English Literature

Course summary

English Literature is a classic academic subject which provides the analytical and communication skills necessary for success at University and in the workplace. Students who study English Literature at A level often go on to traditional and highly respected universities to study a wide range of degrees, including English, Law, Economics, Psychology and History. The new A-level course is not so different to IGCSE Literature, although more independent reading of a challenging nature is involved - and expected. Successful students in English Literature are those who enjoy reading, thinking and writing in their own time. The course encourages detailed and independent study, analytical essay-writing and oral debate - precisely the key qualities sought by Universities. Texts may include some of the following: • The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: Now an adult in America, Amir reflects on his childhood in Afghanistan and the terrible sin that has haunted the whole of his life... • A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen: Nora’s husband is obsessive and controlling, and her marriage has become a prison. Can she escape? • The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: The future for women is bleak. A religious order rules where women are little else but incubators for the next generation of the male elite. One woman, however, dares to think for herself... • Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro: In a dark, dystopian twist on modern England, this brilliant novel follows Kathy: she attends an idyllic school, but an inescapably painful future awaits her and her closest friends... • Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: In the not-too-distant future, Guy Montag is a fireman: His job is to start fires, and his mission is to burn all books. Because books are forbidden by the government