How to revise for English Literature?

First of all it's TSR :P .

I'm going to be taking my exam on that day as well! Are you going to be doing To kill a Mockingbird? Well, whichever novel you're doing it would be useful to know it inside out so that when you get quotes it won't take you long... For the poetry you need to talk about language, structure/form, theme, readers response and your own conclusion... English is so hard...

Hi, I didn't cover the texts that you have read this year but hopefully I can give you a few tips about exam technique.

Firstly in terms of poetry, the most important thing to focus on is imagery, ie what sort of pictures are developed in the reader's mind as a result of key words. About 50% of your essay should be dedicated to be talking about it alone, which I personally found difficult but just try and get in as much as possible. Of course also use textual evidence by quoting words with which relate to the point you are making.

As well as imagery, also speak of the tone of the speaker, is it written in 1st (ie words like "I" in the poem) or 3rd person, and consider who the speaker also might be. Furthermore consider if the poem has rhyme, what sort of rhythm is in the poem (for example when you read it, does it read slow or quickly, and consider why the poet has devised the poem in this way). In addition, theme in the poem and even if you can address the title and possible context of the poet and how it might have influenced them to write the poem if it is similar to their own experiences in their life.

In summary, key things to remember are imagery and textual evidence, but the other ones are important too. Another thing would be address the question. Don't ramble on about things that the question has not asked you. Try to relate what you are saying about the text to the question being asked of you. Hope this helps.

anyway, good luck on your exam and I hope we both succeed ^^

You need to comment/make comparisons on form (whether it’s in blank verse/iambic pentameter)/Language (look at what words are used for what effects)/Structure (stanza size), also point out ambiguities in the text e.g. its polysemic, it can have more than one meaning, it shows you've got a 3D understanding of the text, you see it from all the angles, you know?

Thank you for your very detailed answer! I really appreciate your time and effort +rep


Thank you for your comment as well, so for starters I should look at the form. Sorry to ask but could you clear up for me what iambic pentameter is as i'm not sure. Blank Verse is where the same structure of lines is kept but doesn't rhyme, right?!
Yes, I think i do understand what your saying! look for more than one meaning.

Ahhh so evaluating the different meanings of the text is what your saying? Thanks for the help again

Also I'm going to start making notes on all of the poems and prose, the thing is I have no clue on what headers to have....

I know I should have:
Subject
Theme
Language
Structure( in prose is this how the story is laid out?)
Form(????)
Personal interpretation
Purpose of Writer's ideas.

Please can somebody help me complete what headings I should use for Poems and Short stories(Prose)???

Well structure and form tend to overlap don't they? So to hit those two I’d say talk about sentence structure e.g. length, level and type of punctuation and whether it’s an imperative or interrogative etc as well as the stuff mentioned above. What do you mean with the heading for poems and prose though? Sorry if I’m just being a bit thick lol just don’t quite understand what you’re asking

i have a lot of notes on my memory stick if you wants - on duffy, armitage and pre-
msg me if you wants

Make notes on the main themes and for each theme make a pack of quotes which back up the said theme. Then make notes on language and structure for each poem, seperate your folder between the poems and then try to group them by theme, language and structure. Are you allowed to take the books into the exam?

Would you?! That would be such a massive help for me, as I need some good notes:P I'll pm you.

May I ask a general question to everybody? This comes up as a criteria for an A/A* but I don't understand what I have to do under the skills descriptor
"insightful exploratory response to writer’s ideas/purposes"

I know it differs for what question I get, but what general things do I need to include?

Also for tone, if i were to describe tone in say Havisham, would this be along the right lines?
" The use of an oxymoron by the author creates a vengeful tone in the lines _____, the reason for this is that the contrast really shows her confusion"