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O-LevelLiterature in EnglishPoetry2010/12 · Oct/Nov 2016 · Q325 Marks

Read this poem, and then answer the question that follows it: The Gift After the accident, the hospital, they brought me aching home mouth pumped up like a tyre black stitches tracking the wound over my lip, the red slit signalling the broken place. And my son my tall, cool son of sixteen kissed the top of my head and over the curve of my shoulder laid his arm, like the broad wing of a mother bird guarding its young. Anyone who has known tenderness thrown like a lifeline into the heart of pain anyone who has known pain bleed into tenderness knows how the power of the two combine. And if I am a fool to give thanks for pain as well as tenderness and even if, as some would say there are no accidents - Still. I am grateful for the gift. (Chris Banks)

  1. (a)Explore the ways in which Banks powerfully portrays the relationship between mother and son in The Gift.[25]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2016). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [25-23] Sustains personal engagement with task and text; sustains a critical understanding of the text showing individuality and insight; responds sensitively and in detail to the way the writer achieves effects; incorporates well-selected reference to the text skilfully and with flair.

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About this question

Topic
Poetry, O-Level Literature in English (syllabus 2010). Structured question, 25 marks.
Source
O-Level Literature in English, Oct/Nov 2016 Paper 1 Variant 2, question 3.

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