Literature’s feistiest females

On International Women’s Day it is worth a thought to consider who you think are the most admirable / interesting / provocative female characters in literature.

www.stylist.co.uk has made a list of 40 gutsy fictional heroines. They include:

  • Elizabeth Bennet
  • Lisbeth Salander
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • Scout Finch
  • Catherine Earnshaw
  • Connie Chatterley
  • Emma Bovary

See http://www.stylist.co.uk/books/literatures-feistiest-females for the full list.

Are there any other female characters that should be added?

Past exam questions on Theme or Issue

2011

‘A reader’s view of a theme or issue can be changed or reinforced through interaction with texts.’

Compare the extent to which your understanding of a theme or issue was changed or reinforced through your interation with at least two texts on your comparative course. [70]

or

‘The study of a theme or issue can offer a reader valuable lessons and insights.’

(a) Identify and discuss at least one valuable lesson or insight that you gained through the study of a theme or issue in one text on your comparative course. [30]

(b) Compare at least one valuable lesson or insight that you gained, from studying the same theme or issue (as discussed in (a) above), in two other texts on your comparative course.

The valuable lesson or insight may be the same, or different, to the  one discussed in (a) above. [40]

2009

‘Important themes are often expressed in key moments in texts.’

Compare how the authors of the comparative texts studied by you used key moments to heighten your awareness of an important theme. [70]

or

(a) Choose a theme from one text you have studied as part of your comparative course and say how it helped maintain your interest in the text. [30]

(b) Compare how the theme you have dealt with in part (a) is treated by the authors of two other texts from your comparative course to maintain the reader’s interest. [40]

2008

‘The comparative study of a theme or issue allows the reader / viewer to gain a variety of viewpoints on that theme or issue.’

(a) Describe the viewpoint on your chosen theme or issue that emerges from one of your comparative texts. [30]

(b) Compare the viewpoints on the same theme in the other two texts that you have studied. [40]

or

‘There are key moments in a text when a theme comes sharply into focus.’

Compare how key moments from the texts you have studied brought a theme or issue into sharp focus. [70]

2006

‘In careful reading / viewing of key moments of a text we often find important themes or issues which are developed in the text as a whole.’

(a) Compare how key moments of two texts you have studied in your comparative course raised an important theme or issue. [40]

(b) In the case of a third text show how a key moment helped in your understanding of the same theme or issue discussed in part (a). [30]

or

‘The dramatic presentation of a theme or issue can add greatly to the impact of narrative texts.

Write an essay comparing how the presentation of a theme or issue, common to the texts you have studied for your comparative course, added to the impact of the texts. [70]

2004

‘Exploring a theme or issue through different texts allows us to make interesting comparisons.’

Write an essay comparing the treatment of a single theme that is common to the texts you have studied for your comaparative course. [70]

or

‘Any moment in a text can express a major theme or issue.’

(a) Choose a moment from each of two texts you have studied for your comparative course and compare the way these moments express the same theme or issue. [40]

(b) Show how a third text you have studied expresses the same theme or issue through a key moment. [30]

2002

‘A theme or issue explored in a group of narrative texts can offer us valuable insights into life.’

Compare the texts you have studied in your comparative course in the light of the above statement. Your discussion must focus on one theme or issue. Support the comaprisons you make by reference to the texts. [70]

or

(a) Compare the treatment of a theme or issue in two of the texts you have studied as part of your comparative course. Support the comparisons you make by reference to the texts. [40]

(b) Discuss the treatment of the same theme or issue in a third text in the light of your answer to part (a) above. [30]

2001

‘Narratives can broaden our understanding of a theme or issue.’

Compare the texts you have studied in your comparative course in the light of the above statement. Support your comparisons by reference to the texts. [70]

or

‘A key moment in a narrative text can illustrate a them or issue very powerfully.’

(a) Choose one of the texts you studied as part of your comparative course and show how an important moment from it illustrates a theme or issue. [30]

(b) Write a short comparative commentary on one key moment from each of the other texts you have studied in the light of your discussion in part (a) above. [40]

Exam-style questions on Rich

2010

‘Adrienne Rich explores the twin themes of power and powerlessness in a variety of interesting ways.’

Write a response to the poetry of Adrienne Rich in the light of this statement, supporting your points with suitable reference to the poems on your course.

2008

‘the desire to be heard, – that is the impulse behind writing poems, for me.’ (Adrienne Rich)

Does the poetry of Adrienne Rich speak to you? Write your personal response, referring to the poems of Adrienne Rich that do / do not speak to you.

Sample Question 1

‘Adrienne Rich is a complex but rewarding poet.’

Give your response to this assessment of Rich. Support your point of view by referring to the poems of Rich on your course.

Sample Question 2

‘Adrienne Rich explores the position of women in society in language that is clear and direct.’

Give your response to this assessement of Rich. Support you point of view by referring to the poems of Rich on your course.