Advanced Higher Dissertation Texts and Questions
Banff Academy
A comparative study of how imagery, symbolism and parallels are used
to portray the element of control in the dystopian societies of “Nineteen
Eighty-Four” and “Brave New World.”
“Quite Ugly One Morning” Christopher Brookmyre
“A Study In Scarlet” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
“The Sign of the Four” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Q: A comparative study of the literary presentation of the main
protagonists Sherlock Holmes, a Victorian detective in “A Study In
Scarlet” and “The Sign of the Four” and Jack Parlabane, a 21st century
detective in “Quite Ugly One Morning.”
“Way to go” Alan Spence.
“The Trick is to Keep Breathing” Janice Galloway.
Q: An analysis of “Way to go” and “The trick is to keep breathing”
showing the narrative technique by which the writers Allan Spence and
Janice Galloway explore the theme of death.
“Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit” by Jeanette Winterson
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte”
“A comparative study of the narrative techniques employed in the
portrayal of central female characters in “Jane Eyre” and “Oranges are
not the only fruit” in their search for identity.
“Sharp North” Patrick Cave
“A Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood
A comparative study of the literary techniques used to present the
contrasting roles of technology and religion in the elitist societies
depicted in ‘Sharp North’ by Patrick Cave and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by
Margaret Atwood.
Three short stories by H P Lovecraft
“The Call of Ctulthu”
“Pickman’s Model”
“The Shadow Over Innsmouth”
Analyse the techniques used to create a credible mythos in the works of H
P Lovecraft.
“Crime and Punishment” by Dostoevsky
“An Inspector Calls” by J.B.Priestley
A comparative study of the extent to which the central characters are
perceived as criminals.
“Vanity Fair” by William Thackeray
“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood
A detailed critical comparison of the narrative and literary techniques
employed by William Thackeray in “Vanity Fair” and Margaret Atwood
in “The Handmaid’s Tale” in revealing the indomitable spirit of the
central characters.
“The Railway Man” by Eric Lomax
“A Town like Alice” by Neville Chute
A comparative study of how the torture endured by the main characters
helps develop their mature personalities and their surprisingly optimistic
attitude towards life. Particular reference will be made to themes and
narrative technique.
An investigation into how the Great White Shark is portrayed as passive,
then aggressive in both fiction and non-fiction, through the setting,
attitudes and relations of characters in “Jaws” by Peter Benchley, and the
setting and reactions of people and society in “Close to Shore” by
Michael Capuzzo.
“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë
“Othello” by William Shakespeare
An investigation of the timelessness of jealousy, and its causative effect
on revenge.
A comparison of the themes and philosophy of “Catch 22” to the
existentialist themes and philosophy as expressed in Camus’s “The
Outsider” and Sartre’s “Nausea”. Reference will be made to characters,
background, style and plot.
“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë
“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë
A comparative study of love and passion as experienced by the three
main characters, with particular reference to narrative voice, conflict and
symbolism.
“Cat’s Eye” by Margaret Atwood
“I’m the King of the Castle” by Susan Hill
Redefining the child bully: a detailed comparative study of the
characterisation and motivation of childhood bullies in the above.