English Literature

Course summary

Students with an interest in people and in the way they behave, think and feel will enjoy this course. There will also be the chance to develop the skills of analysis, argument, persuasion, and discussion, sometimes working independently but also in groups. If a subject where there are no real right and wrong answers and one person's opinion is as valuable as anyone else's appeals, then this may be a perfect choice. This is a rewarding course that will suit those students who thrive on hard work and challenge. A love of reading and books is also a key requirement. Students studying this A Level will develop an interest in, and enjoyment of, English Literature, through reading widely, critically, and independently; across centuries, genres and genders, and through experience of an extensive range of views about texts and how to read them. They will also become an informed, independent reader, reaching an understanding of meaning through close study of the primary text, knowledge of the context of the text, and of other possible meanings. There may be theatre visits to see texts in performance. Key topics studied Unit 1: Literary Genres Aspects of Tragedy or Aspects of Comedy. Unit 2: Texts and Genres Elements of Political and Social Protest Writing OR Elements of Crime Writing. Unit 3: Theory and Independence Application of critical theory to a prose and poetry text.