Literature-In-English Paper 3 WASSCE (PC), 2023

Question 6                  JOHN OSBORNE: Look Back in Anger
Consider three problems associated with Jimmy and Alison’s marriage.

This question requires the candidates to examine three problems associated with the marriage of Alison and Jimmy.
Candidates were expected to discuss:

  • The central theme of the frustrating social class conflict in post-World War II Britain.
  • Character Identification Jimmy and Alison Porter.
  • Alison’s parents’ disapproval of the union between Jimmy and Alison: they see Jimmy as a nonentity because he belongs to the lower class of society, Jimmy’s anger extends to Alison’s family whom he regards as arrogant and selfish and he uses abusive language on Alison’s parents.
  • Jimmy’s frustrations: Jimmy’s antagonism towards the upper-class is expressed through the attacks on Alison, her family and even his own middle-class relatives.  After graduation, he cannot get what he expects from his education and that frustrates him. He, therefore, extends that frustration on Alison and complains against her all the time.;
  • The cunning and covetous nature of Helena: she persuades Alison to leave Jimmy’s home when she gets pregnant. After Alison leaves for her parent’s home, already pregnant, Helena assumes her friend’s position as Jimmy’s lover through a passionate kiss she gives him.

Candidates’ performance in this question was average.