This is a collection of specially commissioned essays designed to meet the specific needs of A level students. It introduces students to a wide variety of critical opinion, and students are shown by example how to construct a good critical essay. Each essay presents carefully structured, clear lines of thought and analysis in a reasonably short space, reflecting the student's need to construct clear, well thought-out arguments in the limited time examinations allow. It concentrates on a single area of thought or study of direct relevance to the type of essay students will be required to write. Quotations and close textual reference focus students' minds on the work itself. Bryan Loughrey lectures at Roehampton Institute, London and is examiner of English Literature for two A level boards. he is involved in A level paper-setting and policy-making, and is the series editor of "Master Studies" published by Penguin.