Marking Scheme – Gr 10 Term 1, Literature Assessment 1, May 2023

Note to Examiner: This marking scheme is by no means definitive and is meant to be a guide
on key points expected from each answer. Individual examiners are expected to use their
personal discretion and reward exceptional answers that may incorporate ideas going
beyond this scheme.

POETRY
Boey Kim Cheng: The Planners

Question 1 (a): How does the poem ‘The Planners’ evocatively convey Boey Kim Cheng’s
distaste for the city planners?

All students need to address point 7 as well as a minimum of 3 points from points 1 to 6.

A few students will be able to comment on:

1. The structure of the poem - free verse, lack of regular rhyme scheme, stanza lengths,
and punctuation that build a coherent argument and impact reader’s experience.
Elaboration on how the form is a metaphor for the lack of naturalness in
urbanization.
2. A comprehensive analysis of the imagery used - sterile buildings, a face with lines like
a blueprint, comparison of city planning to dentistry, and a comparison of the city to
a computer grid, reflecting the artificiality of urban life.
3. A perceptive understanding of the tone and mood of the poem - ranging from harsh
criticism to sorrow, with evidence from the text.
4. An evaluation of at least three poetic devices and techniques used - personification,
similes, metaphors, repetition, anaphora, and imagery, effectively tied to the
meaning of the poem and the essay question.
5. An in-depth understanding of the contrast in the poem - the past and present,
natural, and artificial, human emotion and sterility, with textual evidence.
6. An analysis of the poem’s themes - 'dehumanization, loss of cultural identity, and
critique of urbanization', with strong evidence from the text.
7. Essay Structure - should include an engaging introduction with contextual
information, a clear thesis statement and general statement. For each point in the
thesis, they provide three solid ETEs/PEALs with supporting textual evidence and a
thoughtful reader response summarizing the point. The conclusion should effectively
paraphrase the thesis statement.

Some students will be able to comment on:

1. The structure of the poem - with some insight into how the punctuation, stanza
lengths, the free verse and lack of regular rhyme scheme mirrors the theme.
2. A good understanding of the imagery used - sterile buildings, comparison of city
planning to dentistry, a face with lines like a blueprint, and a comparison of the city
to a computer grid.
3. Some analysis of the tone and mood of the poem, with supporting examples.
4. The use of at least two poetic devices - personification, similes, metaphors,
repetition, anaphora, and imagery.
 5. An understanding of the contrast in the poem - the past and present, natural, and
artificial, human emotion and sterility.
6. An understanding of the themes - 'dehumanization, loss of cultural identity, and
critique of urbanization', with some evidence.
7. Essay Structure - an introduction with some contextual information, a clear general
statement, and a somewhat effective thesis statement. For each point of the thesis
statement, they will provide two ETEs/PEALs with some evidence from the text, and
a reader's response summarizing the point. The conclusion should paraphrase the
thesis statement.

Most students may be able to comment on:

1. The basic structure of the poem - free verse, punctuation, stanza lengths and lack of
a regular rhyme scheme.
2. Identify some imagery used - sterile buildings, comparison of city planning to
dentistry, a face with lines like a blueprint, and a comparison of the city to a
computer grid.
3. A basic understanding of the tone and mood of the poem.
4. At least one poetic device - personification, similes, metaphors, repetition, anaphora,
and imagery.
5. A basic understanding of the contrast in the poem - past and present, natural, and
artificial, human emotion and sterility.
6. Themes - 'dehumanization, loss of cultural identity, and critique of urbanization', with
minimal evidence.
7. Essay Structure - introduction with or without contextual information, a somewhat
unclear general statement, and a vaguely effective thesis statement. For each point
of the thesis statement, they will provide one ETE/PEAL with little evidence from the
text, showing weak awareness of reader's response, summarizing the point. The
conclusion should attempt to paraphrase/restate the thesis statement.