Mark Scheme

Section A — Structured Questions

Question 1 — "To An Athlete Dying Young"

(a) Identify the occasion being described in the first stanza. (2 marks)

Award 2 marks for:

• The athlete's victory in a race / winning a competition (1 mark)
• The celebration/homecoming of the victor (1 mark)

Accept: championship, sporting triumph, winning the race for his town Reject: funeral (this is in stanza 2), death

(b) Explain what the speaker means by "a stiller town" (line 8). (2 marks)

Award up to 2 marks:

• The graveyard / cemetery / place of the dead (1 mark)
• A place where there is no movement / silence / peaceful / quiet (1 mark)

Accept: death, the grave, resting place, heaven Reject: responses that do not show understanding that this refers to death

(c) Identify ONE literary device used in the extract and explain its effect. (3 marks)

Award up to 3 marks:

• Correct identification of literary device (1 mark)
• Accurate quotation or reference to the device (1 mark)
• Clear explanation of effect (1 mark)

Acceptable devices include:

Euphemism: "a stiller town" for death/graveyard — softens the harshness of death, makes it seem peaceful

Repetition: "shoulder-high" repeated in both stanzas — emphasizes the parallel between victory and death, creates contrast

Metaphor: "the road all runners come" for death — presents death as universal, inevitable journey

Irony: same celebration (shoulder-high) now used for funeral — creates poignant contrast between joy and sorrow

Personification: "Man and boy stood cheering" — gives life to the memory, makes the celebration vivid

Reject: vague responses without clear explanation of effect

(d) Comment on the contrast the poet creates between the two stanzas. (4 marks)

Award up to 4 marks for discussion of contrast. Candidates may identify:

• First stanza depicts victory/celebration, second depicts death/funeral (1 mark)
• The phrase "shoulder-high" is repeated but has different meanings in each context — celebration vs. carrying a coffin (1 mark)
• "Home" in stanza 1 is the athlete's house; in stanza 2 it is the grave (1 mark)
• The tone shifts from joyful to solemn / celebratory to mournful (1 mark)
• The "town" of the living vs. the "stiller town" of the dead (1 mark)
• Same physical action (carrying) but opposite emotional contexts (1 mark)

Award maximum 4 marks. Accept any four valid points of contrast with supporting evidence.

Question 2 — "Crick Crack, Monkey"

(a) Describe the mood created in this extract. Support your answer with evidence from the passage. (3 marks)

Award up to 3 marks:

• Identification of mood: tense / confrontational / volatile / aggressive / defiant (1 mark)
• First piece of textual evidence appropriately selected (1 mark)
• Second piece of textual evidence appropriately selected (1 mark)

Acceptable evidence:

• "surveying the chaos she had created"
• "chest still heaving"
• "hands on her hips"
• "daring anyone to challenge her"
• "I dare one of allyuh to make a move!"
• Neighbours watching "with alarm"
• Ma retreated / Joey nowhere to be seen / narrator crouching behind tree

Accept: any appropriate mood (angry, threatening, charged, dramatic) with relevant supporting evidence

(b) What does the extract reveal about Tantie's character? Give TWO character traits and support each with evidence from the passage. (4 marks)

Award 2 marks per character trait (×2 = 4 marks):

• Identification of trait (1 mark)
• Supporting evidence from text (1 mark)

Acceptable character traits with evidence:

Aggressive / confrontational:

• "daring anyone to challenge her"
• "I dare one of allyuh to make a move!"

Bold / fearless / defiant:

• "standing in the doorway surveying the chaos"
• "shouted to the world at large"

Powerful / dominant / commanding:

• "hands on her hips"
• creates "chaos"
• others retreat (Ma, Joey) or hide (narrator)

Volatile / temperamental / explosive:

• "chest still heaving"
• has "created chaos"

Unapologetic / proud:

• "surveying" what she has done
• "Yes! Anybody have anything to say?"

Reject: traits not supported by evidence from the passage

(c) Explain how the author uses the narrator's position "behind the big breadfruit tree" to develop the scene. (3 marks)

Award up to 3 marks for explanation including:

• Shows the narrator is afraid / intimidated by Tantie (1 mark)
• Creates a viewpoint from which the narrator observes the action / gives the narrator role of observer or witness (1 mark)
• Emphasizes Tantie's power / dominance — even the narrator must hide (1 mark)
• Creates physical distance that mirrors emotional distance / objectivity (1 mark)
• The child's perspective / vulnerability is emphasized (1 mark)

Accept: any three valid points about narrative technique and its effect

Question 3 — "A Brighter Sun"

(a) State TWO emotions Tiger is experiencing in this extract. (2 marks)

Award 1 mark for each correct emotion (×2 = 2 marks):

Accept:

• Uncertainty / confusion
• Anticipation / expectancy
• Inadequacy / self-doubt
• Responsibility / duty
• Maturity / adult feelings
• Conflict / inner turmoil
• Nostalgia / longing for childhood

Reject:

• Emotions not evidenced in the passage
• Mere repetition of the same emotion with different words (award only once)

(b) Identify the setting of this extract. Give TWO details from the passage to support your answer. (3 marks)

Award up to 3 marks:

• Identification of rural / countryside / agricultural setting in Trinidad (1 mark)
• First supporting detail (1 mark)
• Second supporting detail (1 mark)

Acceptable supporting details:

• "edge of the trace"
• "main road"
• "morning sun was coming up over the hills"
• "dew was still on the grass"
• "own house and land to work"
• "kitchen" (showing simple domestic setting)

Accept: early morning as temporal setting with appropriate evidence

(c) Explain the contrast the author creates between what Tiger hears behind him and what he sees before him. (3 marks)

Award up to 3 marks:

• What he sees represents possibility / future / unknown / freedom / uncertainty (1 mark)
• What he hears represents domestic responsibility / married life / duty / his role as husband (1 mark)
• The contrast shows his internal conflict between youth and adulthood / independence and responsibility (1 mark)

Accept:

• References to Rita preparing breakfast = domesticity, routine, responsibility
• Looking down the road = waiting, possibility, searching for identity
• The positioning (behind/before, hearing/seeing) creates the contrast

(d) Comment on the significance of Tiger's age in relation to his circumstances. (3 marks)

Award up to 3 marks for comments such as:

• He is very young (sixteen) to have such adult responsibilities (1 mark)
• At sixteen he should still be a boy / is too young for marriage (1 mark)
• His age explains his confusion / feeling that it is "all a game" (1 mark)
• Creates sympathy for his situation / highlights the pressure on him (1 mark)
• Reflects cultural practices of early marriage / coming-of-age in rural communities (1 mark)
• The gap between his chronological age and his social role creates tension (1 mark)

Award maximum 3 marks for any valid points about the significance of his age.

Question 4 — "Dreaming Black Boy"

(a) Identify the main theme of this poem. (2 marks)

Award 2 marks for:

• Racial inequality / racism / discrimination (1 mark)
• The desire for equality / justice / fair treatment (1 mark)

Accept:

• Prejudice and the wish for acceptance
• Social injustice
• The black experience under discrimination

Award 1 mark only for: partial identification (e.g., "wishes" or "dreams" without reference to racial context)

Reject: themes not central to the poem

(b) Quote TWO phrases from the poem that show the boy's desire for equality. (2 marks)

Award 1 mark for each appropriate quotation (×2 = 2 marks):

Accept any TWO of:

• "I wish my teacher's eyes wouldn't / go past me today"
• "it's okay to hug me when I kick / a goal"
• "I could go on every hammock"
• "got paid the same"
• "Wish no one felt / obligated to feel inferior"
• "I didn't have to be skilled ten times more than / my white bredren"

Reject: quotations that don't directly relate to equality

(c) Explain what the speaker means by "I wish I didn't / have to be skilled ten times more than / my white bredren" (lines 9-11). (3 marks)

Award up to 3 marks for explanation:

• Black workers must be much better qualified / more competent than white workers (1 mark)
• To get the same opportunities / jobs / recognition (1 mark)
• Because of racial prejudice / discrimination / racism in employment / society (1 mark)

Accept:

• References to unfair standards applied to black people
• Need to prove themselves more than others
• Systemic inequality in the workplace

(d) Discuss how the repetition of "I wish" contributes to the overall effect of the poem. (4 marks)

Award up to 4 marks for discussion of how repetition contributes to effect:

• Creates emphasis / intensifies the speaker's desires (1 mark)
• Builds up a catalogue / list of injustices / unfulfilled hopes (1 mark)
• Creates a pleading / yearning / desperate tone (1 mark)
• Shows the persistence / depth of the speaker's longing (1 mark)
• Structures the poem / gives it rhythm / creates unity (1 mark)
• Emphasizes the gap between reality and the boy's dreams (1 mark)
• Creates cumulative emotional impact (1 mark)
• Suggests these wishes remain unfulfilled / are only dreams (1 mark)

Award maximum 4 marks. Accept any four valid, well-explained points.

Section B — Extended Response (24 marks)

Mark Scheme for Questions 5, 6, and 7

Candidates are assessed on:

• Knowledge of text(s) (6 marks)
• Understanding and interpretation (6 marks)
• Organization and development of response (6 marks)
• Expression and use of Standard English (6 marks)

Level 4 (19-24 marks): Excellent

Knowledge of text(s) (5-6 marks):

• Detailed, accurate knowledge of text
• Apt, well-selected references and quotations
• Confident engagement with task requirements

Understanding and interpretation (5-6 marks):

• Perceptive understanding of text
• Sophisticated interpretation
• Addresses all aspects of the question with insight

Organization and development (5-6 marks):

• Coherent, well-structured response
• Ideas developed logically and persuasively
• Effective introduction and conclusion
• Smooth transitions between points

Expression (5-6 marks):

• Fluent, precise expression
• Wide vocabulary with literary terminology used accurately
• Very few, if any, errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation

Level 3 (13-18 marks): Good

Knowledge of text(s) (4 marks):

• Sound knowledge of text
• Appropriate references and quotations
• Engages with most task requirements

Understanding and interpretation (4 marks):

• Clear understanding of text
• Sensible interpretation
• Addresses main aspects of the question

Organization and development (4 marks):

• Clearly structured response
• Ideas developed with reasonable logic
• Adequate introduction and conclusion

Expression (4 marks):

• Generally clear expression
• Appropriate vocabulary with some use of literary terms
• Some errors that do not obscure meaning

Level 2 (7-12 marks): Satisfactory

Knowledge of text(s) (3 marks):

• Basic knowledge of text
• Some appropriate references, may rely on paraphrase
• Addresses some task requirements

Understanding and interpretation (3 marks):

• Adequate understanding of surface meaning
• Simple interpretation
• Partial response to the question

Organization and development (3 marks):

• Basic structure evident
• Ideas stated but not fully developed
• Simple introduction and/or conclusion

Expression (3 marks):

• Expression adequate but may be awkward at times
• Limited vocabulary, few literary terms
• Errors present but meaning usually clear

Level 1 (1-6 marks): Limited

Knowledge of text(s) (1-2 marks):

• Limited or insecure knowledge
• Few references, mostly narrative retelling
• Does not adequately address task

Understanding and interpretation (1-2 marks):

• Limited understanding
• Little interpretation
• Minimal engagement with question

Organization and development (1-2 marks):

• Little evidence of structure
• Ideas listed rather than developed
• No clear introduction or conclusion

Expression (1-2 marks):

• Expression often unclear
• Very limited vocabulary
• Frequent errors that may obscure meaning

0 marks: No response or response completely irrelevant to the question.

Sample Answers with Examiner Commentary

Question 5 — Sample Answers

Grade I (Distinction) answer

I agree strongly with the statement that "characters who challenge social expectations are central to Caribbean literature." In Merle Hodge's novel "Crick Crack, Monkey," the character of Tantie exemplifies this completely. She challenges the colonial mindset that privileges European culture and behavior, and her defiance of middle-class respectability makes her both controversial and essential to the novel's exploration of identity and class in post-colonial Trinidad.

Tantie's challenge to social expectations is evident from her very first appearance. Unlike Aunt Beatrice, who embraces European standards of behavior, speech, and deportment, Tantie speaks Creole, uses her hands freely when she talks, and expresses her emotions without the restraint that "proper" society demands. When she confronts Aunt Beatrice about taking Tee away, she storms into Beatrice's house and creates a scene, showing no deference to middle-class propriety. Her declaration, "I dare one of allyuh to make a move!" demonstrates her refusal to be intimidated by those who consider themselves her social betters.

The consequences of Tantie's challenge are significant on multiple levels. On a personal level, her behavior results in her being judged as "common" and "vulgar" by people like Aunt Beatrice, which ultimately contributes to Tee being removed from her care. The colonial system rewards conformity to European standards, and Tantie's resistance to this conformity has real costs. However, on a thematic level, her defiance preserves authenticity. While Tee becomes confused and alienated in Aunt Beatrice's world of pretension, she remembers Tantie's household with warmth and genuine affection. Tantie represents rootedness in Caribbean culture, even if that culture is devalued by the colonial establishment.

Tantie is absolutely central to "Crick Crack, Monkey" because she provides the counterpoint that exposes the falseness of colonial values. Without her, the novel would lose its critique of the damage done by cultural imperialism. She serves as Tee's emotional anchor, and the reader's sympathies are firmly with Tantie, despite—or perhaps because of—her rough edges. Through Tantie, Hodge challenges readers to question whose standards should define respectability and success. The very fact that Tantie is so memorable and vital demonstrates that characters who challenge social expectations are indeed central to Caribbean literature.

Mark: 23/24

Examiner commentary: This is an excellent response that demonstrates perceptive understanding of both the character and the question. The candidate selects highly appropriate examples, integrates quotations smoothly, and develops a sophisticated argument about how Tantie's challenge to social norms operates on both plot and thematic levels. The response addresses all bullet points comprehensively and shows mature insight into the text's treatment of colonialism and authenticity. Expression is fluent and literary terminology is deployed accurately throughout. A minor development of the conclusion could have elevated this to full marks.

Grade III (Pass) answer

I agree with this statement because many Caribbean books have characters who go against what society wants them to do. In "Crick Crack, Monkey" by Merle Hodge, Tantie is a character who challenges social expectations and she is important to the story.

Tantie challenges social expectations by not acting like a proper lady. She is loud and she gets into arguments with people. She uses bad language and she doesn't care what people think about her. When she gets angry with her neighbors or with Aunt Beatrice, she shouts at them and sometimes she even wants to fight. She speaks in dialect and doesn't try to sound English like Aunt Beatrice wants Tee to sound.

The consequence of Tantie's challenge is that people look down on her. Aunt Beatrice thinks she is not good enough to raise Tee properly, so she takes Tee away to live with her instead. This makes Tee sad because she loves Tantie even though Tantie is rough. Tantie loses Tee because she won't change her ways and act more respectable. Society punishes her for being herself.

Tantie is important to the text because she shows that Caribbean culture is valuable even if it is not the same as English culture. She loves Tee and takes care of her when Tee's mother is not there. She is more real than Aunt Beatrice who is always pretending. The book shows us that Tantie's way of life has value and that the old colonial attitudes that make people ashamed of their culture are wrong. Tantie represents the real Caribbean versus the fake European values.

In conclusion, Tantie definitely challenges social expectations by refusing to act like a proper English lady, and this makes her central to the novel's message about colonial attitudes and Caribbean identity.

Mark: 15/24

Examiner commentary: This response demonstrates sound knowledge of the text and addresses the main requirements of the question. The candidate identifies Tantie correctly as a character who challenges expectations and explains the nature and consequences of this challenge. However, the analysis remains somewhat general and surface-level—phrases like "bad language" and "act like a proper lady" lack the precision and depth expected at higher levels. The response would benefit from more specific textual references, more sophisticated vocabulary, and deeper exploration of how Tantie's character functions thematically. Structure is adequate but transitions between paragraphs are mechanical rather than smooth.

Grade V (Near miss) answer

Characters who challenge social expectations are important in Caribbean literature. In the book "Crick Crack, Monkey" there are many characters and some of them challenge society.

One character who challenges social expectations is Tantie. Tantie is Tee's aunt who takes care of her. She is different from Aunt Beatrice who is more sophisticated and proper. Tantie doesn't have good manners and she is always getting into trouble with people. She is a bad influence on Tee in some ways because she teaches her to be rude and to talk back to adults.

Tantie challenges society by being loud and angry. She fights with her neighbors and creates chaos as it says in the book. She doesn't care about being ladylike or polite. This causes problems because Aunt Beatrice decides that Tee should come and live with her instead where she can learn proper behavior and speak proper English. This shows that if you don't follow society's rules, there will be consequences.

I think Tantie is important because she shows what happens when you don't follow the rules of society. She loses Tee because she can't control her temper and act civilized. The book is teaching us that we need to have good manners and speak properly if we want to succeed in life. Aunt Beatrice represents the right way to behave and Tantie represents the wrong way. Even though Tantie loves Tee, love is not enough if you can't provide proper guidance and good example.

So I agree that characters who challenge social expectations are central to Caribbean literature because they teach important lessons about behavior.

Mark: 8/24

Examiner commentary: This response demonstrates limited understanding of the text's themes and misreads the author's intentions regarding Tantie and Aunt Beatrice. The candidate has basic knowledge of plot events but interprets them through a lens that actually reinforces the colonial values Hodge critiques—seeing Tantie as a "bad influence" and Beatrice as the "right way" shows fundamental misunderstanding. The response lacks textual evidence beyond vague references, uses simplistic vocabulary ("bad," "wrong way," "proper"), and fails to develop ideas beyond surface observations. The interpretation is problematic and misses the irony and social criticism central to the novel. To improve, the candidate needs to recognize that the novel critiques, rather than endorses, the devaluation of Caribbean culture.

Question 6 — Sample Answers

Grade I (Distinction) answer

Poets frequently employ nature imagery as a vehicle to explore complex human emotions and experiences, using the natural world as both mirror and metaphor for internal states. This technique is powerfully demonstrated in Derek Walcott's "A Far Cry from Africa" and Grace Nichols's "Hurricane Hits England," where nature imagery serves not merely as decoration but as the central means through which identity, conflict, and belonging are examined.

In "A Far Cry from Africa," Walcott uses the brutal imagery of the African veldt to externalize his internal conflict about his dual heritage. The poem opens with "A wind is ruffling the tawny pelt / Of Africa," immediately establishing the continent as a living creature through animal imagery. The "tawny pelt" suggests both the lion and the landscape, conflating predator and place. This is significant because Walcott proceeds to explore the violence of colonialism through images of natural predation: "Corpses are scattered through a paradise" and "the gorilla wrestles with the superman." The violence in nature becomes a metaphor for political violence, but more importantly, for the violence of Walcott's own divided consciousness. As someone of mixed African and European heritage, he asks, "How choose / Between this Africa and the English tongue I love?" The natural imagery—the veldt, the beasts, the "worm of conscience"—makes concrete his abstract emotional turmoil about identity and loyalty.

Grace Nichols's "Hurricane Hits England" similarly uses nature imagery, but here the natural force of the hurricane becomes a catalyst for reconnection rather than division. When the hurricane strikes England, it brings with it the gods of her Caribbean childhood: "Huracan, Oya, Shango." The storm is personified and mythologized, transforming from destructive force to spiritual messenger. The "howling ship of the wind" and the trees "falling heavy as whales" create images of power and magnitude that match the emotional significance of her experience. Through the hurricane's violence, the speaker rediscovers her roots: "Come to let me know / That the earth is the earth is the earth." The repetition emphasizes a fundamental truth revealed through nature—that she belongs to the earth regardless of geography. The storm imagery conveys her emotional awakening, her reconnection to her Caribbean identity even while living in England.

Both poets use nature imagery with remarkable effectiveness, but in contrasting ways. Walcott's natural imagery emphasizes brutality and conflict—predators, blood, the violence of the veldt—to mirror his irreconcilable internal divisions. His tone is anguished, and the natural world offers no resolution, only endless repetition of violence. Nichols, conversely, uses the hurricane's destructive power as ultimately life-affirming and connective. Where Walcott's nature imagery fragments identity, Nichols's nature imagery unifies it. Yet both demonstrate that nature imagery can embody psychological and cultural complexity far beyond simple metaphor. The landscapes they invoke are interior as much as exterior, proving that skillful poets make nature an active participant in exploring human consciousness.

Mark: 24/24

Examiner commentary: This is an outstanding response demonstrating sophisticated literary analysis and perceptive comparison. The candidate shows excellent knowledge of both poems with well-selected quotations integrated seamlessly into the argument. The analysis is consistently insightful, exploring how nature imagery functions both literally and symbolically in each poem. The comparison is genuine and analytical rather than mechanical, identifying both similarities and meaningful differences in how the poets deploy nature imagery. Expression is fluent and precise throughout, with confident use of literary terminology ("vehicle," "externalize," "conflating predator and place"). All bullet points are addressed comprehensively with depth and maturity. Full marks awarded.

Grade III (Pass) answer

Poets do use nature imagery to explore human emotions and this can be seen in the poems "A Far Cry from Africa" by Derek Walcott and "Hurricane Hits England" by Grace Nichols. Both poems use images from nature to talk about identity and belonging.

In "A Far Cry from Africa," Derek Walcott uses images of African animals and landscape to explore his feelings about his heritage. He describes Africa as having a "tawny pelt" like an animal, and he mentions violence with images like "corpses scattered through a paradise." He talks about "the gorilla wrestles with the superman" which shows the conflict between Africa and Europe. These nature images show his confusion about his identity because he has both African and European blood. He is torn between two cultures and doesn't know which side to choose. The violent images from nature show how painful this conflict is for him emotionally.

In "Hurricane Hits England," Grace Nichols uses the hurricane as a nature image to show her feelings about being away from the Caribbean. When the hurricane comes to England, it reminds her of home and makes her feel connected again. She mentions the Caribbean gods of storm like "Huracan" and "Shango" which shows that the hurricane is spiritual for her, not just weather. The power of the hurricane represents the strength of her Caribbean identity. The storm helps her realize that she can feel at home anywhere because "the earth is the earth is the earth." This nature imagery is effective because it shows her emotional journey from feeling displaced to feeling whole again.

The two poems use nature imagery similarly because both poets are dealing with identity issues and both use powerful nature images. However, they are different because Walcott's images are more violent and negative while Nichols's images are more positive in the end. Walcott's poem ends with questions showing he is still confused, but Nichols's poem ends with her feeling resolved and at peace.

In conclusion, both poets effectively use images from nature to convey their emotions about identity and belonging. The nature imagery makes their feelings more concrete and easier for readers to understand.

Mark: 16/24

Examiner commentary: This response shows clear understanding of both poems and addresses all required bullet points. The candidate correctly identifies relevant nature imagery and explains its connection to human emotions, particularly regarding identity. However, the analysis remains somewhat general and descriptive rather than deeply interpretive—statements like "makes their feelings more concrete" and "more positive in the end" lack the precision and sophistication of higher-level responses. The comparison is present but somewhat mechanical ("similarly," "however, they are different"). More specific textual analysis and exploration of how the imagery works technically would strengthen the response. Expression is generally clear but vocabulary could be more varied and precise. A solid pass-level answer that demonstrates competence without the insight required for higher grades.

Grade V (Near miss) answer

In poetry, nature imagery is used to show emotions. Two poems that do this are "A Far Cry from Africa" and "Hurricane Hits England."

"A Far Cry from Africa" by Derek Walcott is about Africa and colonialism. The poet uses nature images like animals to describe Africa. He says Africa has a "tawny pelt" which means it is like a lion. There are violent images in the poem about corpses and blood. This shows that colonialism was violent and many people died. The nature imagery shows the violence of history.

The poet also talks about being divided between Africa and England. He uses a metaphor about a worm which represents his conscience. This shows his emotions are troubled. The natural images in this poem are mostly sad and violent which reflects the history of colonialism.

"Hurricane Hits England" is about a storm that hits England. Grace Nichols describes the hurricane using natural imagery of wind and trees falling. She mentions Caribbean gods which shows her culture. The hurricane is powerful and destructive but it makes her remember her home in the Caribbean. The natural imagery of the storm is effective because storms are powerful like emotions.

These two poems are similar because they both use nature. They both talk about identity and culture. Both poets are from the Caribbean originally so they use Caribbean nature in their poems. The difference is that one poem is about Africa and one is about a hurricane.

In conclusion, poets use nature imagery to show emotions like these two poets do. Nature is a good way to describe feelings because everyone can relate to nature. The imagery makes the poems more interesting to read.

Mark: 9/24

Examiner commentary: This response demonstrates limited understanding of how nature imagery functions in poetry. While the candidate identifies some relevant images, analysis is superficial and often misses the complexity of the poems—for example, reducing "A Far Cry from Africa" to simply being "about colonialism" without addressing Walcott's personal conflict. The treatment of nature imagery is descriptive rather than analytical; the candidate notes that images are present but doesn't effectively explain how they convey meaning or create emotional effects. The comparison is minimal and mechanical, noting similarity ("both use nature") without meaningful analysis. Expression is simple and repetitive, with limited vocabulary. Significant misreadings occur (suggesting both poems use "Caribbean nature" when Walcott's poem is explicitly about Africa). To improve, the candidate needs to move beyond plot summary to actual analysis of technique and effect, use more specific textual evidence, and develop interpretative skills.