English Literature

Course summary

A-Level English Literature will encourage you to develop your interest in, and enjoyment of, literary study through reading widely and critically. For voracious readers, word lovers, poets and theatre buffs English Literature is the perfect choice. Studying literature feeds the imagination. It allows you to travel back in time, share the experiences of others, take on new perspectives, explore ideas, beliefs and values, challenge or discover your own and learn the literary skills to express yourself in original and creative ways through dialogue, argument, prose and poetry. Students explore drama, poetry and prose and are independently explore texts of their choice through using a variety of critical theories. The analytical, interpretative and discursive skills you develop by studying literature will also prove excellent preparation for university. A level English Literature is a highly regarded qualification by universities. London offers students an exceptional choice of shows, events and exhibitions as well as outstanding libraries and bookshops. English Literature students have enjoyed trips to lectures on the texts they study, performances of plays in school, and small group discussions from award-winning authors. Students at SJBC follow the AQA syllabus and explore Aspects of Tragedy in Y12 and Elements of Crime in Y13. The texts we’ve chosen interconnect, influence and illuminate each other, encouraging independent study. In Year 12, students tackle Aspects of Tragedy and look at a variety of texts from a genre whose roots hail back to ancient Greece. Students engage critically and creatively with a substantial body of texts and ways of responding to them. The tragic texts included are: ‘Othello’ ‘Death of a Salesman’ and a selection of Keats’ poetry.