Paper 2: Texts in shared contexts - Option A: WW1 and its aftermath - Section A: Core set texts — AQA A-Level English Literature

This AQA A-Level English Literature unit explores literature written in response to the First World War and its aftermath, focusing on core set texts such as Birdsong, Journey's End, and the poetry of Owen and Sassoon. Students analyse how writers present themes of trauma, memory, duty, and loss, and how contextual factors shape meaning.

This unit explores literature written in response to the First World War and its aftermath, focusing on core set texts such as Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong, R.C. Sherriff's Journey's End, and the poetry of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. Students examine how writers represent the experiences of soldiers and civilians, and how themes of trauma, memory, duty, and loss are shaped by the historical and social context of the period.

Studying these texts is crucial for understanding the cultural and psychological impact of WW1, and for developing skills in close analysis, comparison, and contextual interpretation. It fits into the wider A-Level by building on skills from Paper 1, such as analysing unseen prose and poetry, and preparing students for the synoptic element of the course.

• →The impact of context: how the war changed attitudes to patriotism, heroism, and masculinity, leading to disillusionment and modernism.
• →Writer's methods: use of form, structure, and language to convey trauma, memory, and the futility of war.
• →Shared contexts: the connections between texts in terms of themes, historical background, and literary movements.
• →Characterisation: how writers create characters who embody different responses to war, from naive enthusiasm to cynical despair.
• →The role of memory and testimony: how texts explore the lasting psychological effects of war on individuals and society.

• 💡Always address the assessment objectives: AO1 (response and analysis), AO2 (methods), AO3 (context), and AO4 (connections). Use precise terminology and embed context.
• 💡Plan your essay to ensure you cover the whole text and make meaningful comparisons. Avoid a text-by-text approach; instead, organise by theme or method.
• 💡Use short, embedded quotations and analyse them in depth rather than long quotes with superficial comment. Focus on the effect of specific word choices and structural features.

• Students often think that all WW1 literature is anti-war. In fact, some texts, like Rupert Brooke's 'The Soldier', present a patriotic and idealistic view, and even Owen's poetry can be seen as a complex mix of pity and protest.
• Students may assume that shell shock was widely understood and treated. In reality, it was often stigmatised, and many soldiers were accused of cowardice or executed for desertion, as shown in Regeneration.
• Students sometimes treat context as a separate section to be bolted on. Instead, context should be integrated into analysis of the writer's methods and intentions.

1. 1Week 1: Read all core texts (Birdsong, Journey's End, selected poems by Owen and Sassoon) and create a timeline of key contextual events. Make chapter/scene/poem summaries.
2. 2Week 1-2: For each text, create a revision grid of themes (e.g., trauma, duty, memory) with key quotations and analysis of methods. Use colour-coding for context links.
3. 3Week 2: Practice comparative essays, focusing on how different texts treat similar themes. Use past paper questions and mark schemes to self-assess.
4. 4Week 2: Revise key contextual terms (jingoism, modernism, shell shock) and practice integrating them into analysis. Create flashcards for quick recall.
5. 5Ongoing: Re-read key passages and annotate for language, form, and structure. Discuss interpretations with peers to develop alternative readings.

• 📋Comparative essay question: 'Compare how two texts present the theme of memory.' Advice: Plan for integrated comparison, not separate summaries. Use connectives like 'similarly', 'whereas', and 'both'.
• 📋Close analysis question: 'Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to present the effects of war in this extract.' Advice: Focus on the extract, but link to the wider text and context. Use precise terminology.
• 📋Contextual question: 'Explore how contextual factors shape the presentation of duty in two texts.' Advice: Integrate context into your analysis of methods, not as a separate paragraph.
• 📋Unseen poetry comparison: 'Compare how two unseen poems present attitudes to war.' Advice: Use your skills of close analysis and comparison, and consider the context of publication if given.