Welcome to the English Literature
A-Level Course!
Welcome to the new A-level English course, we are delighted that you have
selected this subject. We hope that you are looking forward to embracing as
much reading, researching and talking about books as possible!
This handbook has been put together to provide you, your teachers and
parents with a guide to the course. It includes information about the course
structure and the exam system as well as vital resources like reading lists and
mark schemes. It is includes all the information about the new course that
was available to us at the time of printing, additional materials may become
available as the course develops.
Please read this handbook carefully and bring it to lessons with you in your
English folder – you and your teacher will, at times, need to refer to it.
Contents:
 Map of the Course – an overview of which modules you will be
covering and when.
 Course Outline – an explanation of each module, with details of
appropriate reading and how it is examined.
 Reading lists – for AS Units 1 and 2 only.
 Marking Topsheets – copies of the topsheets that will be used
for each unit of study.
 AS/A2 Performance descriptors – guidance provided by AQA
 Assessment Criteria – for Units 2 and 4, the units assessed
internally by teachers.
 Study Skills – useful tips essential for you to perform to a high
standard through out the course.
 Essay Glossary- a list of useful words and phrases for use in
essay writing.
 Glossary of useful terms – a list of literary terms that you may
come across during the course. Ensure you are using the correct
terminology!
 Recommended Reading List – a suggested reading list for your
reading pleasure. Just in case WW1 gets too much!
 Helpful Resources – A list of suggested texts, websites and
phone numbers to help supplement your learning during the
course.
1
Map of AS Course
This table illustrates how the AS year of study is structured and has been put together
to ensure that all of the relevant types of text are included and that they are studied at
the right time to enable you to prepare for examination and to write coursework. It is
not intended that this will be all you do, you should supplement this programme with
additional wider reading of your own. Read on through the handbook for a more
detailed breakdown of each unit and to see the AQA approved reading lists for further
guidance.
Teacher A
Teacher B
Term 1
Term 1
Introduction to the study of literature and
literary study at AS level.
Introduction to the study of literature and
literary study at AS level.
Introduction to WW1
Introduction to WW1
Poetry Set text – Unit 1
Prose Set text – Unit 2
Half Term
Half term
Term 2
Term 2
Poetry Set text – Unit 1 continued
Prose Set text - Unit 2 continued
Exam practise for poetry set text
Unit 2 coursework piece no.1: agree titles
and begin essay
Christmas Holidays
Christmas Holidays
Term 3
Term 3
Drama Set text – Unit 2
Unit 2 coursework piece no.1 to be
completed here
Begin a programme of wider reading to
compliment the drama text in preparation
for Unit 2 coursework piece no.2.
Study of Poetry for wider-reading, this
should be of opposite gender to the Unit 1
poetry set text.
February Half Term
February Half Term
Term 4
Term 4
Unit 2 coursework piece no.2 based on
drama text and wider reading
Study of a Drama text for wider-reading
2
Study of a Prose text for wider-reading .
This should include some reference to
literature in translation.
Study of Non-fiction extracts for wider
reading
Mock Exam
Easter Holidays
Mock Exam
Easter Holidays
Term 5
Term 5
Revision of Unit 1 poetry set text
Revision of wider reading materials
Exam practise for Unit 1 poetry Q
Exam practise for Unit 1 Wider Reading
Paper
Mock Exam
Mock Exam
May Half Term
May Half Term
Term 6
Term 6
External Exams
External Exams
Discussion with teacher about Unit 4
coursework texts. Reading in Prep for
Unit 4 – Novel 1
Discussion with teacher about Unit 4
coursework texts. Reading in prep for
Unit 4 - Shakespeare
Summer Holidays
Summer Holidays
Students read the third coursework text
independently from a shortlist selected by
their teachers. Essay planning and
preparation begins.
Students read the third coursework text
independently from a shortlist selected by
their teachers. Essay planning and
preparation begins.
3
Unit 1 LTA1B – Texts in Context
Introduction
The aim of this unit is to encourage:


Wide reading within the chosen option. This will be across all three
genres, across time and across gender
Close reading of a poetry text.
The candidates will study World War 1 Literature.
This Unit will examine one set poetry text chosen from the list below and
three texts covering all three genres as wider reading. These three texts
may be supplemented with a collection of relevant extracts and shorter pieces
of writing.
Set texts
Up the Line to Death - ed Gardner (Methuen)
Scars Upon My Heart - ed Reilly (Virago)
The Oxford Book of War Poetry - ed Stallworthy (Oxford p160-225)
The Examination
The examination will take the form of a 2hr exam paper. The paper will
consist of two sections and candidates will answer one question in each
section. The paper will be marked out of 90. Candidates may bring their set
text into the examination room. This text should be a clean text, free from
annotation.
Section A
There will be one compulsory question in this section. A short extract related
to the area of study will be printed. Candidates will then be invited to link all
their reading on WW1 to the focus of the given passage.
Section B
There will be a choice of two questions on each set poetry text. Candidates
answer one question.
4
Unit 2 LTA2 – Creative Study
Introduction
The aim of this unit is to encourage:


Creative interpretations for transformational writing
Tracing connections between texts
Set texts
Prose
Susan Hill – Strange Meeting
Sebastian Faulks – Birdsongs*
Pat Barker – Regeneration*
Pat Barker – The Eye in the Door*
Pat Barker – The Ghost Road*
Frederic Manning – Her Privates We
Sebastian Barry – A Long, Long Way*
Siegfried Sassoon – Memoirs of an Infantry Officer
Helen Zenna Smith – Not So Quiet
Rebecca West – Return of the Soldier
Drama
R.C Sherriff – Journey’s End
Peter Whelan – The Accrington Pals
Stephen MacDonald – Not About Heroes
(*denotes post -1990)
Assessment
The unit is assessed by a coursework portfolio. Candidates should select one
prose and one drama text. The coursework portfolio will contain two pieces of
writing, one on each text. The two pieces should be 2000-2500 words in total.
5
Unit 3 LITA3 – Reading for Meaning
Introduction
This final A” examination brings together the skills and learning of the whole
course. In the examination, candidates will study closely unprepared texts
from all genres, chosen across and linked by theme. They will compare the
extracts in terms of subject matter and style, drawing on wider reading to
inform their judgements about:


The way different writers at different times approach the chosen theme
The ways different readers interpret.
The theme for this paper is Love Through the Ages. Love will include
romantic love but will not be restricted to that single definition. Candidates
should read at least three texts in order to prepare for a paper which will
contain unprepared passages for close study, comparison and critical
commentary.
Reading should include:




The three genres of poetry, prose and drama
Literature by both men and women
Literature through time (from Chaucer to present day)
Some non-fiction texts
The examination
The examination will take the form of a two and a half hour written paper.
There will be two compulsory questions to answer, each marked out of 40.
Question 1
Requires candidates to compare two extracts of the same genre. The genre
will change each year. This question will require close reading and reference
to wider reading on the same theme of love, and on the same genre.
Question 2
This question will invite candidates to compare two extracts, of the two
remaining genres, and use their wider reading on the theme of love to inform
their interpretations.
6
Unit 4 – LITA Extended Essay and Shakespeare Study
This unit is assessed by means of a coursework portfolio. Candidates should
select three texts in conjunction with their teacher, one must be a
Shakespeare play and there must be a shared theme. The other two texts,
for comparison, can be of any genre. None of the texts should have been
studied at AS. The essay will be about 3000 words in length and will allow
candidates to develop their research skills, drafting and re-drafting their work
as appropriate.
Tasks must reflect the relevant Assessment Objectives and will focus on:




Comparison
Appreciation of the writer’s choices of form, structure, and language
Exploration of their own and other readers’ interpretations
Some understanding of the significance of context
Candidates will need to show the examiner that they can:




Understand the content of all three texts
Analyse the different ways the writers present their ideas
Hold independent views about the texts and consider the views of
others
Show awareness of useful contextual information
The initial choice of text and subject matter is therefore really important. The
text must not only allow the candidate to discuss plot, character and theme
but also allow opportunities to explore:





The writer’s style and techniques
Choices of genre
Different narrative techniques
Individual choices of language and their effects
The different ways writers structure ideas and develop similar themes
Students may continue with the theme of love through the ages if they prefer,
an example of a suitable title is:
The presentation of passion in Anthony and Cleopatra, Birthday Letters and
Wuthering Heights.
Or different themes may be explored, an example of a suitable title is:
The theme of ‘Minds Under Stress’: texts Hamlet, The Bell Jar, and One flew
over the Cuckoo’s nest.
7
8
9
AS LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE ESSAY FEEDBACK FORM
LITA1B. WW1 Literature. Poetry
NAME:
TARGET GRADE:
STUDENT FEEDBACK:
What have you been specifically focusing on in this essay? Which aspects of this essay are you
particularly pleased with?
TEACHER FEEDBACK:
Fully
AO2
Identify aspects of structure form and language.
18% of
AS
Explore through detailed and sophisticated analysis how
writers use these aspects to create meaning.
Make detailed references to texts and sources to support
response.
Explore and analyse the significance of the relationships
between specific literary texts and their contexts, making
sophisticated comparisons.
Explore the influence of culture, text type, literary genre
or historical period on the way literary texts were written
and received – ten and now.
Communicate detailed knowledge and understanding of
literary texts
Create and sustain well organised and coherent
arguments, using appropriate terminology.
Structure and organise writing using an appropriate
critical register.
Communicate content and meaning through
sophisticated, cogent and coherent writing.
Analyse and evaluate connections or points of
comparison between literary texts.
Engage sensitively and with mature, informed
understanding to different readings and interpretations.
AO4
18% of
AS
AO1
12% of
AS
AO3
12% of
AS
Mostly
Satisfactorily
Occasionally
Rarely
Teacher comment:
GRADE:
MARK (/45):
FUTURE TARGETS:
1
2
10
AS LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE ESSAY FEEDBACK FORM
LITA2: WW1 Creative Study (analytical piece)
NAME:
TARGET GRADE:
STUDENT FEEDBACK:
What have you been specifically focusing on in this essay? Which aspects of this essay are you
particularly pleased with?
TEACHER FEEDBACK:
Fully
AO2
Identify aspects of structure form and language.
14% of
AS
Explore through detailed and sophisticated analysis how
writers use these aspects to create meaning.
Make detailed references to texts and sources to support
response.
Communicate detailed knowledge and understanding of
literary texts
Create and sustain well organised and coherent
arguments, using appropriate terminology.
Structure and organise writing using an appropriate
critical register.
Communicate content and meaning through
sophisticated, cogent and coherent writing.
Analyse and evaluate connections or points of
comparison between literary texts.
Engage sensitively and with mature, informed
understanding to different readings and interpretations.
Communicate detailed knowledge and understanding of
literary texts
Create and sustain well organised and coherent
arguments, using appropriate terminology.
Structure and organise writing using an appropriate
critical register.
Communicate content and meaning through
sophisticated, cogent and coherent writing.
AO1
12% of
AS
AO3
10% of
AS
AO4
4% of
AS
Mostly
Satisfactorily
Occasionally
Rarely
Teacher comment:
GRADE:
MARK (/30):
FUTURE TARGETS:
1
2
11
A2 LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE ESSAY FEEDBACK FORM
LITA3: Reading for Meaning
NAME:
TARGET GRADE:
STUDENT FEEDBACK:
What have you been specifically focusing on in this essay? Which aspects of this essay are you
particularly pleased with?
TEACHER FEEDBACK:
Fully
AO1
7.5% of
total Alevel
AO2
7.5% of
total Alevel
AO3
7.5% of
total Alevel
AO4
7.5% of
total Alevel
Mostly
Satisfactorily
Occasionally
Rarely
Communicate detailed knowledge and understanding of
literary texts
Create and sustain well organised and coherent
arguments, using appropriate terminology.
Structure and organise writing using an appropriate
critical register.
Communicate content and meaning through
sophisticated, cogent and coherent writing.
Identify aspects of structure form and language.
Explore through detailed and sophisticated analysis how
writers use these aspects to create meaning.
Make detailed references to texts and sources to support
response.
Analyse and evaluate connections or points of
comparison between literary texts.
Engage sensitively and with mature, informed
understanding to different readings and interpretations.
Explore an analyse the significance of the relationships
between specific literary texts and their contexts, making
comparisons
Evaluate the influence of culture, text type, literary genre
or historical period on the ways in which texts were
written and received – then and now.
Teacher comment:
GRADE:
MARK (/40):
FUTURE TARGETS:
1
12
2
A2 LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE ESSAY FEEDBACK FORM
LITA4: Extended Essay and Shakespeare Study
NAME:
TARGET GRADE:
Titles of texts being compared:
STUDENT FEEDBACK:
What have you been specifically focusing on in this essay? Which aspects of this essay are you
particularly pleased with?
TEACHER FEEDBACK:
Fully
AO1
6% of
total Alevel
AO2
6% of
total Alevel
AO3
6% of
total Alevel
AO4
2% of
total Alevel
Mostly
Satisfactorily
Occasionally
Rarely
Communicate detailed knowledge and understanding of
literary texts
Create and sustain well organised and coherent
arguments, using appropriate terminology.
Structure and organise writing using an appropriate
critical register.
Communicate content and meaning through
sophisticated, cogent and coherent writing.
Identify aspects of structure form and language.
Explore through detailed and sophisticated analysis how
writers use these aspects to create meaning.
Make detailed references to texts and sources to support
response.
Analyse and evaluate connections or points of
comparison between literary texts.
Engage sensitively and with mature, informed
understanding to different readings and interpretations.
Explore an analyse the significance of the relationships
between specific literary texts and their contexts, making
comparisons
Evaluate the influence of culture, text type, literary genre
or historical period on the ways in which texts were
written and received – then and now.
Teacher comment:
GRADE:
MARK (/70):
FUTURE TARGETS:
1
13
2
14
15
16
17
ENGLISH LITERATURE A LEVEL STUDY SKILLS
Identify your learning style
In order to assess how best you learn and remember information, it is
important to identify what type of learner you are. Look at the following list of
learning styles. You may not fall into just one category, but it will hopefully
give you some idea of how you learn best.
Type of learner Indicators
Interpersonal
Naturally social; gets
on well with others
Intrapersonal
More introspective and
aware of own feelings
and emotional state
Visual/spatial
Responds best to
pictures and images;
creative
Verbal-linguistic
Responds well to the
written and spoken
word
Logical, linear thinkers
Logicalmathematical
Musical
Bodilykinaesthetic
Keen awareness of
music, rhythm and
tempo
Needs to be up and
about, getting involved
and active
Preferred learning styles
Learns best by discussing ideas
with others; enjoys group work,
peer assessment and teaching
Learns best by internalising
information and forming ideas on
their own; self-motivated and
independent
Absorbs information more easily if
it is presented in a colourful, visual
format; likes charts, graphs,
posters, metaphors, mind-maps
Note-taking, listening to a lecture
or debate, writing activities, word
games
Enjoys problem-solving, logically
sequenced information,
classification of ideas
Listens to music while working;
remembers information by putting
into rhyme, rap or chants
Likes to try things out physically;
enjoys hands-on activities, drama,
field trips
Taking notes
Like it or not, you are going to have to spend time
making notes, whether it is from a lecture-style lesson,
fellow pupils' presentations, the internet, the texts
themselves or what critics have written about them.
Here are a few simple rules to follow to ensure that you are able to create
concise, thorough and understandable notes.
18
Tick
1. DO IT! it's no good thinking that you'll remember everything that is
discussed in class or that you've read, because the chances are you won't.
While reading or listening, you should always have a writing implement in
your hand and be ready to use it!
2. Write for a purpose: be clear in your own mind what information you are
looking for, and only write down things that are relevant. There is no need
to copy down what your teacher says word for word. Neither should you
copy huge chunks out of texts: short, pithy quotations are best.
3. Be as concise as possible: focus in on key words and ideas and cut out
any words or phrases that aren't central to the point you are trying to
remember, e.g. miss out definite articles ('the') or unnecessary adjectives.
4. Use abbreviations: use single letters for characters, names of texts, etc.
Write the word or phrase out in full first time, with the abbreviation in
brackets after it, and from then on only use the abbreviation. You can also
shorten words or use a symbol for speed, eg. 'because' becomes 'bc' or
'coz'; 'literature' becomes 'lit'; 'and' becomes '+' or '&', etc.
5. Include page or scene references and details of who said what for
any quotations you copy down: this will save hours of leafing through
texts later on to discover the context of a quotation you've written down,
who said it, etc.
6. Use titles and sub-titles to divide up your notes: this will help you later
when you're skimming through notes to locate a particular piece of
information.
7. Find a way of taking notes that suits your learning style: some people
prefer linear lists using numbers or bullet points; visual learners might
prefer to use a mind-map, spider diagram or flow-chart; others might find
it helpful to use different colours to highlight key words or ideas.
8. Store your notes carefully: at then end of each lesson, file your notes in
a folder for future reference. Think carefully about how to divide up your
notes, eg. different sections for notes on characters, themes, contextual
information, wider reading, etc. You could use poly-pockets to group
together notes on similar topics.
As with anything, practice makes perfect: the more notes you take, the more
quickly and effectively you will be able to do it.
Annotating texts
When studying English Literature A level, you will be encouraged to buy
your texts (as opposed to simply borrowing them) so that you can make
notes straight into your book. This has a number of benefits: you don't
need to endlessly copy quotations out into separate notes and your
annotations will provide useful memory prompts when you re-read the text to
write an essay or revise for an exam. The annotation process will begin when
you read parts of the text in preparation for the lesson. Your own annotations
will then be added to during group and class discussion. Below are some
helpful hints about how to annotate your text effectively.
19
Start in pencil: the first time you read through a text, you are likely to write
notes that will be superfluous to requirements (and get in the way!) later on.
Start in pencil, then move onto different colours/pen when you become more
familiar with the text and better at identifying truly important quotations and
ideas.
1. Use a variety of coloured pens or coloured post it notes: particularly
when it comes to revision, you may like to allocate different colours to
different themes, characters, examples of particular literary techniques,
etc.
2. Only underline or highlight key words and phrases: if you highlight
huge chunks of texts indiscriminately, the key import of the quotation will
be lost.
3. Copy up annotations from lessons you have missed: borrow a friend's
text and ask them if you don't understand their annotations.
Mind maps or concept maps
Concept mapping was 'invented' by J. D. Novak
in the late 1960s and was popularised as 'mind
mapping' by Tony Buzan. The technique is also
sometimes called 'brainstorming' or 'spider
diagrams'. You can use it for:
 making notes
 revision
 to summarise learning
 for collaborative or group work
 for making presentations
 to develop your thinking skills
There are a few basic rules that you should follow to create a successful
mind-map.
 write the question, character or theme you're looking at in the centre of the
page.
 divide the topic into a number of subsections and write a title for each
subsection along a different 'branch' leading off from the central question.
 working on one 'branch' at a time, develop each idea, writing your thoughts
along new 'branches' leading off from the main branch. Continue to divide
the subsections until you have reached the required level of detail.
 use different colours for each branch or to further subdivide information
(eg. red for key words, blue for quotations, green for comments on the
quotations you've used).
 keep words to a minimum – only one or two per 'branch'. Supplement
words with images and pictures to help you remember ideas.
20
Giving presentations
In English, you will sometimes be asked to research
a particular topic or theme and present your findings
to the rest of the class. You may be asked to do this
in pairs, groups or individually. When giving
presentations, it is important to remember that you
are acting as the source of information for the rest of
the class: if you don't do your job well, then they miss
out, as well as you.
 Planning and preparation: this is vital if you are going to deliver a






meaningful and helpful presentation. You need to have done your
research and made yourself very familiar with your material beforehand,
otherwise what you say will be unclear at best and confusing or useless at
worst.
Make notes about what you want to cover in your presentation – don't be
tempted to 'wing it'. However, avoid simply reading your presentation.
Look up and engage eye contact.
Think carefully about your audience: consider how much they know
about the topic you're presenting and tailor your information accordingly.
Don't bamboozle them by using terminology or ideas they can't access.
Keep it clear and simple: consider beforehand what it is you want your
audience to remember and don't include irrelevant information that will
distract them from key ideas.
Structure your ideas with clear headings and sub-headings in order to
guide your audience through the information you are presenting.
Handouts: jotting down your key points on a handout, perhaps with gaps
for people to fill in while they're listening, will help keep your audience's
attention and focus their minds on key ideas. Make sure you give any
handouts you've prepared to your teacher in advance so that he/she can
photocopy them in time for the lesson.
Injecting life!: vary your tone of voice, use props or visual aids (eg.
PowerPoint) and ask questions to get your audience involved. This will
keep them awake and help them to remember what you've said.
21
Essay planning techniques
In order to write well-structured, coherent essays, it is vital that you learn to plan
effectively and that you do this before you begin writing, every time you write. Below
are some suggested essay planning techniques for you to experiment with.
LINEAR PLANNING
FLOW DIAGRAM
If you like lists and order, use bullet
points to plan. You might like to
introduce colour into your plan in order to
differentiate between main points,
quotations and detailed analysis.
This is another type of linear planning, but it
incorporates boxes and arrows to help you to
visualise how well your argument ‘flows’ through
your essay.
Example
Example
POINT 1
Quotation
Analysis
Link to next paragraph
POINT 2
Quotation
Analysis
Link to next paragraph
Etc.
Quotation
POINT 1
Blah blah blah
Analysis
Link
Quotation
POINT 1
Blah blah blah
Analysis
Link
22
FISH BONE PLAN
MIND MAP/BRAINSTORM
This planning technique combines the
visual and the linear.
If you are a visual learner, you may like to use a
brainstorm or mind-map. In either case, you can
make use of colour and images to help you
differentiate between ideas and ‘visualise’ your
argument.
Example
Example
POINT 3
POINT 2
POINT 1
Intro
Essay title
Conclu
sion
Essay writing
When it comes to actually writing your essay, there are a number of conventions that
you need to remember to use.





Use the present tense – this helps your essay to sound analytical rather than
narrative. Use the present tense to describe both the writer’s technique and
the action of the text.
Eg.The writer presents his main character as …
Her use of the word “…” suggests that …
When [name of character] realises that … she decides to …
Assume your reader is in the know – remember that the reader of your
essay knows the text very well, so events do not need to be described in
minute detail. Simply give enough information to contextualise your point.
Get your magnifying glass out! – look very carefully at language,
structure and style, as these are the means by which you, the reader,
interpret character, action and theme.
Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence – your teacher or the
examiner should only have to read the first line of each paragraph to gain a
clear understanding of where your argument is going.
Keep the essay question clearly in mind – every paragraph should be
explicitly linked to the essay question.
23


Introductions – don’t simply waffle or repeat the essay question
in your own words. Your introduction should set the direction of
your essay, outlining your argument and beginning, even at this
early stage, to get the reader thinking.
Conclusions – don’t simply summarise what you have said in
different words. Try to take the discussion forward somehow, or
save your main point for this purpose.
Revision and exam skills
You may have been told in the past that it is impossible to revise for English,
but this is absolutely not the case. In order to perform well and achieve your
full potential in English Literature A level, careful, strategic and thorough
revision is vital. It is important to:






Start early! – last minute revision will result in you being insufficiently
prepared for the exams.
Make a revision timetable – you may prefer to divide your English
revision into short chunks or allocate specific days for the revision of
each text. You know how you work best: organise your time
accordingly.
Revision must be active – simply re-reading texts is not enough.
While reading you should be making notes, annotating etc.
Play to your strengths – think about what kind of learner you are and
revise accordingly.
Eg.
Visual learners – use mind maps, posters, labelled
pictures of characters
Verbal-linguistic learners – condense your notes into
bullet points on index cards or revision posters
Interpersonal learners – get together with a group of
friends and discuss a series of essay questions or
organise each to prepare a presentation of a theme then
discuss the material as a group
Practise writing under timed conditions – this is one of the most
difficult aspects of English Literature exams. Ask your teacher for past
exam questions and make sure you know how long you are going to
have to write each essay in the final exam. Make sure you practise
writing a variety of different essays, eg. on characters, themes, context
and global questions
Stay healthy! – make sure that when you are not revising you spend
time doing exercise, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet.
Your brain will thank you!
24
Essay linking words and sentence starters
Introduction:
Firstly
Primarily
Chiefly
Importantly
The writer/author introduces …
We are introduced to …
Main body of essay:
The reason for this is …
From this, we can note that …
Secondly, Thirdly etc.
Moving on …
The reader can deduce from this that …
The author writes … because …
Another …
Also …
Therefore …
Significantly …
We can infer from this that …
The word/phrase … implies that …
The writer then moves on to …
Next
Obviously, this shows that …
This suggests that …
Following this …
Then …
This then means that …
Penultimately (last but one)
Later …
It can be noted/said that …
Conclusion:
In summary
In conclusion
It is important to conclude with …
Weighing up the evidence, it is clear that …
Finally …
Lastly .
The message conveyed is therefore …
Summarising, we can see that …
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AS/A2 ENGLISH LITERATURE GLOSSARY
acronym
A word made up out of the initial letters of a phrase, eg. laser= light amplification by the
stimulated emission of radiation
adjective
A word used to describe a noun, eg. the red table, the grumpy old man
adverb
A word used to describe a verb, eg. He ran quickly down the road; She smiled seductively.
alliteration
The repetition of the same consonant sounds at any place, but often at the beginning of
words, eg. sizzling sausages spiked on a spit.
allusion
A reference, often only indirect, to another text, person, event, etc.
ambiguity
Having multiple meanings.
analogy
A short story used to illustrate a point.
antithesis
A contrast or opposition.
aside
A short speech or remark which is not meant to be heard by other characters.
assonance
ballad
The repetition or a pattern of (the same) vowel sounds, eg. the rain in Spain falls mainly on
the plain.
A poem that tells a story similar to a folk tale or legend and often has a repeated refrain, eg.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
binary
opposition
Contrast between two mutually exclusive terms, e.g. up/down, on/off.
blank verse
Lines of iambic pentameter that don’t rhyme.
byronic hero
A defiant and bitter outcast who torments himself; he is contemptuous of social norms but
suffers from an unnamed sin, e.g. Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights.
caesura
A break in the rhythm of a line of poetry.
catharsis
Effect of purification achieved by tragic drama.
connotation
An association evoked by a word or phrase.
couplet
In a poem, a pair of lines that are the same length and (usually) rhyme and form a complete
thought. Shakespearean sonnets usually end in a couplet.
dichotomy
Division into two parts or classifications.
double
entendre
A double meaning, usually with sexual connotations.
dramatic irony
elegy
enjambement
Occurs in plays, when the development of the plot allows the audience to possess more
information about what is happening than some of the characters themselves.
A poem that laments the death of a person, or one that is simply sad and thoughtful.
A line ending in which the sense continues, with no punctuation, into the following line or
stanza.
Written in the form of a series of letters.
epistolary
A word or phrase used to define a characteristic quality of a person.
epithet
eponymous
Name giving; where a novel or play takes the name of the hero or heroine, e.g. Macbeth or
Jane Eyre
feminine rhyme
A rhyme that occurs in a final unstressed syllable, e.g. pleasure/leisure, longing/yearning
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figurative
A form of expression that deviates from the plainest expression of meaning; it is often
pictorial; similes, metaphors and personification are all examples of figurative language.
gothic
A story of terror or suspense which includes references to the supernatural.
hamartia
The false step or character flaw that leads the protagonist to his downfall. Most often
encountered in ‘tragedy’.
hubris
The arrogance or pride of the protagonist, which contributes to his/her downfall.
hyperbole
A figure of speech in which deliberate exaggeration is used for emphasis. Many everyday
expressions are examples of hyperbole, e.g. tons of money, waiting for ages, a flood of tears,
etc. Hyperbole is the opposite of litotes.
iambic
pentameter
A line of 10 syllables or beats in which one unstressed syllable/beat is followed by one
stressed syllable, eg. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
imagery
The use of pictures, figures of speech and description to evoke ideas feelings, objects
actions, states of mind etc.
The vocabulary of a language.
A light, humorous poem of five lines with the rhyme scheme of aabba.
lexis
limerick
litotes
lyric
masculine
rhyme
melodrama
metaphor
narrative
narrator
ode
onomatopoeia
A figure of speech in which a positive is stated by negating its opposite, eg. no small victory,
not a bad idea, not unhappy.
A poem, such as a sonnet or an ode, that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. A
lyric poem may resemble a song in form or style.
A rhyme that occurs in a final stressed syllable, eg. cat/hat, desire/fire, observe/deserve.
Sensational drama, emotionally exaggerated.
A figure of speech in which two things are compared, usually by saying one thing is another,
or by substituting a more descriptive word for the more common or usual word that would be
expected, eg. the world's a stage, he was a lion in battle, drowning in debt, and a sea of
troubles.
Telling a story. Ballads, epics, and lays are different kinds of narrative poems
The person, as distinct from the author, who is telling the story.
A lyric poem that is serious and thoughtful in tone and has a very precise, formal structure,
eg. John Keats's "Ode on a Grecian Urn".
A figure of speech in which words are used to imitate sounds, eg. buzz, hiss, zing, clippetyclop, cock-a-doodle-do, pop, splat, thump, tick-tock.
oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines two usually contradictory terms, eg. hot ice, feather of lead.
palimpsest
A narrative overwritten with another, eg Catherine has overwritten a text in chapter 3 of
Wuthering Heights.
panegyric
A public speech or poem of wholehearted praise
parallelism
Arrangement of similar words or presentation of characters to suggest correspondences
between them
paradox
A surprisingly self contradictory statement.
parody
Imitation of another work, often in order to make it amusing or ridiculous.
pastoral
A poem that pictures country life in a peaceful, idealized way.
pathetic fallacy
The state in which nature represents the emotions of the characters.
personification
A figure of speech in which nonhuman things or abstract ideas are given human attributes,
eg. the sky is crying, dead leaves danced in the wind, blind justice.
Leading character in a story
Term often associated with a type of 19th century novel which attempts to give the impression
that it represents life and the world as a part of everyday reality, that such characters might
exist, and such events occur naturally
A phrase, line, or group of lines that is repeated throughout a poem, usually after every
stanza.
The occurrence of the same or similar sounds at the end of two or more words. The pattern
of rhyme in a stanza or poem is shown usually by using a different letter for each final sound,
protagonist
realism
refrain
rhyme
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rhyme scheme
sibilance
simile
soliloquy
sonnet
sophism
stanza
stress
sublime
symbol
syntax
tone
tragedy
verb
eg. abba
The pattern that is made by the rhyme within each stanza or verse.
Repetition of the ‘s’ sound in a word or phrase, eg. Snakes slithering softly
A figure of speech in which two things are compared using the word "like" or "as", eg. "What
happens to a dream deferred?/ Does it dry up/ like a raisin in the sun?" (Langston Hughes,
‘Harlem’)
When a character in a play speaks directly to the audience as if thinking aloud about motives,
feelings and decisions.
A lyric poem that is 14 lines long. Italian (or Petrarchan) sonnets are divided into two
quatrains and a six-line "sestet," with the rhyme scheme abba abba cdecde (or cdcdcd).
English (or Shakespearean) sonnets are composed of three quatrains and a final couplet,
with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg. English sonnets are written generally in iambic
pentameter. The volta (“break”) marks a change in the initial line of thought or feeling at the
end of the octave or eighth line.
False but persuasive argument
Two or more lines of poetry that together form one of the divisions of a poem. The stanzas of
a poem are usually of the same length and follow the same pattern of meter and rhyme.
The prominence or emphasis given to particular syllables. Stressed syllables usually stand
out because they have long, rather than short, vowels, or because they have a different pitch
or are louder than other syllables.
Quality of awesome grandeur, as distinguished from the beautiful, in nature.
When a word, phrase or image 'stands for' an idea or theme, eg. The sun could symbolize life
and energy or a red rose could symbolize romantic love.
Sentence structure.
Rather vague term to suggest mood or atmosphere
A story that traces the career and downfall of a character. The notion of ‘tragedy’ is outlined
famously in Aristotle’s Poetics.
A doing word, eg. run, sing, say, etc
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RECOMMENDED READING LIST
This list is by no means exhaustive (although it
would take you a while to get through it all!) nor are
there any guarantees that you will enjoy all the
books included. It is merely a list of suggestions that will give you somewhere
to start when faced with a whole library-full of possibilities.
Author
C. Achebe
Lance Armstrong
Andrea Ashworth
Kate Atkinson
Margaret Attwood
Jane Austen
John Banville
Julian Barnes
Sebastian Barry
Louis de Bernieres
Charlotte Bronte
Emily Bronte
Bill Bryson
Anthony Burgess
Ann Cassidy
Tracy Chevalier
Wilkie Collins
Joseph Conrad
Charles Dickens
George Elliot
Sebastian Faulks
F. Scott Fitzgerald
E.M. Forster
John Fowles
Mrs Gaskell
Stella Gibbons
William Golding
Graham Greene
Thomas Hardy
L.P. Hartley
Joseph Heller
Ernest Hemingway
Susan Hill
Aldous Huxley
K. Ishiguru
James Joyce
Ken Kesey
D.H. Lawrence
Harper Lee
Particularly recommended titles(feel free to extend this to
other titles by the same author!)
Things Fall Apart
It’s Not About the Bike
Once In A House On Fire
Behind the Scenes At The Museum
The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, Alias Grace, Oryx and Crake
Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Persuasion
The Sea
Arthur and George
A Long Long Way
Capt. Corelli’s Mandolin
Jane Eyre
Wuthering Heights
Notes from a Small Island
A Clockwork Orange
Waiting for JJ
The Girl with the Pearl Earing
The Moonstone, The Woman in White
The Heart of Darkness, the Secret Agent
Hard Times, David Copperfield, Great Expectations
Middlemarch, Mill on the Floss
Birdsong, Charlotte Gray
The Great Gatsby
Room with a View, Passage to India
The French Lieutenant’s Woman, The Collector
North and South
Cold Comfort Farm
The Lord of the Flies
Brighton Rock
Tess of the D’Urbevilles, Far from the Madding Crowd
The Go-Between
Catch-22
For Whom the Bell Tolls, Farewell to Arms
I’m the King of the Castle, Strange Meeting
Brave New World
The Remains of the Day
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow
To Kill a Mockingbird
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David Lodge
Alexander McCall Smith
Iain McEwan
Tim Moore
Toni Morrison
Iris Murdoch
George Orwell
B. Pasternak
A. Paton
Sylvia Plath
E. Annie Proulx
Jean Rhys
Arundhati Roy
Salman Rushdie
J.D. Salinger
Alice Sebold
Vikram Seth
Alan Sillitoe
Mary Shelley
Chris Stewart
John Steinbeck
Bram Stoker
Amy Tan
William Thackery
Leo Tolstoy
Anthony Trollope
Alice Walker
Evelyn Waugh
Oscar Wilde
Jeanette Winterson
Virginia Woolf
Nice Work, Thinks
No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
The Child in Time, Enduring Love, Atonement, Saturday
French Revolutions
Beloved, Song of Solomon, The Bluest Eye, Sula
The Sandcastle, The Bell
Animal Farm, 1984
Dr Zhivago
Cry, the Beloved Country
The Bell Jar
Brokeback Mountain, The Shipping News
Wide Sargasso Sea
The God of Small Things
Midnight’s Children
Catcher in the Rye
Lovely Bones, Lucky
A Suitable Boy, An Equal Music
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, The Loneliness of the
Long Distance Runner
Frankenstein
Driving Over Lemons, A Parrot in the Pepper Tree
Of Mice and Men
Dracula
The Bonesetter’s Daughter, The Joy Luck Club
Vanity Fair
Anna Karenina
The Barchester Chronicles
The Color Purple
Scoop, Decline and Fall
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oranges are not the only Fruit
Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse
30
A LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE
USEFUL RESOURCES
Reference books
General
Short Oxford History of English Literature, Andrew Sanders (Oxford University Press)
Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, Chris Baldick (Oxford Paperbacks)
An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory, Nicholas Royle and Andrew
Bennett (Longman)
York Notes (Advanced) (Longman)
Available for a range of texts. York Notes are by no means comprehensive –
they are not a substitute for personal study and research, nor for material
delivered in lessons. However, they may provide a useful, basic starting point
or be helpful in revision.
Poetry
An Introduction to English Poetry, James Fenton (Penguin)
Coming of Age as a Poet, Helen Vendler (Harvard University Press)
Considering Poetry: An Approach to Criticism, B. A. Pythian (Hodder and Stoughton)
The Novel
Consciousness and the Novel, David Lodge (Penguin)
Shakespeare
The Rough Guide to Shakespeare, Andrew Dickson (Rough Guides; 1st Edition edition)
Beginning Shakespeare, Lisa Hopkins (Manchester University Press)
The Genius of Shakespeare, Jonathan Bate (Picador)
Shakespeare’s Language, Frank Kermode (Penguin)
Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, Stephen Greenblatt
(Pimlico)
Introducing Shakespeare, G. B. Harrison (Penguin)
Useful publications
E Magazine
http://www.emagazine.org.uk/
Username: emagazine3
Password: ap97yt
Useful websites
http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/pdf/AQA-5741-6741-W-SP-07.pdf
English Literature A level syllabus (AQA Specification A)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/
At times you will want to buy your own copies of texts or reference books. Amazon is
cheap, convenient and fast.
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/index.html
If you are studying Victorian literature of any kind, this is an invaluable resource. The
site is easy to navigate and it provides detailed insight into the authors and texts of
the period.
31
http://www.bibliomania.com/0/0/19/45/frameset.html
This website contains electronic versions of a huge range of texts. Useful for
preparing presentations or if you want to closely annotate a piece of text without
marking your own copy!
http://en.wikipedia.org/
A useful source for researching context and biographical details of authors.
http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/chaucer.htm
A comprehensive resource for anyone studying the life, times and works of Geoffrey
Chaucer.
http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/
Limited resources on a number if A level texts.
Useful contact details
Local theatres
Bath Theatre Royal
http://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/
(01225) 448844
Bristol Old Vic
http://www.bristol-old-vic.co.uk/
(0117) 9877877
The Tobacco Factory
http://www.tobaccofactory.com/
(0117) 902 0344
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