Advice for the Literature Paper

Understanding the question demands is SO IMPORTANT.

(Key Terms, Question Stems, Instruction Words)
Brainstorming is SO ESSENTIAL in getting the points you will be discussing so you
can start each paragraph with the POINT you will be making.
Writing an introduction is SO CRUCIAL in helping you to achieve a coherent, wellargued essay (clear to the marker and clear for yourself)
When you meet with a Literature question, you should:
(i)
Unpack key terms in the question.
(ii)
Unpack the question stem
(iii) Brainstorm for points to answer the question
(iv) Think about your stand
Example 1:
How do you think the writer makes Piggy such a moving character? Support your ideas with details
from the novel.
- Unpack Key Term: What is a moving character? Brainstorm a moving character is one who
makes you feel sympathy for, tugs at your heartstrings, makes you feel indignant for the wrongs
he has suffered.
- How (Instruction word) Through: (Pi) Piggys initial one-sided interaction with Ralph I feel
sympathy, (Pii) Through Jacks ill-treatment of Piggy I feel indignance, (Piii) Through Piggys
efforts to discipline the boys I feel great admiration for him, (Piv) Through Piggys many ideas
on how to help the boys I feel admiration and compassion for him
- Write the Introduction:
The writer makes Piggy a character that pulls at my heart strings and makes me feel both
sympathy and admiration for him (unpacks moving character). Golding does this through
Piggys initial one-sided interaction with Ralph which makes me feel sympathy, through Jacks illtreatment of Piggy where I feel indignance, through Piggys efforts to discipline the boys which
makes me feel great admiration for him and finally through Piggys many ideas on how to help
the boys where I feel admiration and compassion for him (states clearly the methods Golding
uses to make us feel for Piggy, and the feelings evoked for Piggy for each).
- The body of your essay will constitute 4 points (Pi), (Pii), (Piii) and (Piv).
- Conclusion: You may then discuss Goldings purpose why does he want to make Piggy such
a moving character? E.g Golding wants to highlight the brutality of Jack and some of the boys as
they pick on Piggy for no good reason.
Example 2:
How far does the behaviour of Simon surprise you? Support your ideas with details from the novel.
- Unpack Key Term: surprise shock, find unusual, find strange, find hard to believe,
pleasantly surprise (admire)
- Unpack Question Stem: Behaviour of Simon What behaviour of Simon surprises me?
Behaviour: (Pi) Simon appreciates nature find this unusual (Pii) Simon shows no aggression
towards Jack, just a silent defiance through his actions admire Simon (Piii) Simon
appreciates being alone and allowing himself to go into a peaceful, meditative state find this
strange for a young boy, (Piv) Simon is helpful and supportive (of Ralph and the littluns)
pleasantly surprised and encouraged by this behaviour.
1

Write the Introduction:

Golding makes us notice Simon from the start as he stands out from the rest of the boys with
certain behaviours that we may find unusual, strange and pleasant (Unpacks surprise).
Because he is different from the boys in that he appreciates nature, appreciates being alone,
does not show aggression but is instead very helpful (states clearly the surprising aspects of
Simons behaviour), I feel that Simons behaviour totally surprises me (State stand clearly).
The body of your essay will constitute 4 points (Pi), (Pii), (Piii) and (Piv).
Conclusion: You may then discuss Goldings purpose why does he want to make Simon so
different from the others? E.g Golding wants to portray Simon as a Christ-like figure so we can
see that retaining the purity of human goodness is a choice that people like Simon make.
Goodness comes naturally to Simon and he chooses to maintain that goodness throughout the
novel.

Example 3:
What do you find interesting about the way in which Golding presents life on the island? Support
your ideas with details from the novel.
- Unpack the Key Term: interesting makes us sit up and take notice, may be unusual, so my
curiosity is heightened, there may be something striking/ different/ unique,
- Unpack Question Stem: Life on the Island What is life on the island like? (Pi) Life on the
island has no adults/ different from the civilized world that the boys used to know with its rules
and regulations find this unusual and wonder if the boys can manage themselves (Pii) The
littluns and biguns make sense of living on the island differently makes us sit up and notice
this makes us think about why there is a difference (Piii) The island has a mix of the serene
beauty and the scary unknown find this combination interesting as it mirrors the mix of good
and evil in people, (Piv) Life takes on a routine that is dependent on the priorities of the one who
leads. There is a re-education by Jack about how they should live to survive I find this
disturbing to watch as the boys degenerate into savages under a leader who encourages cruelty
and barbarism.
- Write the Introduction:
Golding makes life interesting on the island as we sit up and take notice of the difference
(Unpacks interesting) between life on the island with no adults and life back home in a
civilized world/ society. We are intrigued (Unpacks interesting) by the combination of serene
beauty and the scary unknown on the island. We are also disturbed (Unpacks interesting) by
the routine established on the island by Jack. Thus, these are the aspects of life on the island
that I find interesting.
- The body of your essay will constitute 4 points (Pi), (Pii), (Piii) and (Piv).
- Conclusion: You may then discuss Goldings purpose why does he want to put the boys on
an island like this? Golding intends to show us that life on the island takes on a whole new
different meaning and purpose for the boys as they have to manage themselves with no adults
to police them. Goldings premise is that boys without the arm of civilization, tend to gravitate
towards savage behaviour as the conditions align and are conducive for the darkness in them to
emerge.
More Question Examples:
1. Explore the ways in which Golding vividly portrays the different attitudes of the boys to Jack in the
novel.
Question stem/ issue: different attitudes (opinions/ feelings) of the boys to Jack
Attitude of Ralph to Jack is .., attitude of Piggy to Jack is ., attitude of Simon to Jack is .,
attitude of littluns to Jack is .
Instruction Word: Explore the ways (How) methods/ techniques used by Golding Eg. Through the
tension between Ralph and Jack in Chapter 3 . Through the silent but defiant way(in defiance of/

opposition against Jacks treatment of Piggy) in which Simon gives Piggy meat Through Piggys
reactions to Jack snatching his glasses
2. How does Golding effectively portray Jack as a normal, yet fearsome, child in the novel? (Sec 3E
EOY 2013)
Question Key Terms: normal: what does this mean (in the context of the novel), fearsome: what
does this mean (in the context of the novel)?
Instruction Word: How method/ technique used by Golding Eg. Through the harsh treatment of
his choir boys . Through the description of his obsession in hunting., Through his bullying of
Piggy .
3. How does Golding help you to understand the importance of being ruled by a good leader in the
novel? Support your answer with details from the story.
Question Key Terms: importance: what does this mean (in the context of the novel), good leader:
what does this mean (in the context of the novel)?
Instruction Word: How method/ technique used by Golding Eg. Through the reaction of the choir
boys during the voting to Jacks loss .Through the behaviour of the boys towards Piggy (when led
by Jack) Through the development of savagery in the boys when they move to Jacks tribe (e.g in
the killing of the mother sow)
4. In what ways does Golding vividly portray the difficulties that the schoolboys face on the island? (Sec
3E MYE 2013)
Question Key Terms: difficulties: what does this mean (in the context of the novel)
Question Stem/ Issue: what are the difficulties faced on the island (i) establishing order (ii) instilling
in the boys the importance of the priority of getting rescued and the priority of erecting shelter (iii)
suppressing the savage side of themselves/ staying humane and civilised (iv) maintaining the
attitude that hunting is for survival rather than for bloodlust/ to satisfy obsession.
Instruction Word: In what ways method/ technique used by Golding Eg. Through the building of
the first fire there was no order; everyone just rushed to follow Jack. Through the failure of
Jacks hunters to keep the fire going Through the failure of Ralph to get the boys to believe that
rescue is their priority Through the failure of Ralph to get the boys to work with him to build huts;
only Simon helped Through the description of Jacks obsession with hunting and his reaction & the
boys reactions to their first kill.
Apply this same technique of analyzing questions to your Unseen section as well as the Romeo and Juliet
section (if you are taking Core Literature)
What do these terms require me to do?
Powerfully dramatic
Dramatically compelling
Dramatically romantic
Dramatically exciting
- Once you see the word dramatically, you must put on your audience/ spectator lenses and
watch the scene/ event/ incident/ moment played out before your very eyes.
- If a scene/ event/ incident/ moment is dramatic, it evokes powerful/ strong emotions in you.
You should pick out ways in which the writer evokes these strong feelings in you.
- You may have been struck by a characters actions/ words in the scene/ event/ incident/
moment and your understanding of the character may have been deepened/ changed.
- You may have been struck by parts of the scene/ event/ incident/ moment which effectively
explore the theme(s) in the novel and which powerfully convey the writers purpose (e.g
Goldings premise that humans have a savage side to them)

Eg The pace may be so fast, you are swept right into the action feel the excitement, the
tension, the suspense.
Eg The duality of light and dark, or the use of celestial imagery may have swept you off your feet
during the balcony scene and you yearn for the lovers to be able to pursue their romance.
Eg The intensity of emotions expressed by the characters may cause you to feel certain strong
emotions which you must state and explore.
Eg The tension between the two characters in the scene/ event/ incident may be at such a
height that you feel worried about the outcome of the scene.
Eg Dramatically allows you to look for stage cues/ directions, imagine a directors possible
call as to how the scene is played out for the audience - The playwrights play with heights
effectively conveys how devastated Romeo is he is on the floor, devastated that he has been
banished from Verona. The lowness of his position reflects his despondency he is at his lowest.
We pity him and feel sad for his suffering (audiences emotions/ response) Juliet is in a balcony
height dramatically elevates her status in Romeos eyes: he sees her as an angel, the sun;
glowing, radiating. We are moved by Romeos declarations to see Juliet as a bringer of hope into
Romeos life.

Remember to write your Introduction unpack key terms and unpack question stem. Give an overview of the
points you will be discussing and state your stand clearly.
Use P-E-I-C-I-C-L in each paragraph. You must start with your point, elaborate/ explain your point, bring in aptlyselected evidence/ illustration (in the form of a quote/ rephrased textual detail) and comment on its significance in
supporting your point and its significance in the novel. Then bring in a 2nd aptly-selected piece of evidence/
illustration and comment on its significance. Link to the question and also to your next point if possible.
Answers that get a C or D grade usually show an evident lack of understanding of the question (no unpacking of key
terms or question stem), and do not start with the point first, in their paragraphs (owing to lack of brainstorming during
the planning stage).
Please listen to the advice here and spend at least 5 min understanding the question and brainstorming for points. It is
worth the while.
TIME YOURSELF - Keep your eye on the watch/ clock. The time allocated for Lord of the Flies (Either 1 essay or 1
PBQ with 2 sub-questions) is 45min. The Unseen (Choose either Poem or Prose and do both sub-questions) is 55 min.
For Romeo and Juliet, spend 45 min on the essay and 45 min on the PBQ (with 2 sub-questions).
As a guide, at the Sec 3 level, you should have 3-4 points per Essay and 2 points for each sub-question (PBQ and
Unseen). At the Sec 4 level, you should have 4-5 points per Essay and 3 points for each sub-question (PBQ and
Unseen).
Textual details are very important. Do not make general references to the novel/ play.
Instead, pick out relevant textual details/ quotes. Do not narrate.
Ensure that you cite Chapter reference for Lord of the Flies and Act and Scene reference for Romeo and Juliet when
you bring in your evidence.
If the PBQ question asks you for one other moment, you cannot use the moment in the passage. Choose another
one, and in your introduction, state clearly what the chosen moment is and where it comes from.
If the essay question asks you to refer to two moments, please state clearly in the Introduction what the 2 chosen
moments are and where they come from.
God Bless!