Page 77 - Bellfort Magazine 2019

English Literature enables each stu- Analysis of Dystopian Literature: English Literature ‘A’ level builds on
dent to read, understand and evaluate the range of literature that we enjoy in
Literary dystopias are imagined socie-
a range of texts from a variety of junior school and within GCSE English
sources. Every learner has the oppor- ties in which the deepest demands of language and English Literature. In the
tunity to explore poetry, pros and dra- human nature are either subverted, course, we study novels, drama scripts
matic plays, and appreciate the con- perverted or simply made unattaina- and poetry from different eras and
texts in which they were written. ble.” Nanelle and David Barash effec- parts of the world, responding to texts
Throughout their studies, our students tively describe the brutal reality and to show an understanding of a writer’s
really enjoy the diversity of subjects hardship of dystopian literature which is craft and the context in which the
that are covered in the GCSE course. explored throughout Cormac texts were written.
They really enjoy and engage with the McCarthy’s ‘The Road’ and George Or-
characters, themes and attitudes that well’s ‘1984’. The extent to which the This year for ‘AS’ level we have
are explored and appreciate how protagonists are conditioned to the per- explored the nature of love and how
writers use language to captivate an petuity of facing little hope for the fu- the rules of society shape our relation-
audience. ture is merely dependent upon the per- ships with the classic nineteenth cen-
spective as to how the protagonist’s life tury novel “Wuthering Heights” by
At Dunclug College, we help every Emily Bronte, one of the most famous
within their dystopia, is interpreted.
learner to develop their analytical skills love stories of all time. We have also
Whilst it could be argued that both Win-
in English Literature which has a pro- worked with the famous American
ston (1984) and the man (The Road)
found impact on other literacy based play, “A Streetcar named Desire,” by
respectively endure redemptory sources
subjects that they study. Whether you Tennessee Williams which also helps
of hope, it is ultimate that little hope is
are inspired by the bleak setting and
manifested and doomed from the out- us to understand the complexi-
desolate world created in McCarthy’s
set. ties of adult relationships. The themes
‘The Road’, shocked by dictatorial soci-
of growing up, loving and growing
ety in Atwood’s ’The Handmaid’s McCarthy signifies the man and boy’s
apart have been further explored in
Tale’ or surprised by the isolated lives little hope through the bleak and deso- the poetry of two modern poets; Philip
of itinerant workers in Steinbeck’s ’Of late environment whereby the ‘nights Larkin and Elizabeth Jennings.
Mice and Men’ , English Literature will are dark beyond darkness and the day’s
inspire and encourage every student At ‘A’ level, we have explored the
more grey each one that had gone be-
to succeed. metaphysical poetry of John Donne
fore’. Through the implementation of
who explores some of the deepest
colour imagery, McCarthy illustrates a

world absent of colour; where he limits questions about life, writing about
everyday objects and situations. We
existence to a bare minimum. McCarthy
utilizes the adjective ‘dark’ through rep- have also examined Shakespeare’s
tragedy, ‘Othello’, looking at how dra-
etition, to connote that the man and his
son have little hope of survival. The de- matic methods are used to showcase

scription of the world to be of an the deception of the villainous Iago,
leading to Othello’s ultimate demise.
‘autistic dark’ implies through personifi-
cation, that the dark is unaware of the Students have also had the joy of reading
I
protagonist’s thoughts, feelings and dystopian literature, completing a
perceptions, which therefore hinders timed study on how the cruel and des-
the man’s ability to see light amidst the olate worlds that they create force
perpetual state of darkness and deterio- their characters to experience great
ration, metaphorically reinforcing the difficulties and emotions.
little hope for the man and the boy. The
The literature that we read at ‘A’ level
inhospitable description of the world
prepares us for much more than ex-
suggests the apparent entropy of the
ams – it sheds light on some of the
earth and all life, which McCarthy links
deepest human emotions and gives us
to the man and boy’s
opportunities to discuss the greatest
plight, similar to that of
challenges that people face in society.
earths; alone and lost in
an endless cycle of
‘darkness’. ‘
John Wilson 77