I’m very grateful to the many students who send me their work. Abby is one of these. I’m also really grateful when they allow me to name them! Thanks Abby.
Hello Mr Salles,
I'd like to first and foremost thank you for being the main reason for me going from a grade 4, to a grade 9 in my English literature mocks.
It would mean the world to me if you could read through my responses to the 2023 AQA Paper 1 exam, which got me 60/64.
I have attached them below just in case.
I practiced by attempting as many exam questions I could find, and answering each one. Also, I quizzed myself on quotes daily to ensure that I remember them.
Thank you in advance,
Abby P
Still 5 stars, and only £7.99? I could have sworn I had priced this at £8.99!
The Essay is About Greed
(Some teachers might still be intending to set this as a further mock - so I haven’t reproduced the title or the extract. I don’t think it will make any difference if I do - but they might).
Ultimately, Dickens uses the construct of Scrooge as the face of greed itself. This greed is what destroys his relationship with Belle, and it is also what could have led to him suffering in the afterlife, had he not changed his ways. Greed caused many deaths in the Victorian era, because the poor relied on help from the rich. If the rich refused to help, the poor would eventually die, either due to lack of food, or due to a lack of other things such as shelther and warmth. However, Scrooge, and by extension most wealthy Victorians, were blinded to the effect that their greed had on others. This led to their greed worsening, as they did not know that it harmed anyone.
Firstly, Dickens presents greed as being physically exhausting. At the start of the extract, Scrooge's greed is so severe, that it began to have physical repercussions. His eyes had an "eager, greedy, restless motion", which implies that his greed was such a significant component of his character, that it has begun to take a toll on him. This indicates not only that greed is devastating to the poor, because it results in them not having enough money to buy the things they need to survive. It indicates that greed is also devastating to the people that are greedy. Dickens may have used this phrase to deter his wealthy Victorian readership from being greedy, by attempting to scare them with the physical side effects that greed will have. The Victorians, most of whom followed a strict Christian set of rules and commands, believed greed to be a sin. Thus, this manifestation of Scrooge's greed could be seen as a punishment from God for being greedy. Dickens may have done this to indicate how everyone will eventually have to pay for being greedy, in an attempt to dissuade his readership from being greedy themselves. Alternatively, this phrase may demonstrate that Scrooge is so consumed by greed, that he is constantly thinking about it, and envisioning ways to execute his pursuit of wealth, in a "restless" manner.
In addition, Dickens reveals how greed ruins relationships. Although Belle used to be in love with Scrooge, his greed and avarice has led to her calling of their engagement. She states, "another idol has displaced me... a golden one." Here, Scrooge's greed has not only impacted him. It has also destroyed his engagement, and hurt Belle's feelings. Scrooge had cared so much about money, that he had not cared enough for his fiance, Belle. The word "idol" indicates that Scrooge worships money, and puts it above all else. Perhaps this could reveal that he cares more about money than he cares about God. Dickens uses this phrase in an attempt to reveal to his readers what the devastating effects of greed are. Although rich people such as Scrooge thought that their greed only affected the lower classes, it also affected their relationships. Thus, Dickens implies that if you care about your relationships, you should not be greedy, because greed will ruin them. Also, Scrooge' worship of money would have been recognised as a sin by a Victorian audience, who believed that worshipping anything that was not a part of the Christian faith was massively sinful. Dickens may have done this to further emphasise the belief that greed is sinful.
Moreover, Dickens demonstrates how Scrooge's greed has caused him to no longer care about any of his aspirations. Belle says "I have seen all your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain, encompasses you." This suggests that greed is so damaging, that it can seep into one's mind, and encompass everything, causing people to no longer care about anything besides money. Therefore, Dickens implies that greed should be avoided at all costs, as it is inescapable, and devastating. This further emphasises how greed is not only harmful to the lower classes, but also to the rich. The word "passion" suggests that Scrooge admired greed, and completely succumbed to it.
Furthermore, Dickens reveals that Belle still loves him, but will leave him due to his greed. This can be seen in the extract, when she states that she can now "release" Scrooge, and when Belle states that she still has a "full heart for the man you once were." This indicates that if Scrooge had not been greedy, he would still be together with Belle. It further demonstrates how greed affects all areas of life.
Also, Dickens suggests that not only is Scrooge greedy towards others. He is also greedy towards himself. Upon being asked to donate to charity, Scrooge retorts "I don't make merry myself at Christmas, and I can't afford to make idle people merry." This suggests that Scrooge is living a miserable life due to his greed, as he does not celebrate Christmas, and cannot afford, or does not want to help others celebrate it either. This reveals how extreme his greed is. The word "idle" conveys the misconception that the poor were lazy. Dickens opposed this idea, and used this novel to challenge it. However, the rich, such as Scrooge, still refused to donate to the poor, because they felt that the poor did not deserve any help.
This also indicates that Scrooge thinks the poor do not deserve to be happy. Alternatively, this quote may reveal that Scrooge is not as rich as he seems to be. He is eating gruel, and not celebrating Christmas, because he has little money. This may be false, however, and may just be a by-product of Scrooge's greed. He thinks that he never has enough money, although he has far more money than most people in Victorian London. This greed has distorted Scrooge's view of the world, and therefore he thinks that no one ever has enough money, which is his excuse for not helping the poor.
However, towards the end of the novel the reader learns that this greed will lead to Scrooge having an unceremonious funeral, due to living a life of greed. Upon seeing the dishevelled state of his gravestone, he pleads "tell me I may sponge the writing from this stone." Here, Scrooge learns that he will suffer in the afterlife, as a result of his greed, and now feels remorseful for behaving in such a covetous manner throughout his life. This implies that people will not realise the effects that greed will have until it is too late for redemption, and therefore Dickens uses this as a way to remind his readership to not be greedy, as it will be incredibly hard to erase the consequences of this greed. This is mirrored in the way Scrooge wants to use a "sponge" to erase his punishment. This is rather ironic, as the readers know that it will not work, much like you will never be able to fully erase the effects that your greed has had on others. Dickens uses this phrase to reveal that while greed can be avoided by being charitable, the effects of greed are certain, and thus it is far easier to not be greedy in the first place, than it is to try to make up for your greediness in the past.
What Do Bold and Italic Mean?
Bold is where Abby explains Dickens’ point of view.
Bold italic is where she implies Dickens’ point of view.
If there is one thing to work on in the content of a grade 9 essay, that is it.
Just keep explaining the writer’s point of view!
How Many Explanations?
Another way of looking at essay writing is this. The more explanations you write, the higher your grade.
It tends to follow that students who write a lot of explanations naturally write about the author’s point view - that is how you have more explanations to give. so, the two go hand in hand.
Here is the essay again, exactly the same, but presented as numbered explanations
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Ultimately, Dickens uses the construct of Scrooge as the face of greed itself.
This greed is what destroys his relationship with Belle, and it is also what could have led to him suffering in the afterlife, had he not changed his ways.
Greed caused many deaths in the Victorian era, because the poor relied on help from the rich. If the rich refused to help, the poor would eventually die, either due to lack of food, or due to a lack of other things such as shelther and warmth.
However, Scrooge, and by extension most wealthy Victorians, were blinded to the effect that their greed had on others. This led to their greed worsening, as they did not know that it harmed anyone.
Firstly, Dickens presents greed as being physically exhausting.
At the start of the extract, Scrooge's greed is so severe, that it began to have physical repercussions. His eyes had an "eager, greedy, restless motion", which implies that his greed was such a significant component of his character, that it has begun to take a toll on him.
This indicates not only that greed is devastating to the poor, because it results in them not having enough money to buy the things they need to survive. It indicates that greed is also devastating to the people that are greedy.
Dickens may have used this phrase to deter his wealthy Victorian readership from being greedy, by attempting to scare them with the physical side effects that greed will have.
The Victorians, most of whom followed a strict Christian set of rules and commands, believed greed to be a sin. Thus, this manifestation of Scrooge's greed could be seen as a punishment from God for being greedy.
Dickens may have done this to indicate how everyone will eventually have to pay for being greedy, in an attempt to dissuade his readership from being greedy themselves.
Alternatively, this phrase may demonstrate that Scrooge is so consumed by greed, that he is constantly thinking about it, and envisioning ways to execute his pursuit of wealth, in a "restless" manner.
In addition, Dickens reveals how greed ruins relationships.
Although Belle used to be in love with Scrooge, his greed and avarice has led to her calling of their engagement. She states, "another idol has displaced me... a golden one." Here, Scrooge's greed has not only impacted him. It has also destroyed his engagement, and hurt Belle's feelings.
Scrooge had cared so much about money, that he had not cared enough for his fiance, Belle. The word "idol" indicates that Scrooge worships money, and puts it above all else.
Perhaps this could reveal that he cares more about money than he cares about God.
Dickens uses this phrase in an attempt to reveal to his readers what the devastating effects of greed are. Although rich people such as Scrooge thought that their greed only affected the lower classes, it also affected their relationships.
Thus, Dickens implies that if you care about your relationships, you should not be greedy, because greed will ruin them.
Also, Scrooge' worship of money would have been recognised as a sin by a Victorian audience, who believed that worshipping anything that was not a part of the Christian faith was massively sinful. Dickens may have done this to further emphasise the belief that greed is sinful.
Moreover, Dickens demonstrates how Scrooge's greed has caused him to no longer care about any of his aspirations.
Belle says "I have seen all your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain, encompasses you." This suggests that greed is so damaging, that it can seep into one's mind, and encompass everything, causing people to no longer care about anything besides money.
Therefore, Dickens implies that greed should be avoided at all costs, as it is inescapable, and devastating.
This further emphasises how greed is not only harmful to the lower classes, but also to the rich. The word "passion" suggests that Scrooge admired greed, and completely succumbed to it.
Furthermore, Dickens reveals that Belle still loves him, but will leave him due to his greed. This can be seen in the extract, when she states that she can now "release" Scrooge, and when Belle states that she still has a "full heart for the man you once were." This indicates that if Scrooge had not been greedy, he would still be together with Belle.
It further demonstrates how greed affects all areas of life.
Also, Dickens suggests that not only is Scrooge greedy towards others. He is also greedy towards himself. Upon being asked to donate to charity, Scrooge retorts "I don't make merry myself at Christmas, and I can't afford to make idle people merry." This suggests that Scrooge is living a miserable life due to his greed, as he does not celebrate Christmas, and cannot afford, or does not want to help others celebrate it either.
This reveals how extreme his greed is.
The word "idle" conveys the misconception that the poor were lazy. Dickens opposed this idea, and used this novel to challenge it. However, the rich, such as Scrooge, still refused to donate to the poor, because they felt that the poor did not deserve any help. This also indicates that Scrooge thinks the poor do not deserve to be happy.
Alternatively, this quote may reveal that Scrooge is not as rich as he seems to be. He is eating gruel, and not celebrating Christmas, because he has little money. This may be false, however, and may just be a by-product of Scrooge's greed. He thinks that he never has enough money, although he has far more money than most people in Victorian London.
This greed has distorted Scrooge's view of the world, and therefore he thinks that no one ever has enough money, which is his excuse for not helping the poor.
However, towards the end of the novel the reader learns that this greed will lead to Scrooge having an unceremonious funeral, due to living a life of greed.
Upon seeing the dishevelled state of his gravestone, he pleads "tell me I may sponge the writing from this stone." Here, Scrooge learns that he will suffer in the afterlife, as a result of his greed, and now feels remorseful for behaving in such a covetous manner throughout his life.
This implies that people will not realise the effects that greed will have until it is too late for redemption, and therefore Dickens uses this as a way to remind his readership to not be greedy, as it will be incredibly hard to erase the consequences of this greed.
This is mirrored in the way Scrooge wants to use a "sponge" to erase his punishment. This is rather ironic, as the readers know that it will not work, much like you will never be able to fully erase the effects that your greed has had on others.
Dickens uses this phrase to reveal that while greed can be avoided by being charitable, the effects of greed are certain, and thus it is far easier to not be greedy in the first place, than it is to try to make up for your greediness in the past.
When you look at essay writing this way, you can see that it is about much more than quoting, using context, or having references to the text. It has very little to do with subject terminology.
The message is clear:
Write as much as you can about the author’s purpose.
Back this up with references from the text.
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