- 3 Analyses writer's methods with textual support.
Full-mark answer
A strong response might choose Anita's control over Meena and the other children, or Sandy's pursuit of Hairy Neddy, and explain how Syal presents female control through action, dialogue and comic but forceful language. It would keep the focus on the selected moment and analyse how the writing makes that control impressive, aggressive or comic.
Why this answer loses marks
Anita is bossy and controls Meena throughout the novel.
This is too general for the task because it does not anchor the answer in one moment or analyse Syal’s methods.