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A2 literature critical anthology coursework

Hi guys!

Currently planning my critical anthology coursework (Marxism in The Trial by Kafka) and I understand the AO's , just wondering if any of you have any tips to help me reach the higher grades; things to avoid or include, certain structural techniques etc.

Thanks so much!:smile:
Hi! I'm currently working on this coursework as well. Some advice that my teacher gave to me is that you want to try and lead with your anthology- think of this as another comparative coursework, but rather than comparing two texts, you're comparing the anthology to Kafka. It should be quite apparent to you already but one thing that she would not stop stressing on about is that you must keep on referring to the anthology (or, at least, some sort of critical theory).

Have you ever used Google Scholar? It's quite good if you want to find some extra stuff while demonstrating you've done extra reading.
Reply 2
Avatar for Tsaro
Tsaro
I'm doing Marxism and Camus' 'The Stranger' so this applies to me too. I know that the anthology counts as a third text, so does that mean I can re-use The Stranger in my comparative essay too?
Original post by johnbjohnb
Hi! I'm currently working on this coursework as well. Some advice that my teacher gave to me is that you want to try and lead with your anthology- think of this as another comparative coursework, but rather than comparing two texts, you're comparing the anthology to Kafka. It should be quite apparent to you already but one thing that she would not stop stressing on about is that you must keep on referring to the anthology (or, at least, some sort of critical theory).

Have you ever used Google Scholar? It's quite good if you want to find some extra stuff while demonstrating you've done extra reading.


Thanks that's so helpful! My teacher never mentioned that the anthology should be referred to, I had no idea that I had to involve it so much.

I have once or twice before, thanks for the suggestion! That will come in handy when I have to write about context and such.

cheers!:h:
Original post by Tsaro
I'm doing Marxism and Camus' 'The Stranger' so this applies to me too. I know that the anthology counts as a third text, so does that mean I can re-use The Stranger in my comparative essay too?


The anthology counts as the second text as you only do one for the critical coursework.
You can't use the same text for your other piece of coursework unfortunately:frown:
Reply 5
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Tsaro
Original post by charlotteosbo
The anthology counts as the second text as you only do one for the critical coursework.
You can't use the same text for your other piece of coursework unfortunately:frown:


But I thought each student had to study a total of six texts in A2?

Three in the exam + two chosen texts for coursework + anthology = six??

I'm a little muddled. :cry2:
Could you elucidate further?
Original post by Tsaro
But I thought each student had to study a total of six texts in A2?

Three in the exam + two chosen texts for coursework + anthology = six??

I'm a little muddled. :cry2:
Could you elucidate further?


You choose three texts for coursework:
1 text for the critical anthology piece
2 texts for the comparison essay
Unless of course your college has decided to choose the text for your comparison coursework, as I know some places have

For the exam I'm doing Blake, Hardy and that's all I've been told so far

Hope that helps:smile:
Original post by Tsaro
But I thought each student had to study a total of six texts in A2?

Three in the exam + two chosen texts for coursework + anthology = six??

I'm a little muddled. :cry2:
Could you elucidate further?


wait actually I've confused myself:confused:
The critical anthology doesn't count as a text but you have to treat it as one?
I think
Original post by Tsaro
But I thought each student had to study a total of six texts in A2?

Three in the exam + two chosen texts for coursework + anthology = six??

I'm a little muddled. :cry2:
Could you elucidate further?


Original post by charlotteosbo
wait actually I've confused myself:confused:
The critical anthology doesn't count as a text but you have to treat it as one?
I think


Okay, take this from what I've done :P

For AS I've studied:

1. Auden
2. Browning
3. Khaled Hosseini - Kite Runner
4. Fitzgerald - Gatsby
5. Shakespeare - Much Ado about Nothing
6. Oscar Wilde

for A2 I have studied / will study:

7. Lewis Carroll (independent 1) (COURSEWORK)
8. Mary Shelley (EXAM)
9. Angela Carter (EXAM)
10. C.S Lewis (independent 2) (COURSEWORK)
11. Philip Pullman (independent 3) (COURSEWORK)
12. Critical Anthology (COURSEWORK)
13. Shakespeare - Macbeth (doesn't count because we already did Shakespeare) (EXAM)
14. Christina Rossetti <-- extra, for my AS retake ;_;

but yeah if you ignore Macbeth and Rossetti you should come out with 12 texts, also I think you can count the poetry anthology as a text in itself but.. I don't like to do that :|
(edited 8 years ago)
Hello TSR,

I am in dire need of a spare critical anthology if any of you have one or know where I could get one!

THANKS!
Original post by clairegamble
Hello TSR,

I am in dire need of a spare critical anthology if any of you have one or know where I could get one!

THANKS!



If you are still struggling to find a paper copy I've found a digital one which is the same as the one I used for my piece but I'm not sure if your exam board is AQA-
https://elainenlong.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/gce-litb4-critical-anthology-2013-version-1.pdf
Hope this helps :smile:

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