Compare the ways that poets present the world in ‘Like an Heiress’ and one other poem from ‘Worlds and Lives’

Compare the ways that poets present lives in ‘With Birds You’re Never Lonely’ and one other poem from ‘Worlds and Lives’

Antrobus opens with a mundane café setting—noisy, anonymous, almost isolating: “I can’t hear the barista / over the coffee machine.”  This reflects a common modern experience of disconnection in urban life, where interaction feels mechanical and impersonal.  In contrast, he recalls a moment of peace in Zelandia forest, revealing a desire to escape and reconnect with something more meaningful.

Berry also begins in a seemingly ordinary moment—riding a train in 1950s Britain—but layers it with deeper social and cultural reflection. He observes the environment and people with quiet attentiveness, aware of how he, as a Black Caribbean man, is seen. ……

Video Breakdown preview

The video provides a step-by-step breakdown of a Level 6 answer and compares it with a Level 4 response for the AQA World and Lives poetry exam question:
“Compare the ways poets present the world in Like an Heiress and one other poem.”

The model answer compares Like an Heiress by Grace Nichols with The Jewellery Maker by Louisa Adjoa Parker.

The Level 6 response argues that both poems explore how the world reflects and shapes women’s identities, roles, and experiences, though they do so through contrasting tones and perspectives. Nichols presents a glamorous, performative world shaped by class, race, and appearance, while Parker presents a grounded, emotional world shaped by grief, labour, and memory.

The essay includes:

• • Close analysis of tone, imagery, metaphor, and symbolism.

  • Contextual insights into race, gender, class, and the invisibility of women’s labour.

  • A conceptual comparison of appearance vs authenticity, and surface value vs emotional truth.

  • Evaluative judgments about how each poet critiques societal values and what is truly meaningful in life.

In contrast, the Level 4 response shows understanding and some technique awareness, but lacks sustained argument, deeper interpretation, context, and evaluative insight. It’s more descriptive and does not fully explore the poets’ intentions or the implications of their work.

The video emphasizes that top-level answers go beyond describing content—they offer critical insights, connect context meaningfully, and develop a coherent conceptual argument throughout.