World War 1 Literature

Unit 6 is a synoptic unit: it assesses all of the skills and knowledge you have acquired over the two years of your 'A' Level course.

The three hour examination consists of two parts: 1a asks you to compare and analyse two unseen texts, one of which will be pre-1914 ; 1b requires you to compare three unseen texts, considering how typical they are of WW1 Literature and referring to extensive wider reading in your reponse.

Across the two sections, you must therefore demonstrate the ability to:

undertake systematic and sustained comparative analysis of different texts
explore texts in the light of their writer's gender and the time of composition
make sophisticated readings of texts
make confident judgements on texts
show excellent knowledge and understanding, integrating short and well selected quotations
explore alternative interpretations of texts
make thematic comparisons of texts
refer to an extensive range of wider reading
use a range of wide reading to assess typicality and make an informed reading of unseen texts
analyse the ways in which the writers' choices of language, structure and form shape meaning

One of the first things you must do is to begin a programme of varied wider reading; your teacher will have issued you with a reading list from which you should choose a variety of texts, ranging across different periods and genres. Below you will find a selection of texts to get you started, including poetry, letters, prose fiction and some pre-1914 texts. While there are links to some texts, many materials cannot be reproduced here because of copyright; however, titles of suitable texts are given and you will find these either in the English Department Sixth Form Library, the library at school or in public libraries.

Background reading and more information about WW1	Pre-1914 texts - practise analysing these alongside other extracts; there are more on the shared area!	Texts relating to WW1 - ensure that you read a wide range from all genres, selecting texts contemporary to the war and more modern writings
A very brief timeline of WW1 - a starting point only!		Poetry	Drama	Prose-fiction	Non-Fiction
Some major battles	Henry V- speech during the siege of Harfleur	Siegfried Sassoon	The Accrington Pals	Birdsong by Sebastian Faulkes	Siegfried Sassoon's Declaration
	Henry V - St. Crispin's Day speech before Agincourt	Wilfred Owen	Journey's End by R. C. Sherriff	Regeneration by Pat Barker	Kitchener's Address to the Troops
	Other Shakespeare Extracts	David Jones		The Eye at the Door by Pat Barker
Lynne MacDonald The Somme	Rudyard Kipling's "Tommy"			The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
	Pre-1914 war poetry - "Drummer Hodge", "Charge of the Light Brigade""Vitai Lampada", "Battle of Agincourt", "Pibroch of Donald Dhu", "At Time of 'The Breaking of Nations'", "The Drum" and more.	Scars upon my Heart		Strange Meeting by Susan Hill


		Rupert Brooke's sonnets, including "The Soldier"
		Ivor Gurney
		John McCrae "In Flanders Fields"
		Moina MacDonald's reply to the above.
		Isaac Rosenberg	Oh What a Lovely War

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World War 1 Literature

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