By Dr Augustine Tirivangana

TOWARDS the end of 2013 I promised that I would be churning out critical commentaries on setbooks for June and November 2014 exams.
I am sure that by now you have been treated to Paper One skills and that you are now familiar with various approaches to this Paper.
In fact should you need more advice on Paper One (Comment and Appreciation), you just have to wait for a detailed book on it which should be out in less than two months (keep checking with The Patriot).
In this instalment, however, my preoccupation is to present to you the remainder of the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) syllabus focusing on the different Papers and respective texts that I will be commenting on throughout the year.

Paper 2:Zimbabwean and African Literature – 3 Hours
This paper consists of two sections: Section A – Zimbabwean Literature and Section B – African Literature.
Candidates will be required to answer three questions: One from Section A where there are two set texts and two from Section B where there are four set texts.
Section A – Zimbabwean Literature
** Bvuma T S – Every Stone that Turns ** Staunton Irene (ed) – Writing Still
Section B – African Literature
P’BitekOkot – Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol ** Ba Miriama – Scarlet Song ** Beti Mongo – Mission to Kala *** Rheam Bryony – The September Sun ** Set also for N2013, J2014, N2014, J2015, N2015 and J2016 *** Set also for N2013, J2014, N2014, J2015, N2015, J2016, N2016 and J2017

Paper 3: Shakespeare and Other Dramatists – 3 Hours
This paper consists of two sections: Section A – Shakespeare and Section B – Other Dramatists.
Candidates will be required to answer three questions: one from Section A where there are two set texts and two from Section B where there are four set texts.
Section A – Shakespeare
Shakespeare William – Measure for Measure
*** Shakespeare William – King Lear
Section B – Other Dramatists
Ibsen Henrik – A Doll’s House ** Wilde O – The Importance of Being Ernest ** Kilalea Rory (ed) – In the Continuum and other Plays *** Taban Lo Liyong – The Colour of Hope ** Set also for N2013, J2014, N2014, J2015, N2015 and J2016 *** Set also for N2013, J2014, N2014, J2015, N2015, J2016, N2016 and J2017

Paper 4: Contemporary Literature (Post World War II) – 3 Hours
This paper consists of texts dealing with contemporary issues (e.g. gender, human and animal rights etc. in the Post World War II period.
Candidates will be required to answer three questions on any three of the five texts offered.
Magona Sandiwe – To My Children’s Children ** Staunton and Musengezi – A Tragedy of Lives ** WaThiongo Ngugi – Secret Lives ** Mashingaidze Gomo – A Fine Madness *** Charles Mungoshi – Walking Still
** Set also for N2013, J2014, N2014, J2015, N2015 and J2016 *** Set also for N2013, J2014, N2014, J2015, N2015, J2016, N2016 and J2017

Paper 5: World Literature – 3 Hours
This paper consists of works on prose, poetry and drama by writers from all over the world. Candidates will be required to answer three questions on any three of the five texts offered.
Setbooks: Chinua Achebe and C. L. Innes – The Heinemann Book of Contemporary African Short Stories ** Lovelace E – The Dragon Can’t Dance ** Kanengoni Alexander – Echoing Silences ** Mtizira Nyaradzo – The Chimurenga Protocol ** Muchadei Nyota, Manyarara Barbara – Hunting in Foreign Lands and Rosemary Moyana (Compilers) Other Stories ** Set also for N2013, J2014, N2014, J2015, N2015 and J2016
NB: For Papers 2, 3, 4 and 5 an essay question and a passage-based question will be set on each text.
The questions will be designed to assess candidates’ understanding of the relationship between form and meaning in literary texts and their knowledge of the contexts in which those texts are written and interpreted.
Candidates will be assessed on their knowledge of texts, their imaginative and personal responses to them, as well as their ability to organise and present information, ideas and arguments clearly and logically, taking into account their use of grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Texts and dictionaries will not be allowed into the examination room.
I am sure by now you are aware that Paper One is compulsory and that from the rest of the Papers you are expected to choose any two.
What this means is that different schools may choose different Papers.
Besides, even those who choose the same Papers may select different set texts.
The implication of this on the order of texts to be commented on is that if I follow the order of the Papers and texts as they appear on the syllabus, some candidates will be prejudiced. For this reason I suggest that beginning next week I pick at random from Paper One then from Paper Two and Three, Four and Five in that order in each successive instalment.
This way we can take care of the needs of our candidates across the syllabus.
Notwithstanding, our readers (teachers and students alike) are urged to make requests about specific texts that they deem of urgent need so that we at The Patriot can respond to your burning concerns with briskness and alacrity.
For now, let me end by reminding the candidates of the assessment objectives of whichever Papers you have selected.
As the syllabus specifies candidates are required to show their ability to:
 respond critically to texts and passages of different types and periods;
 understand the ways in which writers’ choices of form, structure and language shape meaning;
 appreciate the contexts in which literary works are written and understood;
 discuss personal and other critical interpretations of literary texts;
 produce knowledgeable, independent opinions and judgements on literary texts; 3.6 communicate clearly and effectively the knowledge, understanding and insight appropriate to literary study.