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Unpacking questions

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  • The old course /
  • Assessment (2020 exams)/
  • Paper 2/
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  • Unpacking questions

As Paper 2 presents six unseen questions, you will want to become good at understanding and 'unpacking' exam questions. The term 'to unpack' is used here because it suggests that essay questions, like baggage, can be opened up to reveal more inside. This is a very applicable metaphor to Paper 2. We often select one of the six essay questions based on a gut feeling, but we do not always understand the implications of the question until we have studied it more closely.

This lesson aims to develop a simple but important skill of mind mapping an essay question. Unpacking exam questions is a skill that requires practice. Below, you can see how one question has been unpacked. More exam style questions have been included as well so that you can practice unpacking in a similar way. 

Spider diagrams

One of the best ways to unpack a question is to draw a spider diagram or mind map. This simple tool is effective because it asks you to attach existing knowledge (about the Part 3 works) to new concepts (an unseen question).

To start, examine all of the implications of a particular question. For example, if a question reads: "How are characters alienated from society in at least 2 works that you have read?" you can explore several aspects of alienation. Ask questions about the question:

  • "Is the character alienated from his family and friends?"
  • "What does it mean to be alienated?"
  • "Is a character literally exiled or emotionally shut out?" 

In brief, one word can have many implications.

Secondly, apply the implications of the question to the literary works you've read. For example: "How is 'alienation' different for Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye than for Prospero in The Tempest?" In the diagram below you can see how a student has drawn a spider diagram for an essay question. 

Tip: One of the most effective ways of drawing a spider diagram is on a large sheet of paper, using a strong marker and a few classmates. This activity lends itself to group work, as some members of the group may see implications to the question that you had not seen before. Rewriting the exam question in a large font also helps you see more aspects of the question.

Answering the question

Once you have made a spider diagram and unpacked the question, it is time to write two or three sentences that very concisely and succinctly answer all implications of the question. These could form the basis for thesis statements or topic sentences. Here you can see how a student has broken down her answers to a Paper 2 essay question in several parts.

"Analyze how justice is represented and understood in your works."

What definition of justice does Antigone present? 

In Antigone, at least two kinds of justice exist. One is divine justice, which requires certain actions on the part of Antigone towards her dead brother's body, and which takes away everything from Creon in the end. The other is legal justice, which is what Creon adheres to. He has decreed that any one involved in the insurrection against the city will not receive a burial. Anyone found guilty of this will be killed.

How does this compare to the definition of justice in Death of a Salesman?  

According to Willy, hard work or popularity should lead to wealth and prosperity. His world is governed by the idea that he and his family deserve status, that this would be just. However, the world around him does not correspond to this definition of justice. His brother seems to have made his money without much effort and the understated, unpopular boy next door becomes a financial success. There is also a cruel moral justice suggested. Willy's love affair with the woman, which Biff discovers, haunts him and his son throughout their lives

How is justice represented in Antigone?

The character of Antigone is the representation of divine justice in human action. The character of Creon represents worldly, limited, legal justice. Each character's words and actions correspond to this position. The emotional tone created in these characters' respective words also contributes to the representation of these points of view. 

How is justice represented in Death of a Salesman?

The characters of Willy and Biff illustrate their ideas of justice through their words and references to the past. Willy refers to his past years of service and his many acquaintances as if these would guarantee him success, or at least security, in the present. His inability to cope with the present, seen through his dream-like states and repetitions, shows that his view of what would be 'just' isn't in fact what is actually happening. Interestingly, the use of the symbol of the silk stockings also serves to illustrate another type of justice - the error of the past coming back to haunt you. Not only does the flashback of the incident serve to suggest that Biff's failure stems from his discovery of his father's imperfection, but the silk stockings continuously appear in Willy's mind and verbal references to remind him of the difference between appearances and reality, what he would like to think of himself, and what he really is.

More questions 

Here are several sample questions that you may find useful to unpack. These questions have not appeared on exams before, but they have been written in the spirit of the Paper 2 exam. 

  1. Explain how the authors of at least two literary works have portrayed a social group in a particular way. How may the contexts of the authors influenced their portrayal of these social groups?

  2. It is often said that literature is a voice for social commentary. How is this true of at least two works that you have read.

  3. To what extent can the meaning of a literary work change over time? How does this question apply to at least two works that you have read.

  4. To what degree are readers influenced by their culture and context. Explain how at lest two works could be read differently depending on the culture of their audience. 

  5. 'Coming of age' is a common theme in literary works. With regards to at least two literary works, explain how the author's own youth influenced their portrayal of this theme. 

  6. With regards to at least two literary works, explain how the setting both influences the characters and reflects the author's own context.

  7. How are the characters from at least two literary works representational of people from the time and place in which they were written?

  8. Why might two of your Part 3 works be considered 'timeless'?

  9. With regards to two literary texts, explain why authors may have chosen to depict events in a particular sequence or order. 

  10. How do two literary works both reflect and challenge the spirit of the times in which they were written.