Brave new world and..?

One thing you could do is look through the reading list drawn up by the exam board, they're always quite extensive and really useful. Have a skim through and see if any of the titles on there jump out at you, do a bit of research on each one and all that jazz

Hello!
This isn't yet, but my second coursework title in english lit (a2) is with regards to comparing two novels according to a particular feature of the novel. I dont know the ins and outs of it yet and what is specifically required because were not working on it yet, but I need to buy a few novels to read (library has been taking too long) and want to buy books that i know i could compare with "Brave New world". Ideally i want them to be quite different to offer more discussion in the essay. I havent read brave new world yet but i know the overview of it, and was wandering whether anyone had any ideas of something i can compare it with? I have a reading list but i dont know where to start!! I don't wanna randomly buy one that i will end up thinking.. I cant really use that. Any ideas?

Which spec are you on? AQA Lit B? I'm doing a similar coursework (not with Brave New World though - comparing Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' with Dorian Gray ).

I love dystopian lit though - you could compare methods of social control in Brave New World and another dystopian novel like Orwell's 1984, Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Burgess' 'A Clockwork Orange' etc. There are so many good novels to compare with BNW - if you really fancy a challenge, you could even debate that the utopia/dystopia concepts are subjective, as Huxley wrote a utopian counterpart called 'Island'. Lots of very similar concepts that are used in BNW are used positively in Island.

Anyway, here are a couple of examples;

1. 'To what extent are Winston from Orwell's '1984' and John the Savage from Huxley's 'Brave New World' subject to authoritarian control?

2.'To what extent are characters in Orwell's '1984' and Huxley's 'Brave New World' entrapped within a dystopian environment?'

For Q1, you could unpick the question and use the words 'authoritarian control' for your debate - methods of control are more subliminal than actually eliciting genuine fear in BNW, whereas in 1984, the control is pretty blatant.

For Q2, you could debate the utopian/dystopian concepts - Orwell's 1984 is evidently a dystopia, no denying that, but Brave New World seems to be driven from Utopian vision (If you have/buy the vintage classics edition, Margaret Atwood has written a really interesting essay on this, which would be really useful).

Hope this helps you!!

Hmm, interesting. I dont think im gonna do 1984, just because i worry that it's too political to unravel, and i feel that i wouldnt enjoy it as much. If i dont compare BNW with something i was considering comparing two romantic, perhaps tragic novels. I've ordered Jane eyre and on chesil beach, so thats should be an interesting read. But ill just take it from there. Come to think of it id probably enjoy that more. The reading suggestions sound pretty good, ill check them out.
Thanks!

1984 isn't what I'd choose personally, just seemed like a good basis for debate!

Can you do yours on literally any two texts of your choice? If so, that's actually quite difficult! We were taught 'A Doll's House' as a class, then the second text is to be chosen/written independently.

Not literally any, because it obviously has to be something reasonable. I dont think it's too difficult- how come you think so?
were going to be studying brave new world. Dont think we necessarily have to use it in the comparison essay. Our other coursework essay is our choice too.

Oh just because of the AQA Lit B spec - examiners are ridiculously harsh, so I just feel like it's a bit easier to have sound/in-depth knowledge of how one of the texts are structured etc. if it's actually taught to you. I think I misunderstood though, didn't realise you were doing BNW as a class! Yeah our other coursework essay is our choice too, looking forward to applying critical theory more than this comparative essay though I think!

Ah, okay. Oh no, i didnt mention it before so it makes sense that you wouldnt have realised
I finished most of my plan for that essay today. I'm applying feminism to the great gatsby. Dreading the whole word limit chaos haha!

When in doubt, pull IT out.

Stephen King never fails.

(Remember to make sure the book is on neither the A2 or the AS course already, and pick something challenging.)

Also, if you are on the same course as me, then you can also choose a play or a poetry collection if you want.