Sample essay 3.6 (Part 3): Paper 2 (Higher Level) – Poetry

Cambridge English Literature for the IB Diploma

Sample essay 3.6 (Part 3): Paper 2 (Higher Level) – Poetry

You must base your answer on at least two of the Part 3 works you have studied and
compare and contrast these works in response to the question. Answers which are not
based on a discussion of at least two Part 3 works will not score high marks.

Question

In what ways and to what effect have physical and/or spiritual journeys been presented in
works by at least two poets?

Answer

The main techniques employed, by the authors I have studied, are enjambment,
repetition and varied sentence length [avoid lists] in order to reflect the idea of time
continuity and the aspect of journeys within their poems. These techniques allow the
readers to engage with the journeys presented but also relate to the situations, since they
often appear realistic and familiar. [3]

In Hardy’s ‘The Walk’, he uses dimeters [3] and [+ some tetrameters] trimeters [3]
along with enjambment, [3] as a method of portraying the movement of the walk [3] and
the continuity [3] of his life, after Emma’s death. Hardy uses a physical object, a gate, as
a symbol [3] between him and the past. ‘By the gated ways,’ this is showing us that this
metaphorical image acts as a barrier between his current life and past life; [but it was
more literally a gate he goes through on a walk!] one which he shared with Emma. [3]
When he originally went on this journey of ‘the Walk’, Emma accompanied him, yet she
is not present anymore and so the concept of going back alone is more demanding. This
idea can be related to Hardy’s poem ‘Afterwards’ where a similar concept is brought
about. ‘When the present has latched its postern behind my tremulous stay.’ Here, Hardy
has personified [in the verb ‘latched’] ‘the present’ and is using this idea to portray that his
time on Earth is physically coming to an end [Yes – this one definitely is a metaphor].

In ‘Afterwards’, we know that Hardy doesn’t believe in life after death and so the only
way his journey on Earth will continue is through people’s memories [3] [the poem
doesn’t make this explicit but we know that Hardy was agnostic/atheist]. This poem
employs a predictable a, b, a, b rhyme scheme [3] which reflects and maintains a serious
tone, suitable for the theme of death within the poem. [Yes − take this further. It slows it
down.] This aids the reader in grasping the concept of this journey [what journey?] we
are witnessing. In addition, Hardy utilises a number of subordinate clauses [3]and
provisional/uncertain [3] language to relay his pensive mind set, of how his journey will
continue. [3] ‘If, when hearing that I have been stilled at last.’ [Yes – but what’s this got
to do with the question?] He speculates as to how people will perceive him and this
technique is included to allow the reader to take their own opinion and to convey the
passage of time and movement of journeys. [So is it about the journey through life?]

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Unlike ‘The Walk’ and ‘Afterwards’ which use metaphorical objects to display the
idea of physical and spiritual journeys, in ‘Going Going’, by Larkin, the more
impactful objects are those that are physical. [Try to avoid using ‘impactful’:
‘objects which have greater impact are those which are physical’ sounds better. But
is it true? That’s suggesting that Larkin responds more to external events, or things,
than internal thoughts and impressions.] ‘The sense that beyond towns // there would
always be fields and farms.’ We know that Larkin is on a train here and he presents the
idea that England is being auctioned off in front of him for money and materialism, yet no
measures are being taken to prevent this. The quotation shows, that along this [which?]
physical journey, he is getting a realisation that the greenery is being abolished and
industrialisation is taking over. This perhaps illustrates that these concrete buildings will
remain for centuries and the greenery will soon be forgotten. ‘All that remains are concrete
and tyres.’ This sums up his view on the society and how England has almost lost their
morals and greediness is is becoming more prevalent.

The concept of physical objects can be referred to in another of Larkin’s poems ‘An
Arundel Tomb’ since he uses physical monuments to [3] trigger memorys [memories] of
a spiritual journey [?? journey in time, perhaps]. ‘Side by side, [3] their faces blurred’
[try to integrate your quotation within your sentence]. This stresses the loss of identity
over time, something we know Hardy [3] is afraid of in ‘Afterwards.’ Its the sense that
these people will soon blend in with all the other sculptures [effigies] in this church. He
claims that people would come ‘to look, not read.’ [3] People were drawn to the clasped
hand of the couple and as a result the attention is drawn away from the Latin inscriptions
of their name [relate back to question]. This is a method to show how the effect of time
can alter the symbol of someone’s journey [what does this mean?]. Everyone looking at
them will be clueless of their journey but are merely interested that looking at the work of
a sculpture [sculptor].

A parallel can be drawn to this spiritual journey in ‘Afterwards’, ‘when my bell of
quittance is heard in the gloan.’ Here is an example of Hardy speculating as to how his
journey in life will continue once he has passed away. The ‘bell of quittance’ is a
metaphor [No − it literally is his funeral bell.] for his funeral bells and the enjambment
[Where?] of this line emulates the sound of the bells echoing and thus highlighting the
power of nature. It could be argued that nature is a key aspect of the continuation of
journeys and is a form which enables journeys to resonate throughout time [very famous
connection to essay title].

It is made clear that time plays a significant role within the concept of journeys, as
demonstrated in ‘The Walk’ by Hardy. Hardy makes a physical journey back to a place
where he shares memorys [memories] with, with his late wife Emma. ‘Of the look of a
room on returning thence.’ This is an example of an anapaest, since the line contains more
syllables in it than any of the previous lines. [Not exactly the definition of an anapaest]
As a result, the line does not fit into the regular structure of the poem. However perhaps
this can be related to the death of Emma. Her death did not fit into the predicted pattern of
his life, just as the line doesn’t fit into the poem. Therefore, this is a further method by
which the use of journeys has been embedded into the poem. The question could be posed
that journeys are full of unexpected events, which can be portrayed in the structure of
poems. [Maybe, but your point is rather vague: are you saying that the structure
imitates the unfolding of events?]

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We can link this concept to the idea that physical objects will always remain yet
the memorys [memories] attached to them will forever last [last forever] [I’m
finding this very hard to follow]. These become part of the journey taken, in order to
reach the place. An example of this is given in ‘Going, Going’, where the increase in
material goods has changed the image of certain places, and so altering the visual memory
of the place. ‘But greeds // and garbage are too thick strewn.’ [3] Here is an example [3]
of a zeugma, blurring the linking of two things with one verb; perhaps the sense that
everything is now joined and binding together, which can be [perhaps] related back to the
‘faces’ in ‘An Arundel Tomb’[Question?]. The enjambment [3] of the line exaggerates
the ‘greeds’ of the consumer society and their constant demands which override the more
important things that are now being destroyed in their community, such as nature.

A further quotation from ‘An Arundel tomb’ which helps to convey the importance of
time within a journey and underlines the effect it has in this situation [Where’s your main
verb?]: ‘Time has transfigured them into ‘Untrust’ [Untruths]. This is suggestive of the
proposition that time has almost created them into something supernatural [?] and they
have become something of their former self [the opposite surely]. The setting of the
church does help to portray this idea, but although Larkin wasn’t religious, the spiritual
concept and their dominant presence does make the concept more realistic. Consequently,
the fact their identity is becoming masked by other objects, their physical presence still
remains and thus becomes part of a physical journey that individuals will experience.

In ‘Going, Going’ we are given an example of some physical objects which could mask
the previous landscape of England, one which is changing as Larkin continues on his train
journey. ‘More houses, more parking allowed // more caravan sites, more pay.’ This
summarises how things can change so suddenly and new journeys can bring back
memorys [memories] or change perspectives of places.

Therefore these two poets have clearly illustrated, through a variation of techniques, the
number of ways in which authors are able to display physical and/or spiritual journeys
within poems. Also, how the different effects can alter the purpose or the memory of a
poem.

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Teacher’s comment

This is a very good attempt, but too often you seem more intent on putting down on paper
everything you know about the poems and the writers, and the main point of the question
is lost as a result.

Your use of literary terms needs to be succinct as well: they should be an integral part of
your analysis, not leading your points. Look closely at metaphor: understand it more fully.

Criterion A Knowledge and understanding 3

Criterion B Response to the question 2

Criterion C Appreciation of the literary conventions of the genre 3

Criterion D Organisation and development 3

Criterion E Language 3

Total: 14/25

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