CCEA GCSE English Literature
CCEA GCSE English Literature Philadelphia, Here I Come! Exam Questions
Free CCEA GCSE English Literature practice questions for Philadelphia, Here I Come!. Covers brian Friel's Philadelphia, Here i Come!: emigration, identity, father and son, communication, public Gar, Private Gar and s b O'Donnell.
Philadelphia, Here I Come! practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for Philadelphia, Here I Come!. Plan and write as many answers as you can under timed conditions, then compare them with the guidance on this page and your notes.
About CCEA GCSE English Literature Philadelphia, Here I Come!
Philadelphia, Here I Come! is a set play for CCEA GCSE English Literature Unit 2: The Study of Drama and Poetry, Section A, answered from a choice of two questions with an unannotated copy of the play. Friel's 1964 play takes place on the night before Gar O'Donnell emigrates from the small Irish town of Ballybeg to Philadelphia. Gar is played by two actors, Public Gar and Private Gar, showing the gap between what he says and what he feels. CCEA rewards analysis of this dramatic device, of memory scenes and of Friel's presentation of failed communication and emigration.
Key themes, characters and context
- Public and Private Gar Public Gar is seen and heard by others; Private Gar is his inner voice, unseen by other characters. Their split shows Gar's inability to express emotion.
- S.B. O'Donnell Gar's father is silent and routine-bound. Neither can say what they feel, and their shared memory of a day in a blue boat cannot be confirmed.
- Madge The housekeeper Madge is the closest thing Gar has to a mother. She understands both men and is quietly hurt by Gar's departure.
- Kate Doogan Gar's lost love married someone else, partly because Gar could not stand up to her father. The memory scene shows his failure to act.
- Emigration Aunt Lizzy's visit from America offers Gar a way out but also shows a loud, unfamiliar life. Emigration was common in 1960s rural Ireland.
- Ending Gar asks why he must leave and can only answer 'I don't know', leaving the audience with uncertainty.
Common mistakes in Philadelphia, Here I Come!
- Treating Public and Private Gar as two characters. They are two sides of one person, and other characters cannot see Private Gar.
- Calling S.B. cold without analysis. Explore his silent attempts at connection, revealed through Madge.
- Ignoring the memory scenes. They are key to understanding Gar's motives.
- Forgetting context. Link the play to emigration and limited opportunity in rural Ireland.
- Overquoting from your copy. Choose short references and analyse them.
Try three Philadelphia, Here I Come! practice questions
1. How does Friel use Public and Private Gar to present Gar's feelings? (extended response)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse the contrast between Gar's restrained public speech and Private Gar's mockery, humour and pain, explaining how the device reveals his inner conflict and inability to communicate.
2. How does Friel present the relationship between Gar and his father? (extended response)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would examine their routine conversations, the blue boat memory, Madge's insight into S.B. and the final scene, showing how silence divides them.
3. How does Friel present ideas about emigration? (extended response)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would discuss Gar's reasons for leaving, Aunt Lizzy's visit, the boys' bragging, Master Boyle and the ending, linking to rural Ireland in the 1960s.
Philadelphia, Here I Come! FAQs
What does CCEA GCSE English Literature Philadelphia, Here I Come! cover?
It covers the whole play, including Public and Private Gar, S.B. O'Donnell, Madge, Kate Doogan and Aunt Lizzy, and themes of emigration, identity, communication and memory.
Which unit is Philadelphia, Here I Come! examined in?
It is examined in Unit 2: The Study of Drama and Poetry, Section A (drama), where you answer one question from a choice of two on your set play and may bring an unannotated copy of the play.
Which moments in Philadelphia, Here I Come! should I know well?
Know the opening with Madge, the Kate Doogan memory, Aunt Lizzy's visit, the boys' visit, the blue boat conversation and the final 'I don't know'.
