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If you are studying prose with CCEA your examination will be closed book. This means you will not be allowed to bring your book into the examination.

You will be given a choice of two essay questions about To Kill a Mockingbird in the exam. You need to choose one to answer. They will usually be about specific characters or themes in the text.

The examiners are looking for you to demonstrate good knowledge of the whole book. You must have a clear idea about:

• plot
• themes
• characters
• language, form and structure

You should be able to use some key quotations from the text. You will need to remember these as you will not be allowed a book in the exam. You should structure your answer logically, with a brief introduction and conclusion.

The following is an example of the type of question you will get for To Kill a Mockingbird.

With reference to the ways Lee presents Calpurnia, show how far you agree that Calpurnia is respected.

Essay writing tips

Before you start writing your essay, you should spend five minutes planning what you will write. Think about how you can break down your answer into logical paragraphs.

A good approach to begin with is to highlight any key terms which stand out for you.

In the sample question the key term you must think about is 'Calpurnia is respected'.

Make sure you use the key term frequently throughout your essay. This helps to keep your answer focused as you create your argument.

The structure of your planning - and your essay - should provide evidence that Calpurnia is respected and evidence that Calpurnia is not respected.

It is also important to include comments on the effects of how Lee uses language and techniques to present Calpurnia and whether she is respected.

Language and stylistic devices / narrative techniques could include some of the following:

• structure of the text - chapters, climax, chronological ordering, flashback, conclusion
• descriptive techniques - for example vocabulary choices, use of imagery and the senses
• creation of setting - for example time, place, atmosphere
• creation of character - for example through narrator’s descriptions, use of dialogue, actions
• narration - for example first person narration, use of persona
• cohesive elements - for example repetition of words or ideas, climax, suspense, sequential ordering
• disjunctive elements - for example, flashbacks

You should use short quotations which you have remembered from the book to support your ideas.

You will also be given marks for paraphrasing parts of the book and referring to specific events, as this shows your knowledge of the text.