Edexcel GCSE English Literature
Edexcel GCSE English Literature Journey's End Exam Questions
Free Edexcel GCSE English Literature practice questions for Journey's End. Covers r C Sherriff's play of Stanhope, Raleigh and Osborne in the trenches, war, heroism, fear, class and friendship.
Journey's End practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for Journey's End. 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 Edexcel GCSE English Literature Journey's End
R C Sherriff's Journey's End is one of the post-1914 plays for Edexcel GCSE English Literature Paper 1, Section B. You answer one of two essay questions from memory: each opens with a short quotation, but there is no extract. Set in an officers' dugout near St Quentin in March 1918, just before a major German offensive, the play follows Captain Stanhope, who relies on whisky to cope, and young Raleigh, who hero-worshipped him at school. Questions focus on characters, relationships or themes such as heroism, fear, leadership and class. Marks reward a well-supported response (AO1), context drawn from the war and Sherriff's own service (AO3) and accurate writing (AO4).
Key themes, characters and context
- Stanhope A brave, exhausted company commander who drinks heavily. He fears Raleigh will write home about his drinking to his sister Madge.
- Raleigh Young and idealistic, he arrives eager to serve under Stanhope. He dies at the end of the play.
- Osborne Older and called 'Uncle', he is calm and kind. He reads Alice in Wonderland and is killed in the raid.
- Trotter, Hibbert and Mason Trotter copes through food and humour, Hibbert tries to escape with claimed illness, and Mason the cook adds comedy.
- The raid Ordered by senior officers, it costs Osborne and several men their lives for little gain. Stanhope's anger exposes the waste of war.
- Context First staged in 1928, written by a former officer. It shows the strain on men and the class divisions between officers and soldiers.
Common mistakes in Journey's End
- Treating Stanhope's drinking as simple weakness; Sherriff presents it as a response to unbearable pressure.
- Forgetting stage directions, sound effects and the final collapse of the dugout.
- Ignoring how the play builds tension towards the attack.
- Generalising about the war instead of linking context to specific scenes.
- Treating context as a separate history lesson. AO3 is worth half the content marks, so tie each point about the war to a character or scene.
Try three Journey's End practice questions
1. Explore the significance of Osborne in Journey's End. You must refer to the context of the play in your answer. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse his calm, fatherly role, his support of Stanhope, his conversation with Raleigh before the raid and his death; and link to the loss of experienced officers in the war.
2. How does Sherriff present heroism in Journey's End? You must refer to the context of the play in your answer. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would consider Stanhope's endurance, Raleigh's idealism, Osborne's courage and Hibbert's fear; question traditional heroism; and connect to attitudes after the First World War.
3. Explore how Sherriff presents the relationship between Stanhope and Raleigh. You must refer to the context of the play in your answer. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would trace their school connection, the letter-reading scene, tension after the raid and Raleigh's death; and link to officer class and the experience of young soldiers.
Journey's End FAQs
What does Edexcel GCSE English Literature Journey's End cover?
It covers Sherriff's play: Stanhope, Raleigh, Osborne and the other officers, themes of heroism, fear and class, and First World War context.
Which paper is Journey's End examined in for Edexcel GCSE?
Paper 1, Section B (post-1914 British play or novel), closed book. You answer one of two questions, each opening with a short quotation, for 40 marks: 16 for AO1, 16 for AO3 (context) and 8 for AO4 (spelling, punctuation and grammar).
Which scenes in Journey's End should I know best?
Know Raleigh's arrival, the letter-censoring scene, Stanhope's talk with Hibbert, the raid and its aftermath, and the final scene.
