'O' level English literature : relevance and enjoyment

Abstract

The reading of literature should not be an imposed activity but should be a voluntary and spontaneous' exercise under taken, obviously because the reader anticipates enjoyment. No ·one would freely indulge in such an activity if he is not motivated to do so, and motivation comes after the person involved has seen the process to be relevant. For most of us, our first encounter with literature was an imposed activity. At school, students are presented with texts for study and tested on them. All the student's efforts are geared at scoring high grades in his examination. Such a situation is far from the ideal and could mean a total preclusion of enjoyment together. It was this which prompted us to look into the matter further and to try and see whether the: Maltese Student at fifth form level finds his 'O' level English Literature studies to be relevant and enjoyable.