How to Revise Follower — AQA GCSE English Literature
Follower is a topic in the AQA GCSE English Literature specification. This guide covers learning objectives, examiner tips, common mistakes, and key terminology to help you revise effectively.
Examiner Tips for Follower
- Always closely analyse language features: zoom in on verbs like 'stumbled' or 'fell' to trace the decline in physical prowess.
- Structure your response around the poem's chronological shift: begin with the father's expertise, then contrast with his later helplessness.
- Link the poem's context to Heaney's broader concerns with rural Irish identity and the passage of time, but avoid mere biographical narration.
Common Mistakes in Follower
- Treating the poem solely as a nostalgic tribute without addressing the ironic reversal in the final stanza.
- Misreading the nautical imagery as merely decorative, rather than integral to the characterisation of the father as a skilled navigator.
- Overlooking the significance of the title 'Follower' and its dual meaning—first the son, then the father.
- Ignoring the structural shift from regular quatrains to the abrupt, shorter final line, which mirrors the disruption in the relationship.
Key Marking Points
- Award credit for detailed analysis of specific word choices, such as 'globed' or 'sail', and their connotations of precision and control.
- Reward identification of the poem's volta or shift, typically around the final stanza, where the power dynamic inverts.
- Credit sustained comparison between the father's past competence and present dependency, supported by textual evidence.
- Value recognition of the cyclical nature of the poem, mirroring the farming process itself.
- Acknowledge exploration of the speaker's mixed emotions: pride, guilt, resentment, or love.