English Literature
Poetry, prose, drama, and critical analysis techniques.
Building Blocks for English Literature
English Literature, like any discipline, has core analytical tools that unlock deeper understanding. Master these and you can engage meaningfully with any text:
Close Reading: The ability to pay careful attention to language — word choice, syntax, rhythm, imagery. What does the text actually say, and how does it say it?
Context: Historical, biographical, cultural, and literary contexts shape meaning. When was this written? For whom? In response to what?
Form and Genre: Understanding conventions allows you to see how texts work with or against expectations. Why a sonnet? Why a bildungsroman? Why this narrative voice?
Interpretation vs Description: Anyone can describe what happens. The skill is interpretation — arguing for what it means and why it matters.
The 'So What?' Question: Always ask yourself: why does this matter? What is at stake? This pushes beyond surface observation to genuine insight.
With these tools, you can engage thoughtfully with any poem, novel, or play an interviewer presents you with — even if you've never seen it before.
Poetry
Close reading and analysis of poetic texts.
Prose Fiction
Narrative techniques, characterisation, and thematic analysis.
Drama
Performance, dialogue, and dramatic structure.
English Literature FAQs
Very likely, yes. This is one of the most common interview formats for English. You might be given:
- A short poem to analyse
- An extract from a novel or play
- Two texts to compare
The interviewer wants to see how you read and think, not whether you've memorised critical opinions. An unseen text levels the playing field — everyone is encountering it fresh.
Usually a few minutes — perhaps 3-5 minutes for a short poem or extract. Use this time wisely:
1. Read it through once for general sense
2. Read again, noting anything striking
3. Don't try to form a complete interpretation yet — you'll develop this in conversation
It's okay to refer back to the text during discussion. In fact, close attention to specific words and phrases is exactly what interviewers want to see.
No, you don't need to know formal literary theory (feminism, post-colonialism, etc.) for the interview. What you do need is:
- The ability to read closely and sensitively
- Awareness that texts can be interpreted in multiple ways
- Some sense of historical and cultural context
- Confidence to form and defend your own interpretations
If you've encountered theoretical approaches and they help you think, feel free to use them — but don't force them where they don't fit.
Literary interpretation isn't about right and wrong in the way maths is. There are stronger and weaker readings, better and worse supported arguments.
If your interpretation seems off, the interviewer might:
- Ask you to point to evidence in the text
- Offer an alternative reading
- Push back to see how you defend your position
This is all normal and expected. Changing your mind in response to a good counter-argument shows intellectual flexibility — a good thing!
Be genuine and specific. For any book you mention:
1. Actually read it (obvious, but important!)
2. Have specific things to say — not just 'I found it interesting'
3. Know some context — when it was written, a bit about the author
4. Have a view — what did you find compelling or problematic?
5. Connect it to broader questions — what themes does it raise?
Interviewers can tell immediately if you've genuinely engaged with a book or just skimmed the Wikipedia summary.