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English Literature AQA Coursework

2

Just a random thing to ask what two texts people are thinking of comparing?

As it stands I'm definitely doing Dante's 'The Divine Comedy' (though probably only picking one of the three) and I'm not sure of the other text...
As I've ranted a million times about Hardy I'm definitely not doing him, but I'm thinking possibly something completely contemporary to contrast with Dante or something 19thc...

Don't really KNOW!

Reply 1

Ariadne

16

i have to do Tess of the D'Urbervilles for one (luckily the only Hardy I actually liked) - might compare it to Wuthering Heights, but I'm not really sure. :confused:

Reply 2

Agrippina

15

I did Brideshead Revisited and The Remains of the Day, comparing their portrayal of the decline of the English stately home. Just because it was something I was very interested in anyway!

Reply 3

discombobulation

OP

2

alex_ramsay

i have to do Tess of the D'Urbervilles for one (luckily the only Hardy I actually liked) - might compare it to Wuthering Heights, but I'm not really sure. :confused:

I know the decisions the hard bit. We've been given the topic of 'devils and rebels' so we have to find texts with those kind of characters in, which isn't too hard really but I don't want to make the wrong decision!

Reply 4

discombobulation

OP

2

Rachel

I did Brideshead Revisited and The Remains of the Day, comparing their portrayal of the decline of the English stately home. Just because it was something I was very interested in anyway!

See

that's a reallly good choice I wish I could choose my own theme and then I'd be sorted!

Reply 5

PinkPigeon

13

I'm doing Precious Bane and Cold Comfort Farm- at my school we all do the same texts but get to write our own titles.
I haven't picked my title yet, we're still working through CCF at the minute.

Reply 6

Madelyn

13

Are you allowed to do Dante? I had an idea that your texts had to be originally written in English, but I might just be wrong. Anyway, I did Emma and The Importance of Being Earnest, though this year (I'm resitting) I might swap Emma for Pride and Prejudice. It's comparing the use of satire, we don't get a choice about it.

Reply 7

Mata

16

I would have killed to do The Divine Comedy (only Hell though, because pergatory and heaven are far less interesting) and maybe compare it with Atwood's Oryx and Crake.

But we don't get a choice of texts, so I'm doing 'The Go-Between' (see in dictionary under 'worse book ever written') and Atonement, which is good and will help with the synoptic but wouldn't have been my first choice.

Reply 8

DubPsychosis

I see there are people who are mentioning "themes", I'm not sure if we're even doing that sort of thing!

We're looking at The Mill On The Floss by George Eliot (it's dire) and Far From The Madding Crowd by Hardy.

I'd like to look at Hardy, but I'm not sure what I'd use to compare. :/

Reply 9

LondonSteve181

Not to burst anyone's bubble but I don't think that you're allowed to use Dante as it is foreign literature (even in translation) and you're studying ENGLISH literature. I tried to compare Bolzac I think and wasn't allowed, apparently it is an infringement of the specification or some crap like that. Check it first, would hate to see all your time wasted and the exam board rejecting the script.

Steve

Reply 10

Charlottie

12

You're right I think, because initially I wanted to do Lolita and one of my teachers was convinced it was first written in Russian (it wasn't, as I told her) which would go against board rules. The rules state, amongst other things I'd assume, that each text must have first been written in the English language, and one of the texts must be a novel (or it may be worded piece of prose or something similar).

Reply 11

discombobulation

OP

2

I am allowed to do Dante or Lolita actually...they've been approved as has Easton Ellis's 'American Psycho'...it's allowed

Reply 12

Ariadne

16

Madelyn

Are you allowed to do Dante? I had an idea that your texts had to be originally written in English, but I might just be wrong. Anyway, I did Emma and The Importance of Being Earnest, though this year (I'm resitting) I might swap Emma for Pride and Prejudice. It's comparing the use of satire, we don't get a choice about it.

Wow - I love both of those books! Dammit, why couldn't I get something like that? Tess of the D'Urbervilles is so depressing... :frown:

. How come everybody already has their titles, or is my school just way behind the times?

Reply 13

Madelyn

13

How come Dante is allowed? That's really odd.
I only know my title because I did it last year. Doing texts I already know and love is a bit tedious, actually, I find it much more interesting when I have to look at something new.

Reply 14

Charlottie

12

what_a_shambles

I am allowed to do Dante or Lolita actually...they've been approved as has Easton Ellis's 'American Psycho'...it's allowed

Well of course Lolita was. It should be unquestionable, it was written in English.

Reply 15

Astral Weeks

10

Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman. Will write something about the broken American Dream and its representation.

Reply 16

Agrippina

15

Charlottie

Well of course Lolita was. It should be unquestionable, it was written in English.

Yeah, though the author was a native Russian speaker wasn't he?

Reply 17

~Bex~

14

I don't actually have to do this til next year (currently studying AS) but I was just having a little think about it and I was wondering if it is possible (or perhaps plausicle) to write about a more modern novel? Because I was thinking about maybe doing something like Malorie Blackman's "Nought's and Crosses", but I'm aware that most people seem to be picking more 'traditional' books so maybe it's the wrong way to go?

Reply 18

Madelyn

13

~Bex~

I don't actually have to do this til next year (currently studying AS) but I was just having a little think about it and I was wondering if it is possible (or perhaps plausicle) to write about a more modern novel? Because I was thinking about maybe doing something like Malorie Blackman's "Nought's and Crosses", but I'm aware that most people seem to be picking more 'traditional' books so maybe it's the wrong way to go?

It is possible to study more modern texts - I know people who've done work on Margaret Atwood and The Poisonwood Bible - but I think you might need to check with the exam board - my teacher was telling me about someone who wanted to do Bridget Jones' Diary and AQA said she couldn't. If I remember correctly, they have a list of acceptable books, so if it's on there you're fine, but otherwise get your teacher to ask. Noughts and Crosses would be pretty interesting.

Reply 19

discombobulation

OP

2

alex_ramsay

Wow - I love both of those books! Dammit, why couldn't I get something like that? Tess of the D'Urbervilles is so depressing... :frown:

. How come everybody already has their titles, or is my school just way behind the times?

We went back for 6 weeks after the exams and got prepped for it all and he gave us a list to read over the summer (most of which was Tess of the D'Urbervilles style!)

English Literature AQA Coursework

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