WT2basics(HLonly)

Writtentask2s(alsocalled'criticalresponses')arebetween8001000words.

Writtentask2isacriticalresponsetoatextwhichanswersoneofsix
prescribedquestionsfromtheLanguageA:LanguageandLiteratureguide.

Writtentask2scanbebasedontextstakenfromanywhereinthesyllabus,
fromPart1toPart4.

Eachwrittentask2mustbeaccompaniedbyanoutline,whichmustbe
writteninclass.Theoutlinecontainsthefollowing.
o theprescribedquestionthathasbeenchosen
o thetitleofthetext(s)foranalysis
o thepartofthecoursetowhichthetaskrefers
o threeorfourkeypointsthatexplaintheparticularfocusofthetask

Theguidestatesthat"thecriticalresponseisbasedonmaterialstudiedinthe
course."Theterm'material'isopentointerpretation.Forexamplethiscouldmean
thatstudentsmayhavestudiedrhetoricaldevicesinclass(the'material')andmay
findaspeechoutsideofclasstoanalyze.

HigherLevelstudentsmustwriteatleastonecriticalresponse(writtentask2)toatext.
Theseresponses,whichinfactareessays,answeroneofsixprescribedquesitonsfrom
theLanguageA:LanguageandLiteratureguide.Thesequestionsareansweredwith
regardstothetextthathasbeenstudied.Thesixquestionsareversatile,meaningtheycan
beappliedtobothnonliteraryandliterarytexts.Likewrittentask1,thereissome
elementofstudentchoice.Studentsareencouragedtochooseaquestionthattheywould
liketoexploreinconsultationwiththeteacher.
Belowyouseethesixprescribedquestionsforwrittentask2,astakenfromtheofficial
LanguageA:LanguageandLiteratureguide.Severalideashavebeengivenforeach
prescribedquestion.Asyoucanseeintheleftmenu,thissectionoffersseveralsamples
ofwrittentask2saswell.Readtheseandassessthemaccordingtothecriteriaforwritten
task2.
Remember:Anoutlinemustbeincludedwiththewrittentask2.Eachoutlineincludes
theprescribedessayquestion.
Sixquestions
Forthesakeofsimplicity,theprescribedquestionsarenumbered1to6onthisSubject
Site.Youwillnoticethatthenumberingintheguideisdifferent.Foreachquestion,afew
examplesofpotentialwrittentask2shavebeengiven.

1. Howcouldthetextbereadandinterpreteddifferentlybytwodifferent
readers?
o Youcouldlookathowaworkthathasbeenbannedinsomepartsofthe
world,suchasHuckleberryFinnintheSouthoftheUnitedStates,has
beenreaddifferentlybyreaderstherethanreaderelsewhereintheworld
duringdifferentperiods.
o Onesamplewrittentask2onthisSubjectSiteexploreshowChristians
andhomosexualswereoffendedbyaparticularBenettonad,'LaPieta'.
2. Ifthetexthadbeenwritteninadifferenttimeorplaceorlanguageorfora
differentaudience,howandwhymightitdiffer?
o Youcouldlookathowoneparticularnewsstorymightberundifferently
inadifferentmagazineornewspaperinadifferentpartoftheworld.
o Onesamplewrittentask2onthisSubjectSiteexploreshowGeorge
BernardShaw'sPygmalioncouldhavebeensetinmoderndayLondon.
3. Howandwhyisasocialgrouprepresentedinaparticularway?
o Youcouldlookathowthemediaportrayedamovement,suchasthe
'Occupy'movement,inacertainlight.Exploreonearticleortext.
o YoucouldlookattheportrayalofAfrikanersinashortstorybyNadine
Gordimer.
4. Whichsocialgroupsaremarginalized,excludedorsilencedwithinthetext?
o Youcouldlookcriticallyatwomeninadvertising,wherethemajorityof
womenarenotrepresented.
o Anotherinterpretationoftheword'within'suggestswelookathowone
charactersilencesanothercharacterinatext.Forexample:'Howare
secularistssilencedbytheIslamicRevolutionistsinPersepolis?'
5. Howdoesthetextconformto,ordeviatefrom,theconventionsofa
particulargenre,andforwhatpurpose?
o Youcouldlookathowsomeadvertisements,liketheVolkswagonads
fromthe1960s,wererevolutionaryforbreakingallconventionsof
advertising.Benetton'sadsarealsofamousforbreakingalltherules.
o Youcouldlookatanovelthathasanunconventionalnarrativestructure,
suchasAsILayDyingbyWilliamFaulknerorTheCollectorbyJohn
Fowles.AworklikeTheHandmaid'sTalebreakssomerulesofscience
fictionbutadherestoothers.
6. Howhasthetextborrowedfromothertexts,andwithwhateffects?
o Youcouldlookata'mashups',atextsthatborrowsfromothertext,such
astheVoteDifferentadforObama.Youcanfindasampleofthiswritten
taskbyclickinghere.

o Youcouldtakealiterarytextwhichbuildsonanothertext.For
exampleMyFairLady'isamusicalversionofPygmalion.Onestudent
inthissamplewroteabouthowtheHollywoodfilmPrettyWomanclosely
followsthesamestoryline.

SampleWrittenTask2A
WT2Q1(Pieta)

Thesamplewrittentask2belowhastakenitsinspirationfromaUnitedColorsof
Benettonadvertisement.StudentsstudiedlanguageandtabooinPart1,withaparticular
focusonAIDSawarenesscampaigns(seelesson'AIDSandtaboo').Likemanyoftheads
inthelesson,'LaPieta',theBenettonad,wasconsideredverycontroversial.Asyoucan
readinthesamplecriticalresponsebelow,anunderstandingofthecontextleadsto
differentinterpretationsofthesametext.Thequestionansweredinthetaskis:
"Howcouldthetextbereadandinterpreteddifferentlybytwodifferentreaders?"
ThesampleexaminestwodifferentinterpretationsoftheBenetton:aChristian
perspectiveandahomosexualperspective.Beforeyoureadthesample,makeyourself
familiarwiththeassessmentcriteriaforwrittentask2,sothatyouknowwhattolookfor
asyoureadit.
Tip:Forseveralwrittentask2questions,onecaneasilyriskovergeneralizingand
stereotyping.Thisquestionisnotanexception.BywritingaboutChristiansand
homosexuals,thecandidatetakesarealrisk.However,asyouwillread,carefulwording
andgoodresearchcanpreventgeneralizations.

Primarysource
LaPieta
OlivieroToscani
1991
[Hide]


Samplecriticalresponse
Samplewrittentask2Question1(Pieta)
Outline
Prescribedquestion:Howcouldthetextbereadandinterpreteddifferentlybytwo
differentreaders?
Titleofthetextforanalysis:LaPieta
Partofthecoursetowhichthetaskrefers:Part1Languageandculturalcontext.
Languageandtaboo
Mycriticalresponsewill:
sketchahistoryofthecontroversysurroundingtheBenettonadbyOliviero
Toscani,LaPieta
lookattheadcriticallyfromaRomanCatholicperspective
lookattheadcriticallyfromtheperspectiveofanAIDSpatient
Writtentask2
In1991,OlivieroToscani,worldrenownartdirectorandcampaigndesigner,published
anadvertisementforUnitedColorsofBenettonthatshockedtheworld.ItwascalledLa
Pieta,whichmeanspityinItalian.ItdepictedDavidKirby,ahomosexualAIDS

activist,dyinginthearmsofhisfather,withhismotherandnieceathisbedside,weeping
andmourning.Tothisdaytheadhasadivisiveeffectonitsaudience;peopleeitherlove
itorhateit.ThiscriticalresponsewillexaminehowAIDSpatientsandChristianshave
readandinterpretedthetextdifferently.
Toplacethetextinitscontext,itisnecessarytosketchabriefhistoryofthead.Firstof
all,itshouldbenotedthatOlivieroToscaniisfamousforhiscontroversialads.LaPieta
isnothisfirstshockingadforBenetton.Infact,onecouldarguethatLaPietaisonly
partofagreatercampaignbyBenettontoraiseawarenessforAIDSandother
controversial,socialissues,suchascapitalpunishment,povertyandracism.Hisads
neverdepicttheactualproduct,namelyclothing.Insteadhedepictsarealconvict
momentsbeforehisdeath,anunkissingapriest,orchildrensufferingfromheavylabor.
Themediahypefromhisshockadsgeneratesbrandawarenessandultimatelyanincrease
inproductsales.ThereforeonecouldarguethatLaPietacapitalizesonKirbysdeath.
Secondly,wemustunderstandthatToscanididnoteventakethephotographusedforLa
Pieta.ThephotographofDavidKirbyonhisdeathbed,takenbyThereseFrarehad
alreadyreceivedinternationalattentionayearearlierforwinningtheprestigiousWorld
PressPhotoAward.TheKirbyfamilyhadgiventhephotographerpermissiontopublish
theimageandToscanipermissiontoturnitintoanad.Muchoftheinitialoutragecame
frompeoplewhofeltToscaniandBenettonwerecapitalizingonthephotographerswork
andKirbysdeath.TheKirbyfamily,however,didnotfeelthisway,astheyexplainedin
apressconferenceorchestratedbyBenettoninNewYork,Wedontfeelwevebeen
usedbyBenetton,butratherthereverse:Davidisspeakingmuchloudernowthathes
dead,thanhedidwhenhewasalive.Soonemaywonder,withboththefamilyand
photographerspermission,whywastherestillsomuchfuss?
ThetitleoftheadLaPietahasoffendedChristians,asitalludestoasacredmoment
afterthedeathofJesusChrist,whenMotherMaryheldhersonandwept.Michael
Angelodepictedthismomentquitefamouslyinhisstatuetitled,LaPieta.Christians
wereevenmoreoffendedbyToscanisinsensitiveexplanationofhisadstitleduringthe
NewYorkpressconference.IcalledthepictureofDavidKirbyandhisfamilyLa
PietabecauseitisaPietawhichisreal.TheMichelangelosPietaduringthe
Renaissancemightbefake.JesusChristmayneverhaveexisted.Butweknowthisdeath
happened.Thisistherealthing.ForChristians,however,thedeathofJesusChristisnot
consideredfake.Whatsmore,formanyChristianshomosexualityisconsideredasin.
ComparingChristsdeathtoKirbysdeathisoutrageousforthem,becauseittrivializes
Jesussacredactofsalvation.
Christianswerenottheonlypeopleshockedbythead,though.ToToscanissurprise,
homosexualswerealsodeeplydisturbedbytheBenettonad.Theircomplaintsweretwo
fold.Notonlydidhomosexualsspeakoutagainstthecapitalizationofanactivistsdeath,
butalsotheywereupsetbythegruesomeportrayalofKirbysdeath.TheimageofKirby
isquitegraphic.Hiswristsareemaciated,hischeeksarehollowandhiseyesareglazed

over.Kirbysfathersgriefisveryvisiblethroughhisbodylanguage,asheleansoverhis
sonsface,helplessandexhausted.Theimagehasfrightenedmanyhomosexualsforthis
reason.Itseemstosay:Thiscouldbeyouifyoudonothavesafesex.Whatsmore,as
onecanreadonTheInspirationRoomwebsite,manyhomosexualsfeelvilifiedbythe
ad.OlivieroToscanihasrespondedtothesecriticismsbyclaimingthattheshocking
natureoftheadisnecessaryinordertogenerateawarenessofAIDS.Insomecountries
suchasParaguay,asheexplained,thiswastheveryfirstcampaigntotalkaboutAIDS.
Andinmanycountriesitwasthefirstcampaigntogobeyondpurelypreventative
measuresandtouchuponsubjectssuchassolidaritywithAIDSpatients.Whileitcould
bearguedthatToscanisintentionsarenoble,hismeansarequestionable.
Intheend,Toscanisadreceivedinternationalattentionandevenappearedinmuseums
aroundEuropeandinNewYork.HisnamemayberememberedmorethantheKirbysor
thephotographers.Whatsmore,researchbymarketingguruMartinLindstromsuggests
thatshockadvertisingisindeedeffective.LiterallyBenettonmayhaveprofitedthemost
fromthisad.Theirprofits,however,mayhavecomeattheexpenseofChristiansand
homosexuals.
Workscited
Duncan,'BenettonPietainAIDScampaign',TheInspirationRoom,
www.theinspirationroom.com,April72007
Lindstrom,Martin.Buyology:theNewScienceofWhyWeBuy.NewYork:Currency
Doubleday,2008.Print.

WT2A
Examiner'scomments
CriterionAOutline2marks
Theoutlineclearlystatesthefocusofthetask.
1outof2Theoutlinestatesbasicpoints.Thebulletpointsdonotstatemuchabouthow
theresponsewillanswerthequestion.ThetaskdoesnotlookattheadfromaCatholic
perspective.InfactitexplorestheCatholicresponsetoBenetton'sadin1991.
Unfortunately,thelastbulletpointclaimstheresponsewillfocusonAIDSpatients,
whereasitreallyfocusesonhomosexuals'responsetotheBenettonad.
CriterionBResponsetoquestion8marks
Studentexploresalloftheimplicationsoftheprescribedquestionchosen.Thecritical
responsemustbefocusedonandrelevanttotheprescribedquestion.Furthermore,the
responseissupportedbywellchosenexamplesfromthetext(s).
8outof8ThistaskexploreshowtwodifferentreadershavereadtheBenettonadand
whytheyhavereaditdifferently.Itexplainsquitecarefully,withoutgeneralizing,why
Christianswereoffendedbytheimageanditstitle.Itfocusesonwhyhomosexualswere
offendedbyreferringquiteliterarlytovariousdetailsofthead.Thewrittentask2refers
totheNewYorkpressconference,offersquotesfromKirby'sfamilyandOliviero
Toscani.Thesearerelevanttoansweringtheprescribedquestion.
CriterionCOrganizationandargument5marks
Theresponsemustbewellorganizedandeffectivelystructuredinordertoscoretop
marksforthiscriterion.Theresponseshouldmakeacaseanddevelopitthoroghly.

4outof5Theessayfollowsaclearstructure.Therearegoodtopicsentences,coherent
embeddingofillustrationsandproperanalysis.Thedevelopmentoftheargument,that
theadbenefitsBenettonmorethananyoneelse,isonlyreallyintroducedanddeveloped
intheconcludingparagraphunfortunately.
CriterionDLanguageandstyle5marks
Theresponsemustbewritteneffectivelyandaccurately.Studentsshouldusean
academicregisterandstrongstyle.
5outof5Thetaskiseffectivelywrittenandveryaccurateinlanguageuse.Many
sentencestructuresusemultipleclauseseffectively,suchas,"Notonlydidhomosexuals
speakoutagainstthecapitalizationofanactivistsdeath,butalsotheywereupsetbythe
gruesomeportrayalofKirbysdeath."Thelanguageisveryclearandtothepoint.

WT2B
Thesamplecriticalresponse(writtentask2)presentedonthispagewaswrittenafter
studyingPygmalion,aplaybyGeorgeBernardShaw,whichwaswrittenin1912.This
workisveryversatileandlendsitselfwelltotheEnglishA:LanguageandLiterature
courseingeneral.Culture,context,languageissuesandgenderareallimportantto
understandingthetext.Thestudentdemonstratesanunderstandingoftheseideasinhis
writtentask2below.
ForthosewhoarenotfamiliarwithPygmalionanextractfromtheplayhasbeen
providedbelow.'Thegentleman'isColonelPickering,'thenotetaker'isHenryHiggins,
and'theflowergirl'isElizaDoolittle.
Thestudentanswersthequestion:"Ifthetexthadbeenwritteninadifferenttimeor
place,foradifferentaudience,howandwhymightitbedifferent?"Thestudentclaims
thatShaw'smessageisstillrelevantinmoderndayLondon.Hearguesthat,withafew
changes,thetextcouldbeplacedinLondon'sCanaryRiversideEstatewithanAfrican
migrantworkerplayingtheroleofElizaDoolittle.
Beforereadingthestudent'sworkortheexaminer'scomments,besuretoread
theassessmentcriteriaforwrittentask2,sothatyouknowwhattolookfor.Compare
yourmarkswiththeexaminer's.
Remember:Thecriticalresponseisaboutatext,orprimarysourcethathasbeenstudied
inclass.Foraquestionlikethisone,"Ifthetexthadbeenwritteninadifferenttimeor
place,foradifferentaudience,howandwhymightitbedifferent?',itistemptingtowrite
aboutahypotheticaltext.Youmaywanttowrite'Itcouldbewrittenthisway'or'Itmight
belikethis...'Butyoumustexplain'why'itmightbedifferentbasedonyour
understandingoftheprimarysource.Thisiswhatisbeingtested.
Primarysource
Pygmalion
ActI,scene1
GeorgeBernardShaw
1912
THENOTETAKER:Simplyphonetics.Thescienceofspeech.That'smyprofession;
alsomyhobby.Happyisthemanwhocanmakealivingbyhishobby!Youcanspotan
IrishmanoraYorkshiremanbyhisbrogue.Icanplaceanymanwithinsixmiles.Ican
placehimwithintwomilesinLondon.Sometimeswithintwostreets.
THEFLOWERGIRL:Oughttobeashamedofhimself,unmanlycoward!
THEGENTLEMAN:Butistherealivinginthat?
THENOTETAKER:Ohyes.Quiteafatone.Thisisanageofupstarts.Menbeginin
KentishTownwith80poundsayear,andendinParkLanewithahundredthousand.

TheywanttodropKentishTown;buttheygivethemselvesawayeverytimetheyopen
theirmouths.NowIcanteachthem
THEFLOWERGIRL:Lethimmindhisownbusinessandleaveapoorgirl
THENOTETAKER:[explosively]Woman:ceasethisdetestableboohooinginstantly;or
elseseektheshelterofsomeotherplaceofworship.
THEFLOWERGIRL:[withfeebledefiance]I'vearighttobehereifIlike,sameasyou.
THENOTETAKER:Awomanwhoutterssuchdepressinganddisgustingsoundshasno
righttobeanywherenorighttolive.Rememberthatyouareahumanbeingwithasoul
andthedivinegiftofarticulatespeech:thatyournativelanguageisthelanguageof
ShakespeareandMiltonandTheBible;anddon'tsittherecrooninglikeabiliouspigeon.
THEFLOWERGIRL:[quiteoverwhelmed,andlookingupathiminmingledwonder
anddeprecationwithoutdaringtoraiseherhead]Ahahahowowoo!
THENOTETAKER:[whippingouthisbook]Heavens!whatasound![Hewrites;then
holdsoutthebookandreads,reproducinghervowelsexactly]Ahahahowow
owoo!
THEFLOWERGIRL:[tickledbytheperformance,andlaughinginspiteof
herself]Garn!
THENOTETAKER:YouseethiscreaturewithherkerbstoneEnglish:theEnglishthat
willkeepherintheguttertotheendofherdays.Well,sir,inthreemonthsIcouldpass
thatgirloffasaduchessatanambassador'sgardenparty.Icouldevengetheraplaceas
lady'smaidorshopassistant,whichrequiresbetterEnglish.That'sthesortofthingIdo
forcommercialmillionaires.AndontheprofitsofitIdogenuinescientificworkin
phonetics,andalittleasapoetonMiltoniclines.
THEGENTLEMAN:IammyselfastudentofIndiandialects;and
THENOTETAKER:[eagerly]Areyou?DoyouknowColonelPickering,theauthorof
SpokenSanscrit?
THEGENTLEMAN:IamColonelPickering.Whoareyou?
THENOTETAKER:HenryHiggins,authorofHiggins'sUniversalAlphabet.
PICKERING:[withenthusiasm]IcamefromIndiatomeetyou.
HIGGINS:IwasgoingtoIndiatomeetyou.
PICKERING:Wheredoyoulive?
HIGGINS:27AWimpoleStreet.Comeandseemetomorrow.
PICKERING:I'mattheCarlton.Comewithmenowandlet'shaveajawoversome
supper.
HIGGINS:Rightyouare.
THEFLOWERGIRL:[toPickering,ashepassesher]Buyaflower,kindgentleman.
I'mshortformylodging.
PICKERING:Ireallyhaven'tanychange.I'msorry[hegoesaway].
HIGGINS:[shockedatgirl'smendacity]Liar.Yousaidyoucouldchangehalfacrown.
THEFLOWERGIRL:[risingindesperation]Yououghttobestuffedwithnails,you
ought.[Flingingthebasketathisfeet]Takethewholebloomingbasketforsixpence.

Samplecriticalresponse

Samplewrittentask2Question2(Pygmalion)
Outline
[
Prescribedquestion:"Ifthetexthadbeenwritteninadifferenttimeorplace,fora
differentaudiencehowandwhymightitbedifferent?"
Titleofthetextforanalysis:Pygmalion
Partofthecoursetowhichthetaskrefers:Part3Literature:textandcontext
Mycriticalresponsewill:
ExploretheimportanceofsettinginPygmalion.ExplainwhymoderndayLondon
isstillarelevantbackdropforthisplay.
Commentonthepositionofwomenin1912andtheimportanceofmarriageboth
thenandnow.
CommentontheShaw'scharactersandthestory'splot.Howwouldtheybe
differenttoday?
ConcludebystatingthatShaw'sintentionsofcriticizinggenderandclass
differencesarestillrelevanttoday.
Writtentask2
ThemythofPygmalionhasbeentoldforcenturies.Thenotionofasculptorfallingin
lovewithhissculptureandwantingittocometolifeistimeless,asweseeintheItalian
childrensstory,Pinocchio,WilliamShakespearesTheWinterTaleorHollywood
productions,suchasPrettyWoman.In1912,GeorgeBernardShaw,wrotehisversionof
theGreekmyth,whichbecamethe1964musicalMyFairLady.Shawsplayfocusedon
greatersocialissuesofhistime,suchastheriseofwomensrightsandthegrowing
differencesbetweensocialclasses.Theinternalcontextofhisplay,whichissetin
Londonin1912,starringachauvinist,wealthybachelorandpoorbutambitiousflower
girl,ismeanttocommentonthetimeandplaceinwhichShawlivedandcriticizethe
veryaudiencethatcametoseehisplay.IfShawwerealiveandwritingplayscriptstoday,
manyofthesameissueswouldberelevant.Thisessaywillexaminehowthesetting,
charactersandplotofGeorgeBernardShawsPygmalionwouldbesimilaranddifferent,
ifitwerewrittentoday.
Understandingthesettingoftheplay,Pygmalion,isimportanttounderstandingits
themes.ThefirstscenetakesplaceinCoventGarden,wheretherulingelitevisitthe
operahouseandthepoorselltheirvegetablesatthemarket.HereiswhereElizaDoolittle
meetsProfessorHenryHiggins,andhesuggeststhathecouldturnherfromasquashed
cabbagedleafintoaprincessbyteachingherhowtospeakEnglishproperly.Today
thereareneighborhoodsinLondon,suchasCanaryRiverside,wheretheaffluentdineout
andmigrantworkersbuskforchange.Onecouldimaginehowanimmigrantfroma
formerBritishcolonysuchasNigeriaorJamaica,withastrongaccentmightbeforcedto
sellfakedesignerbagsontheblackmarket.Infact,intodaysworld,wheremany
companieshaveahiringpolicyofpositivediscrimination,youcouldimaginehowa
beautiful,Africangirlcouldpickedoffthestreetsandhiredasasalesassistantina

designerfashionstore,ifshepromisedtodosomethingaboutheraccent.Afterall,people
stillhaveprejudicesagainstcertainaccentstoday,justastheyhadin1912.
IfwearetosetthestoryinmoderndayLondon,wemustalsounderstandtheimportance
ofPygmalionsplotandcharacters.Intheplay,HenryHigginsisaproudbachelor,who
claimsnoneedforfemalesupportinhislife.HetrainsElizatospeaktheQueens
Englishforhisownselfishreason:hewantstowinhisbetwithColonelPickering.For
Eliza,however,thereismoreatstakethanHigginsbet.Shewantstoadvanceher
positioninsocietyandownherownflowershop.AftershewinsHigginsbet,she
realizesthathedoesnotrespectherforwhosheis:ambitious,cleverandstrong.Because
heistooproudtoexpresshisgratitudeandfeelingsforher,sheleaveshimforFreddy,a
rathershallowbutlovestrickengentleman.Forawomanin1912therewerenotmany
choicesorcareerpaths.Ifagentlemanaskedyoutomarryhim,asShawexplainsinthe
epilogue,youdidnothavemuchchoice.ElizamarriesFreddysothatshecanenjoy
economicsecurity,driveintaxisandeatchocolates,butthiscomesatacost:Shemust
giveupherdreamofowningaflowershop.Shawsmessageisrathercriticalofmarriage
andclass,asinstitutionsthatpreventpeoplefromfulfillingtheirpotential.
Althoughthepositionofwomenhaschangedenormouslyinthepast100years,many
womentodaystillmarryforfinancialreasons.Chancesareslimthatourmodernday
ElizaDoolittlefromAfricawouldsettleforapoormigrantworkerafterbecoming
accustomedtotheluxuriesofthefashionworld.InfactifwearetocontinueinShaws
spiritandwriteanotherragstorichesstory,ourmoderndayElizawouldhavetopayfor
herfinancialsuccess.LikeEliza,shewouldfeelverydisillusionedwhendiscoveringthat
shewasonlypartofanothermansbetoracompanysequalopportunitypolicy.She
wouldquicklydiscoverthestressofmeetingsalestargets,thewearinessofworking
overtimeandtheingratitudeofworkingforalargecorporation.Unfortunately,the
chancesofayoungAfricanwomanowningherownshopinLondonarestillquiteslimto
thisday.
Allinall,GeorgeBernardShawhitonsometimelessthemesinhisrenditionof
thePygmalionstory,whichcouldeasilybetranslatedintomoderndayLondon,where
peoplestilldiscriminateonthebasisofgender,accentandrace.Intheplay,Elizasays
thedifferencebetweenaladyandaflowergirlisnothowshebehaves,buthowsheis
treated.Asfarastreatingpeoplewithrespect,Shawsmessageisstillrelevanttoday.
Examiner'scomments
CriterionAOutline2marks
Theoutlineclearlystatesthefocusofthetask.
2outof2Thisoutlinegivesagoodoverviewofwhatcanbeexpectedinthetask.
Greaterimplicationsofthequestionareexploredinrelationtothetext.
CriterionBResponsetoquestion8marks

Thestudentexploresalloftheimplicationsoftheprescribedquestionchosen.The
criticalresponsemustbefocusedonandrelevanttotheprescribedquestion.Furthermore,
theresponseissupportedbywellchosenexamplesfromthetext(s).
6outof8Thequestionisansweredthoroughlyinthisessay.'How'mightPygmalionbe
differenttoday?Thestudentintroducesraceasasocialissuethatisrelevantintoday's
context.'Why'mightitbedifferent?Thestudentexplainsthatinordertobetrueto
Shaw'sintentions,thestoryshouldstillbeaboutrespectandthestruggletoachieveself
fulfillmentinasocietythatdiscriminates.Thereisconstantreferencetotheprimary
source,Pygmalion,thatjustifythestudent'sclaims.
CriterionCOrganizationandargument5marks
Theresponsemustbewellorganizedandeffectivelystructuredinordertoscoretop
marksforthiscriterion.Theresponseshouldmakeacaseanddevelopitthoroughly.
5outof5ThemainargumentisthatShaw'smessageisstillrelevanttoday.Thishas
beendevelopedbylookingatthesetting,plotandcharactersfromtheplay.Thestudent
placestheseinamoderncontext,supportingargumentswithreferencestotheoriginal
work.
CriterionDLanguage5marks
Theresponsemustbewritteneffectivelyandaccurately.Studentsshouldusean
academicregisterandstrongstyle.
5outof5Thelanguageofthisessayisveryaccurateandconcise.Thereisgooduseof
vocabularyandparallelstructures.

Source:http://www.englishalanglit-inthinking.co.uk/