English Lit B1 Advice & Tips!
Hey guys!
I took the English Lit B 1 exam this year and got an A in it, however I've had a lot of people message me saying they've found it really difficult..
Whilst I'm not a pro by any means I have lots of resources and exam advice specifically for the exam which seemed to help & thought some others may appreciate it!
I wrote these notes before the exams and they are a basic summary of all the advice I was given, hope they help! Hopefully you can read off the images, if not I'm happy to type up the lists.
Please let me know if you have any questions or want to ask me anything about my notes!
I took the English Lit B 1 exam this year and got an A in it, however I've had a lot of people message me saying they've found it really difficult..
Whilst I'm not a pro by any means I have lots of resources and exam advice specifically for the exam which seemed to help & thought some others may appreciate it!
I wrote these notes before the exams and they are a basic summary of all the advice I was given, hope they help! Hopefully you can read off the images, if not I'm happy to type up the lists.
Please let me know if you have any questions or want to ask me anything about my notes!
Scroll to see replies
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While you're waiting for an answer, did you know we have 300,000 study resources that could answer your question in TSR's Learn together section?
We have everything from Teacher Marked Essays to Mindmaps and Quizzes to help you with your work. Take a look around.
If you're stuck on how to get started, try creating some resources. It's free to do and can help breakdown tough topics into manageable chunks. Get creating now.
Thanks!
Not sure what all of this is about? Head here to find out more.
Hiya, thanks soo much I will be starting English Literature soon, so this is helpful. Is it on the AQA exam board?
Original post by underestimate
Hiya, thanks soo much I will be starting English Literature soon, so this is helpful. Is it on the AQA exam board?
You're very welcome! Yes it sure is, best of luck with the course & let me know if you have any questions
Thankssss, I will defo be asking for help 
Just wanted to back up the OP's tips. I got an A too, and the advice attached is spot on. Most of it comes straight out of mark schemes and examiner reports, so if your teachers try to tell you anything different, ignore them.
Hiya, just wanted to know how to separate language, structure and form and what they are?
Original post by underestimate
Hiya, just wanted to know how to separate language, structure and form and what they are?
Language - the words the author/poet uses and their effect. This is usually done well in English essays! This is analysing and evaluating sentences/word choices etc. For example. writing about the author's use of metaphor, alliteration, emotive language etc would come under this.
The other two are usually done LESS well - sometimes not at all! They're very important for top marks as you evaluate the work as a piece of literature and as a whole.
Structure - How the work is structured and how that affects the reading of the piece. For example, is it written in chapters? How does the author use paragraphs? How is time shown (the chronology of the piece, eg does the author use flashbacks etc)? You can also look at things like stage directions, rhyme schemes, iambic pentameter etc.
Form - The piece of literature you are studying e.g. novel, play, diary entry, poem etc and its effect
Hope that helps!
Hi,
None of my teachers have ever mentioned form to me before
Could you explain that a bit more please?
None of my teachers have ever mentioned form to me before
Could you explain that a bit more please?
Original post by chuckster111
Hi,
None of my teachers have ever mentioned form to me before
Could you explain that a bit more please?
None of my teachers have ever mentioned form to me before
Could you explain that a bit more please?
Form is thinking about how the type of text and its genre lend meaning to the text. When you are analysing the text you are showing you understand its form eg novel, play, poem. Even little things like making sure you use 'reader' (novel/poem) or 'audience' (play) can help with this!
For example: 1984 is a dystopian novel. Hence, analysis of common themes of dystopian literature would be relevant.
For example: A Streetcar Named Desire is a tragic play. Analysis of how lines may be performed, use of stage directions, common themes of tragedy plays and the dramatic unities and how this lends meaning to the text would be relevant.
Hopefully that's understandable, I haven't explained it very well! If you do some quick research online you may find a clearer explanation but hopefully that sums it up
Hey there, helpful stuff! Can you identify why an author may choose one form over another, for example why they would choose to convey their message in a play rather than a novel or a poem, or the other way round?
Original post by fish_biscuits
Hey there, helpful stuff! Can you identify why an author may choose one form over another, for example why they would choose to convey their message in a play rather than a novel or a poem, or the other way round?
Hey! Good to know it's useful
Whilst that's interesting analysis, you can't hypothesise about why an author/poet/playwright might have chosen that form of writing! Instead I'd suggest talking about the effects of the form they DID use, as it's more interesting and relevant!
Hope that helps
Okay, so it's not necessary to go into why an author chose a certain form to illustrate their point at A2 Level? If so that makes it a bit easier, I've been trying to pick my brains as to why a certain form was chosen when i should be concentrating on the effect the form has, is that right?
Original post by fish_biscuits
Okay, so it's not necessary to go into why an author chose a certain form to illustrate their point at A2 Level? If so that makes it a bit easier, I've been trying to pick my brains as to why a certain form was chosen when i should be concentrating on the effect the form has, is that right?
Perfect, you've got it!
Wait so for section A part A we don't analyse possible meanings??
Also for section A part B what is meant by evalauating the narrative's context and reception?
Last question
but why is ao2 not included in section A part B? Don't we have to analyse :s
Sorry for all the questions i have a mock coming up and I want to do well but have been performing quite badly
Also for section A part B what is meant by evalauating the narrative's context and reception?
Last question
but why is ao2 not included in section A part B? Don't we have to analyse :sSorry for all the questions i have a mock coming up and I want to do well but have been performing quite badly
Original post by scavi2008
Form is thinking about how the type of text and its genre lend meaning to the text. When you are analysing the text you are showing you understand its form eg novel, play, poem. Even little things like making sure you use 'reader' (novel/poem) or 'audience' (play) can help with this!
For example: 1984 is a dystopian novel. Hence, analysis of common themes of dystopian literature would be relevant.
For example: A Streetcar Named Desire is a tragic play. Analysis of how lines may be performed, use of stage directions, common themes of tragedy plays and the dramatic unities and how this lends meaning to the text would be relevant.
Hopefully that's understandable, I haven't explained it very well! If you do some quick research online you may find a clearer explanation but hopefully that sums it up
For example: 1984 is a dystopian novel. Hence, analysis of common themes of dystopian literature would be relevant.
For example: A Streetcar Named Desire is a tragic play. Analysis of how lines may be performed, use of stage directions, common themes of tragedy plays and the dramatic unities and how this lends meaning to the text would be relevant.
Hopefully that's understandable, I haven't explained it very well! If you do some quick research online you may find a clearer explanation but hopefully that sums it up
Okay so for example The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is in ballad form and ballads are normally written to be spoken. That sort of thing?
Amazing! Thank You!
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Posted from TSR Mobile
Just answered a PM about why analysing individual words as the main point of your paragraphs is a bad idea - I thought it might help anyone else who's stuck:
This is an area my teacher put a big focus on - do not merely analyse individual words!! The Part A question is asking how the story is told and hence the examiner is looking for you to address broad aspects of the way the author has portrayed the story. Therefore, focusing in on how the author has used one word on one page will not set you up to gain maximum marks.
I found that the most effective structure for each of my Part A essays was to identify the key aspects of story telling and write a paragraph on each, making two points on that aspect/element of how the story is told per paragraph.
Hence, in the vast majority of my Part A essays I would write on about 4 topics out of setting, narrative voice, structure, chronology and characterisation as these are all key elements of how the story is told (there may be others as well).
This is an example of what I believe to be the best structure, using parts of my AS essays on Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. However, different things work for different people and I'm just a student, not an examiner, so only take this as a rough guide Also, as I am now doing A2 I look back at these AS excerpts of my essays and I can see that they're definitely not perfect!!
Introduction: Briefly introduce the story - usually mention its genre, main themes and what the part you are analysing consists of.
For example:
Christina Rossetti's tragic poem Cousin Kate appears a cautionary tale, telling the story of a country maiden who is seduced by a great Lord then discarded in favour for her cousin. Rossetti uses a wide variety of methods to tell the story, such as the narrative voice of the unnamed persona and the chronological change in attitude and tone. The poem has a central theme of transition and change, portrayed through the persona’s journey from social and sexual innocence to an ‘unclean thing' rejected from society.
Paragraph: Choose a main aspect of how the story is told and analyse it, making relevant, literary and analytical points
(NOTE: This example would be better if it focused on a broader method of how the story's told duh as setting/narrative voice etc, as the danger of analysing characterisation is that it can be quite similiar to a character study if done incorrectly, however it exemplifies the structure I am trying to explain)
The characterisation of the Boy is a crucial aspect in how McCarthy tells the story. McCarthy appears to present the Boy's youth and innocence as the sole provider of rationality and purity in The Road, contrasted against the novel's desolate and violent dystopian setting. This is suggested as the narrative voice of the Man exclaims that ‘if he [the boy] is not the word of God, God never spoke’. McCarthy's use of the religious expression 'the word of God' may suggest that the Boy is the embodiment of God’s purpose to the Man, implying that the Boy is a representation of the importance of moral purpose and will the survive regardless of the apparent tragedy of the situation. Alternatively, this could also be interpreted to signify that the character of the Boy symbolises a biblical figure in the novel. This suggests that the narrative function of the Boy is to act as a bastion of hope for both the reader and the Man, which is an essential element the novel's plotline and development.
^ Ideally this would include more quotes to back up my points, and I would also say that it’s a bit too much like a character study rather than analysing the Boy’s role within the novel as a whole - it's not perfect but hopefully you get the idea!
Conclusion: Briefly tie everything back together but don't just repeat yourself
Hope that's useful!
If you get stuck, re-read the guidance on http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...3#post54831703
This is an area my teacher put a big focus on - do not merely analyse individual words!! The Part A question is asking how the story is told and hence the examiner is looking for you to address broad aspects of the way the author has portrayed the story. Therefore, focusing in on how the author has used one word on one page will not set you up to gain maximum marks.
I found that the most effective structure for each of my Part A essays was to identify the key aspects of story telling and write a paragraph on each, making two points on that aspect/element of how the story is told per paragraph.
Hence, in the vast majority of my Part A essays I would write on about 4 topics out of setting, narrative voice, structure, chronology and characterisation as these are all key elements of how the story is told (there may be others as well).
This is an example of what I believe to be the best structure, using parts of my AS essays on Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. However, different things work for different people and I'm just a student, not an examiner, so only take this as a rough guide
Also, as I am now doing A2 I look back at these AS excerpts of my essays and I can see that they're definitely not perfect!!Introduction: Briefly introduce the story - usually mention its genre, main themes and what the part you are analysing consists of.
For example:
Christina Rossetti's tragic poem Cousin Kate appears a cautionary tale, telling the story of a country maiden who is seduced by a great Lord then discarded in favour for her cousin. Rossetti uses a wide variety of methods to tell the story, such as the narrative voice of the unnamed persona and the chronological change in attitude and tone. The poem has a central theme of transition and change, portrayed through the persona’s journey from social and sexual innocence to an ‘unclean thing' rejected from society.
Paragraph: Choose a main aspect of how the story is told and analyse it, making relevant, literary and analytical points
(NOTE: This example would be better if it focused on a broader method of how the story's told duh as setting/narrative voice etc, as the danger of analysing characterisation is that it can be quite similiar to a character study if done incorrectly, however it exemplifies the structure I am trying to explain)
The characterisation of the Boy is a crucial aspect in how McCarthy tells the story. McCarthy appears to present the Boy's youth and innocence as the sole provider of rationality and purity in The Road, contrasted against the novel's desolate and violent dystopian setting. This is suggested as the narrative voice of the Man exclaims that ‘if he [the boy] is not the word of God, God never spoke’. McCarthy's use of the religious expression 'the word of God' may suggest that the Boy is the embodiment of God’s purpose to the Man, implying that the Boy is a representation of the importance of moral purpose and will the survive regardless of the apparent tragedy of the situation. Alternatively, this could also be interpreted to signify that the character of the Boy symbolises a biblical figure in the novel. This suggests that the narrative function of the Boy is to act as a bastion of hope for both the reader and the Man, which is an essential element the novel's plotline and development.
^ Ideally this would include more quotes to back up my points, and I would also say that it’s a bit too much like a character study rather than analysing the Boy’s role within the novel as a whole - it's not perfect but hopefully you get the idea!
Conclusion: Briefly tie everything back together but don't just repeat yourself
Hope that's useful!
If you get stuck, re-read the guidance on http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...3#post54831703
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by scavi2008
Just answered a PM about why analysing individual words as the main point of your paragraphs is a bad idea - I thought it might help anyone else who's stuck:
This is an area my teacher put a big focus on - do not merely analyse individual words!! The Part A question is asking how the story is told and hence the examiner is looking for you to address broad aspects of the way the author has portrayed the story. Therefore, focusing in on how the author has used one word on one page will not set you up to gain maximum marks.
I found that the most effective structure for each of my Part A essays was to identify the key aspects of story telling and write a paragraph on each, making two points on that aspect/element of how the story is told per paragraph.
Hence, in the vast majority of my Part A essays I would write on about 4 topics out of setting, narrative voice, structure, chronology and characterisation as these are all key elements of how the story is told (there may be others as well).
This is an example of what I believe to be the best structure, using parts of my AS essays on Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. However, different things work for different people and I'm just a student, not an examiner, so only take this as a rough guide Also, as I am now doing A2 I look back at these AS excerpts of my essays and I can see that they're definitely not perfect!!
Introduction: Briefly introduce the story - usually mention its genre, main themes and what the part you are analysing consists of.
For example:
Christina Rossetti's tragic poem Cousin Kate appears a cautionary tale, telling the story of a country maiden who is seduced by a great Lord then discarded in favour for her cousin. Rossetti uses a wide variety of methods to tell the story, such as the narrative voice of the unnamed persona and the chronological change in attitude and tone. The poem has a central theme of transition and change, portrayed through the persona’s journey from social and sexual innocence to an ‘unclean thing' rejected from society.
Paragraph: Choose a main aspect of how the story is told and analyse it, making relevant, literary and analytical points
(NOTE: This example would be better if it focused on a broader method of how the story's told duh as setting/narrative voice etc, as the danger of analysing characterisation is that it can be quite similiar to a character study if done incorrectly, however it exemplifies the structure I am trying to explain)
The characterisation of the Boy is a crucial aspect in how McCarthy tells the story. McCarthy appears to present the Boy's youth and innocence as the sole provider of rationality and purity in The Road, contrasted against the novel's desolate and violent dystopian setting. This is suggested as the narrative voice of the Man exclaims that ‘if he [the boy] is not the word of God, God never spoke’. McCarthy's use of the religious expression 'the word of God' may suggest that the Boy is the embodiment of God’s purpose to the Man, implying that the Boy is a representation of the importance of moral purpose and will the survive regardless of the apparent tragedy of the situation. Alternatively, this could also be interpreted to signify that the character of the Boy symbolises a biblical figure in the novel. This suggests that the narrative function of the Boy is to act as a bastion of hope for both the reader and the Man, which is an essential element the novel's plotline and development.
^ Ideally this would include more quotes to back up my points, and I would also say that it’s a bit too much like a character study rather than analysing the Boy’s role within the novel as a whole - it's not perfect but hopefully you get the idea!
Conclusion: Briefly tie everything back together but don't just repeat yourself
Hope that's useful!
If you get stuck, re-read the guidance on http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...3#post54831703
This is an area my teacher put a big focus on - do not merely analyse individual words!! The Part A question is asking how the story is told and hence the examiner is looking for you to address broad aspects of the way the author has portrayed the story. Therefore, focusing in on how the author has used one word on one page will not set you up to gain maximum marks.
I found that the most effective structure for each of my Part A essays was to identify the key aspects of story telling and write a paragraph on each, making two points on that aspect/element of how the story is told per paragraph.
Hence, in the vast majority of my Part A essays I would write on about 4 topics out of setting, narrative voice, structure, chronology and characterisation as these are all key elements of how the story is told (there may be others as well).
This is an example of what I believe to be the best structure, using parts of my AS essays on Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. However, different things work for different people and I'm just a student, not an examiner, so only take this as a rough guide
Also, as I am now doing A2 I look back at these AS excerpts of my essays and I can see that they're definitely not perfect!!Introduction: Briefly introduce the story - usually mention its genre, main themes and what the part you are analysing consists of.
For example:
Christina Rossetti's tragic poem Cousin Kate appears a cautionary tale, telling the story of a country maiden who is seduced by a great Lord then discarded in favour for her cousin. Rossetti uses a wide variety of methods to tell the story, such as the narrative voice of the unnamed persona and the chronological change in attitude and tone. The poem has a central theme of transition and change, portrayed through the persona’s journey from social and sexual innocence to an ‘unclean thing' rejected from society.
Paragraph: Choose a main aspect of how the story is told and analyse it, making relevant, literary and analytical points
(NOTE: This example would be better if it focused on a broader method of how the story's told duh as setting/narrative voice etc, as the danger of analysing characterisation is that it can be quite similiar to a character study if done incorrectly, however it exemplifies the structure I am trying to explain)
The characterisation of the Boy is a crucial aspect in how McCarthy tells the story. McCarthy appears to present the Boy's youth and innocence as the sole provider of rationality and purity in The Road, contrasted against the novel's desolate and violent dystopian setting. This is suggested as the narrative voice of the Man exclaims that ‘if he [the boy] is not the word of God, God never spoke’. McCarthy's use of the religious expression 'the word of God' may suggest that the Boy is the embodiment of God’s purpose to the Man, implying that the Boy is a representation of the importance of moral purpose and will the survive regardless of the apparent tragedy of the situation. Alternatively, this could also be interpreted to signify that the character of the Boy symbolises a biblical figure in the novel. This suggests that the narrative function of the Boy is to act as a bastion of hope for both the reader and the Man, which is an essential element the novel's plotline and development.
^ Ideally this would include more quotes to back up my points, and I would also say that it’s a bit too much like a character study rather than analysing the Boy’s role within the novel as a whole - it's not perfect but hopefully you get the idea!
Conclusion: Briefly tie everything back together but don't just repeat yourself
Hope that's useful!
If you get stuck, re-read the guidance on http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...3#post54831703
This is really useful thank you! I noticed in one of your earlier posts you mentioned not discussing themes in the section A odd question so I was just wondering where we would mention themes in the paper, if at all. Also, you've definitely made it a lot clearer on how to structure the answers so thank you for that but I was just wondering how to relate those narrative methods you mentioned (setting, voice, structure, chronology and characterisation) to the actual story being told in that chapter/poem? Thank you
Hi,
This is so helpful, thank you! I study at home, and am self taught so panic is setting in. Could you tell me how long each essay should be? I struggle with timing as I am a slow writer, and my brain goes a lot faster than my head. Also, do you have any sample essays, or know where I could perhaps find some?
Thank you
This is so helpful, thank you! I study at home, and am self taught so panic is setting in. Could you tell me how long each essay should be? I struggle with timing as I am a slow writer, and my brain goes a lot faster than my head. Also, do you have any sample essays, or know where I could perhaps find some?
Thank you
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