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AQA A2 English Lit - doing a different topic in exam

Hi there,

Anyone studying this course knows that we have to answer in the exam on either Elements of the Gothic or Elements of the Pastoral. You are taught about one topic in class and study two texts relating to that genre of literature.

My class is doing Elements of the Pastoral, and we are studying 'She Stoops to Conquer' by Oliver Goldsmith and 'Blue Remembered Hills' by Dennis Potter. We are also studying the poetry of Dylan Thomas, Philip Larkin and R. S. Thomas, for use in the exam.

We did not get a choice in relation to doing Gothic or Pastoral. I have the English A2 revision guide published by AQA and have looked through both sections concerting Gothic and Pastoral. I find, personally, that I would be a lot more capable of answering a question on the Gothic in the exam. Lots of my extra-curricular reading is centred on that genre, so I know a lot more about it than I do the Pastoral. Although I respect the genre of the Pastoral, I find that when compared with the Gothic, it is a lot less interesting and I'm worried that it will hinder my grades in the exam when I am sure I could achieve a higher grade answering on the Gothic. I am more than willing to study Gothic texts in great detail myself, according to the specification by AQA.

Can anyone give me any advice? Should I speak to my teachers about this? It just seems unfair that we did not get the choice in this matter - I don't know whether they were more comfortable teaching Pastoral, or if the students got higher (in my school) on the Pastoral paper rather than the Gothic.

Any help would be appreciated! :smile: