1. 1
Past exam questions: Section C
Below you will find a list of past exam questions for Section C of your exam paper. For this section
you will have two questions to choose from, so for example on a real exam paper you would have
question 1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & 6, and so on. For the most part one question will be easier to answer than
the other. Remember that other schools would have studied different films therefore some films led
better to some questions than others. By looking at the question you should notice that at least one
of the questions out of the two is about key themes/ message and values or time and place, hence
why I have made a point of making this key to your studies of the films. I am going to guide you
through all of questions that would relevant to the two films we have studied – the most important
thing to remember is that even if I don’t mention it in the main section of your essay you must
always use TEXTUAL EVIDENCE/ TEXTUAL REFERENCING!
1. Compare the ways in which key themes in your chosen American films are presented.
2. With reference to your chosen American films, compare the extent to which their messages
and values reflect the times in which they were made
3. How important is place in contributing to key themes in the American films you have
studied for this topic?
4. Discuss similarities and differences in the representation of masculinity in your chosen
American films.
5. How far do the American films you have studied for this topic depend on well established
narrative and/or genre conventions?
6. How far do the American films you have studied for this topic express similar messages and
values to one another?
7. Compare the ways in which narrative is used to create dramatic conflict in the American
films you have studied for this topic
8. How far do your chosen American films portray themes and ideas in similar ways?
9. With particular reference to the endings of your chosen American films, compare their
messages and values.
10. How useful have your wider contextual studies been in understanding similarities and
differences in the American films you have studied for this topic?
11. What is significant about setting and/or place in your chosen American films?
12. In the American films you have studied for this topic, how far do the representations of
either women or men reflect the time when they were made?
13. How do key sequences from your chosen American films reinforce their messages and
values?
14. ‘Films always reflect the times and places in which they are made.’ How far is this true of the
American films you have studied for this topic?

2. 2
Remember when reading an exam question the best thing to do is to reword it so that if shows that
you understand the question – focus on key words.
1. Compare the ways in which key themes in your chosen American films are presented.
This is an easy question all it wants you to do is discuss the key themes and compare how they
come across in each of the films.
Possible Structure:
 Introduce your films and what they’re about, explain where they films are set. Put
forward the case that the similar narrative of a court case and the fact that both films
are set in the Deep South of America give credence to there being some similarities in the
way that the key themes are presented. Explain what key themes you are going to
examine/ compare, possibly give suggestions as to how these come across (e.g. the
protagonists in each film; Jake Brigance and Atticus Finch) – then in the main of the
essay systematically provide the evidence of this.
 Main section – go through each of the themes you said you would in the introduction,
discuss in detail how they come across – how the film communicates them to the
audience – I think it best, for example, if you chose Bigotry discuss it in one film then the
other then compare or suggest why they are presented in the same way. OR you can
start with the comparison then show how it comes across in each film. MAKE SURE YOU
USE TEXTUAL EVIDENCE/ TEXTUAL REFERENCING!
 Conclude – make sure you re-address the question, summarise your points and wrap
everything up
2. With reference to your chosen American films, compare the extent to which their messages
and values reflect the times in which they were made
There is a guide on how to answer this question in the revision pack I gave you; you can also find
it on the blog http://asa2film20092011.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/section-c-general-notes-on-
both-films.html
3. How important is place in contributing to key themes in the American films you have
studied for this topic?
This question wants to know if the fact that both film are set in Deep South America has had an
effect on the key themes in the films. If you listened to my revision lessons notes you would
obviously say YES, place is very significant to contribution to the key themes. WHY? Because the
biggest key theme is Bigotry, we all know by now that this includes elements of racism, racial
intolerance and racial inequality. Racism is inextricable from the history of a setting such as Deep
South America, especially the states of Mississippi (make sure you spell it right!) and Alabama.
Therefore racism, whether people like it or not, permeates in southern society leading to
institutionalised racism, that in both films is seen to effect Justice and The Law, the way that
people see ETHICS and more so in ATTK racism affects people and the audiences’ PERSPECTIVE.
So in a question such as this (at least for our films) it’s not as easy as just going through each of
the key themes, but starting with the main one, and explaining how this then effects/ links to
the other themes.

3. 3
Possible Structure:
 Introduce each film and what they’re about; explain the main key theme that features in
both films and how this is linked to the place where the films are set. Go on explain how
this key theme and setting helps to create links to other themes that appear in the films –
explain what these are.
 Main section – obviously start with Bigotry and explain how it comes across in both films,
ensuring that re-reference place as key – and providing TEXTUAL EVIDENCE/ TEXTUAL
REFERENCES to back up any points you have made. You can then go on to crate links to
other themes ensuring you still use TEXTUAL EVIDENCE/ TEXTUAL REFERENCES!
 Conclusion – ask yourself ‘do I think that place has been important in these films in
contribution to key themes’ then go ahead and answer the question – but this time you
don’t need to list in detail all the evidence. Just say enough to convince the examiner of
your point.
5. How far do the American films you have studied for this topic depend on well established
narrative and/or genre conventions?
This is probably one of the harder questions that I left in, and it requires applying knowledge
gain in Shaun’s lesson to help you. Let’s just focus on narrative conventions. They way that I
understand the question would be to apply Todorov’s theory to both films. You could compare
each stage of each film with Todorov’s 5 stages and discuss cause and effect.
6. How far do the American films you have studied for this topic express similar messages and
values to one another?
Don’t be thrown by a question like this, the only way that you can get a message or value across
is through the use of the key themes. So in effect what you need to do is explain this in your
essay and then go on to discuss the themes and MAKE SURE you say what messages and/ or
values (morals/beliefs) comes across through the use of it and the extent to which the two films
do this is similar ways.
Possible Structure:
 Introduce each film and what they’re about; explain that the way in which the films
communicate their messages and values is through the use of their shared key themes.
Explain what the key themes are, and give and mini example of message/ moral. Then in
the main of the essay go on to expand on the points you have made here.
 Main section – go through the themes explain how they come across and the message/
value that is taught through it. I think this can be tricky, and requires some person
opinion/reflection on the films. For example I would say that a message shared by both
films is that innocence can be subjective and thwarted by perspective. Carl Lee and Boo
Radley were both made to be innocent in one way or another – I would then go on to
discuss this through the use of the theme Justice and The Law and possible Ethics. What
messages/ morals did you get from the films?
 Conclude – how you wrap this essay up all depends on how you address the question in
the main section

4. 4
8. How far do your chosen American films portray themes and ideas in similar ways?
This question is very similar to question 1
10 How useful have your wider contextual studies been in understanding similarities and
differences in the American films you have studied for this topic?
This question wants you to consider what was happening at the times when the films were
made, and how your knowledge of these time periods and events that occurred during these
time periods have helped you to understand the two films.
Possible Structure:
 Introduce the two films and what they’re about, discuss where they are set and link this
to the issue of race that then links to the context. Briefly explain what was happening at
the times both films were made (see revision booklet) – in the main of the essay talk
about this in more detail and how some themes help to the films more.
 For TKAM you would have to discuss The Civil Rights Movement (you should have done
more research on this yourself – typing it into Wikipedia is the least you can do! There
are also links at the bottom of this document to help you
http://www.slideshare.net/belair1981/exam-essay-structure-with-
tasks?ref=http://asa2film20092011.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/section-c-general-notes-on-both-films.html ) You will
need to explain how the film reflected the messages and values of this issue and how
that in turn helped you understand the film better. The same with ATTK in the 90’s you
had high profile race relations cases, shows on TV that portrayed negative stereotypes of
black people, other film that were being made that focused on racial equalitiesi
and
injustices and black churches being burned to the ground. Explain how the film reflected
the issues of the time. Comment on any similarities/ differences in the films and the way
in which they link to context e.g. race clearly being that big issue and unfortunately in the
1990s the issues seem much the same as they did in the 1960s – posing the question is
race relations as issue that America still has to deal with? I don’t know that’s a question
that comes to mind for me.
 Conclusion – ask yourself has knowing about what happened when the film were made
help me to compare and understand them more – then write your answer.
11. What is significant about setting and/or place in your chosen American films?
This question is similar to question 3
13. How do key sequences from your chosen American films reinforce their messages and
values?
This is a simple textual analysis question, which should be easy I keep encouraging you to use
TEXTUAL EVIDENCE/ TEXTUAL REFERENCING. So choose some key themes and discuss how the
use of film language or character empathy/alignment is used to make the message/ moral more
salient (significant). For example ATTK - Justice and The Law – Carl Lee killing entering the court
house at night, killing the men, then getting arrested, Perspective – Tonya’s rape and Jake’s
summation. TKAM – I think that the main key sequence is when he gives his summation you can
dissect what he says to discuss the themes of Justice and The Law and Bigotry. It’s good to
compare his summation with Jake’s.

5. 5
14. ‘Films always reflect the times and places in which they are made.’ How far is this true of the
American films you have studied for this topic?
This question is similar to question 10
i
Once Upon A time when we were coloured, White Man’s Burden, The Long Walk Home and many others