WJEC ENGLISH LITERATURE

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appears shy, small and naïve. This is first shown through her similes, for example when describing the college as being like “the imperishable taste of milk chocolate.” Besides showing us how much she adores Cambridge, this portrays Jo as childish, as chocolate and other sweets are principally eaten by children as most adults grow out of their sweet tooth. Another simile she uses is that the click of bikes “feels like being tickled in the creases of your elbow.” Being tickled and giggling again creates an image of childish amusement. Even the reason for her first sighting of Jeff makes her seem shy and childishly unorganised; she misses the start of her lecture by lying in and can’t “face the embarrassment of arriving late.” Hence, she does not like drawing attention to herself. The language of the piece at first seems odd but what I was trying to demonstrate was – through her word choice of “subtle hieroglyphs”, “frivolous anxiety” and “vehement and intransigent disagreement” - Josephine trying to appear more mature than she is, and display a new found intellect by using this overly elaborate and complex vocabulary. This, in fact, only makes her seem more immature, like a child trying on her mother’s high heels. Indeed, the difference in the personalities is shown through the symbolism of their walk. While her “dainty steps” create a “chime”, his “monstrous stride” creates a “thump”. The juxtaposition between the chime and thump emphasises, in addition to their difference in size, status and confidence, the fact immediately showing that Jeff will be the dominant half of the relationship. The word choice “monstrous” also foreshadows how Jeff may treat Jo later in the novel. Using the steps to symbolise personality traits or emotions may have become a motif in the novel, although (as I stated earlier) with just 750 words, I did not have space to have it reappear. An equally important aim was to make the author untrustworthy (much like Briony in Atonement), as this immediately makes the work more readerly; it is the reader’s choice as to how far they believe Josephine. Moreover, by writing it as a letter about what has happened, it gives Jo the benefit of hindsight and the opportunity to foreshadow future events in the novel. In real time they are actually in the past, Josephine just hasn’t spoken about them yet! For example, it is hinted that before leaving for Cambridge, there was trouble at home – “mistakes we cannot repair” – and this conversely makes Jo’s apparent kindness and innocence questionable, because she must have done something to make her feel she had to give her family space, and for them not to write or visit. The curiosity growing for the reader is embellished by the ellipsis, which creates a pause in which the reader has time to envision what might have happened. This is quickly followed by “And your Wife?” By avoiding personalising her by giving her name, it suggests she feels contempt for the woman, possible hinting at the cause of the fight in the family. This is emphasised by the capitalisation of Wife as if that is her name, or at least all Jo thinks about her; she’s just the wife to her brother, nothing more. Furthermore, by having an unreliable author, other things 33
are brought to question: when Jo speaks of a “tacit, mutual desire”, she might have been trying to make herself believe that there was an immediate attraction – love at first sight – when really there wasn’t, and when she “think[s] he remembered me,” she might be misjudging his politeness of answering her questions, as it is unrealistic to believe he would remember every single (insignificant) student he walks by. In conclusion, I have tried to make my extract interesting and readerly through use of an unreliable author, contrasting characterisation and by setting the action in such a prestigious place as Cambridge, so that when Josephine indulges in her “cake,” the consequences are more exciting and even more dire. Word Count: 1062 34
Page 1 and 2: GCE TEACHER GUIDANCE LT2 Internal A
Page 3 and 4: from the collection were considered
Page 5 and 6: Applying the assessment objectives
Page 7 and 8: • pastiche • modernising origin
Page 9 and 10: LT2 SECTION A: PROSE STUDY Candidat
Page 11 and 12: power. She again becomes an object
Page 13 and 14: LT2 SECTION A: PROSE STUDY Candidat
Page 15 and 16: is perhaps not as acute as Victor
Page 17 and 18: Principal Moderator’s Comments Ho
Page 19 and 20: How do Kate Chopin and Anne Bronte
Page 21 and 22: with a violent husband, whereas for
Page 23 and 24: LT2 SECTION B: CREATIVE READING Can
Page 25 and 26: Next day, my fate arrives. The rope
Page 27 and 28: Commentary Having read William Faul
Page 29 and 30: Principal Moderator’s Comments Cr
Page 31 and 32: Foolish Affairs Dearest John, I kno
Page 33: Commentary “Like giving into the
Page 37 and 38: LT2 SECTION B: CREATIVE READING Can
Page 39 and 40: Commentary At first, this short sto
Page 41 and 42: Appendix 1 LT 2 SECTION B: Guidance
Page 43 and 44: AS ENGLISH LITERATURE LT2 Section A

WJEC ENGLISH LITERATURE

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