AS English Literature

This subject may be offered at more than one Southern Consortium school site. The teaching of this subject may be at any one of the sites listed below.

The information on this webpage is a guide only. Topics, units and course content may vary from those listed below.

AS English Literature @ SRS

Welcome to Year 12 AS English Literature

Course Aims

The aim of this course is to enable students to enhance their ability to read, discuss and write about English Literature. This will involve:-

developing the use of critical terminology,
gaining the confidence to express sophisticated critical opinions of your own, and to negotiate the critical opinions of others
making detailed comparisons within and between texts,
becoming more sensitive to how language can be used to affect readers.
gaining a wider insight into how a writer negotiates the cultural, social and political contexts of their time, and of the different ways in which texts were read in the past and can be read now.

Higher Education and Career Pathways

As a subject which emphasises creativity, disciplined thought and communication, A-Level English Literature is often regarded as the ultimate all-round qualification that prepares students for a very wide range of HE courses, in particular in the Arts and Humanities, but also areas such as Law.

Similarly in the job world, it is a highly valued qualification because it suggests to the employer that you are capable of imaginative thinking and have the ability to express that in clear and precise ways.

The Ideal Student?

You should:-

Enjoy reading a wide range of different texts and working hard to make informed responses to their themes.
Enjoy writing clear, well-structured essays that use literary terms.
Be eager to develop your own opinions about a text, and to do so by engaging with the views of literary critics: understanding their arguments, and showing agreement or disagreement with them.
Enjoy analysing complex texts in detail, focusing on how language, structure and form shape meaning
Be willing to engage with the thoughts and intentions of writers and see how they challenge and/or are influenced by the historical, cultural contexts of their time.
Be able to work in a dedicated, committed way, completing independent research, homework assignments and milestone assessments to deadline.

Year 12 English Literature Units

What are the Units of Study?

1) Poetry and Prose 1800-1945 (Closed text)

This is an exam unit that represents 60% of the marks for AS.

You will answer:-

one question on the First World War poetry of Wilfred Owen
one on the 1920’s American ‘Jazz Age’ novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F.Scott Fitzgerald

2) Literature post-1900 (Coursework)

This is a coursework unit that represents 40% of the marks for AS.

You will be studying three texts based around the theme of dangerous illusions:-

Streetcar Named Desire (1946) – Tennessee Williams
Death of a Salesman (1949) – Arthur Miller
Far Away (2000) – Caryl Churchill

You will be writing two essays:-a critical analysis of an extract from one ‘Far Away’ and a comparative essay on ‘Truth vs Illusion’ in ‘Streetcar’ and ‘Death of a Salesman’

How Will I Be Assessed?

On a lesson by lesson basis, by detailed questioning on your reading and note-taking
Weekly homework assignments:- - independent reading and note-taking for the following lesson - a short writing task linked to work in lesson
Milestone Assessments:- these occur once every half-term, and will be substantial essays written on areas covered in your reading that half-term.
Timed class essays
Mock Exam in April
By exam and coursework (see above) in May

Homework

It is vital that students undertake a range of tasks without direct supervision at A-Level in order to develop themselves as independent learners. In English Lit, this kind of work also helps to foster the development of independent critical thinking as students come to their own understanding of a text's key methods and concerns. Below is a list of possible homework activities for Year 12 students:

Independent research on the cultural, social and historical background of a text e.g. for the study of ‘The Great Gatsby’, research of the economic consumer bubble known as the ‘Roaring Twenties’ in America which eventually burst in the Stock Market Crash in 1929.
Read a chapter of a novel and make notes for a class presentation.
Read a selected passage and make focused notes on e.g. presentation of a character, or key theme.
Write an exam-style, Milestone Assessment essay using notes made in class (over two weeks).
Write a first draft of the coursework essay (over two weeks).

Welcome to Year 13 English Literature

Increased Difficulty

At A2, students need to continue practising the skills they have developed during the first year of the course while also being able to:

show fluent integration of critical terminology into their writing
have a greater awareness of genre and how a particular text either challenges or fulfils the existing generic criteria.
explain in depth and with critical insight how a text's language, form and structure shape meaning
present well structured critical arguments that are shaped in response to a range of others' critical opinions.
show a fully developed awareness of how an author is responding to their cultural and social context.

Year 13 English Literature Units

What Are the Units of Study?

1) Drama and Poetry pre-1800 (Closed Text Exam)

This exam unit represents 60% of the marks for A2.

You will answer

One question on the play Othello by William Shakespeare
One question which compares the two texts:- Selected Poetry of John Donne and The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster

In the second question here, you can see the new approach at A2 which is based on cross-genre comparison i.e comparing poetry with drama. Some of the key linking themes we will discuss are the presentation of love, marriage and desire; secrecy and deception; the juxtaposition of public and private life, and the presentation of women.

2) Texts In Time (Coursework)

This is a coursework unit that represents 40% of the marks for A2.

You will be studying three texts based around the theme of the struggle of the individual against repressive, controlling institutions:-

Selected Poetry – William Blake
Selected Poetry – Allen Ginsberg
On The Road – Jack Kerouac

You will be writing one 3000-word essay that compares all three texts (notice again the cross-genre comparison of, this time, poetry and prose). We will read the poetry of William Blake, the visionary from Lambeth, whose radical political and antinomian ideas challenged the mainstream propaganda of the Church and State to expose the hypocrisies of those institutions. We will then see how his emphasis on the power of the individual creative imagination was carried forward by Ginsberg and Kerouac in 1950’s America in the formation of the Beat Movement. They too were struggling against restriction, this time the oppressiveness of Eisenhower’s 1950’s America where the only life path deemed ‘appropriate’ was one based upon each citizen being a passive consumer of newly-produced products, drugged into compliance by the growing industry of advertising. What about active creation? New thinking? New ways of living beyond the rigid 9-5 work regime? Or a creative rather than destructive attitude to Nature and the environment?

How Will I Be Assessed?

On a lesson by lesson basis, by detailed questioning on your reading and note-taking
Weekly homework assignments:-
independent reading and note-taking for the following lesson
a short writing task linked to work in lesson
Milestone Assessments:- these occur once every half-term, and will be substantial essays written on areas covered in your reading that half-term.
Timed class essays
Mock Exam in April
By exam and coursework (see above) in June

Homework

By this stage, students are expected to be working independently, not just on tasks set by the teacher but also undertaking reading and research for themselves in order to improve their knowledge and understanding of the set texts being studied in class. This is particularly relevant for the Coursework Unit where students must show evidence of detailed research into the cultural, political, economic and historical contexts of late C18th England and 1950-60’s America.

Below is a list of possible homework activities for Year 13 students:

In-depth research into a text's cultural and historical context, to be presented formally in class.
Reading of whole texts outside class by the same author as a set text or other texts from the same period.
Close analysis of selected passages, to be presented from notes in class.
The writing of exam-style, milestone assessment essays using notes from class and any additional independent research (over two weeks)
The drafting of the coursework essay (over two/three weeks).

AS English Literature @ JRCS

Outline of the course

Through this course students are introduced to a range of classical and modern prose, poetry and drama. They are helped to develop a range of critical and analytical approaches.

Skills you will develop include:

Enjoying reading and discussing English Literature and increasing an understanding of what the study of literature involves
Analysing a wide range of texts in depth
The ability to contextualise the texts considering how they were interpreted in the past and how they are interpreted now

Assessment

The assessment for the course is through a combination of coursework and final examination.

AS level	Name	Details
Unit 1 F661	Poetry and Prose 1800-1945 Closed text exam 2 hour exam weighed equally.	Section A : Poetry – Candidates study a selection of war poetry written by Wilfred Owen. Candidates answer one question on one poem of the poet studied.
		Literacy criticism will be studied in conjunction with Unit one and two.
Unit 2	As above	Section B : Prose – Candidates study The Great Gatsby. The focus of this section is the study of a prose text from the period 1800-1945. There is a choice of two questions on each set text and candidates answer one question on the text they have studied.
Unit 3 F662	Literature post 1900 Complementary Study Coursework Three texts studied	A folder (guideline 3000 words) Internally assessed. Task one: based on one text candidates produce a close reading of a passage. Task Two: an essay on two linked texts. Candidates must cover three post 1900 texts. One text may be a significant text in translation; one text may be a work of critics or cultural commentary.

A2 level	Name	Details
Unit 4 F663	Drama and poetry pre-1800 (closed text) Three texts studied in total for one 2 hour exam. Each section weighted equally	Section A Shakespeare: The focus of this unit is the study of a Shakespearean play. Two questions are offered on each text; Candidates answer one question on the play studied. Each question represents a view of the play; candidates are required to present a sustained literary judgement in response to the question, analysing the way in which the play’s structure. Form and language shape meaning and effects.
As above		Section B: Drama and Poetry pre 1800: This section requires candidates to explore connections and comparisons between different literary texts. In their answers candidates must refer to one drama text and one poetry text from the set list.
Unit 5
F664	Texts in Time (coursework) Three texts studied	For this unit candidates are required to submit an extended essay, 3000 words maximum in which they are required to make a comparative analysis of three texts. This must include one prose and one poetry text. The third text can be from any genre. Texts can be selected from any period. One text must be a significant text in translation; one text may be a work of criticism or cultural commentary.

Careers and further study

English is at the centre of the Arts, and English Literature can be complemented by many other subjects. History and Modern Languages are particularly suitable partners. As an Advanced Subsidiary GCE it can also be a valuable contrast to scientific, technological and economics-based subjects, enabling candidates to demonstrate the breadth of their knowledge.

A qualification in English Literature provides a very wide range of opportunities for courses in the Arts, Humanities and Communication at degree level. As a subject which emphasises creativity, disciplined thought and communication, plus an ability to synthesise and contextualise ideas, English Literature is also welcomed as a qualification for many careers.

AS English Literature @ EB

Why Study English Literature? Studying English in the sixth form is very different from the English that you have been taught previously. You will be expected to widen your reading and you will look at particular genres instead of limiting yourself to certain authors. You will be learning a multitude of new skills which require you to research and to think more analytically. This is where your ideas and thoughts count and where your opinion is actually needed and valued!

English Literature like all the subjects that are taught at AS and A2 level is difficult, but it is also enjoyable. You will learn and develop skills that will be of benefit to you in your future, whether that be in Higher Education or in the world of work. You will work independently as well as part of a group, you will have to express and defend your opinions in an open forum and you will need to express your views in writing using evidence to support your argument/ approach. You will also broaden your scope of knowledge, not just because you are studying a range of books, but from the very fact that you have read a wider range of books and texts.

With the changes in the curriculum requirements at AS and A2 the scope of learning has been widen. All students will have to produce coursework pieces, both for AS and for the A2. This will help you write in an academic manner and develop your ideas and opinions without the pressure of an examination hall! There is obviously still examinations to sit and there are a mixture of closed and open text examinations, but it does allow you to experience different assessment processes.

With the changes there is also the possibility of writing your own creative piece, which can be entered for assessment. Your writing will be informed by the authors that study, but it allows you again a different method for assessment. It also allows more creativity within the English Literature syllabus.

Studying English Literature to A Level standard can offer you a wide range of opportunities for courses in the Arts, Humanities and Communication at degree level. As a subject it emphasises creativity, disciplined thought and communication, plus an ability to synthesise and contextualise ideas, English Literature is also welcomed as a qualification for many careers.

What do you need to get on to the English Literature course?

You need to have taken GCSE English and achieved or hope to achieve a Grade C or above in both English Language and English Literature. A lot of the core skills that you have gained in Key Stage 4 will be developed and honed at AS. The course emphasises, at AS, progression from GCSE and at A2 progression towards study at Higher Education.

What is expected from you in your first year?

At Eastbury we follow the syllabus that the Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations provide, (OCR). The aim of the course is to enable you to enjoy reading and discussing English Literature and to increase your understanding of what the study of literature involves. The emphasis is on getting to know a wide range of texts in depth, by close reading: at the same time you will be encouraged to think about the contexts in which these texts were written and about the different ways in which they were read in the past and can be read now, and how the context helps to shape meaning and understanding.

The course is split up into units, two of which are studied in your first year, AS, and two of which are studied when you progress to A2.

Assessment Objectives.

The areas that you will be assessed on are:

AO1) Articulate creative, informed and relevant responses to literary texts, using appropriate terminology and concepts, and coherent, accurate written expression. Communication and Presentation

AO2) Demonstrate detailed critical understanding in analysing the ways in which structure, form and language shape meanings in literary texts. Demonstrate Knowledge and Understanding

AO3) Explore connections and comparisons between different literary texts, informed by interpretations of other readers. Analysis and Evaluation

AO4) Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received. Demonstrate Knowledge and Understanding.

These skills are developed in your first year and should you decide to go on to do A2 these skills are further developed and honed.

What Will I Be Studying?

As mentioned above, the course is split into 4 units, 2 studied at AS and two studied at A2. The texts can change from time to time, and this is also a new syllabus so the texts that have been outlined below give an example of the type of texts that can be studied.

The units and the texts.

AS Unit F661 – Poetry and Prose 1800- 1945. This is a 2 hour written paper and is worth 60% of the marks awarded for the AS qualification.

You answer one question on one poem. The types of poetry this could include the works of Wilfred Owen, Christina Rossetti, William Wordsworth or Robert Frost.

You also need to answer one question from a choice of two. The types of novels that you will be studying include: ‘Wuthering Heights’, ‘Frankenstein’, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ and ‘Mrs Dalloway’.

This is a closed text examination.

Unit F662 – Literature post 1900. This is a coursework element and is worth 40% of marks awarded.

You will be required to submit a coursework folder of a maximum of 3000 words which is made up of two tasks.

Task 1: Close reading which involved a close critical analysis of a section of the chosen text or you can produce an item of re-creative writing based on a selected passage from a chosen text or poem. A commentary also has to be provided. (15 marks)

Task 2: You would need to produce an essay where you make contrasts and comparisons across two texts. (25 marks) #

A2 Programme of Study.

As in the AS year, the course comprises of 2 Units.

F663 – Drama and Poetry pre 1800. This is a two hour examination and is worth up to 60marks.

The first section is a Shakespeare paper, and this requires very close reading of one Shakespeare’s plays, which could include ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’, ‘The Tempest’, ‘King Lear’ or ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. In the exam you are asked to respond to the play, demonstrating a clear understanding of the play, structure and form and others’ interpretation of the play. There is a choice of two questions and you only need to answer one. This is a closed text exam.

The second section of this unit is Drama and Poetry pre 1800. This could include works such as ‘Doctor Faustus’, ‘The Pardoner’s Tale’, ‘he Duchess of Malfi’ and ‘The Rape of the Lock’. In this section of the unit you are required to write an essay that is a comparative study of one drama and one poetry text.

Unit F664 – Texts in Time.

This is the coursework element of the course, and you are required to submit an extended essay. (3000 words maximum). This piece of work is worth up to 40 marks. This extended piece of work is to be a comparative analysis of three texts. The areas that could be studied include: satire, travel writing, gothic writing, feminist perspectives, men and women, love and marriage, tragedy/comedy.

In this piece of coursework all of the assessment objectives are covered.

English Literature at A Level does require a high level of commitment as students are expected to read around the set texts. You will also be expected to research the authors, genres, critiques, etc. A real love and passion for reading is a must for this subject. A reading list for this subject will be made available in the Summer Term for those students looking to take A Level English Literature .

AS English Literature @ DP

Do you enjoy English as a subject?

Do you enjoy reading different kinds of texts?

Are you able to express yourself well in essays and discussion?

What does the course include?

Unit 2707: Shakespeare In this unit you will answer two questions on a Shakespeare play – usually a tragedy like 'Antony and Cleopatra'.

Unit 2708: Poetry and Prose In this unit you will answer one question on poetry and one on a novel or collection of short stories. At least one of the texts you discuss must have been published before 1900. The other can be by a contemporary writer.

The aims of this course are to enable you to enjoy reading and discussing English Literature, and to increase your understanding of what the study of literature involves. The emphasis is on getting to know a wide range of texts in depth, by close reading; at the same time you will be encouraged to think about the contexts in which these texts were written and about the different ways in which they were read in the past and can be read now.

Menu

Schools

AS English Literature

AS English Literature @ SRS

AS English Literature @ JRCS

AS English Literature @ EB

AS English Literature @ DP