A Level English Literature Transition Unit: Preparing for Gothic Novel Study, Slides of English Literature

Download A Level English Literature Transition Unit: Preparing for Gothic Novel Study and more Slides English Literature in PDF only on Docsity!

HASLINGDEN HIGH SCHOOL

Y11-12 A LEVEL LITERATURE TRANSITION UNIT

OCR A Level

English Literature

Welcome to A Level English literature. Please complete the following tasks in this

booklet ready for your first day at sixth form.

What does the course require of me?

A Level English literature is a rigorous course which requires you to enjoy reading, writing

academic essays whilst exploring context and sharing critical views and ideas. Therefore

the more you can do now to get ahead of course content and reading, the better prepared

you will be for the programme.

How will this unit help me to prepare for A Level study?

This unit is designed to help you get ahead with crucial reading, whilst introducing you to key texts and ideas needed to access the course.

You will need to join the Showbie Class 4KMEV for additional resources/reading and all material/tasks are designed to bridge the gap between GCSE and A Level literature.

Other Useful Resources

Massolit - A series of various lectures on key A level Text. Click the link below:

https://www.massolit.io/subjects/english-literature

Task 1

An Introduction to The Gothic Novel

Fear: What terrifies you? List all fears and phobias you may have or that are common to

other people:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Terror Vs Horror

Terror = Often terror is described as the fear and anxiety that

something horrific is about to happen. It’s something you experience

mentally, a state of mind where you know something horrific is about

to happen to you (psychological).

Horror = Horror also involves fear, but it’s in reaction to something

instead of in anticipation of it. Horror is more of a physical repulsion.

You feel terrified about what could happen. You feel horrified about

what just did happen (physical).

Task: Watch the BFI film clip (see link below), listing any features of

terror and horror that you can on the worksheet provided.

https://youtu.be/lzzf-0ubL7g

Task 2: Terror Vs Horror in Literature

● Read the short extracts by H.G Wells and Bram Stoker, whilst referring to the Glossary of Gothic Terms shared on Showbie identifying the difference between terror and horror. ● Annotate both extracts, identifying language and literary devices that suggest a sense of terror/horror.

N.B: There is an OCR PPT on Showbie to accompany this task.

Extract from ‘The Red Room’ by H.G Wells

In the extract Wells create a clear sense of terror - identify how Wells creates a sense of fear through language and literary devices.

I turned to where the flames were still dancing between the glowing coals and splashing red reflections upon the furniture; made two steps toward the grate, and incontinently the flames dwindled and vanished, the glow vanished, the reflections rushed together and disappeared, and as I thrust the candle between the bars darkness closed upon me like the shutting of an eye, wrapped about me in a stifling embrace, sealed my vision, and crushed the last vestiges of self-possession from my brain. And it was not only palpable darkness, but intolerable terror. The candle fell from my hands. I flung out my arms in a vain effort to thrust that ponderous blackness away from me, and lifting up my voice, screamed with all my might, once, twice, thrice. Then I think I must have staggered to my feet. I know I thought suddenly of the moonlit corridor, and with my head bowed and my arms over my face, made a stumbling run for the door.

Extract from ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker In the extract, Stoker creates a scene of physical repulsion and horror - Identify how Stoker creates horror through language and literary devices.

With his left hand he held both Mrs. Harker's hands, keeping them away with her arms at full tension. His right hand gripped her by the back of the neck, forcing her face down on his bosom. Her white night-dress was smeared with blood, and a thin stream trickled down the man's bare chest which was shown by his torn-open dress. The attitude of the two had a terrible resemblance to a child forcing a kitten's nose into a saucer of milk to compel it to drink. As we burst into the room, the Count turned his face, and the hellish look that I had heard described seemed to leap into it. His eyes flamed red with devilish passion. The great nostrils of the white aquiline nose opened wide and quivered at the edge, and the white sharp teeth, behind the full lips of the blood dripping mouth, clamped together like those of a wild beast.

Task 3

1.) Core texts are Bram Stoker’s ‘ Dracula’ and Angela Carter’s ‘ The Bloody Chamber’. Any early reading you can do to familiarise yourself will be an advantage. However, The Gothic unit of the A Level also requires you to have an understanding of other Gothic texts. At this point, further reading within the Gothic genre is to be encouraged.

Below is a selection of texts that you may enjoy reading to get ahead of the course - Read at least two from the list below, whilst completing a reading journal (make notes on characters, gothic devices and language, context of each author).

• The Fall of the House of Usher - Edgar Allan Poe (Showbie)
• The Yellow Wallpaper – Charlotte Perkins Gilman (available online here: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1952/1952-h/1952-h.htm)
• The Haunting of Hill House – Shirley Jackson
• _The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
• Night Shift (collection of short stories) – Stephen King
• The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde (Showbie)
• The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson (Showbie)
• Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
• Northanger Abbey – Jane Austin_
  • Gothic Literature by Susan Chaplin (Literary context)

2.) Read the Gothic timeline shared on Showbie. Familiarise yourself with the context of the genre and its conventions - where do your chosen texts belong in terms of context?

3.) Familiarise yourself with key Gothic subject terminology from the glossary on Showbie and start making terminology flashcards.

Helmer Is it my little squirrel bustling about?

Nora Yes!

Helmer When did my squirrel come home?

Nora Just now. [Puts the bag of macaroons into her pocket and wipes her mouth.] Come in here, Torvald, and see what I have bought.

Helmer Don't disturb me. [A little later, he opens the door and looks into the room, pen in hand.] Bought, did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?

Nora Yes but, Torvald, this year we really can let ourselves go a little. This is the first Christmas that we have not needed to economise.

Helmer Still, you know, we can't spend money recklessly.

Nora Yes, Torvald, we may be a wee bit more reckless now, mayn't we? Just a tiny wee bit! You are going to have a big salary and earn lots and lots of money.

Helmer Yes, after the New Year; but then it will be a whole quarter before the salary is due.

Nora Pooh! we can borrow until then.

Helmer Nora! [Goes up to her and takes her playfully by the ear.] The same little featherhead! Suppose, now, that I borrowed fifty pounds today, and you spent it all in the Christmas week, and then on New Year's Eve a slate fell on my head and killed me, and--

Nora [putting her hands over his mouth] Oh! don't say such horrid things.

Helmer Still, suppose that happened,--what then?

Nora If that were to happen, I don't suppose I should care whether I owed money or not.

Helmer Yes, but what about the people who had lent it?

Nora They? Who would bother about them? I should not know who they were.

Helmer That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time longer that there need be any struggle.

Nora [moving towards the stove] As you please, Torvald.

Helmer [following her] Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? [Taking out his purse.] Nora, what do you think I have got here?

Nora [turning round quickly] Money!

Helmer There you are. [Gives her some money.] Do you think I don't know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas- time?

● Using the ‘A Doll’s House’ Intro to Context, Form and Character’ PPT on Showbie to help, explore and annotate how Ibsen creates setting and establishes character in these opening lines.

● Produce an essay (at least 2 sides of writing) explaining how Ibsen establishes setting and introduces the key characters Nora and Helmer Torvald to an audience. You can upload your responses on Showbie.

● Read the rest of the play (Showbie) and watch the film version on Youtube. There is a version of the 1973 film below. It would be useful for you to watch this and familiarise yourself with the plot/Garland’s adaptation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZo6gL3CwrE

● Familiarise yourself with key subject terminology from the literary glossary on Showbie and make vocabulary flashcards.

Task 6

Familiarise yourself with the plot of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It is not expected that you read this independently, but having a knowledge of the plot, characters and the concept of Shakespearean tragedy will be a huge advantage to you. Using the OCR Hamlet Booklet, read the synopsis of the play and the character and theme descriptions.

Resources - OCR Hamlet Booklet on Showbie.

Task 7: Interpretations of Hamlet

A big part of studying Hamlet is to consider adaptations on stage and screen. Watch the following versions of Hamlet, making notes on your observations of the presentation of Character, relationships and setting using the template below.

● Olivier’s 1948 ‘Hamlet’ (on Youtube) ● Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Hamlet’ (Rent on Amazon Prime) ● Zeferelli’s ‘Hamlet’ (available on Prime)

Exploring Different Interpretations

Film Version:

Setting Hamlet Actor:

Costume:

Personality Traits:

Old Hamlet’s Ghost

Costume:

Personality Traits:

Ophelia: Actress:

Costume:

Personality Traits:

Gertrude Actress:

Costume:

Personality Traits:

Claudius Actor:

Costume:

Personality Traits:

Hamlet-Ophelia relationship Hamlet-Gertrude relationship

Laertes-Ophelia-Polonius

Other Key Aspects: