This is to inform all JAMB candidates offering Literature in English that the new Syllabus for 2019/2020 Jamb exam is out. Candidates can download or view the pdf format here.

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination syllabus for Literature in English is designed to prepare the candidates for the Board’s examination.

The following are what this syllabus strives to achieve

 – stimulate and sustain their interest in Literature in English;
– create an awareness of the general principles of Literature and functions of language;
– appreciate literary works of all genres and across all cultures;
– apply the knowledge of Literature in English to the analysis of social, political and economic events in the society.

1. DRAMA JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Topics: JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

1. Types:
   i. Tragedy
   ii. Comedy
   iii. Tragicomedy
   iv. Melodrama
   v. Farce
   vi. Opera etc.
2. Dramatic Techniques
   i. Characterisation
   ii. Dialogue
   iii. Flashback
   iv. Mime
   v. Costume
   vi. Music/Dance
   vii. Decor/scenery
   viii. Acts/Scenes
   ix. Soliloquy/aside
   x. Lighting etc.
3. Interpretation of the Prescribed Texts
   i. Theme
   ii. Plot
   iii. Socio-political context
   iv. Setting

Objectives: JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Candidates should be able to:
i. identify the various types of drama;
ii. analyse the contents of the various types of drama;
iii. compare and contrast the features of different dramatic types;
iv. demonstrate adequate knowledge of dramatic techniques used in each prescribed text;
v. differentiate between styles of selected playwrights;
vi. determine the theme of any prescribed text;
vii. identify the plot of the play;
viii. apply the lessons of the play to everyday living
ix. identify the spatial and temporal setting of the play.

2. PROSE JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Topics: JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

1. Types:
   i. Fiction
   – Novel
   – Novella/Novelette
   – Short story
   ii. Non-fiction
   – Biography
   – Autobiography
   – Memoir
   iii. Faction: combination of fact and fiction
2. Narrative Techniques/Devices:
   i. Point of view
   – Omniscent/Third Person
   – First Person
   ii. Characterisation
   – Round, flat, foil, hero, antihero, etc
   iii. Language
3. Textual Analysis
   i. Theme
   ii. Plot
   iii. Setting (Temporal/Spatial)
   iv. Socio-political context

Objectives: JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Candidates should be able to:
i. differentiate between types of prose;
ii. identify the category that each prescribed text belongs to;
iii. analyse the components of each type of prose;
iv. identify the narrative techniques used in each of the prescribed texts;
v. determine an author’s narrative style;
vi. distinguish between one type of character from another;
vii. determine the thematic pre-occupation of the author of the prescribed text;
viii. indicate the plot of the novel; identify the temporal and spatial setting of the novel.
ix. identify the temporal and spatial setting of the novel
x. relate the prescribed text to real life situations.

3. POETRY JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Topics: JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

1. Types:
   i. Sonnet
   ii. Ode
   iii. Lyrics
   iv. Elegy
   v. Ballad
   vi. Panegyric
   vii. Epic
   viii. Blank Verse, etc.
2. Poetic devices
   i. Structure
   ii. Imagery
   iii. Sound(Rhyme/Rhythm, repetition, pun, onomatopoeia, etc.)
   iv. Diction
   v. Persona
3. Appreciation
   i. Thematic preoccupation
   ii. Socio-political relevance
   iii. Style.

Objectives: JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Candidates should be able to:
i. identify different types of poetry;
ii. compare and contrast the features of different poetic types:
iii. determine the devices used by various poets;
iv. show how poetic devices are used for aesthetic effect in each poem;
v. deduce the poet’s preoccupation from the poem;
vi. appraise poetry as an art with moral values;
vii. apply the lessons from the poem to real life situations.

4. GENERAL LITERARY PRINCIPLES JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Topics:

1. Literary terms:
   foreshadowing, suspense, theatre, monologue, dialogue, soliloquy, symbolism, protagonist, antagonist, figures of speech, satire, s****m of consciousness, synecdoche, metonymy, etc, in addition to those listed above under the different genres.
2. Literary principles
   i. Direct imitation in play;
   ii. Versification in drama and poetry;
   iii. Narration of people’s experiences;
   iv. Achievement of aesthetic value, etc.
3. Relationship between literary terms and principles.

Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:
i. identify literary terms in drama, prose and poetry;
ii. identify the general principles of Literature;
iii. differentiate between literary terms and principles;
iv. use literary terms appropriately.

5. LITERARY APPRECIATION JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Topics:

Unseen passages/extracts from Drama, Prose and Poetry.

Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:
i. determine literary devices used in a given passage/extract;
ii. provide a meaningful inter-pretation of the given passage/extract;
iii. relate the extract to true life experiences.

UTME HARMONIZED PRESCRIBED TEXT BOOKS (LITERATURE IN ENGLISH) 2016-2019 JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

Drama:

African:
i. Frank Ogodo Ogbeche : Harvest of Corruption

Non African:
i. William Shakespeare : Othello

Prose:

African:
i. Amma Darko : Faceless
ii. Bayo Adebowale : Lonely Days

Non-African:
i. Richard Wright : Native Son

Poetry:

African:
i. Birago Diop : Vanity
ii. Gbemisola Adeoti : Ambush
iii. Gabriel Okara : Piano and Drums
iv. Gbanabam Hallowell : The Dining Table
v. Lenrie Peter : The Panic of Growing Older
vi. Kofi Awoonor : The Anvil and the Hammer

Non African:
i. Alfred Tennyson : Crossing the Bar
ii. George Herbert : The Pulley
iii. William Blake : The School Boy
iv. William Morris : The Proud King

RECOMMENDED TEXTS JAMB 2019/2020 Literature in English

1. ANTHOLOGIES
   Gbemisola, A. (2005)Naked Soles, Ibadan: Kraft
   Hayward, J. (ed.) (1968) The Penguin Book of English Verse, London: Penguin
   Johnson, R. et al (eds.) (1996) New Poetry from Africa, Ibadan: UP Plc
   Kermode, F. et al (1964) Oxford Anthology of English Literature, Vol. II, London: OUP
   Nwoga D. (ed.) (1967) West African Verse, London: Longman
   Senanu, K. E. and Vincent, T. (eds.) (1993) A Selection of African Poetry, Lagos: Longman
   Soyinka, W. (ed.) (1987) Poems of Black Africa, Ibadan: Heinemann

   2. CRITICAL TEXTS
   Abrams, M. H. (1981) A Glossary of Literary Terms, (4th Edition) New York, Holt Rinehalt and Winston
   Emeaba, O. E. (1982) A Dictionary of Literature, Aba: Inteks Press
   Murphy, M. J. (1972) Understanding Unseen, An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students, George Allen and Unwin Ltd.