5e. Literature post-1900 (Non-exam assessment component) suggested texts - WAR THROUGH TIME — OCR A-Level English Literature
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5e. Literature post-1900 (Non-exam assessment component) suggested texts - WAR THROUGH TIME explained
Wilfred Owen's 'Selected Poems' (1920) serves as a suggested poetry text for the 'War Through Time' NEA theme.
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Students should explore Owen's visceral depiction of World War I, focusing on his subversion of patriotic propaganda and use of innovative poetic techniques such as pararhyme. For example, in 'Dulce et Decorum Est', Owen contrasts the romanticised lie of glorious death with the gruesome reality of a gas attack. Analysis must consider the 1920 publication context, posthumously edited by Siegfried Sassoon, and how Owen's work compares with other literature. This allows students to trace the evolving representation of conflict, psychological trauma, and the individual soldier's experience across different historical periods.
Agamemnon Steven Berkoff 1977 Drama
Steven Berkoff’s 1977 drama Agamemnon is a suggested post-1900 text for the 'War Through Time' non-exam assessment (NEA). Adapting Aeschylus’s ancient Greek tragedy, Berkoff employs his signature 'total theatre' style to explore the brutalising effects of conflict and the cyclical nature of vengeance. Students should analyse how the 1977 play uses exaggerated physicality, chorus work, and rhythmic, visceral language to critique the glorification of war. By examining the returning soldier's trauma and Clytemnestra's violent retribution, learners can evaluate how this modern dramatic adaptation reflects timeless themes of militarism, power, and the devastating domestic consequences of prolonged warfare.
Half of a Yellow Sun Chimamanda Adichie 2006 Prose
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 2006 prose novel Half of a Yellow Sun is a suggested post-1900 text for the 'War Through Time' non-exam assessment (NEA). Set before and during the Nigerian Civil War (Biafran War), the narrative uses multiple focalisers—Ugwu, Olanna, and Richard—to explore how geopolitical conflict ravages personal lives. Students must analyse Adichie’s prose techniques, such as shifting narrative perspectives and the motif of starvation, to evaluate the trauma of war. By examining the intersection of class, race, and post-colonial politics, learners can articulate how this 2006 novel portrays the devastating human cost of the Biafran struggle and the enduring legacy of historical trauma.
Your focus
- Analyse the poetic techniques used by Wilfred Owen to represent the experience of World War I.
- Evaluate the contextual factors surrounding the posthumous publication of Owen's 'Selected Poems' in 1920.
- Synthesise comparisons between Owen's poetry and other texts to explore the theme of war through time.
Show all 9 objectives
- Analyse Berkoff's use of 'total theatre' and physical expression to represent the trauma of war.
- Evaluate the significance of adapting a classical Greek tragedy in 1977 to explore modern perspectives on conflict.
- Synthesise contextual knowledge of post-1900 drama with close textual analysis to address the 'War Through Time' theme.
- Analyse the effect of shifting narrative perspectives in portraying the multifaceted experience of the Biafran War.
- Evaluate Adichie's use of structural contrasts between pre-war and wartime settings to emphasise the disruption of conflict.
- Apply understanding of post-colonial contexts to interpret the political and personal struggles depicted in the 2006 novel.
5e. Literature post-1900 (Non-exam assessment component) suggested texts - WAR THROUGH TIME exam tips
Marking Points
- Analyse Owen's use of poetic form, structure, and language to convey the realities of trench warfare.
- Evaluate the contextual significance of the 1920 publication and the influence of figures like Siegfried Sassoon.
- Compare Owen's representation of war with texts from different historical periods to address the 'War Through Time' theme.
- Explore the tension between romanticised notions of conflict and the brutal realism presented in Owen's poetry.
- Analyse Berkoff's use of 'total theatre' techniques, such as mime and exaggerated physicality, to convey the trauma of war.
- Evaluate how the 1977 adaptation reshapes the ancient Greek chorus to reflect modern anxieties about militarism and conflict.
- Compare the presentation of domestic and international conflict through the characters of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra.
- Assess the impact of Berkoff's visceral, rhythmic language in depicting the brutal realities of the Trojan War.
- Analyse how Adichie uses multiple narrative perspectives to provide a multifaceted view of the Nigerian Civil War.
- Evaluate the representation of trauma and starvation as central motifs illustrating the human cost of the Biafran conflict.
- Examine the intersection of personal relationships and political upheaval, demonstrating how war disrupts domestic stability.
- Assess the impact of post-colonial contexts and Western complicity as explored through the character of Richard and the novel's setting.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Focus closely on Owen's innovative use of sound, particularly pararhyme, to create a sense of dissonance and unease.
- 💡Use Owen's preface, where he states 'the Poetry is in the pity', as a critical lens for analysing his work.
- 💡When comparing, look for both similarities in the human experience of war and differences in the technological or political contexts.
- 💡Select specific stage directions that highlight Berkoff's physical theatre to support your arguments about the brutality of war.
- 💡Contrast the public glorification of Agamemnon's victory with the private, domestic devastation awaiting him to explore the theme of conflict.
- 💡Use the 1977 context of the play to discuss how post-war and Cold War anxieties might influence this modern adaptation of a classical war narrative.
- 💡Track the motif of the 'half of a yellow sun' flag throughout the novel to discuss the rise and fall of Biafran nationalism and hope.
- 💡Compare the pre-war chapters with the wartime chapters to highlight the structural contrast between peace and the sudden devastation of conflict.
- 💡Incorporate brief, relevant contextual details about the legacy of British colonialism in Nigeria to enrich your analysis of the war's origins.
Common Mistakes
- Treating Owen's poetry purely as historical documentation; correction: analyse the texts as conscious literary constructs with specific aesthetic and rhetorical purposes.
- Ignoring the specific 1920 publication context; correction: acknowledge that these poems were published posthumously and consider how this shaped their reception.
- Failing to draw meaningful comparisons with a second text; correction: ensure Owen's work is actively compared to another text to explore how the presentation of war changes over time.
- Treating the text purely as a classical Greek tragedy rather than analysing Berkoff's specific 1977 dramatic innovations; always focus on the modern adaptation's unique theatricality.
- Ignoring the visual and physical elements of the drama; ensure analysis includes stage directions and the concept of 'total theatre' alongside the spoken dialogue.
- Failing to connect the play to the 'War Through Time' NEA theme; explicitly link the characters' actions to the broader psychological and societal impacts of warfare.
- Summarising the historical events of the Biafran War without analysing how Adichie constructs these events through her 2006 prose; always focus on literary techniques.
- Treating the three narrative voices as identical in perspective; ensure you contrast the distinct viewpoints of Ugwu, Olanna, and Richard based on their class and background.
- Neglecting the 'War Through Time' NEA focus by writing a general character study; explicitly link character development to the psychological and physical impacts of the conflict.