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French literary theorist Roland Barthes is perhaps best known for his 1968 essay, The Death of the Author. In this essay, he argued that since it is impossible for a reader to understand an author’s intentions, there can be no single correct interpretation of the meaning of a particular text. Instead, texts are open to a multiplicity of interpretations, which inevitably incorporate the reader’s own cultural experiences, knowledge, and prejudices. In the Internet age, a new phenomenon has emerged: the reader who not only produces his or her own interpretation of a text, but who consciously rejects the right of the author to reinterpret his or her own work. There are also more extreme Internet forums where readers seem to long for the death of the author!

This Internet phenomenon is most pronounced in the genres of fantasy and science fiction. World-building is a key part of these types of fiction: readers (or viewers, in the case of TV programmes and films) appear to be attracted to fully realised worlds or universes which allow them temporary respite from the harsh realities of their own world. Over time, these individuals make the transition from viewer/reader to ‘fan’. ‘Fandom’ brings with it a sense of ownership and entitlement that creates a very different dynamic between the author and his audience. An example of this is the present state of revolt among Star Wars fans.

Star Wars director George Lucas is one of the most successful film directors of all time. He established two immensely lucrative ‘franchises’ – Star Wars and Indiana Jones – the first of which provided the template for both family-friendly action blockbusters and movie merchandising. The original trilogies in each of these franchises are both fondly remembered by those who grew up in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, with Star Wars generating a zeal equaled only by the fans of the other major SF franchise, Star Trek. And right now, the Star Wars zealots are in a state of revolt.

Why? Well, George Lucas has an unfortunate habit of tampering with his legacy. Most of the first wave of Star Wars fans was hugely disappointed by the prequel trilogy that was released in the late 90s and early 2000s. Many of these fans refuse to acknowledge the prequel trilogy, preferring instead to treat the original trilogy as a standalone series. Unfortunately for them, Lucas sees the six films as forming a continuous whole. He has therefore taken the opportunity to revisit the original trilogy and amend the films to fit his updated vision.

This process began in 1997, with the release of the special edition of the original trilogy on VHS. It continued with the DVD release in 2004, and has developed further with the recent Blu-ray release. Unlike other directors who have made the original theatrical cuts available alongside newer director’s cuts (for example, Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner), Lucas has denied fans the opportunity to buy re-mastered copies of the originals. Fans wanting to watch high definition versions have no choice but to buy versions of the films that incorporate new CGI sequences, sound, scenes, and even dialogue.

Many Star Wars fans feel that the films belong to them and that Lucas has no right to force his changes upon them. In fact, they see it as vandalism of their property. In reflection of this, fans have produced their own digital restorations of the theatrical versions and are distributing them via the Internet in order to rescue their ‘world’ from the ‘depredations of the evil Emperor Lucas.’ They argue that the energy, money and time that they have spent as fans means that Lucas has a responsibility to give them what they want, rather than to do as he pleases. The author’s legacy is not his, but theirs. He should have the decency to ‘die’ (metaphorically) and leave it to them. After all, how annoyed would we be with Shakespeare if he kept rewriting Hamlet?

Is this the antithesis – the opposite – of Roland Barthes’ argument in in The Death of the Author? Or have author’s simply neglected the fact that they do not ‘own’ a text’s multiplicity of interpretations, and that its fans have an equal right to claim ownership of it , even to the extent of contradicting the author?

Matthew Wisbey

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As a tutor who focuses primarily on the teaching of English Literature (or, more accurately, Literature in English) to IB Diploma and A-level students, I have become increasingly concerned about the relationship that many of my students have with the texts that they study. There often seems to be very little sense of enjoyment, with literary texts being given much the same status as text books: they are to be read, assimilated and regurgitated, rather than actively engaged with.

In many cases, Hong Kong students’ lack of enjoyment of literary texts may be due to a lack of knowledge of the wider cultural context for works of literature chosen for them in school. This is partly due to students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences. After all, is it reasonable to assume that an ethnically Chinese or Indian student studying in Hong Kong will have the familiarity with Christianity and Christian symbolism that the poetry of, for example, William Blake demands of them? A second reason for this lack of enjoyment in reading literature may also stem from students being so focused on learning in order to pass the assessments and exams within their school curriculum that there is minimal time available for personal study which could include finding out more about the cultural context of different works of literature. Such personal study could include knowledge of historical events, current affairs, wider social debates and of course, other works of literature, as all of these are invaluable to one’s reading and understanding of literary texts. The more one knows about the world when a writer was creating their text, the more refined one’s appreciation of that text will be.

The nature of examinations is also a factor when considering many students’ somewhat reluctant approach to literature. Examinations related to the GCE A-levels, IB Diploma and HKDSE test students’ understanding of literature in three ways: firstly, by answering questions on prepared texts under exam conditions; secondly, by producing coursework essays on prepared texts; and, thirdly, by writing essays on unseen texts. Examinations on prepared texts tend to encourage students to learn the ‘facts’ about texts, which they have ‘learnt’ from their teachers and tutors, while examinations on unseen poems force students to adopt an approach that could be said to be the antithesis of how literature should be approached and appreciated.
Literary texts need care and attention. They need to be considered from many different perspectives, and research needs to be carried out to gain understanding of unfamiliar language, allusions and references to other texts, people or events with which a student is unfamiliar. But most of all, literary texts need time. The words, ideas and images within a text need to ‘percolate’ (move gradually) through a reader’s consciousness, slowly giving rise to ideas and associations that did not come to them at the first reading. Our first reading of a work of literature is rarely, if ever, complete. True appreciation of literature comes slowly, and this is why coursework on texts that students have chosen for themselves tends to produce the best and most interesting results, with time and enthusiasm leading to more perceptive readings.

My view of how students should approach works of literature has, perhaps, best been expressed by American poet Billy Collin’s (1941- ) in his ‘Introduction to Poetry’ (http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/001.html), a poem I encountered in a GCSE past paper. I wonder if the examiner was aware of the irony of asking students to analyse a poem in 45 minutes that extols the virtues of the slow and careful approach to textual analysis?

Matthew Wisbey

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Danny Harrington, a founder and Director of ITS and Oxford alum (Christ Church, Geography, 1988), will be running an interview workshop on November 12th at 2-4pm at ITS Tutorial School in Central. The Oxford academic team of Dr Peter McFadden and Dr Katherine Grevling were in Hong Kong last week. Danny was in attendance and will now run the workshop again as a last call for anyone who missed out. This is for candidates who have applied to Oxford for entry in October 2012 and who are expecting interviews this December. Please call 21163916 or email mandy.l@tuition.com.hk to register. There is no charge.

Seminars will be run for younger candidates and hopefuls at later dates, so watch this space. But please only register for this event if you have already applied.

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Although travellers looking around at fellow passengers on the MTR could be forgiven for thinking that the only use for an Apple iPad is to play games, it is in fact fast becoming an important educational tool. City University’s School of Law, for example, is currently piloting the use of iPads. Their students will be able to download course materials via Wi-Fi or 3G, ensuring that they have everything that they need for their lectures and tutorials.

The most obvious advantage of a tablet computer such as an iPad, is the huge amount of information that can be crammed into a very small piece of space. There have been numerous studies that have identified the harm children can suffer from carrying heavy bags to school. Effects can include poor posture in later life and, in extreme cases, spinal damage. At around 0.6kg, an iPad is much lighter than a typical school textbook, which is likely to weigh between 1.3kg and 2.4kg – and it can ‘contain’ potentially thousands of textbooks within that 0.6kg. In cities such as Hong Kong where space is at a premium, schools could conceivably convert their school libraries into classrooms and make their library texts available to students’ PCs via a wireless connection.

There are many other arguments in favour of tablet PCs. Electronic textbooks can easily be updated after their initial publication. Once a paper textbook is published, it cannot be added to or amended, and so students are forced to buy potentially expensive new editions of textbooks which may have only a handful changes in them. Electronic textbooks can be easily updated to ensure that students are up to speed with the very latest developments in a particular subject: all students need is access to an Internet connection to download the update.

Although iPads may seem a costly investment at around US$600, so are textbooks. A recent report by the Associated Press suggests that many US schools consider iPads more cost-effective than textbooks. New entrants to the tablet PC market such as Amazon’s Kindle Fire, will result in such hardware becoming more available to a much wider market. Tablet PCs not only give teachers and students access to cost-effective textbooks, they also enable them to download a wealth of public domain e-books from websites such as Project Gutenberg. In addition, students with access to streaming video services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, can access documentaries, drama productions and movies that are relevant to their studies.

Tablet PCs also enable teachers and students to make use of educational applications that enhance the learning experience, with examples including apps that allow teachers to provide more effective demonstrations of the process of solving a maths problem or that enable students to take quizzes. With the advent of iOS 5, iPad users will, in an Apple TV-enabled classroom, be able to display materials directly onto a TV or projector screen – so no more messing around with memory sticks or projectors!

Matthew Wisbey

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There is a myth that A-level English Language is an easy option and is not taken particularly seriously by employers. Do not be fooled. If you want to stand out from the crowd, read on!

Similar to other A-level subjects, English Language is nothing like its GCSE or IGCSE precursor. It is challenging, requires knowledge of specific terminology and involves analysis of a variety of texts from diverse genres and subjects – and not only written texts. Some of the questions it raises are for example, why do people speak in a particular way in different situations? Do men and women speak differently? What makes a good communicator? With questions such as these, A-level English Language offers students the opportunity to learn a great deal about language while actively engage with it.

For many students and their parents, the choice of what to study is linked to beliefs about university admission procedures and employment options after graduation. Studying English Language enables students to pursue opportunities linked not only to language, but also those within areas such as human-computer interface design, business communication, marketing or advertising. Moreover, with its strong focus on analysis, reasoning and communication, A-level English Language is also particularly valuable for law and the business world.

A-level English Language fosters the intellectual abilities and related skills sought by universities and employers. Business and law schools consistently indicate a preference for students with skills related to written and oral communication, critical thinking, problem solving, international perspectives and creativity.

For students who decide that the scientific study of language (linguistics) is the university course for them, they can opt to study linguistics with subjects such as psychology, journalism, social sciences, translation or education. Alternatively, they can choose to specialise in linguistics and its related areas. For linguistic graduates, employment opportunities are wide as there is a shortage of prospective employees with a background in linguistics. Indeed when Professor Stanley Peters of Stanford University, was asked if there a demand for people with a linguistics background, he replied, ‘You bet there is,’ and noted that the supply of such people was ‘extremely limited.’

So to return to A-level English Language, what does this course of study involve?

The course of study is divided into four units in the same way that other A-levels are, and so there are AS and A2 levels. The entire course considers a wide range of spoken, written and multi-modal texts, thereby providing the inspiration to learn about spoken and written language from real and imaginary worlds, as well as to engage in the craft of creating one’s own texts.

The AS-level provides a focus on the familiar and engaging area of everyday language. It has a practical emphasis on finding out about written and spoken language and using it effectively. It also looks at how language choices reflect identity and context variation, while also looking at the writing process used to generate different genres for different audiences.

A2, on the other hand, focuses on the origins of and variations and changes to the English language over time, moving on to the present use of English as a global language. Other topics studied include the development of children’s spoken and written language, and Unit 4 of A2 provides students with the opportunity to choose a topic from the course for investigation and subsequent presentation of an internally assessed project of 2,500 – 3,000 words – a real research project!

So is English Language A Level is an easy option? Absolutely not – it’s the gateway to many different degree and subsequent career options.

Sean Martin

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