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The second section of the exam requires you to write an essay. There will be two questions, one character-based and the other theme-based. You need to choose one of these. The most important thing is to remember to include as much detail as possible, because this tells the examiner that you know the play very well. The essay question covers assessment objectives AO1 (33%) and AO2 (67%).

AO1

Read and understand the text; respond to the text personally, developing thoughts and opinions; use evidence to support points.

AO2

Explain how language, structure and form contribute to writers’ presentation of ideas, themes and settings.

The examiners are looking for you to demonstrate good knowledge of the whole play. You must have a clear idea about:

• plot
• characters
• themes
• language, form and structure
• dramatisation

In the same way that you wrote a brief plan to help you in the extract question, it is a good idea to write a plan for your essay. This means that you can structure your essay properly so that you do not leave anything out or repeat information. You should include some short, relevant text references, but this is not a memory test so do not worry about learning a lot of quotes!

Here are examples of essay titles from a higher tier and a foundation tier exam.

Higher tier

To what extent do you find A View from the Bridge an effective title for the play?

Foundation tier

Write about two different examples which show that A View from the Bridge is a good title for the play.

Planning your answer

1. Introduction. Explain which examples you have chosen to illustrate the 'bridge' theme
2. Comment on Brooklyn Bridge; where it is and who lives there
3. Comment on the 'bridge' between continents and cultures
4. Comment on the 'bridge' between generations
5. Comment on the 'bridge' between acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour
6. Conclusion. Here you provide a general summing up of your points

Higher tier sample answers

Here are two sample responses which address point two of the essay plan:

Sample answer one

The 'bridge' could be said to be Brooklyn Bridge. It is a real bridge in New York. It links Brooklyn to Manhattan. The people who live in Red Hook, Brooklyn are poor and many of them work at the docks. Eddie and his friends work in the dockyards and they see all types of products being brought into New York.

Sometimes they help themselves to goods which allows us to see that they feel that the owners would not mind if a few of their products went missing. The characters would have to cross the bridge to get to the city of New York so I expect they feel separated from it somehow.

Feedback comments – quite focused on the point but needs improvements

This answer shows that the pupil is aware of what the Brooklyn Bridge represents. It is clear that the idea of the Red Hook residents being separated from the rest of New York City is uppermost in the pupil's mind, but the discussion is not analytical enough.

The discussion about the dockworkers helping themselves to goods is not relevant here; it should be included as a detail in a different essay. Another point is to keep the essay impersonal and not use I think.

Sample answer two

The 'bridge of the title could be said to be the actual Brooklyn Bridge. Alfieri says that Red Hook is on the seaward side of Brooklyn Bridge, the poor area where, from the nineteenth century until after World War Two, Eddie Carbone, his family and many immigrants to the United States, have come to live and work.

The bridge reminds us that the Atlantic Ocean comes into New York via the Hudson River, and the dockyards where Eddie and his friends work are directly under the bridge – the gullet of New York swallowing the tonnage of the world. It looms over their lives, reminding us that although they are physically separated from Manhattan, which is the business and commerce area of New York and all it offers, they are linked to it by this bridge and are therefore as American as anyone else. As Americans, they can profit from all the good things America has to offer, but they do also have to abide by its laws, which is an important part of the play.

Feedback comments – a much better response

This answer gets straight to the point about Brooklyn Bridge and what it represents in the play. It includes relevant quotes from Alfieri’s opening speech which are securely embedded. Specific quatations are linked to broader ideas in the play. There is a clear understanding of the metaphorical importance of the bridge, acting as not only a physical but also a symbolic link to the rest of the United States.

To improve further, this response could have looked at specific language used for effect, such as the personification of the Hudson river in Alfieri’s speech.