The Student Room Group

English Lit Coursework - any tips?

Hi everyone,

I'm in year 13 doing AQA English Literature B, and have the option to choose one prose and one poetry to study for my coursework. I have to choose a theory to analyse the text on from a set list:
Feminist theory, narrative theory, marxism, ecocritical, literary value (and the canon) or post-colonial.
The texts have to be analysed using differing theories (e.g. can't choose feminism for both poetry and prose)

Has anyone done a similar specification/currently doing so? I'm struggling with choosing a text for prose, and any tips for the coursework would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!
Charlotte :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
It would be a bad idea to do aspects of narrative if your text doesn't have much in the way of one! What are your thoughts on what texts you'll do?
Reply 2
Just finished my coursework on A Clockwork Orange. Did it under narratology and got 23/25.
Reply 3
Although part of my wishes I'd saved narrative theory for the poetry piece (which we are currently writing) as it is probably the most natural for poetry.
Reply 4
Original post by plgdjskv
Just finished my coursework on A Clockwork Orange. Did it under narratology and got 23/25.


Have you any tips on getting top marks? and how did you go about choosing your text?

Thanks :smile:
Reply 5
Original post by ousib
Have you any tips on getting top marks? and how did you go about choosing your text?

Thanks :smile:


All I'd really say is focus on any feedback your teacher is able to give to you, make sure everything you say is relevant and necessary to the question (1500 words isn't enough to be able to waste some on half-important points), and keep checking that you're hitting all of the Assessment Objectives rather than just focusing on a couple. As for choosing the novel, it depends a lot on which aspect of literary criticism you feel best at writing about. I chose the novel first and the narrative theory second, but only because I had a book in mind initially. I'd say if you're not set on a particular book, choose the theory first and then research novels that it will be able to set up a debate for, but make sure it is a novel you will find interesting and engage with.
Reply 6
Original post by ousib
Hi everyone,

I'm in year 13 doing AQA English Literature B, and have the option to choose one prose and one poetry to study for my coursework. I have to choose a theory to analyse the text on from a set list:
Feminist theory, narrative theory, marxism, ecocritical, literary value (and the canon) or post-colonial.
The texts have to be analysed using differing theories (e.g. can't choose feminism for both poetry and prose)

Has anyone done a similar specification/currently doing so? I'm struggling with choosing a text for prose, and any tips for the coursework would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!
Charlotte :smile:
We're on the same spec!:woo:

I did 1984 for my prose (and Geoffrey Chaucer for the poetry).

My biggest tip would be that your first draft should literally just string critics together.

Second draft, form and argument and cut out the guff.
Reply 7
Original post by 04MR17
We're on the same spec!:woo:

I did 1984 for my prose (and Geoffrey Chaucer for the poetry).

My biggest tip would be that your first draft should literally just string critics together.

Second draft, form and argument and cut out the guff.

Oooh also did 1984 many years ago. I'll donate my essay for anyone doing 1984 or Brave New World. I got a good grade, 28/30.
Reply 8
Original post by MJlover
Oooh also did 1984 many years ago. I'll donate my essay for anyone doing 1984 or Brave New World. I got a good grade, 28/30.
Thanks but this course does not feature a comparison for coursework.
Reply 9
Don't ignore the critical anthology. I've marked too many pieces where the students have barely looked at it and supervised a good few more where the teachers haven't even given the anthology to the students. It's essentially your third text. Read it carefully. It's not just there to provide you with a bank of quotes but to give you ideas, to help shape your understanding of the other two texts you use.

I had a student do an excellent essay recently on flat characters based on the narrative section. The idea really got her thinking about Larkin's poetry and the view she had developed that the only rounded character in any of his work seems to be himself. Really allowed her to dig deep into the themes of narcissism that underpin quite a lot of his work whilst considering whether it was a valid perspective or not.

The anthology should inspire your essay not merely support it. The title ought to be fifty-fifty from your chosen text and your chosen section of the anthology for a successful essay.
Reply 10
Wow! Wasn't expecting such a number of responses. Thanks again for everyone's help. I've chosen Wide Sargasso Sea for now, because I thought I would focus on feminist theory. However having second thoughts and might focus on post-colonial theory since it seems that I have more freedom in choosing a question that way, due to the novel's historical context. Maybe I'll combine both :smile:
Original post by ousib
Wow! Wasn't expecting such a number of responses. Thanks again for everyone's help. I've chosen Wide Sargasso Sea for now, because I thought I would focus on feminist theory. However having second thoughts and might focus on post-colonial theory since it seems that I have more freedom in choosing a question that way, due to the novel's historical context. Maybe I'll combine both :smile:


Disclaimer: you cannot combine two theories in one section. You have to stick to one. I would personally go for post-colonialism if there's enough to go by. I loved this theory when I studied critical theory at uni. Feminist theory is boooring! :P
Reply 12
I'm struggling finding prose texts that would be good for post-colonialism, can anyone help me out please?
Typical post colonial texts are novels like Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, and Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Half of a Yellow Sun, Wide Sargasso Sea etc. but you could also go outside the box. Post-colonial Theory doesn't have to be limited to colonies, but just to race and culture and 'Otherness' in general- there are a lot of novels out there that display these kinds of themes. I'd simply read books with post-colonial theory in mind and ideas will start jumping out at you soon :smile:
Do you still have this? I’d love to read it, I’m doing 1984! Thanks x
Reply 15
Original post by MJlover
Oooh also did 1984 many years ago. I'll donate my essay for anyone doing 1984 or Brave New World. I got a good grade, 28/30.

Do you by any chance still have this? I'm thinking of doing Brave New World. Thank you x
Original post by Miongo
Do you by any chance still have this? I'm thinking of doing Brave New World. Thank you x


Yeah just PM me your email address to send it through, cos i can't message it on TSR :smile:
Reply 17
Hi,
In year 13 and managed to get full marks on my English Lit coursework.
My tip would be to analyse the mark scheme lots (weighting’s of AO2, AO3 etc).
I had been shown a sample essay from my school of a completely different question and books and even exam board but it really helped in identifying where they’d fulfilled the objectives.
Good luck!
Feel free to ask me any more questions
Anyone know any good prose books that would revolve around the ecocriticism theme please?!?!?!
Reply 19
Original post by Michael Literus
Anyone know any good prose books that would revolve around the ecocriticism theme please?!?!?!
Tolkein's The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings.

Latest