AQA ENGLISH LITERATURE: PAPER 1
How to answer a question on A Christmas Carol
The second question you’ll answer on English Literature Paper 1 will be on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. You have 1 hour 45 minutes for his paper, so you should spend around 50 minutes on this question. Like the Macbeth question, you will be given an extract to analyse in your essay - you should use this to help you include detailed analysis of methods for AO2.
Some ways to structure this essay
Like the Macbeth question, this one has an extract first and then asks you to write about the rest of the text. Although the question says “starting with this extract” you don’t literally have to start with the extract. You can structure the argument however you want, as long as you include the extract somewhere. With that in mind, here are three possible structures for this essay:
Chunk structure: treat the extract as a chunk and other parts of the play as another chunk.
Introduction: outline your thesis (e.g. overall argument) in a few sentences
Analysis paragraph 1: paragraph on the extract
Analysis paragraph 2: paragraph on the rest of the novel, generally with one of the following approaches:
a) Discussion of a similar/contrasting presentation of the theme
b) Discussion of a character before/after the extract, either how they started out, or how they changed, depending on when in the novel the extract is from
You could add a third analysis paragraph here if you wanted to and had time.
Conclusion: a summary of your thesis, with extra details from your paragraphs and more about the ideas
Extract-based structure: use the extract as your spine and link it to different parts of the play
Introduction: outline your thesis (e.g. overall argument) in a few sentences
Analysis paragraph 1: PEA on the extract + EA(EA) on another part of the novel which has a similar or contrasting ideas
Analysis paragraph 2: PEA on a different bit of the extract + EA(EA) on a different part of the novel from the previous paragraph, and a different part of the novel from the extract, but which has a similar or contrasting ideas
You could add a third analysis paragraph here if you wanted and had time.
Conclusion: a summary of your thesis, with extra details from your paragraphs and more about the ideas
Chronological structure: work through the novel chronologically and discuss the extract wherever it fits into the novel (beginning, middle or end)
Introduction: outline your thesis (e.g. overall argument) in a few sentences
Analysis paragraph 1: Analysis of the start of the novel - how something or someone is introduced - if the extract is from the start of the novel discuss it here
Analysis paragraph 2 - optional: Analysis of the middle of the novel - how something or someone is developed as the plot progresses - if the extract is from the middle of the novel discuss it here. You can skip this paragraph and just do beginning and end if you don’t have time.
Analysis paragraph 3: Analysis of the end of the novel - how something or someone ends up when the novel finishes (or when they last appear) - if the extract is from the end of the novel discuss it here
Conclusion: a summary of your thesis, with extra details from your paragraphs and more about the ideas
How to decide on which structure to use and come up with your analysis paragraphs
In order to do this you need to ask yourself some questions:
How much are you able to write in the available time?
If you know you don’t tend to write that much for English essays (i.e. fewer than 4 sides in the exam answer booklet), you should use a structure that contains 4 paragraphs.
Is it a theme-centric or a character-centric question?
For theme questions, the chunk structure is easiest: how is the theme presented in the extract? How is the theme presented in the rest of the play? For your rest-of-the-novel paragraph, choose either a similar way in a different section, or a different way in a different section.
A more sophisticated theme-based essay would use the extract-based structure: what is one idea about the theme in the extract and how is that featured elsewhere in the novel? What is another idea about the theme in the extract and how is that featured elsewhere in the novel? The exam board seem to quite like this structure - they like the way it makes students weave together different parts of the novel into a single argument.
For character questions, especially one about Scrooge, the chronological structure is easiest. It can be used to show a straightforward change over 4 paragraphs (e.g., Scrooge starts greedy and selfish, but becomes benevolent and selfless); the 5-paragraph version can be used to chart the development of a character (e.g., Scrooge starts greedy and selfish, becomes reflective and somewhat regretful, before becoming benevolent and selfless). The latter is probably preferable, but only if you’re able to write enough to see it through to the end.
Writing a conclusion
Your conclusion need not contain new ideas. It just needs to summarise the best ideas from the rest of your essay, ideally even better expressed than the first time you wrote about them. The goal is to push for Level 6 in ‘AO1 Text’ and ‘AO3’ by putting your most perceptive ideas forward all at once, leaving your marker with the best possible impression when they finish reading your essay.
If you’re writing about a theme, link everything back to big ideas about what it means to be human, with a link to context and Dickens’ purpose if you can.
If you’re writing about a character, link the presentation of the character back to big ideas about what it means to be human, with a link to context and Dickens’ purpose if you can.
Some other important things to remember in an A Christmas Carol essay
Analysing methods: remember to plan for your big AO2 - your quotation explosion, whether it’s in the extract or the rest of the play; you should know before you start writing your essay which method you are going to analyse the heck out of in order to get you into the higher bands for AO2.
Meeting AO3: AO3 is not history. AQA have been very clear and particular about this in the most recent examiners report. They don’t want you to add clunky chunks of historical context for the sake of it. More than anything, you need to be exploring the idea at the heart of the question - this will meet AO3. You may well want to write about this in reference to the historical context (e.g. ideas about the New Poor Law, or urbanisation or Christianity) but you don’t need to crowbar in a reference to Thomas Malthus into every essay, just in an effort to meet this assessment objective.
Frequently asked questions
How long should my essay be?
Approximately 3 sides of A4 (average sized handwriting) – 4 sides in the answer booklet
Can I achieve a Level 6 in just 3 sides of A4, or do I have to write more?
Examiners find that very long essays coast at the same level and lack the necessary depth expected in top level responses. So the answer is no, you don’t have to write a really long essay to get top marks. In fact, examiners prefer a 3 page essay where you explore ideas in greater depth, but this requires you to be able to express yourself concisely and precisely, without lots of waffle.
The question says ‘Starting with this extract’, so does this mean I have to start my essay with a focus on the extract?
No, you do not have to start with the extract. The examiners have said that ‘Starting with this extract’ means that you should use the extract to start you off with ideas. It is a thinking prompt. Basically, it’s provided to get ideas rolling. It’s also handy to use for evidence and close analysis. The examiner doesn’t expect your essay to begin with the extract, but you can if you want to.