How to Write a Grade 9 19th-Century Prose Essay (WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Literature)

A FORTNIGHT LATER, by excellent good fortune, the doctor gave one of his pleasant dinners to some five or six old cronies, all intelligent reputable men, and all judges of good wine; and Mr Utterson so contrived that he remained behind after the others had departed. This was no new arrangement, but a thing that had befallen many scores of times. Where Utterson was liked, he was liked well. Hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer, when the light-hearted and the loose-tongued had already their foot on the threshold; they liked to sit awhile in his unobtrusive company, practising for solitude, sobering their minds in the man’s rich silence, after the expense and strain of gaiety. To this rule Dr Jekyll was no exception; and as he now sat on the opposite side of the fire — a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty, with something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness — you could see by his looks that he cherished for Mr Utterson a sincere and warm affection.

‘I have been wanting to speak to you,Jekyll,’ began the latter. ‘You know that will of yours?’

A close observer might have gathered that the topic was distasteful; but the doctor carried it off gaily. ‘My poor Utterson,’ said he, ‘you are unfortunate in such a client. I never saw a man so distressed as you were by my will; unless it were that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, at what he called my scientific heresies. O, I know he’s a good fellow — you needn’t frown — an excellent fellow, and I always mean to see more of him; but a hide-bound pedant for all that; an ignorant, blatant pedant. I was never more disappointed in any man than Lanyon.’ 

‘You know I never approved of it,’ pursued Utterson, ruthlessly disregarding the fresh topic.

‘My will? Yes, certainly, I know that,’ said the doctor, a trifle sharply. ‘You have told me so.’

‘Well, I tell you so again,’ continued the lawyer. ‘I have been learning something of young Hyde.’ 

The large handsome face of Dr Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes. ‘I do not care to hear more,’ said he. ‘This is a matter I thought we had agreed to drop.’ 

‘What I heard was abominable,’ said Utterson. 

‘It can make no change. You do not understand my position,’ returned the doctor, with a certain incoherency of manner. ‘I am painfully situated, Utterson; my position is a very strange — a very strange one. It is one of those affairs that cannot be mended by talking.’

Question focus

AO1: Informed personal response (Grade 9)

Write about Dr Jekyll and how he is presented at different points in the novel.

In this extract, Jekyll is portrayed as a well-respected and affable gentleman and his description suggests that he is full of respectability and charm. While Jekyll is presented as a gentleman, Stevenson also hints at his cunning, secretive and deceitful nature by stating that he had “something of a slyish cast perhaps” which alludes to the dual aspect of his character. [Engages with alternative interpretations of Stevenson’s characterisation of Dr Jekyll (AO1)] Jekyll’s demeanour changes dramatically when the conversation turns to Hyde and the contrast between Jekyll’s outward respectability and Hyde’s sinister presence signifies the duality of human nature. Throughout the novella, Jekyll is presented as a respected member of society representing good, while Hyde is depicted as a manifestation of evil. [Demonstrates an evaluative approach, exploring the theme of good and evil (AO1)] Jekyll thus finds himself living a double life and he is unable to reconcile the two sides of his character. On the one hand he wishes to be a respected doctor adhering to the highest moral standards; however, he also yearns to engage in malevolent acts. 

As the novella progresses, Jekyll’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and unpredictable and by Chapter Five, it is evident that Hyde is having a detrimental influence over Jekyll. This is evident as Jekyll becomes increasingly isolated and is deeply perturbed when his transformation into Hyde occurs without his chemical concoction. At this point in the novella, the reader is unaware of who Hyde is as the true nature of Jekyll and Hyde’s relationship is only finally revealed to the reader in the final chapter, though Stevenson does give hints to this throughout the narrative. [Sustained focus on the question with pertinent, direct references (these don’t need to be quotes) from across the text (AO1)]

Structural techniques

Openings

Endings

Foreshadowing

Juxtaposition

Chronological (linear) structure 

Flashback / flash forward

Cyclical structure

Parallelism

Text

Great Expectations

Form and structure features

• Novella

• Divided into staves

• Non-linear structure

• Allegorical tale

• Flashbacks

• Circular structure

Question focus

Analysis of form and structure (AO2)

How does Dickens present Scrooge’s transformation in Great Expectations?

In Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol, the writer employs a circular structure to illustrate the transformation in Scrooge’s character: he is first presented as a misanthropic businessman who is miserly, callous and unsympathetic and by the end, he has been transformed into a charitable philanthropist. [Explores the structural aspect of the narrative to depict Scrooge’s transformation (AO2)] The novella has a non-linear structure and although it is set in Scrooge’s present, the visions are set in different periods of time: the past, the present and the future.This enables the reader to witness the events and experiences that have shaped Scrooge into the bitter and miserly man that he is presented as being at the beginning of the narrative. Dickens also plays around with the concept of time which adds to the element of confusion that Scrooge experiences. [Evaluates the way meaning and ideas are conveyed through the manipulation of time to reflect Scrooge’s confusion (AO2)] The narrative unfolds over the course of a single night and it progresses through the different stages of Scrooge’s spiritual awakening. Dickens exploits the technique of flashback to depict Scrooge’s past, particularly his lonely childhood and his lost love Belle, which elicits empathy from the reader. The novella is an allegorical tale and Dickens uses this genre to convey his message of redemption and that everyone is capable of change. [Evaluates the use of genre to convey the central theme of redemption (AO2)]

Language technique(s)

Examples

Language comments

Repetition, dashes, adverb, imagery, third-person perspective, dialogue

“a slyish cast”

“my position is a very strange — a very strange one”

“a trifle sharply”

“there came a blackness about his eyes”

“was wild when he was young”

• Repetition and dashes convey his confusion and uncertainty

• Adverb suggests a suddenness

• Imagery hints at darker aspects to his character

• Dialogue adds element of realism and the third-person perspective suggests objectivity

Question focus

Analysis of language (AO2)

Write about Dr Jekyll and how he is presented at different points in the novel.

Jekyll is first depicted as a model Victorian gentleman: he is well-mannered, has a wide circle of acquaintances and is religious. He is introduced as a “charitable man” and in the extract he is described as having “something of a slyish cast perhaps, but every mark of capacity and kindness”. While Jekyll is presented as a gentleman, Stevenson also hints at his cunning, secretive and deceitful nature through the description of his “slyish cast” which alludes to the dual aspect of his character. Throughout the narrative, Stevenson provides other hints about Jekyll’s character which indicate an alternative side to his character. For example, it is stated that he “was wild when he was young”. The adjective “wild” alludes to an untamed nature or reckless behaviour which is in contrast to the outward “respectability” of Jekyll. [Analyses how language is used by Stevenson to hint at Jekyll’s hidden nature (AO2)] 

Jekyll’s demeanour changes dramatically when the dialogue focuses on Hyde. He is described as replying “a trifle sharply” and that “there came a blackness about his eyes”. The adverb “sharply” suggests Jekyll responds to Utterson with a sudden and unexpected aggression which reveals his unease and perhaps defensiveness. The imagery of “blackness” alludes to an unsettling transformation and hints at the darker aspects of Jekyll’s character which he struggles to suppress. The juxtaposition between Jekyll’s outward respectability and Hyde’s sinister presence signifies the duality of human nature. [Assured references to the use of imagery to convey the darker aspects of Jekll’s character (AO2)]

Question focus

Relationship between a text and its context (AO3)

Write about Dr Jekyll and how he is presented at different points in the novel.

Repression is evident in the character of Dr Jekyll who can not suppress his inner desires, which results in the creation of Hyde. The period in which the novel is set is significant as Jekyll’s behaviour represents the dominant social and individual morality in Victorian England. The strict nature of Victorian society could be seen to have resulted in individuals having to suppress an element of their character in order to appear respectable within society. 

Jekyll is presented as a highly intelligent scientist with an inquiring mind and his motivation for creating Hyde demonstrates his ability to challenge societal beliefs concerning science and religion. The 19th century was a time of great exploration and discovery and, in particular, science, medicine and psychology were all undergoing rapid changes and advances. 

Hyde could be seen as a manifestation of Jekyll’s madness and the emergence of the field of psychology in this era presented a distinct philosophical challenge to the existing understanding of mental processes. The development of insane asylums (including new definitions of and treatments for madness) became a significant feature of Victorian society. 

GCSE Eduqas English Literature 19th Century Prose

In A Christmas Carol, characters have different views about poverty and the poor. 

Write about how Dickens presents some of these different views throughout A Christmas Carol. 

Informed response (AO1)

Form, structure and language (AO2)

Context (AO3)

Dickens presents contrasting views of social responsibility and sympathy for the plight of the poor

Dialogue: the tone of the gentlemen is earnest and compassionate while Scrooge’s tone is dismissive: “I wish to be alone”. The short, simple sentence and first-person pronouns reveal his selfishness

The Industrial Revolution ushered in huge economic and social changes and had a detrimental impact on many people’s lives

The ghosts challenge Scrooge’s views of poverty and the poor throughout the novel

Use of repetition and questions: “Are there no prisons? ... And the union workhouses?” reflects Scrooge’s ignorance of the poor

Workhouses were harsh institutions where poor families were separated, belongings were sold and hard labour was enforced

Dickens presents the lives of other characters within the novel suffering from poverty, e.g. Ignorance and Want

Extract depicts the beginning of Scrooge’s transformation from avarice to benevolence

Dickens presents a message of moral responsibility to his Victorian readers 

Integrated response (AO1, AO2 and AO3)

In the extract, the dialogue between Scrooge and the gentlemen highlights their opposing perspectives on poverty and the poor: the gentlemen are empathetic while Scrooge is disdainful. The gentlemen speak courteously and with concern for the poor, using phrases such as “common necessaries” and “common comforts” to highlight the basic needs that are unmet for many. In contrast, Scrooge’s responses are dismissive, evidenced through his use of repetition and questions about the availability of prisons and workhouses. [Evaluates contrasts presented by Dickens between characters (AO2)]  Scrooge displays an uncaring attitude towards the poor and refuses to make a charitable donation to help those less fortunate than himself. He reveals his ignorance of the poor when he makes a comparison between workhouses and prisons as the inhabitants of a workhouse were generally there through no fault of their own. [Shows an implied but assured understanding of the historical context of 19th-century attitudes towards the poor (AO3)] Dickens uses Scrooge’s support for prisons and workhouses to illustrate his flawed views on how to solve the issues of poverty. The tone of the gentlemen is earnest and compassionate and is used to invoke a sense of moral responsibility and Dickens presents a message of moral responsibility to his Victorian readers. [Evaluates use of tone to convey moral responsibility, but this analysis is also shaped by contextual understanding (AO2, AO3)] Scrooge’s cruel and condescending treatment and ignorance of the poor are depicted as typical of the attitude of many of the wealthy classes and his lack of concern for the poor is evidenced in his declaration: “I wish to be alone”. The short, simple sentence underscores his directness and his use of the first-person pronoun suggests that Scrooge’s primary concern is his own desires rather than the needs of others. Structurally, this extract is used to illustrate the beginning of Scrooge’s transformation from avarice to benevolence and by the end of the novella, he has been transformed into a charitable philanthropist. [Demonstrates an assured personal engagement with the whole text (AO1)]