GCSE English Literature Paper 1 - 19th-century novel - QP

Sep 5, 2026

GCSE English Literature Paper 1 focuses on responding to a single question on a chosen 19th-century text. The paper requires black ink or ball-point pen, forbids dictionaries, and limits answers to one question worth 30 marks within 50 minutes. Example prompts include exploring how Stevenson crafts a disturbing atmosphere through settings in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and similar interpretive tasks on Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Supporting passages and chapter references guide close reading and analysis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

GCSE English Literature

Paper 1 N - 19th-century novel

Instructions

Question 01: Robert Louis Stevenson

Question 02: Charles Dickens

GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE Paper 1 N 19th-century novel Time allowed: 50 minutes Materials For this paper you must have: • an AQA 12-page Answer Book. Instructions • Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Do not use pencil. • Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 8702/1 N. • Answer one question. • You must not use a dictionary. Information • The marks for questions are shown in brackets. • The maximum mark for this paper is 30. There are no questions printed on this page The 19th-century novel Robert Louis Stevenson Charles Dickens Charles Dickens Charlotte Brontë Mary Shelley Jane Austen Arthur Conan Doyle The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde A Christmas Carol Great Expectations Jane Eyre Frankenstein Pride and Prejudice The Sign of Four Question 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 Page 4–5 6–7 8–9 10–11 12–13 14–15 16–17 Turn over for question 01 Answer one question on your chosen text. Either 0 1 Robert Louis Stevenson: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Read the following extract from Chapter 8 (The Last Night) of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and then answer the question that follows. In this extract, Utterson and Poole go to Dr. Jekyll’s house because they are worried about him. It was a wild, cold, seasonable night of March, with a pale moon, lying on her back as though the wind had tilted her, and a flying wrack of the most diaphanous and lawny texture. The wind made talking difficult, and flecked the blood into the face. It seemed to have swept the streets unusually bare of 5 passengers, besides; for Mr. Utterson thought he had never seen that part of London so deserted. He could have wished it otherwise; never in his life had he been conscious of so sharp a wish to see and touch his fellow-creatures; for, struggle as he might, there was borne in upon his mind a crushing anticipation of calamity. The square, when they got there, was all full of wind and dust, and the 10 thin trees in the garden were lashing themselves along the railing. Poole, who had kept all the way a pace or two ahead, now pulled up in the middle of the pavement, and , in spite of the biting weather, took off his hat and mopped his brow with a red pocket-handkerchief. But for all the hurry of his coming, these were not the dews of exertion that he wiped away, but the moisture of some 15 strangling anguish; for his face was white , and his voice, when he spoke, harsh and broken. “Well, sir,” he said, “here we are, and God grant there be nothing wrong.” “Amen, Poole,” said the lawyer. Thereupon the servant knocked in a very guarded manner; the door was 20 opened on the chain; and a voice asked from within, “Is that you, Poole?” “It's all right,” said Poole. “Open the door.” The hall, when they entered it, was brightly lighted up; the fire was built high; and about the hearth the whole of the servants, men and women, stood huddled together like a flock of sheep. At the sight of Mr. Utterson, the housemaid broke 25 into hysterical whimpering; and the cook, crying out “Bless God! it's Mr. Utterson,” ran forward as if to take him in her arms. “What, what? Are you all here?” said the lawyer peevishly. “Very irregular, very unseemly; your master would be far from pleased.” “They're all afraid,” said Poole. 0 1 Starting with this extract, explore how Stevenson uses settings to create a disturbing and threatening atmosphere. Write about: • how Stevenson uses settings in this extract • how Stevenson uses settings to create a disturbing and threatening atmosphere in the novel as a whole. [30 marks] Turn over for the next question or 0 2 Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol Read the following extract from Chapter 2 of A Christmas Carol and then answer the question that follows. In this extract, the Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge the Christmas party he attende

FAQs

What is the time limit and maximum mark for GCSE English Literature Paper 1 N?

The time allowed is 50 minutes, and the maximum mark is 30.

What are the key exam instructions for writing the answers?

Use black ink or black ball-point pen, do not use a dictionary, write required information on the answer book front, and answer one question.

How does the paper structure the reading task for each text?

Each question presents an extract with a chapter reference and then asks about a specific analytical focus, guiding close reading of the chosen text.

Sep 5, 2026

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