English GCSE Revision
Astor College
Unseen Poetry
Revision aids can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/
Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
Revision aids can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/prosemicemen/
GCSE English Literature is the study of novels, plays, poems and drama. It is the study of how writers shape their work to make it interesting for the reader. It is also the study of people and their actions; although you will read about ficitional characters you will be making moral judgements about their actions. The best thing about GCSE English Literature is that you can never be wrong, it's all about your opinion, and as long as you can give evidence to prove your ideas you will do very well.
Of Mice and Men is a novella written in 1937 by John Steinbeck. It tells the story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two ranch hands who travel together in search of work.
Themes such as loneliness, isolation, friendship, mental illness, racism, sexism and love are exrtremely important to the novel You will answer two questions in the exam about this text.
Unseen Poetry is exactly what it suggests. It is the analysis of peotry that you will not see until you open your exam paper. This sounds scary but i treally is not.
You will need to be able to discuss structure, meaning, descriptive techniques and also your own opinion as you compare two poems in your exam.
An Inspector Calls is a play first performed in 1945 and written by J B Priestley. It is the story of the Birling family and their involvement in the suicide of Eva Smith. They are shocked by the arrival of the mysterious Inspector Goole.
The play asks the audience questions about society, responsibility, family and guilt. You will answer two questions about this text in your exam
Heroes is a short story written in 1998 by Robert Cormier. It tells the story of Francis Cassavant as he returns from World War Two with horrific injuries. Francis is forced to confront a secret from his past.
The short story discusses love, trust, heroism, war, responsibility and betrayal. You will answer two questions about this text in the exam.
An Inspector Calls
by J B Priestley
Revision aids can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramainspectorcalls/
Heroes
by Robert Cormier
Revision aids can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/proseheroes/
You will be studying four texts for GCSE Literature.
