Insert
The source that follows is:
- Source A: 19th-century prose fiction
- The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
An extract from a work first published in 1839.
This extract is from The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, as the narrator visits his ailing friend Roderick Usher in the decaying mansion, and the oppressive Gothic atmosphere heightens doubts between reason and the uncanny.
Source A
1 The ‘Charles Elwood’ of Mr. Brownson, for example, was placed in my hands. I read it with profound attention. Throughout I found it logical, but the portions which were not merely logical were unhappily the initial
6 arguments of the disbelieving hero of the book. In his summing up it seemed evident to me that the reasoner had not even succeeded in convincing himself. His end had
11 plainly forgotten his beginning, like the government of Trinculo. In short, I was not long in perceiving that if man is to be intellectually convinced of his own immortality, he
16 will never be so convinced by the mere abstractions which have been so long the fashion of the moralists of England, of France, and of Germany. Abstractions may amuse and exercise, but take no hold on the
21 mind. Here upon earth, at least, philosophy, I am persuaded, will always in vain call upon us to look upon qualities as things. The will may assent—the soul—the intellect, never. “I repeat, then, that I only half felt, and never
26 intellectually believed. But latterly there has been a certain deepening of the feeling, until it has come so nearly to resemble the acquiescence of reason, that I find it difficult to distinguish between the two. I am
31 enabled, too, plainly to trace this effect to the mesmeric influence. I cannot better explain my meaning than by the hypothesis that the mesmeric exaltation enables
36 me to perceive a train of ratiocination which, in my abnormal existence, convinces, but which, in full accordance with the mesmeric phenomena, does not extend, except through
41 its effect, into my normal condition. In sleep- waking, the reasoning and its conclusion—the cause and its effect—are present together. In my natural state, the cause vanishing, the effect only, and
46 perhaps only partially, remains. “These considerations have led me to think that some good results might ensue from a series of well-directed questions propounded to me while
51 mesmerized. You have often observed the profound self- cognizance evinced by the sleep-waker—the extensive knowledge he displays upon all points relating to the mesmeric condition itself; and from this
56 self- cognizance may be deduced hints for the proper conduct of a catechism.” I consented of course to make this experiment. A few passes threw Mr. Vankirk
61 into the mesmeric sleep. His breathing became immediately more easy, and he seemed to suffer no physical uneasiness. The following conversation then ensued:—V. in the dialogue representing the patient,
66 and P. myself. P. Are you asleep? V. Yes—no; I would rather sleep more soundly. P. [_After a few
Questions
Instructions
- Answer all questions.
- Use black ink or black ball point pen.
- Fill in the boxes on this page.
- You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
- Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
- Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
- You must refer to the insert booklet provided.
- You must not use a dictionary.
Information
- The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
- Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
- The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
- There are 40 marks for Section A and 40 marks for Section B.
- You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your reading in Section A.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your writing in Section B.
Advice
- You are advised to spend about 15 minutes reading through the source and all five questions you have to answer.
- You should make sure you leave sufficient time to check your answers.
Section A: Reading
Answer all questions in this section. You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this section.
Question 1
Read again the first part of the source, from lines 1 to 5.
Answer all parts of this question.
Choose one answer for each question.
1.1 Who is named as the author of 'Charles Elwood'?
- Mr. Brownson
- the narrator
- Mr. Elwood
[1 mark]
1.2 How does the narrator characterise 'Charles Elwood' overall at this point?
- The narrator regards it as logical from beginning to end.
- The narrator calls it confusing and inconsistent.
- The narrator says it is written as poetry.
[1 mark]
1.3 According to the narrator, who is the author of 'Charles Elwood'?
- Mr Brownson
- the narrator
- a publisher
[1 mark]
1.4 Which part of the book contained the portions that were not merely logical?
- the initial
- the middle
- the final
[1 mark]
Question 2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 1 to 67 of the source:
1 The ‘Charles Elwood’ of Mr. Brownson, for example, was placed in my hands. I read it with profound attention. Throughout I found it logical, but the portions which were not merely logical were unhappily the initial
6 arguments of the disbelieving hero of the book. In his summing up it seemed evident to me that the reasoner had not even succeeded in convincing himself. His end had
11 plainly forgotten his beginning, like the government of Trinculo. In short, I was not long in perceiving that if man is to be intellectually convinced of his own immortality, he
16 will never be so convinced by the mere abstractions which have been so long the fashion of the moralists of England, of France, and of Germany. Abstractions may amuse and exercise, but take no hold on the
21 mind. Here upon earth, at least, philosophy, I am persuaded, will always in vain call upon us to look upon qualities as things. The will may assent—the soul—the intellect, never. “I repeat, then, that I only half felt, and never
26 intellectually believed. But latterly there has been a certain deepening of the feeling, until it has come so nearly to resemble the acquiescence of reason, that I find it difficult to distinguish between the two. I am
31 enabled, too, plainly to trace this effect to the mesmeric influence. I cannot better explain my meaning than by the hypothesis that the mesmeric exaltation enables
36 me to perceive a train of ratiocination which, in my abnormal existence, convinces, but which, in full accordance with the mesmeric phenomena, does not extend, except through
41 its effect, into my normal condition. In sleep- waking, the reasoning and its conclusion—the cause and its effect—are present together. In my natural state, the cause vanishing, the effect only, and
46 perhaps only partially, remains. “These considerations have led me to think that some good results might ensue from a series of well-directed questions propounded to me while
51 mesmerized. You have often observed the profound self- cognizance evinced by the sleep-waker—the extensive knowledge he displays upon all points relating to the mesmeric condition itself; and from this
56 self- cognizance may be deduced hints for the proper conduct of a catechism.” I consented of course to make this experiment. A few passes threw Mr. Vankirk
61 into the mesmeric sleep. His breathing became immediately more easy, and he seemed to suffer no physical uneasiness. The following conversation then ensued:—V. in the dialogue representing the patient,
66 and P. myself. P. Are you asleep? V. Yes—no; I would rather sleep more soundly. P. [_After a few
How does the writer use language here to present the narrator’s criticism of the book and of abstract reasoning? You could include the writer’s choice of:
- words and phrases
- language features and techniques
- sentence forms.
[8 marks]
Question 3
You now need to think about the structure of the source as a whole. This text is from the start of a story.
How has the writer structured the text to create a sense of curiosity?
You could write about:
- how curiosity intensifies throughout the source
- how the writer uses structure to create an effect
- the writer's use of any other structural features, such as changes in mood, tone or perspective.
[8 marks]
Question 4
For this question focus on the second part of the source, from line 56 to the end.
In this part of the source, where Vankirk gives the strange answer 'Yes—no' to being asleep, it could be seen as a sign that the experiment is not working. The writer suggests that this strange answer actually proves the trance is real, as it's not like normal sleep at all.
To what extent do you agree and/or disagree with this statement?
In your response, you could:
- consider your impressions of Vankirk's strange answer 'Yes—no'
- comment on the methods the writer uses to portray the experiment's strange effects
- support your response with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Question 5
Your college literary circle is running a termly showcase and your piece will be read by students from across the year groups.
Choose one of the options below for your entry.
-
Option A: Write a description of a flooded underpass from your imagination. You may choose to use the picture provided for ideas:
-
Option B: Write the opening of a story about a promise kept against the odds.
(24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
[40 marks]