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OCR · GCSE · English Literature · Higher

Happy feelings within a relationship between youth and age

Q03.1b 20 marks

Youth and Age. Read the two poems below and then answer both part a) and part b). You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on part a) and 30 minutes on part b).

Explore in detail one other poem from your anthology which presents happy feelings within a relationship between youth and age.

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Marking points

  1. 1 Selects one other anthology poem relevant to happy feelings within a relationship between youth and age.
  2. 2 Maintains a critical personal response focused on happy feelings within the youth-and-age relationship.
  3. 3 Uses relevant textual references and quotations from the chosen poem.
  4. 4 Analyses language, form and structure used to create meanings and effects.
  5. 5 May use any valid poem and relevant interpretation, including but not limited to the examples named in the mark scheme.

Full-mark answer

One possible answer could explore Sylvia Plath's 'You're'. The poem presents happy feelings towards an unborn child through a series of playful and surprising images. Plath avoids ordinary sentimental language and instead compares the baby to energetic, growing and hopeful things, such as a 'high-riser' and a 'little loaf'. These metaphors suggest warmth, nourishment and rapid development, so the relationship between adult speaker and child feels joyful because it is imaginative and expectant. A strong response would support this view with close quotation and analyse how the poem's condensed images and lively structure create affection and excitement.

Why this answer loses marks

Choosing a poem that does not clearly involve youth and age.

The task requires happy feelings within a relationship between youth and age, so the chosen poem must fit that relationship focus.