England

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Accessibility statement
Qualification dates
StartEnd
03 Oct 2026Jun 2027
30 Jan 2027Sept 2027
How have writers chosen to tell their stories, and why? What techniques do they use to make us believe in the reality of the worlds they create? If you’re interested in finding out in-depth about how literature works, this module is for you. You'll read gripping stories from across literary history, from Shakespeare to science fiction, from Thomas Hardy to Arundhati Roy, with a particular focus on nineteenth- and twentieth-century novels. This will develop your understanding of key techniques and devices used by writers as you investigate the historical contexts behind their work and discover new ways of understanding literature.
There are two parts to the module, one devoted to realism and the other to fantasy. In each, you’ll be reading and studying texts from a variety of periods and in a variety of different forms. This will develop your skills in the analysis of key features such as characterisation, narrative voice, plot structure, imagery, symbolism and verbal style. You'll receive two module books to guide your study and a wealth of online material, including interviews with leading critics and videos of settings used by some of the authors.
Part One – Realism: depicting the world
The first part of the module is all about the following five texts that depict, in diverse ways, the ‘real world’ lived in by their authors. A short introduction will set the scene by discussing past and present ideas about storytelling and realist fiction. You will study the texts in the order listed below.
At the end of part one, in a special ‘Book Club’ section, you'll choose a text to study from a shortlist of five, each option similar in some way to one of the five books you have already read. This is your chance to build on your earlier work on the module, to explore your enthusiasms, and to develop skills as an independent learner. The list of Book Club texts will be available at the beginning of the module. You will need to have chosen and purchased a copy of your Book Club text by the end of week 14 of the module (24 January 2025).
Part Two – The fantastic: creating new worlds
In the second part, you'll study the techniques used in the following selection of works of fantasy literature. These have been written in a range of different periods, and you'll find there is a range of different ways in which ‘fantastic’ stories relate to the real world we live in. You'll also move beyond the novel, studying poetry, a play, short stories and an illustrated book as well as a classic science fiction novel.
You will find that some of these set texts engage with difficult topics, including suicide and sexual violence. We appreciate that some students will find it helpful to be aware in advance of material of this kind in specific texts. For this reason, a list of potentially distressing content is provided at the beginning of the module. Contact us if you would like to discuss this further with an advisor in the Student Support Team prior to registering for the module.
This is an OU level 2 module and builds on the OU level 1 modules Discovering the arts and humanities (A111) and Cultures (A112). These modules develop skills such as logical thinking, clear expression, essay writing and the ability to select and interpret relevant materials. They also offer an introduction to a range of subjects in the arts and humanities.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
You may find it helpful to read some of the set texts in advance. For the sequence in which you’ll study these texts, see 'What you will study'. If you don’t have time to do this, however, don’t worry: the module materials have been written assuming that you will read the set texts for the first time while studying the module.
In early September, you'll have access to the 'English Literature Stage 1 to Stage 2' bridging materials and a forum where you can discuss any questions you have with members of the English department and other students. This will help prepare you for Stage 2 English Literature study in general and this module in particular. You'll also have access to the English Literature toolkit, a special OU resource providing you with subject-specific study skills.
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.

Course work includes:
You'll be provided with two printed books and have access to the module website, which includes:
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying A233 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
Telling stories – the novel and beyond starts twice a year – in February and October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026 and February 2027.
We expect it to start for the last time in February 2031.
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