H1 Literature in English

This course aims to develop students' critical analysis and evaluation of literary texts, appreciation and informed personal responses to literature, effective communication of ideas, and an understanding of the relationship between texts and their cultural contexts. Ultimately, it aims to foster a love for reading literature.

Syllabus and Assessment

The H1 Literature in English syllabus covers the following areas:

• Literary Features: This includes the definition of genres, individual text forms, and stylistic features. Students learn how authors use these features to create meaning.
• Text and Context: Students explore how texts relate to their social, cultural, and historical contexts, including the ideologies and assumptions present within them. They also examine how texts relate to broader artistic movements.
• Language Use: This involves studying language at the grammatical, lexical, and structural levels, including register, figurative language, rhythm, and language patterns. Students analyze how language use creates meaning.

Examination Format

The H1 Literature in English examination consists of a single, three-hour, open-book written examination (Paper 1: Reading Literature). Students are allowed to bring original copies of their set texts into the examination room, but no critical works, study notes, or dictionaries are permitted. Only underlining, highlighting, or vertical lines in the margins are allowed in the texts.

The examination is divided into three sections:

• Section A: Poetry: Two questions are presented, focusing on response skills. Students must respond to one unseen poem, with at least one question featuring a Singaporean poem.
• Section B: Prose: Students study one prose text from a prescribed list and answer one of two questions on that text. One question is an essay question, and the other is passage-based.
• Section C: Drama: Similar to Section B, students study one drama text from a prescribed list and answer one of two questions, one essay-based and one passage-based.

Prescribed Texts (Examples)

While the prescribed texts may vary between Junior Colleges, the syllabus document lists the following examples:

Prose:

Mary Shelley: Frankenstein* (1831 text) F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby* Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice* Kazuo Ishiguro: An Artist of the Floating World*

Drama:

William Shakespeare: Measure for Measure* George Bernard Shaw: Saint Joan* Arthur Miller: Playing for Time* (stage play version) Timberlake Wertenbaker: Our Country's Good*