Overview
VCE Literature provides opportunities for students to develop their awareness of other people, places and cultures and explore the way texts represent the complexity of human experience. Students examine the evolving and dialogic nature of texts, the changing contexts in which they were produced and notions of value. They develop an understanding and appreciation of literature, and an ability to reflect critically on the aesthetic and intellectual aspects of texts.
The study of Literature enables students to consider the power and complexity of language, the ways literary features and techniques contribute to meaning and the significance of form and structure. They develop their capacity to read and interpret texts and reflect on their interpretations and those of others, and in turn reflect on their personal experience and the experiences of others, cultivating an awareness that there are multiple readings of texts and that the nature of language and text is dynamic. They are encouraged to be independent, innovative and creative, developing the ability to read deeply and widely and to establish and articulate their views through creative and analytical responses.
Upon completion of this unit, students in Literature will
• Develop an enjoyment of language and literature through reading deeply, widely and critically.
• Appreciate the stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts and develop an understanding of and sensitivity to nuances in the English language.
• Read closely, developing the ability to engage in detailed critical analysis of the key literary features of individual texts and to make relevant connections between them.
• Demonstrate an understanding that the context and perspective of both author and reader influence the reading experience.
• Develop the capacity for critical thinking and understanding of the relationship between literature and society.
• Develop an understanding of literary criticism.
• Develop the capacity to engage with and contest complex and challenging ideas to develop their own interpretation informed by a range of literary criticism.