A-Level English Literature

Course Entry Requirements:

A grade 5 in both English Language and English Literature.

General Course Description:

Studying English Literature will provide you with an opportunity to develop not only your knowledge, but a lasting love of literature. The qualification takes a socio-historical approach to the texts studied, where we deeply investigate and consider the context that the texts serve as a snapshot of, the interpretations readers at the time may have made, the development of characters, theme and setting, and the way that writers use language to shape meaning.

In Year 12 you will study a unit on ‘Love Through the Ages’, where you will explore questions such as:

·         What is love?

·         How does the presentation of it change over time?

·         How can love be linked to other themes, such as jealousy, obsession, and loss?

As part of ‘Love Through the Ages’ you will study:

·         Othello by William Shakespeare

·         The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

·         A selection of pre-1900 poetry

·         Unseen prose skills.

At the end of Year 12 you will sit an internal exam on what you have studied. This will determine your entry into Year 13.

In Year 13, there are more opportunities for independent study and in depth exploration of literature texts. The key focus in Year 13 will be a unit on ‘Modern Times: Literature from 1945 - the present’.

This will be an excellent opportunity to engage with and interpret truly modern texts, allowing us to see how contemporary writers are able to utilise the context of the modern world in both retrospective works, or as responses to the ever changing socio-cultural climate we are currently living through.

As part of ‘Modern Times: Literature 1945 - the present’ you will study:

·         The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Attwood

·         A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

·         Skirrid Hill by Owen Sheers

·         Unseen prose

Board: AQA

In Year 13, you will also complete a piece of comparative coursework on two texts of your own choice. You choose the texts and the title. This is an excellent opportunity to explore texts that you are directly interested in and passionate about. You will also revise the texts from Year 12.

At the end of Year 13 you will sit two exams. One is 3 hours long and the other is 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Career Pathways:

English Literature opens up many career pathways as it provides you with the skills of critical and independent thinking, analytical thought and writing, and the ability to plan and write well-structured and articulate essays. It allows you to understand a range of socio-historical contexts, and the ability to precisely and thoughtfully consider criticism of texts both fiction and non-fiction.

Career options include: Journalism, Publishing, Advertising, Marketing, Law, Media, Teaching and Business.