May 2025 Paper 2: Sample Response 5 (Question 1)
This is the fifth, and for the time being, final Paper 2 we are publishing from the May 2025 exams. It is another excellent response to question #1: Discuss how the writers of two works you have studied depict social tensions.
You can find the other Paper 2 that scores very high marks here.
In this particular essay, this student answers the question well. They also transition quite nicely between paragraphs. The clearly know both literary works and can use concrete details and evidence from the works to support those claims. And they discuss the writer’s choices to a good extent.
As with many essays, even more comparing and contrasting would enhance the response. There are also some missed opportunities – even though it is taken at times! – to discuss how a play differs from a novel. These two things would make the essay even better.
Best,
Tim and David