AS/A2 English Literature

AS / A2 ENGLISH LITERATURE

Exam Board: AQA
If the book we are reading doesnt wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for? A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us. Franz Kafka

English at Paston is rated as nationally outstanding by Ofsted and, in our mission to provide you with the blow to the head prescribed by Kafka, we offer two English A-Levels: Literature, and Language and Literature. Both are rich and varied, and guaranteed to give you a more informed and critical sense of the incredible power of language, the richness of the creative imagination, and an axe for the frozen sea within you. Our business is words: whether they appear in a Shakespeare play, on a bus ticket or in your own essays.

English complements other arts and humanities subjects: narrative, genre and the structure of texts are found in Film and Media; a preoccupation with human behaviour is also found in Psychology; while the need to set texts in their historical and cultural context draws on History, Geography and Sociology. English is an excellent grounding for university because you learn attention to detail, develop analytical and conceptual skills, and improve the clarity and coherence of your writing and speaking.

The English department has a strong tradition of enrichment outside the classroom. We publish Paston Letters, an anthology of student writing, staff contribute to the work of Far East Theatre, and there are regular theatre trips and visits to conferences
.
English Literature AQA

Samuel Coleridge defined poetry as the best words in the best order. The English Literature course gives you the enduring pleasure of reading the very best of words in a wide range of literary texts (poems, novels, plays) from the sixteenth century to the present day. You get to read and write about a variety of challenging and rewarding writers, while learning the skills of close textual analysis, how to use evidence to support and develop arguments, and how to express ideas clearly and accurately.

The enthusiasm of the English teaching staff motivated me to succeed in my A-levels and continue studying English Literature at university. I learnt that it was possible to study a large number of texts while still getting quality understanding and enjoyment from them. Rachael Morrison (reading Theatre Studies and English Literature at Lancaster University).

The course aims to develop independent opinion, something I really value. Everyone is encouraged to contribute and debates are always welcomed. Its definitely challenging, but the overall engagement, enthusiasm and passion of the teaching makes English Literature very enjoyable and rewarding. Callum Morgan (reading Film Studies at Southampton University).

I loved doing English Lit at AS level. The texts were much more intriguing than what I did at GCSE and they were taught in a way which was inspiring to everyone in the group. Stephanie Capps (current A2 student).

AS English Literature

At AS your work has two points of focus:
telling stories and genre. An examined unit explores the nature of story-telling in poetry and novels. You will study classics like Samuel Coleridges The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner and F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby alongside celebrated contemporary texts like Mark Haddons The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Your coursework on plays will examine the dramatic genre of tragedy: Hamlet and Tis Shes a Whore, both blood-soaked explorations of revenge, betrayal, and sexual desire which invite you to ask important questions about the nature of tragic conflict, how characters find themselves in tragic situations, and whether tragedy gives us hope for the future or portrays life as meaningless and chaotic.

Assessment

One examination and a coursework folder.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of BBCCC at GCSE including English Language and at least one of Maths or Science.

A2 English Literature

At A2 you will build upon your AS work but with greater individual choice. The examined unit focuses on the literary style known as Gothic and gives you the opportunity to study incredible texts, full of blood and gore, sex and violence, such as Frankenstein, Macbeth, Dracula, and Angela Carters The Bloody Chamber.

For coursework, you write two essays: an in-depth textual comparison, and the study of a text from a particular critical viewpoint. There will be great scope for individual negotiation of tasks and to pursue your own literary interests.

Assessment

One examination and a coursework folder.