Example past exam question: Explain how Jane experiences physical and/or emotional pain elsewhere in the novel. (Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë)
Although this question could lead to a narrative response, its really important to try and add a critical tone to your answer. Instead of simply listing examples of physical and/or emotional pain in the novel, try to explain how pain contributes to the novel's effect as a whole. This is where the higher marks will be awarded.
An example of a good paragraph:The emotional pain of loneliness and isolation suffered by Jane at the beginning of the novel are what shapes her actions towards its end. At Lowood, Jane is punished for being rebellious and suffers the loss of her only friend, Helen Burns, which leaves her isolated and alone. Yet, as the novel progresses, Jane recounts how she has become "accustomed" to such feelings of loneliness and isolation, and how they "do not oppress" her much. Jane's adaptation to isolation throughout her life could be the reason she is willing to leave Rochester, when she ventures away from Thornfield Hall. However, her return to Rochester at the end of the novel could suggest that loneliness and isolation ultimately cannot lead to happiness, despite Jane's attempts to become "accustomed" to such emotional pain.