Why English Literature in SPM is the Key to Your Future Success?

Some of you may heard of English Literature during high school or secondary school time. For those who dont, English Literature is an elective subject in SPM. Student can choose to take this subject or choose not to.  What does English Literature covers in SPM?  Is it worth taking English Literature in SPM? 

To those who are unfamiliar to English Literature , English Literature is the study of literature components such as poems, short stories, novel and drama. English Literature is also a new subject that is recently introduced in SPM. As a result, some school has not introduced English Literature to their students yet, mainly because of the lack of teacher who teaches this subject.

In SPM, English Literature question needs you to analyzed the poem, short stories , novel and drama. By analyzed , it means writing an essay about your thoughts and feeling. Although it may not seems like an easy job but if you have interest in the subject you can adapt the style very easily. English Literature in SPM syllabus contains 9 poems, 2 novels, 6 short stories and 3 dramas (each only have to learn 1 only depends on the school) . Some schools may choose to teach students the 2 novels instead of the 6 short stories or vice versa.

There 9 poems are listed here:

1. Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, By William Wordsworth 
2. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, By Christopher Marlowe 
3. The Tyger, By William Blake
4. London, By William Blake 
5. The Little Black Boy, By William Blake 
6. To Autumn, By John Keats 
7. , By Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) Miners, By Wilfred Owen 
8. Half-Term, By U.A. Fanthorpe 
9. Address to A Child During A Boisterous Winter Evening, By Dorothy Wordsworth 

There 2 Novels are :

• The Clay Marble by Minfong Ho  
• The Lost King by Scot Gardner

There 6 short stories consist of :

1. Sambal with Anchovies
2. Embracing Your Shadow
3. Thieving Daughter
4. The Winter Hibiscus
5. Turning Thirty
6. Birds of Paradise

Lastly the 3 dramas that you may learn are:

• Flower for Algernon adapted by Bert Coules
• Hope Springs by Richard Conlon
• The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

Someone may ask "why take English Literature when there is already basic English tested in SPM?".  Taking English Literature is different than taking basic English in SPM. English Literature is like an additional English where it requires you to understand and analyzed in detail, after that, you are required to write an essay about it. This can help you to enhance your writing skills as well as your ability to do analysis. 

Taking English Literature can also open up a few paths for you to continue your studies. Students can take English Literature in STPM as well as in some private universities. Some universities also provides Master's degree and PhD in English Literature. After that, students can apply to become a lecturer or a teacher in a university or school who teaches English or English Literature. 

In my opinion, student can reconsidered to take English Literature if the student have high interest in reading and writing . Not only that, student who wants to challenged themself can also applied for this subject. If your school does not have this subject and you wish to take it. You can registered as a private candidate for this subject.