Subject description

English Literary Studies is a 20-credit subject at Stage 2.

Stage 2 English Literary Studies focuses on the skills and strategies of critical thinking needed to interpret texts. Through shared and individual study of texts, students encounter different opinions about texts, have opportunities to exchange and develop ideas, find evidence to support a personal view, learn to construct logical and convincing arguments, and consider a range of critical interpretations of texts.

English Literary Studies focuses on ways in which literary texts represent culture and identity, and on the dynamic relationship between authors, texts, audiences, and contexts. Students develop an understanding of the power of language to represent ideas, events, and people in particular ways and of how texts challenge or support cultural perceptions.

Students produce responses that show the depth and clarity of their understanding. They extend their ability to sustain a reasoned critical argument by developing strategies that allow them to weigh alternative opinions against each other. By focusing on the creativity and craft of the authors, students develop strategies to enhance their own skills in creating texts and put into practice the techniques they have observed.