As a core GCSE subject, you can’t avoid memorising quotes. And with several English Literature texts to study, that adds up to a huge honeypot of quotes!
Just like Pooh Bear, it can be heard to memorise lots of quotes, especially when they all seem so important. Where do you start?
Memorise Versatile Quotes
What is a killer quote exactly? It’s a short, memorable and powerful quote that can be used across different questions.
Let’s take Lady Macbeth’s memorable line in Act 1: ‘Be like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.‘ In one short quote:
- The imperative verb ‘look..’ conveys LM’s unconventional power and control – bringing in to play the issue of masculinity and femininity
- The simile ‘like an innocent flower’ alludes to the appearance and reality theme that pervades the play. The innocence angle also connects to ideas about evil.
- Talking of which, the snake metaphor is a biblical allusion, encouraging the audience to connect the pair with the Devil. This then connects to the supernatural theme.
- The paradoxical statement links to the Witches’ words in the play’s first scene: ‘Fair is foul, and foul is fair.’ Things not being what they seem builds across the play, ending in both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth coming face to face with harsh reality and fate when there are no more hiding places.
So, you see. If you whittle down each text to five or six key ‘killer’ quotes, you can use them across most questions and they’ll be easier to memorise.
Use Pictograms to Trigger Retrieval
This is the simple trick of turning key quotes into simple pictures to help recall them. An image of a torch, a flame and the sun fits with Romeo’s description of Juliet: ‘She doth teach the torches to burn bright.’
Or, if you’re studying AQA Power and Conflict, a simple pic of a black mouth could represent: ‘Into the jaws of death/Into the mouth of hell‘ from The Charge of the Light Brigade.
An extension of memorising quotes with images is dual coding. This combines short words and images. For example, combining the words merciless winds with an image of a knife represents ‘merciless iced winds that knife us’ from Owen’s poem ‘Exposure.’
Shorter words and quotes are easier to memorise when you connect them to an image. Try it!
Do you Need Help to Recall Information?
Fear not. When you need extra help to retrieve quotes and content, write essays in timed conditions, analyse poetry or understand themes, call our friendly tuition team today.
We don’t just offer English GCSE support, of course. We have some of the best GCSE subject tutors and teachers across Manchester and Cheshire.
From Maths to Science, Economics to Modern Languages, just get in touch to see how we can help you shine.
*Image courtesy of flitto.com
Tags: Lady Macbeth, Macbeth, Power and Conflict poetry, Romeo and Juliet, themes