English Literature

This resource has been designed to support teachers to employ a humanist lens to better develop students’ understanding of GCSE English Literature texts. The aim is to enable students to recognise humanist themes, ideas, motivations, and values, and their relevance across time periods, cultures, and genres. Recognising these key humanist ideas and perspectives can illuminate our study of a range of texts through a deeper understanding of the characters, events, and meanings contained within.

 

Why humanism?

One might develop a better understanding of a text by exploring the religious beliefs of the characters, or religious themes and ideas in the language or narrative. Equal value and understanding can be gained by exploring the attitudes, motivations, and themes contained in a text through a non-religious, humanist lens. One does not need to be a humanist for this approach to be beneficial. It simply offers a way of considering a text which can offer new insights. Nor should it dictate one’s response to the text, rather it simply provides an alternative or additional perspective to deepen understanding.

 

What you will find?

The resource contains an analysis of 20 different poems, plays, and novels found on many of the GCSE English Literature specifications. Each selected GCSE exam text has a selection of thematic links to humanism, supported by evidence, along with notes regarding characterisation and structure, authorial context (if relevant) and key classroom discussion questions to support pupils’ active analysis of the text. We expect that teachers will use these resources alongside exploration of other perspectives and interpretations.

Also provided is a detailed list of humanist beliefs and a list of suggested, broader questions connected to humanism that can be applied to the study of any text.

 

Download the resource pack here

 

What is humanism?

Throughout recorded history there have been non-religious people who have believed that this life is the only life we have, that the universe is a natural phenomenon with no supernatural side, and that we can live ethical, meaningful, and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity. They have trusted to the scientific method when trying to understand how the universe works, made their ethical decisions based on a concern for the welfare of human beings and other sentient animals, and sought to make a positive contribution towards building a better society. Today, people who share these beliefs and values are called humanists, and this combination of attitudes is called humanism.