English Language and Literature

Why Should You Take This Course?

If you love reading, watching plays and listening to poetry then this is the ideal course for you. We will be reading novels, plays and poetry written at different periods of history, analysing what ideas they convey and how they are written. We unpick the way writers create meaning using language; the ways they explore human behaviour; and give us an insight into the world we live in. Understanding the context of the texts we are studying is central to our analysis. We research and learn about the different historical periods of each text in order to see how these influences illuminate the text. For example, understanding how life in Victorian England affects the work of the poet Christina Rossetti. We develop critical knowledge of the texts by reading the analysis and interpretations of literary critics. This might be a critic who commented on the text at the time it was written or a critic writing today and looking back at the text, offering a new interpretation.

Course Content
Year 1:

• An anthology of non-fiction texts focused on Paris
• The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
• Mean Time –Carol Ann Duffy.

Year 2:

• The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams
• Non-examined Assessment: a comparative study of a literary and non-literary text.

How will I be assessed?
Two exams at the end of the year and a non-examined assessment: a comparative study of a literary and non-literary text (worth 20% of the final grade).

Are there any special expenses?
Students will be advised which texts they will need to purchase for the course, all of which are readily available from booksellers and online sites.

What could I do next?
Universities and employers value and respect an A Level in English Language and Literature. Former students have gone on to study a wide variety of degree courses in Humanities at university and into careers such as in Journalism, Law, Teaching and Social Work.

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How to apply for this course

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