Advanced Higher English 2019-2020

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Hello. I’ve just recently started studying advanced higher English and I can’t think about what to books to do my dissertation on. I was wondering if any of you’d could help and recommended me books and also how they-have common themes etc. Thank you in advance :smile:

Reply 21

Alex.Enaholo

Hi there,

I sat adv higher English last year and found picking a text for my dissertation quite challenging as well. As far as what you can pick you can pick literally anything which has enough literary weight behind it. people in my year did things like Purple Hibiscus, The Help, Norwegian Wood, Dracula, Bonjour Tristesse, Pride and prejudice and Brave New World. So a really broad range of stuff.
Our teacher and the sqa now really advise that you focus on only one main book so that hopefully makes the decision a bit easier.
hope this helps.

Reply 22

Sedwardson

Hey, does anyone have any good portfolio essay ideas, preferably something to do with psychology or something like that. Thanks.

Reply 23

Quick-use

Original post by Sedwardson

Hey, does anyone have any good portfolio essay ideas, preferably something to do with psychology or something like that. Thanks.

Is this for AH English? What kind of essay are you planning on doing? A discursive one?

Yeah discursive

Spoiler

Have just merged all of the separate threads into the main AH English one :smile:

Hopefully you'll all be able to help each other answer your questions :smile:

Reply 26

RedPheonixWitch

Has anyone got any clue about how to write the dissertation?? My teacher pretty much turned round and told us we're getting zero help. Now I've got 400 words of it due in tomorrow and serious lacking in knowledge

Reply 27

Godsclass2020

Any tips on you study and prepare for the final exam? That’s my weakness. 😅

Reply 28

Godsclass2020

Original post by JM_1998

I studied cfe AH English 2015-16, got an A1 and I'm going into 2nd year at uni for English Lit @ St Andrews - coasting on 75%+ so if anyone wants any advice about AH English or English Lit at uni hmu :h:

Hi. Any tips on preparing for and acing the exam? I’m doing drama texts and this is my weakness.

Reply 29

withered.rose

Hi, does anyone know what will happen with the deadlines for advanced higher English in terms of the coronavirus.

If teachers have to submit estimates, what will happen for folio pieces, as the deadline was 4th of May (date of exam).

Also, does anyone know the exact deadline for dissertations.

Reply 30

kierab1257

I had an idea of the handmaids tale but not sure if that’s overdone and i also wanted to do more recent novels like call me by your name and normal people but my teacher suggested against it. Does anyone have any interesting ideas that aren’t overdone, thabk you!!! ok

Reply 31

jamesg2

I agree, the Handmaids Tale probably is over done. But what about the two Giliad novels with the emphasis on Giliad and its development and influence over women. That certainly has not been done.

Reply 32

kierab1257

thank you so much, do you have any more recommendations!!

Reply 33

jamesg2

I have only skimmed through “Testaments” but it was clear to me that the full meaning and function of Gilliad requires a study of both novels.

A writer that I have begun looking at is Nella Larsen. Her two novella’s “Passing” and “Quicksand” which focus’s on the mulatto within American society also has relevance to the issue of race in this country. Unlike the Gilliad novels Nella has been the subject dissertations.

One writer for whom I have a vested interest - when the next Set Text revision takes place I hope to argue for Walter Scott to be included. I would find it difficult to accept that the SQA would exclude Sir Walter Scott three times in succession.

In the first choice for the Set Texts the SQA wanted to include “Rob Roy”, luckily the sanity of teachers refused to agree. You plonk a copy of Rob Roy on a pupils desk and you will kill any hope of igniting a love for the writing of Sir Walter Scott.

The short stories are the way forward. It is a matter of record that the common theme throughout the short stories is the supernatural. The short stories I would suggest would be:-

My Aunt Margaret’s Mirror
The Fortunes of Martin
The Highland Widow
Phantasmagoria

Although all deal with the Supernatural - they also all have separate themes. “My Aunt Margaret’s Mirror” describes the vilest character I have ever read who exploits women and kills anyone who cast aspersions against his character. The Fortunes of Martin deals with a very greedy character who has disdain for the local supernatural and is exploited by the local spirit. The Highland Widow who encourages he son to avenge his father’s death and who dies a a result to the grief his mother who has now lost both father and son. Phantasmagoria is about an old lady who agrees with an army Captain friend to allow her son join the army. When the Captain dies the mother withdraws and refuses to allow her son to enlist.The Captain has to return as a ghost to persuade the mother that her son will be ok. Phantasmagoria means a series of optical illusions. And there is the point - was the ghost an illusion or was it real.

I would suggest you choose three stories. Few choose Sir Walter Scott to read or write about and I doubt many of the examiners have seriously studied Sir Walter Scott - and that is a big advantage. If it were up to me I would choose A + C + D. There is commonality between these stories.