A-level English Study Group

I'm doing the Edexcel Spec. The books we are studying are: Frankenstein, The Handmaid's Tale and Antony and Cleopatra.

If anybody would like to discuss any topical or interesting ideas surrounding the books listed, that would be appreciated.

I am keen to share ideas and build on my knowledge through some discussions about the context of the novels, as well as the political and social aspects as well.

Would you like me to PM you the link to an essay I wrote comparing Handmaid and Frankenstein? I include some context in there and some analysis of themes about women and power.

Reply 41

tameimpalaaa

12

Original post by StevetheIcecube

Would you like me to PM you the link to an essay I wrote comparing Handmaid and Frankenstein? I include some context in there and some analysis of themes about women and power.

Yes please - That would be lovely!

Reply 42

brownanya122

13

I'm a little late to the thread but I'm doing:
English Literature on AQA
I'm in Y12 and studying Othello, Death of a Salesman, Keats poetry
In Y13 I'll be studying Hamlet, Atonement and Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Reply 43

username2896864

15

-Year 12
- English Language
- Edexcel,

Spoiler

Thanks for the tag @Sonechka! :hugs:

EDIT: just realised I'm probably the only one doing English Language, why am I not surprised? :lol:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 44

Deliciate

14

Year 12
English lit
OCR
Shakespeare: Richard III
American literature: The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald.
Poetry pre-1900: The Merchant’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer
Drama post 1900: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Prose post- 1900: The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 45

Shaziye

14

I do A-Level English Literature and Language OCR
Is anyone doing any of these books:
The Great Gatsby
Streetcar Named Desire
Stuart A Life Backwards
Carol Ann Duffy Rapture Collection
Anyone want to exchange revision resources

Reply 46

effystonem

10

Thanks for the tag! :smile:

Are you in Year 12 or Year 13? 12
Are you studying English language, English literature or both? Lit
Which exam board are you using? Edexcel
What are your set texts? (for English literature) Tess of the D'Urbervilles , Mrs Dalloway
What do you enjoy most/are you looking forward to most about English? Looking forward to analysing and just looking at use of words. Context is interesting too!

Reply 47

StevetheIcecube

18

Original post by Shaziye

I do A-Level English Literature and Language OCR
Is anyone doing any of these books:
The Great Gatsby
Streetcar Named Desire
Stuart A Life Backwards
Carol Ann Duffy Rapture Collection
Anyone want to exchange revision resources

I do A Streetcar Named Desire, I did it last year in my first year of A-Levels :smile:

I don't have any online resources or anything like that but if you want to ask any questions or if you want my general impressions, just ask!

Reply 48

gmsb09

17

Original post by Fox Corner

Love all of those texts! Good luck this year :smile:

Thank you ☺️☺️

Reply 49

phoebecarys

10

Hey guys! I'm kinda late to the party but I'm Phoebe, a year 13 studying Edexcel English Literature and Edexcel English Language (not combined).
Our set texts are Frankenstein & Never Let Me Go, Twelfth Night, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Great Gatsby & A Streetcar Named Desire, Poems of the Decades and The Great Modern Poets.
Not to be a total nerd but I absolutely love everything about English, though I'm a little less enthused by classic comedies and the history of language, I get through it! 😂 I just love finding so much meaning in literally everything be it fictional texts or speech or any way people communicate. I could really talk about it for ages 🙈

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 50

Hadiqa6525

13

We are doing AQA English Language and Literature. We are reading the Great Gatsby at the moment in Language and looking at the elites and newspapers in literature (magazines too). I really enjoy the criticisms and details involved in English, hence why I've decided to do it as an A-Level.

Reply 51

littlelemon12

1

Hey,I'm in year 13, doing English Lit, so far for AS we did the History Boys, Hamlet and 1984 for A2 we are doing the duchess of Malfi and the handmaids tale. I got a U in AS which I am upset about but it doesn't count. they use it as predictions for UCAS. But I'm autistic and not academic. Literature is everything I find exhilarating about life, it means everything to me and I intend to study it at BCU and progress onto a PGCE. I used these words (stichomythia, anagnorisis) etc.. for my A02 in the exam. I just don't want history to repeat itself. Can anyone help?

Reply 52

etothepiiplusone

15

Now I have had lessons with both teachers I have! Doing Hamlet with one, Chaucer (Merchant's Prologue and Tale) with the other. Anyone else doing these texts, or have already done them and have advice?

Reply 53

randomer18972

8

thanks for the tag :smile:

I'm in Year 13, studying English literature with OCR. Im doing 1984, Brave New World, Streetcar named desire, Dracula, a picture of dorian grey and twelfth night

Reply 54

StevetheIcecube

18

I've had an English lesson now - my workload is going to be a lot larger this year for sure!

Reply 55

Vanessasworld

10

I need someone to explain to me like in really simple terms what negative capability is!!

Reply 56

phoebecarys

10

Original post by Vanessasworld

I need someone to explain to me like in really simple terms what negative capability is!!

I've not looked into this an awful lot myself but I've found this website to be quite good in breaking the concept down into more simpler definitions. It doesn't ignore the fact that Keats' description is a little vague and confusing at a first glance, so hopefully you'll find it a little helpful. :smile:

https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/john-keats-and-negative-capability

It basically appears to mean that good literary works are willing to leave some things mysterious or unanswered. To Keats, it's important to value beauty over complete understanding and cleverness when it comes to literary works, especially poetry.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 57

Vanessasworld

10

Original post by phoebecarys

I've not looked into this an awful lot myself but I've found this website to be quite good in breaking the concept down into more simpler definitions. It doesn't ignore the fact that Keats' description is a little vague and confusing at a first glance, so hopefully you'll find it a little helpful. :smile:

https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/john-keats-and-negative-capability

It basically appears to mean that good literary works are willing to leave some things mysterious or unanswered. To Keats, it's important to value beauty over complete understanding and cleverness when it comes to literary works, especially poetry.

Thank you!! :smile:

Reply 58

F0X

12

Thanks for the tag!

Are you in Year 12 or Year 13? Year 13
Are you studying English language, English literature or both? English Literature
Which exam board are you using? OCR
What are your set texts? (for English literature) Hamlet, The Duchess of Malfi, The Great Gatsby and two others

Reply 59

TheAlchemistress

22

Original post by Sonechka

Welcome to TSR's very own English study group!

We already have a study group for A-level philosophy/RS, and I thought we could use a similar one for English. You can use this thread to discuss the concepts and texts you're studying and help each other out with your English literature or language (or both!) studies. Get started by introducing yourself below!

Are you in Year 12 or Year 13?
Are you studying English language, English literature or both?
Which exam board are you using?
What are your set texts? (for English literature)
What do you enjoy most/are you looking forward to most about English?

Resources
Exam dates:
Too early!

Specifications:
English literature: OCR (AS) // AQA // Edexcel (AS)
English language: OCR (AS) // AQA // Edexcel (AS)
English language & literature combined: OCR (AS) // AQA // Edexcel (AS)

Websites:
A compilation of English language resources
Shmoop
SparkNotes
No Fear Shakespeare
CliffsNotes
If you know any more websites which you think should be included here, let me know! :h:

A-level English Study Group

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