Edexcel GCSE English Literature Boys Don't Cry Exam Questions

About Edexcel GCSE English Literature Boys Don't Cry

Malorie Blackman's Boys Don't Cry (2010) is one of the post-1914 novels for Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 1, Section B. You answer one essay question from a choice of two, from memory: each opens with a short quotation, but there is no extract. Seventeen-year-old Dante has just received his A level results and is planning university when his ex-girlfriend Melanie leaves their baby daughter Emma with him. Alongside Dante's story, his younger brother Adam, who is gay, faces homophobia that ends in a brutal attack. Marks are awarded for a well-supported personal response (AO1), context (AO3) and accurate writing (AO4).

Key themes, characters and context

• Dante Ambitious and at first resentful, he considers adoption until a DNA test confirms he is Emma's father. He gives up his university place and grows into a loving father, challenging the idea that men should hide their feelings.
• Adam Dante's confident younger brother, who is open about being gay and bonds quickly with Emma. Josh beats him savagely while Paul and Logan hold Dante down, leaving Adam badly injured and withdrawn.
• Dad Tyler has raised the boys alone and finds it hard to show affection. He is harsh with Dante at first but becomes more supportive, and father and son finally say they love each other.
• Melanie and Emma Melanie leaves Emma with Dante because she cannot cope and decides not to return. Emma becomes the centre of Dante's changing priorities.
• Aunt Jackie Supports Dante practically and emotionally and criticises Tyler for not showing his sons affection. Dante turns to her when he reaches breaking point.
• Masculinity The title reflects a harmful stereotype. Blackman shows emotional openness, care and asking for help as strengths, while Josh's violence shows the damage done by fear and prejudice.
• Context The novel, narrated by both brothers, engages with attitudes to teenage parents, single fathers and homophobia in modern Britain.

Common mistakes in Boys Don't Cry

• Writing only about Dante. Adam's story is equally important to the themes of masculinity and prejudice.
• Ignoring the significance of the title and how different characters live up to or reject it.
• Making vague context points instead of linking them to specific attitudes, such as Dad's early reaction to Emma or Josh's homophobia.
• Treating Dad as unchanging. His development, and what Dante learns about him, matters.
• Retelling the plot. Each paragraph should make a point that answers the question, supported by close references to the novel.

Try three Boys Don't Cry practice questions