Contents

Contents 2

Comparative Study: An Overview 3

Cultural Context 6

Previous “Cultural Context” Questions 7

The General Vision and Viewpoint 8

Previous “General Vision and Viewpoint” Questions 9

Literary Genre 10

Previous “Literary Genre” Questions 11

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald 12

Cultural Context 13

The General Vision and Viewpoint 18

Literary Genre 21

Foster, Claire Keegan 23

Cultural Context 24

The General Vision and Viewpoint 26

Literary Genre 28

A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen 31

Cultural Context 32

The General Vision and Viewpoint 33

Literary Genre 36

The King’s Speech (Film), Tom Hooper (Dir.) 38

Cultural Context 39

The General Vision and Viewpoint 41

Literary Genre 43

About the author 45

Comparative Study: An Overview

What is the comparative section all about?

• In this section of the exam, you must prepare three texts for examination.
• There are three possible comparative modes, of which two will appear on the exam.

This year’s comparative modes…

• Theme or Issue: The main message(s) that the writer wants to share with the reader and/or with the world; an issue that is presented within the text
• The General Vision and Viewpoint: What is the tone of the text? What is the author or director’s outlook on life?
• Literary Genre: How is the story told? Genre; imagery; symbolism; narrative; structure; characterisation

This year’s texts/films

• The texts/films that will be covered in this study guide include:
  • Novel: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
  • Short story: Claire Keegan’s Foster
  • Play: Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House
  • Film: The King’s Speech (Director: Tom Hooper)

How do I approach it?

• Remember, this section is about comparing and contrasting (finding similarities and differences) between multiple texts. You must ensure that your response reflect this.
• In choosing which question to answer, ensure that you will be able to compare multiple works within the realm of the answer. It is not enough to strongly analyse one and ignore the comparison aspect of the assessment.
• Be sure to look at key moment...