AQA A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE B Paper 2B Texts and genres: Elements of political and social
protest writing QP MAY 2025
A-level
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
Paper 2B Texts and genres: Elements of political and
social protest writing
Thursday 22 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 3
hours
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 12-page answer book
a copy of the set text(s) you have studied for Section B and Section C. These texts
must not be annotated and must not contain additional notes or materials.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7717/2B.
You must answer the question in Section A, one question from Section B and one
question from Section C. Over Section B and Section C you must write about three
texts: one poetry text, one post-2000 prose text and one further text. At least one of
your texts must be written pre-1900.
Do all rough work in the answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be
marked.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 75.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about
– explore connections across the texts you have studied
– explore different interpretations of your texts.
IB/G/Jun25/G4009/
7717/2B
E2
, 2
Section A
Answer the question in this section.
0 1 Explore the significance of the elements of political and social protest writing in
this extract.
Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways the
author has shaped meanings.
[25 marks]
This extract is taken from Racing Demon written by David Hare and first
performed in 1990. Harry is a gay reverend in the Church of England at a
time when gay relationships had been legal for some time but attitudes were
still divided. Harry has kept his sexuality a secret and fears that, if it is
exposed, those who attend his church and the wider public will turn against
him. In this scene, he is confronted by a journalist, Tommy, who is
threatening to expose him in the tabloid press.
SCENE FOUR
A darkened street. HARRY going home, in an overcoat, his keys already in his hand as he
approaches the front door of a small terraced house. TOMMY ADAIR steps out of the
shadows, smoking a cigarette.
HARRY: Hello.
TOMMY: I needed a vicar. I needed someone to talk about sin. So I thought
I’d come to an expert.
HARRY: Are you in trouble? Do you mean now? (Frowns.) If it’s not urgent we
can make an appointment.
TOMMY: That’ll be too late. I need to be sorted out by Sunday.
HARRY: Sunday? (Looks closely at TOMMY.) Do you mean before church?
(Starts to move away, suspicious.) Why don’t you ring in the morning? My
number’s in
the book.
TOMMY: Don’t fancy me, eh?
(HARRY gets it.)
HARRY: Not in the slightest. Good night.
(But TOMMY at once goes on to the attack, raising his voice for the first time.)
TOMMY: I’m from a well-known national newspaper. I talked with a great friend
of yours.
He’s rather a sweet and passive
boy. (HARRY just looks, not
answering.)
I’m doing an investigative piece. It’ll appear next Sunday. If we talked you
could give me a number of other names. And that way your own name
might not appear. (There is a pause. Then HARRY moves towards him, casual,
not frightened, taking him on.)
HARRY: I’ll send you the synodical1 paper on exactly the subject you’re interested
in.
Yes. The church set up a committee some years ago. A report was
commissioned. I can let you have a copy if you like. If you have space
you can print it in full. Did you know we had a synodical debate? Are
you a theological correspondent? (HARRY moves closer to him.)
The report asserts that genital acts between men are not necessarily wrong.
IB/G/
Jun25/7717/2B
protest writing QP MAY 2025
A-level
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
Paper 2B Texts and genres: Elements of political and
social protest writing
Thursday 22 May 2025 Morning Time allowed: 3
hours
Materials
For this paper you must have:
an AQA 12-page answer book
a copy of the set text(s) you have studied for Section B and Section C. These texts
must not be annotated and must not contain additional notes or materials.
Instructions
Use black ink or black ball-point pen.
Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is
7717/2B.
You must answer the question in Section A, one question from Section B and one
question from Section C. Over Section B and Section C you must write about three
texts: one poetry text, one post-2000 prose text and one further text. At least one of
your texts must be written pre-1900.
Do all rough work in the answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be
marked.
Information
The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
The maximum mark for this paper is 75.
You will be marked on your ability to:
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
In your response you need to:
– analyse carefully the writers’ methods
– explore the contexts of the texts you are writing about
– explore connections across the texts you have studied
– explore different interpretations of your texts.
IB/G/Jun25/G4009/
7717/2B
E2
, 2
Section A
Answer the question in this section.
0 1 Explore the significance of the elements of political and social protest writing in
this extract.
Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways the
author has shaped meanings.
[25 marks]
This extract is taken from Racing Demon written by David Hare and first
performed in 1990. Harry is a gay reverend in the Church of England at a
time when gay relationships had been legal for some time but attitudes were
still divided. Harry has kept his sexuality a secret and fears that, if it is
exposed, those who attend his church and the wider public will turn against
him. In this scene, he is confronted by a journalist, Tommy, who is
threatening to expose him in the tabloid press.
SCENE FOUR
A darkened street. HARRY going home, in an overcoat, his keys already in his hand as he
approaches the front door of a small terraced house. TOMMY ADAIR steps out of the
shadows, smoking a cigarette.
HARRY: Hello.
TOMMY: I needed a vicar. I needed someone to talk about sin. So I thought
I’d come to an expert.
HARRY: Are you in trouble? Do you mean now? (Frowns.) If it’s not urgent we
can make an appointment.
TOMMY: That’ll be too late. I need to be sorted out by Sunday.
HARRY: Sunday? (Looks closely at TOMMY.) Do you mean before church?
(Starts to move away, suspicious.) Why don’t you ring in the morning? My
number’s in
the book.
TOMMY: Don’t fancy me, eh?
(HARRY gets it.)
HARRY: Not in the slightest. Good night.
(But TOMMY at once goes on to the attack, raising his voice for the first time.)
TOMMY: I’m from a well-known national newspaper. I talked with a great friend
of yours.
He’s rather a sweet and passive
boy. (HARRY just looks, not
answering.)
I’m doing an investigative piece. It’ll appear next Sunday. If we talked you
could give me a number of other names. And that way your own name
might not appear. (There is a pause. Then HARRY moves towards him, casual,
not frightened, taking him on.)
HARRY: I’ll send you the synodical1 paper on exactly the subject you’re interested
in.
Yes. The church set up a committee some years ago. A report was
commissioned. I can let you have a copy if you like. If you have space
you can print it in full. Did you know we had a synodical debate? Are
you a theological correspondent? (HARRY moves closer to him.)
The report asserts that genital acts between men are not necessarily wrong.
IB/G/
Jun25/7717/2B
