To a level literature students

Hi
I love Literature and want to continue it to a level and eventually achieve a degree and maybe a masters/PhD.
It is easy or challenging.
I currently find it quite easy and am top of the class(Top set).
What books/text might I study.
I am in year 10 and just curious.
Thanks and have a good day!

Reply 1

TheAlchemistress

Original post by ridwaan ahmad

I do Edexcel so it depends on the exam board. But I study:

Dr.Faustus
Poems of the Decade
Handmaids tale
Romanticism
Frankenstein
And I think Othello.

Plus coursework.

Reply 2

username3774332

Thanks so much
By the way, do you know any good sixth forms in Birmingham as I want to succeed and get an A*

Reply 3

Lucy_Apple17

I think if you find it easy now you'll enjoy it at A level, because despite there being a lot more context you have to know, critical essays getting thrown into the mix as well as comparison between texts its a really enjoyable subject in my opinion. I'm currently in year 12 hoping to study English at uni myself and the course works so you do drama, prose and poetry. I currently study an anthology called Poems of the Decade, Frankenstein, The Handmaid's Tale and A Streetcar Named Desire, but also doing Othello, The Romantic poets, and coursework next year.
So despite it being challenging and a lot of content, it is a really enjoyable a level.
Good luck in your GCSE's! :smile:

Reply 4

Lucy_Apple17

Original post by ridwaan ahmad

Thanks so much
By the way, do you know any good sixth forms in Birmingham as I want to succeed and get an A*

It doesn't necessarily matter where you go for sixth form, whether it be a state or grammar school you can still do really well.

Reply 5

username3774332

Thanks, Lucy
Right now I really find it fun and easy.
I continuously write essays to my teacher to mark as I am doing Literature early this year(year 10).
By the way, do you know any good sixth forms in Birmingham? I dont mind you cannot answer my question.
I hope to do these in my a levels:
Jane Eyre
Romeo and Juliet
Othello
Poets of the decade(IDK what this is lmao)
and get A* :smile:

))
Thanks so much.

Reply 6

curtiswinter1

I'm an AS student atm and we do AQA Specification B. We basically look at it through the eyes of the genre of Tragedy (other specifications are completely different). It's actually really interesting and you explore texts in a much more perceptive light compared to GCSE. I also feel more liberty with essays and almost imbued with more creativity. The texts we do for AS are: King Lear, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy poetry, Death of A Salesman.

Reply 7

username3774332

Ok thanks
I want to go to either King Edward camp hill or Fiveways.
ANy other king Edward will do as there is a lot of competition there and it will be more and interesting and the teaching is great.
thanks

bump

Original post by ridwaan ahmad

you will enjoy it for sure! i take chemistry, biology and english lit, and english is by far my favourite (the sheer amount of content in science kills off any possible enjoyment). of course it is more challenging than GCSE, you are more independent in your learning and don't just memorise all the notes your teachers give, but thats the beauty of it. you write your own ideas and opinions in your essays, and the more original the better :smile:

if you find it easy i'm assuming english comes naturally to you so a level won't be a problem.

aqa exam board
in year twelve: i studied the love through the ages poetry collection compared with the great gatsby, and also othello.
in year thirteen: i'm studying a streetcar named desire compared with one flew over the cuckoos nest, and also the poetry collection skirrid hill.
on top of this, you have unseen prose and poetry essays. there is also coursework which counts for 25% of your final grade.

i never regretted taking english lit a level, i love it!

Reply 10

username3774332

Thanks a bunch!
I find it as a natural subject and easy.
I mostly come up with my own ideas and write essays nearly every day in preparation for my upcoming early GCSE Lit.
Hope to go to Oxford or Warwick Uni with A*AA minimum(HOPEFULLY)
I find English Literature LIT(I am going to kill my self now)
Thanks

Reply 11

HSennett

English Lit certainly involves a lot of independent work and reading but it is totally worth it.
The texts you study depend on your exam board, I have AQA for example and I study: The Taming of the Shrew, The Importance of Being Ernest, Comedic poetry and Emma.
Next year, if I continue with the subject, I will study The Kite Runner, The Handmaids Tale and I will also have to do a piece of coursework on a book about social protest.
I hope this gives you some idea and I would say there is a somewhat big jump between English Lit at GCSE and at A-Level.
If you are passionate about the subject I'm sure you will be fine.
Hope this helps :smile: