Or 4 Explore the ways in which Chitre creates striking impressions of his father in Father Returning Home. Father Returning Home My father travels on the late evening train Standing among silent commuters in the yellow light Suburbs slide past his unseeing eyes His shirt and pants are soggy and his black raincoat Stained with mud and his bag stuffed with books Is falling apart. His eyes dimmed by age fade homeward through the humid monsoon night. Now I can see him getting off the train Like a word dropped from a long sentence. He hurries across the length of the grey platform, Crosses the railway line, enters the lane, His chappals are sticky with mud, but he hurries onward. Home again, I see him drinking weak tea, Eating a stale chapati, reading a book. He goes into the toilet to contemplate Man's estrangement from a man-made world. Coming out he trembles at the sink, The cold water running over his brown hands, A few droplets cling to the greying hairs on his wrists. His sullen children have often refused to share Jokes and secrets with him. He will now go to sleep Listening to the static on the radio, dreaming Of his ancestors and grandchildren, thinking Of nomads entering a subcontinent through a narrow pass. (Dilip Chitre)

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [25] demonstrates knowledge by incorporating well-selected reference to the text skilfully and with flair (AO1)
2. [25] sustains a critical understanding of the text showing individuality and insight (AO2)
3. [25] responds sensitively and in considerable detail to the way the writer achieves her/his effects (AO3)
4. [25] sustains personal and evaluative engagement with task and text (AO4)
5. [22] demonstrates knowledge by integrating much well-selected reference to the text (A01)
6. [22] shows a clear critical understanding of the text (AO2)
7. [22] responds sensitively and in detail to the way the writer achieves her/his effects (AO3)
8. [22] sustains a perceptive, convincing and relevant personal response (AO4)
9. [19] demonstrates knowledge by supporting with careful and relevant reference to the text (AO1)
10. [19] shows a clear understanding of the text and some of its deeper implications (AO2)
11. [19] makes a developed response to the way the writer achieves her/his effects (AO3)
12. [19] makes a well-developed, detailed and relevant personal response (AO4)
13. [16] demonstrates knowledge by showing some thoroughness in the use of supporting evidence from the text (AO1)
14. [16] shows understanding of the text and some of its deeper implications (AO2)
15. [16] makes some response to the way the writer uses language (AO3)
16. [16] makes a reasonably developed relevant personal response (AO4)
17. [13] demonstrates knowledge by using some supporting textual detail (AO1)
18. [13] shows some understanding of meaning (AO2)
19. [13] makes a little reference to the language of the text (AO3)
20. [13] begins to develop a relevant personal response (AO4)
21. [10] demonstrates knowledge by making a little supporting reference to the text (AO1)
22. [10] makes some relevant comments (AO2)
23. [10] shows a basic understanding of surface meaning of the text and language (AO3)
24. [10] attempts to communicate a basic personal response (AO4)
25. [7] demonstrates knowledge by making a little reference to the text (AO1)
26. [7] makes a few straightforward comments (AO2)
27. [7] shows a few signs of understanding the surface meaning of the text and language (AO3)
28. [7] some evidence of simple personal response (AO4)
29. [4] demonstrates knowledge by limited textual reference (AO1)
30. [4] shows some limited understanding of simple/literal meaning (AO2)
31. [4] a little awareness of surface meaning of text and language (AO3)
32. [4] limited attempt to respond (AO4)
33. [0] No answer / Insufficient to meet the criteria for Band 1.