Eduqas GCSE English Literature
Eduqas GCSE English Literature Anita and Me Exam Questions
Free Eduqas GCSE English Literature practice questions for Anita and Me. Covers Meera Syal's novel, Meena Kumar, Anita Rutter, Tollington, friendship, racism, belonging, growing up and family.
Anita and Me practice questions
1 pack of exam-style practice questions for Anita and Me. 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 Eduqas GCSE English Literature Anita and Me
Anita and Me is a set text in Component 2, Section A (post-1914 prose/drama) of the Eduqas GCSE in English Literature. Meera Syal's 1996 novel is narrated by Meena Kumar, the daughter of Punjabi parents, growing up in the mining village of Tollington in the early 1970s and drawn to the bold, troubled Anita Rutter. You answer one 40-mark question that uses a printed extract as a starting point and asks you to write about the whole text. The section assesses AO1, AO2 and AO4 (spelling, punctuation and grammar); context is not assessed here. Strong answers analyse Meena's narrative voice, which mixes a child's experience with an adult's hindsight.
Key themes, characters and context
- Meena's narrative voice The adult Meena looks back with humour and honesty, admitting her lies and fantasies. This dual perspective lets Syal show both childhood excitement and later understanding.
- Anita Rutter Older, confident and rebellious, Anita leads Meena into trouble. Her neglectful home life and cruelty to others gradually reveal why the friendship cannot last.
- Racism and identity Meena feels caught between Punjabi and English culture. Sam Lowbridge's racist outburst at the fete shocks her into seeing the prejudice around her.
- Family and Nanima Meena's parents are loving and hard-working. Her grandmother Nanima's arrival reconnects Meena with Punjabi language and stories.
- Growing up Meena's accident, her time in hospital with Robert and passing the eleven-plus mark the end of childhood and her move away from Tollington.
Common mistakes in Anita and Me
- Writing only about the extract. The question asks about the whole novel, so range across it.
- Treating Anita as simply a bad influence. Show how Syal also presents her as a victim of her home life.
- Spending time on 1970s history. Context is not assessed in this section; analyse Syal's methods instead.
- Ignoring humour. Syal's comic voice is a key method, even when dealing with serious issues.
Try three Anita and Me practice questions
1. Using the extract as a starting point, write about Anita and how she is presented in the novel. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse Anita's commanding speech and behaviour in the extract; her leadership of the gang; her family life; her cruelty and her vulnerability; how Meena's view of her changes; evaluate Syal's presentation.
2. Using the extract as a starting point, write about how Syal presents Meena's sense of belonging. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would analyse Meena's feeling of being between cultures; her lies to fit in; the fete; Nanima's influence; her final reflections; use the narrative voice as evidence of method.
3. Using the extract as a starting point, write about the importance of family in Anita and Me. (40 marks)
Show what a strong answer includes
A strong answer would contrast the Kumars' close, sociable family with the Rutters' broken home; analyse gatherings with aunties and uncles; Nanima; Meena's relationship with her mother.
Anita and Me FAQs
What does Eduqas GCSE English Literature Anita and Me cover?
It covers Meera Syal's novel as a post-1914 text: Meena, Anita, the Kumar family and Tollington, and themes of friendship, racism, belonging and growing up.
Which component is Anita and Me examined in?
It is in Component 2, Section A (post-1914 prose/drama). You answer one 40-mark question that starts from a printed extract and asks you to write about the whole text.
How do I revise Anita and Me?
Make a timeline of key events, note how Meena's view of Anita changes, and collect short quotations that show Syal's humorous adult narrative voice.
