How should I structure a GCSE style English Literature essay?

Let us use the exam question 'How far does Bronte present Jane Eyre as evil in the red room scene?' as an example to help guide us through the structure of a good essay. You need to first start with an introduction and this is really important because it is the first thing your examiner will read, so you need to grab their attention and create a good first impression! The introduction should be no more than five or so lines. Firstly, pick out the key word in the question and define what it means in your own words. Here, the key word is 'evil' and you could describe it as meaning immoral, wicked and monstrous. You then need to directly address the question and answer it in a short and snappy sentence, for example 'Whilst Bronte does present Jane Eyre as evil to some extent, she also presents her as a victim and simultaneously a strong woman in the red room scene'. This shows the examiner that you know what the question is asking you and it helps to keep you on the right track. You then need to summarise the main points of your essay, so you might say 'Bronte presents Jane Eyre as evil by using imagery connecting her to hell and the devil'. You will then expand on this point in the main body of your essay. You could also include some background knowledge of the wider discussion of the question topic. So, if the topic is that Jane Eyre is evil, you could discuss the fact that 'Jane Eyre' is considered to be an early feminist novel and so rather than evil, Jane is a strong-willed and courageous woman ahead of her time. Whilst she could be thought evil, as she is portrayed throughout the novel as out of control and high spirited, Bronte actually intended her personality to suggest that she goes beyond her designated female role in Victorian society. Bronte also wants Jane to be portrayed as a victim early on in the novel so that we view her as a Victorian heroine by the end as she independently survives various hardships. The main body of the essay should discuss the three or four points you have referred to in your introduction. Within each point you should express both sides of the argument. So, if your first point is that Jane is presented as evil, you could present a counter-argument that she is also presented as angelic. Your points should therefore consist of your argument and counter-argument and for both you should follow the PEEL structure. This is point, evidence, explain and link. You should start the paragraph with a sentence about the point you are going to make, for example, 'Bronte presents Jane Eyre as evil by relating her to the devil and hell, but she also could be viewed as portraying her as an angel'. Then evidence should be found in the text to support it. You should explain and fully analyse the evidence and how it helps you answer the question. You then do the same for the counter-argument. The end of the paragraph should then summarise why your argument trumps the counter-argument, for example 'whilst Bronte does present angelic imagery this is always followed by devilish imagery suggests all Jane's evil overpowers her good'. Alternatively, you could conclude with a sentence on why you think Bronte is presenting both good and evil simultaneously. You should then link this directly back to the question of 'how far' Jane is presented as evil. When you're responding to a text you can look at the form, so the text type that the writer uses such as a novel. You can also refer to the structure such as how the plot is ordered and the sentence lengths. You can also refer to language and the words used and what impact they have and how they make the reader feel.Your conclusion should mirror your introduction. It should summarise what your essay has said. It should also answer the question in one clear and concise sentence. It should only be kept to around five lines.