Higher English Personal Study

Can anyone recommended good texts for my personal study?

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I did The Bell Jar by Slyvia Plath, it was really great as i did an in depth analysis on the portrayal of mental breakdown in the main character Ester Greenwood. Passed first time.

Reply 2

Dhesi

I did 1984. Loads of different literary techniques to write about in it.

Reply 3

Gregpicard

The Great Gatsby is good; choc-a-block with good themes and issues to explore (eg. The dillusion of the American Dream) :smile:

Reply 4

Sammi22

I did Lord of the Flies, because I'm lazy and it's an easy book to read, but has tonnes you can write about.

Reply 5

Cirrus

I did "The Trick Is To Keep Breathing" By Janice Galloway, Its about a woman struggling to cope with depression and an eating disorder BRILLIANT for structure questions.

Reply 6

Acaila

I would always recommend doing something you've read and enjoyed personally.
I did Les Miserables, but I was obsessed with it and knew it inside out

Reply 7

verticalforce

Gregpicard

The Great Gatsby is good; choc-a-block with good themes and issues to explore (eg. The dillusion of the American Dream) :smile:

I had to literally forced myself to finish reading the book. Thank god for York's Advanced Note or I'll never passed the thing. :wink:

Reply 8

wombley

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

Found quite a lot of things to talk about. Plus I still love the book even after studying. A first for me! :smile:

Reply 9

username116406

The catcher in the rye, short and sweet

I did it as my AS level english coursework, but I know a friend who did it for her higher english, and its reaaallly easy to pick apart, as well as being short.

Reply 10

Sammi22

wombley

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

Found quite a lot of things to talk about. Plus I still love the book even after studying. A first for me! :smile:

I was going to do that at first! Awesome book! :smile:

Reply 11

Rlemkin

I did my PS on a war poem and barely passed :p:

I read 1984 but didnt really enjoy it so wasnt motivated, looking back if i'd spent the time on the poem instead of 1984 my essay would have been alot better and less stressful... (found out I passed my PS day of the exam)

Reply 12

Haris™

I did The Wasp Factory. It has tons of literary techniques and there is so many themes to explore :smile:

Reply 13

pauline_lg

I did 'Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' - really good themes to focus on, I personally focussed on the narrative structure. It's short, so you can read it in one sitting, and it's really good! Watching the film as well really helped me. I highly recommend it.

Reply 14

scotie07

pauline_lg

My teacher recomended 'Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' to people but I did 'A Farewell to Arms' by Ernest Hemingway and thought it was really good. It's an emotional book so I found evaluation was easy because my question was about how the main character evoked my sympathy. I've just started reading 'The Great Gatsby' and to be honest I'm finding it a bit boring.

Reply 15

thisisrubbish

I did 'Daddy' By Sylvia Plath and did 'Thirteen Steps and the Thirteenth of March' by Douglas Dunn (both deal with death) and passed first time, although if you do a poem you don't have to do two if it's as long as either of these. I personally think that it's easy peasy if you do a poem... easy to structure, remember, research, analyse because it's all there in front of you and you don't need to go searching for stuff like in a novel :smile:

I don't see you can go wrong unless you choose one you don't enjoy. I loved both of these and I think that's why I passed!

Reply 16

scotie07

I'm a good bit through 'The Great Gatsby' and I think I judged it too soon because I've got into the story now but still not sure I'd want to study it quite yet but that might change when I'm finished it.

Reply 17

studentboy441

For my Personal Study last year I did 'A Million Little Pieces' by James Frey, it's an awesome autobiographical account of his years spent in a famous rehabilitation clinic in America. There is absolutely tonnes to write about, and I personally found it pretty easy to write about in order to achieve a pass, and there are also some good notes on sparknotes.com if you're struggling. Though it does have to be a 'personal' study, therefore, notesMUSTbe used in your own words. Good read though, and definitely recommendable! :biggrin:

Hope this helps. :rolleyes:

Reply 18

LittleMissVet

i read 'Emma' be Jane Austen. i wrote about how her character is portrayed through her relationships with others. passed first time! York notes are a lifesaver!