Hello. Simply put, I'm trying to work out how I should go about studying for English.
I'm a Yr 11 Student currently doing Advanced English (Although I will more than likely drop to standard). Anything to do with English, I consider myself bad at. I choose Advance English for Yr 11, so I could try to increase my range of knowledge. The thing is though; I don't ever study English at home. I feel like I should try and get into the habit of learning something new daily.
The problem with that is I can't comprehend English at all. It's beyond me. I see Literature as a very subjective thing, and I can't judge what is considered 'good' or even 'great' writing. Essays and Analysing are my worst skill. I can tell when I enjoy and don't enjoy a text, but can't explain why. Practice makes perfect, right? So that's what I want to do, I just don't know how I should.
Hey! I'm going to suggest some reading for you, if you have the chance!
George Orwell has written "Why I write" and I think it's a great example of an essay (seeing as that is the form), but also creative work (seeing as he talks about his creatives). It's a thin book you can get for about $5 but I'm fairly certain it's available on iBooks and possibly even on the internet for free. Your English teacher might even have a copy you could borrow.
Something that makes texts great is the timeliness of their message. This is why George Orwell is so revered for Animal Farm and 1984: they are a creative way of recognising the perils of the way the world was headed then (and now...). Many of the texts in the HSC course are selected because they critique something - personal, political, social, historical, etc. Every text has a purpose, and the time it was produced links in with the idea of timeliness. Better yet - often texts are just a vehicle for driving a message that transcends the bounds of the book. Animal Farm is an allegory about dictatorship. Take away all the animals and you're left with a very alarming message about politics and society that can be seen and applied in various aspects of the world now, and likely in the future too.
I've learned to love reading, writing, absorbing and observing, so I'm happy to help out if I can