Read this extract, and then answer the question that follows it: The Squire had laid down his knife and fork, and was staring at his son in amazement, not being sufficiently quick of brain to form a probable guess as to what could have caused so strange an inversion of the paternal and filial relations as this proposition of his son to pay him a hundred pounds. 'The truth is, sir—I'm very sorry—I was quite to blame,' said Godfrey. 'Fowler did pay that hundred pounds. He paid it to me, when I was over there one day last month. And Dunsey bothered me for the money, and I let him have it, because I hoped I should be able to pay it you before this.' The Squire was purple with anger before his son had done speaking, and found utterance difficult. ‘You let Dunsey have it, sir? And how long have you been so thick with Dunsey that you must collogue with him to embezzle my money? Are you turning out a scamp? I tell you, I won't have it. I'll turn the whole pack of you out of the house together, and marry again. I'd have you to remember, sir, my property's got no entail on it;— since my grandfather's time the Casses can do as they like with their land. Remember that, sir. Let Dunsey have the money! Why should you let Dunsey have the money? There's some lie at the bottom of it.' 'There's no lie, sir,' said Godfrey. 'I wouldn't have spent the money myself, but Dunsey bothered me, and I was a fool and let him have it. But I meant to pay it, whether he did or not. That's the whole story. I never meant to embezzle money, and I'm not the man to do it. You never knew me do a dishonest trick, sir.' 'Where's Dunsey, then? What do you stand talking there for? Go and fetch Dunsey, as I tell you, and let him give account of what he wanted the money for, and what he's done with it. He shall repent it. I'll turn him out. I said I would, and I'll do it. He shan't brave me. Go and fetch him.' 'Dunsey isn't come back, sir.' 'What! did he break his own neck then?' said the Squire, with some disgust at the idea that, in that case, he could not fulfil his threat. 'No, he wasn't hurt, I believe, for the horse was found dead, and Dunsey must have walked off. I daresay we shall see him again by and by. I don't know where he is.' 'And what must you be letting him have my money for? Answer me that,' said the Squire, attacking Godfrey again, since Dunsey was not within reach. 'Well, sir, I don't know,' said Godfrey, hesitatingly. That was a feeble evasion, but Godfrey was not fond of lying, and not being sufficiently aware that no sort of duplicity can long flourish without the help of vocal falsehoods, he was quite unprepared with invented motives. 'You don't know? I tell you what it is, sir. You've been up to some trick, and you've been bribing him not to tell,' said the Squire, with a sudden acuteness which startled Godfrey, who felt his heart beat violently at the nearness of his father's guess. The sudden alarm pushed him on to take the next step —a very slight impulse suffices for that on a downward road. 'Why, sir,' he said, trying to speak with careless ease, 'it was a little affair between me and Dunsey; it's no matter to anybody else. It's hardly worth while to pry into young men's fooleries: it wouldn't have made any difference to you, sir, if I'd not had the bad luck to lose Wildfire. I should have paid you the money.' 'Fooleries! Pshaw! it's time you'd done with fooleries. And I'd have you know, sir, you must ha' done with 'em,' said the Squire, frowning and casting an angry glance at his son. 'Your goings-on are not what I shall find money for any longer. There's my grandfather had his stables full o' horses, and kept a good house too, and in worse times, by what I can make out; and so might I, if I hadn't four good-for-nothing fellows to hang on me like horse-leeches. I've been too good a father to you all—that's what it is. But I shall pull up, sir.' 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 [from Chapter 9]
- How does Eliot vividly reveal the relationship between Squire Cass and his sons here?[25]
Mark scheme
Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2014). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.
- Assessment Objectives:
- AO1 show detailed knowledge of the content of literary texts
- AO2 understand the meanings of literary texts and their context, and explore texts beyond surface meaning to show deeper awareness of ideas and attitudes
- AO3 recognise and appreciate ways in which writers use language, structure, and form to create and shape meanings and effects
- AO4 communicate a sensitive and informed personal response
- General Descriptors:
- [23-25] Answers in this band have all the qualities of Band 2 work, with further insight, sensitivity, individuality and flair. They show sustained engagement with both text and task.
- [20-22] Sustains a perceptive, convincing and relevant personal response. Shows a clear critical understanding of the text. Responds sensitively and in detail to the way the writer achieves her/his effects (sustaining a convincing voice in an empathic task). Integrates much well-selected reference to the text.
- [17-19] Makes a well-developed, detailed and relevant personal response. Shows a clear understanding of the text and some of its deeper implications. Makes a developed response to the way the writer achieves her/his effects (sustaining an appropriate voice in an empathic task). Supports with careful and relevant reference to the text.
- [14-16] Makes a reasonably developed relevant personal response. Shows understanding of the text and some of its deeper implications. Makes some response to the way the writer uses language (using suitable features of expression in an empathic task). Shows some thoroughness in the use of supporting evidence from the text.
- [11-13] Begins to develop a relevant personal response. Shows some understanding of meaning. Makes a little reference to the language of the text (beginning to assume a voice in an empathic task). Uses some supporting textual detail.
- [8-10] Attempts to communicate a basic personal response to the task. Makes some relevant comments. Shows a basic understanding of surface meaning of the text (of character in an empathic task). Makes a little supporting reference to the text.
- [5-7] Some evidence of simple personal response. Makes a few straightforward comments. Shows a few signs of understanding the surface meaning of the text (of character in an empathic task). Makes a little reference to the text.
- [2-4] Limited attempt to respond. Shows some limited understanding of simple/literal meaning.
- [0-1] No answer / Insufficient to meet the criteria for Band 8.
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