Sixth Form Entry Booklet

28 ENGLISH LITERATURE Examination Board: OCR GCSE requirement: 6 in English Language and 6 in English Literature You will need the right approach to find the study of English Literature both enjoyable and fulfilling. You should be fond of reading, prepared to do so independently and be ready to tackle some of the most influential and challenging pieces of literature. You will have already shown your ability to write fluent, accurate English by achieving at least a Grade 6 at GCSE in both English Language and English Literature. It profits students of English Literature to have an interest in other art forms, especially the theatre, together with imagination and a sense of literary style. The course is divided into three units: ▪ Shakespeare, Drama and Poetry pre- 1900 Three texts – written paper – 40% ▪ Comparative and Contextual Study Two texts to prepare and an Unseen Passage in a topic area e.g. Gothic Literature – written paper – 40% ▪ Literature post-1900 Three texts – coursework – 20% The study of English Literature complements many other subjects, particularly those where essay writing skills are a strong feature. It fosters a broad knowledge of the cultural and historical contexts of texts, as well as an openness to different ways of reading and understanding them. It sits well with History, Geography, Philosophy, Modern Languages, Classics, Art and Music as well as Mathematics and a range of other Science subjects. However, you should be clear in your mind about which groupings are both helpful and sensible. English at University A wide range of careers is open to students who have read English at university. Looking at our own Old Boys we can see teachers, lawyers, journalists, broadcasters and actors as well as people succeeding in business, industry, the civil service and advertising. There are many other options. Successful completion of an English Literature degree course demonstrates academic capabilities, powers of analysis, mental rigour and mastery of your own language – all highly desirable qualities in many walks of life. Miss N McDonagh