Literature Texts for JAMB in 2024 (PDF Download)

If you are writing UTME in 2024, you must see all of these Literature texts for JAMB in 2024. It is fundamental to understand that these texts are thought-provoking. As a result, they can challenge our minds and inspire our understanding of the human experience.

In this article, I will be giving you a list of the recommended texts for the 2024 JAMB examination for candidates writing Literature in English. Not only will I give you the list, but I will also fortify you with important information like the title, the author of each text, symbolism and the theme. It’s essential to unravel the layers of this narrative to excel in the examination.

Additionally, you may see the JAMB Syllabus for Literature in English in 2024 here. Ultimately, I will provide you with some likely questions related to the texts. The goal of this guide is to help you score high in the Literature examination. So, brace up to read this to the end.

You can leave all requests and complaints in the comments section.

JAMB Literature Texts for 2024

The list below is an overview of the texts you are definitely going to see in the 2024 Literature examination. Take your time to study each of them carefully.

• Of Shadows and Rainbows – Musings in Times of Covid (An Anthology of poems, plays and short stories) by Obafemi, O. and Agoi (eds)
• The Penguin Book of English Verse by Hayward, J. (ed.)
• New Poetry from Africa by Johnson, R., Ker, D. Maduka, C. Obafemi (eds.)
• Camouflage; Best of contemporary writing from Nigeria, an anthology of new Nigerian writers
• A Peagent of Longer Poems by Parker, E.W. (ed.)
• A Selection of African Poetry by Senanu, K. E. and Vincent, T. (eds.)
• Poems of Black Africa by Wole Soyinka
• Oxford Anthology of English Literature, Vol. II by Kermode, F
• A Glossary of Literary Terms, (4th Edition) by Abrams, M. H

Can’t wait to read? Download Literature texts for JAMB in 2024 the texts as PDF here.

Of Shadows and Rainbows – Musings in Times of Covid (An Anthology of poems, plays and short stories) by Obafemi, O. and Agoi (eds)

This is a compilation of poems, plays and essays by Obafemi, O and Agoi. Folu Agoi is a renowned personality in the field of Literary studies. Some of the poetry in the collection include:

• OKINBA LAUNKO (Season of the Unnameable)
  • Part 1. Salute
  • Part 2. Song of the Cowed
  • Part 3. Landscape (1)
  • Part 4. Rain at Dawn
  • Part 5. Sunday Morning
  • Part 6. The Widow
  • Part 7. Convening Corpses
  • Part 8. A Change of Dialect
  • Part 9. The Heroes
• OLU OBAFEMI
  • Tolulope – Heroine from Beyond the Skies
  • Travellers, Tarry Awhile
  • Love in the Season of Koro
  • Happily, There’s a Flip Side
• ADEYEMI DARAMOLA
  • Coronavirus Pandemic
  • Can It Be Armageddon?
  • COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria
  • One-Word Discourse
  • Two-Word Discourse
  • Three-Word Discourse
  • Four-Word Discourse
  • More-Words Discourse
• AKACHI ADIMORA-EZEIGBO
  • Fighting without Weapons
  • We Will Hug Again
  • I Won’t Let You Go
  • I Can’t Breathe
  • Time of Disease and Hunger
• FOLU AGOI
  • Armageddon
  • Happy Easter, 2020
• MARITA BANDA
  • The World Is Closed
  • Caged
  • Silenced
• OLATUNJI SOTIMIRIN
  • You Think Say Na Lie?
• TONY MARINHO
  • [email protected]!
• GBEMISOLA ADEOTI
  • Luck down
• GABRIEL OGUNGBADE
  • Anchored
  • Halves of a Coin
• OLATUBOSUN DAVID
  • This Hard Time Surely Will Pass
  • The Siege Is With Us
• CHINONSO ANEKE
  • Prebiotic
  • Loud Silence
  • Tales of a Dark Knight
• R. C. OFODILE
  • A Gift to Art
• KAYODE STEVE ADARAMOYE
  • Coronadead
  • The Feast of the Lion
  • Holocaust Festival
  • War Extra
• RALPH AKINTAN-RALPH
  • Voices in Unison
  • Death at Dawn
  • Of Gluttonous Pandemic
  • Ode to 19-Year-Old Devil
• FUNMI ALUKO
  • The Trio
  • At Dawn
  • At Noon
  • At Sunset
• TOYIN ADENUBI
  • Coronavirus
• CHRISTOPHER N. NWACHUKWU
  • Traces of Death
  • Grieve No More
• ATOYEBI OLUWAFEMI AKINLAWON
  • COVID19 – A Flint for the Spark
  • I Never Know until This Night
  • My Pen, My Vaccine
  • At the Visit of a Comet
• STEPHEN OLADAYO OLADOKUN
  • Tears of a Ghost
  • Colourless Rainbow
  • The Way Up is Downward
• OLANREWAJU LAGADA-ABAYOMI
  • Ìgbọràn Lẹbọ Kòró
• QUADRI ADELOWO
  • Big Ben
• PERPETUAL EZIEFULE
  • Perpetuity
  • Josh
• OGONNA KANU
  • Random Musings of a Pandemic
  • Ode to Pandemic Victors
• SOLA ADESANWO
  • Garland for Frontline Masquerades
• EKI FAITH EBOIGBE
  • When Givers Become Beggars
• ISAAC ATTAH OGEZI
  • The Suppliant’s Lament
• SOLAPE ADETUTU ADEYEMI
  • COVID-19 and the Writer
• LINDA EDEM DAVIES
  • COVID-19 or G5 Plot
• BRENDA EZIAFAKAEGO NWAFOR
  • To the Grim Reaper
• DEBORAH AJILORE
  • Choking Choices
• OLUSOLA ABRAHAM ASAOLU
  • Behind the Walls
  • Part II: Plays
• R. C. OFODILE
  • The Silver Streak
• OLANREWAJU LAGADA-ABAYOMI
  • Doubting Tom
• OLATUBOSUN DAVID
  • Solace
  • TAIWO HASSAN KILANI
  • The Bad Place

Short Stories

• UZOR MAXIM UZOATU
  • Love in the Time of Corona
• OLATUNBOSUN TAOFEEK
  • A Thousand Women Across My Grave
• C. M. OKONKWO
  • One Day in Isolation
• IFEOMA WENDY NNADI
  • How to Remain Creative as a Writer During Pandemic
• AYO OYOZE BAJE
  • What Manner of Palliatives Are These?
• UWEM UMANA
  • Life Has Taken a New Meaning
• IQUO DIANAABASI
  • The Role of the Writer in a Worldwide Lockdown

Can’t wait to read? Download Literature texts for JAMB in 2024 the texts as PDF here.

The Penguin Book of English Verse by Hayward, J. (ed.)

The Penguin Book of English Verse is an anthology of non-African poems by Hayward John. The book was first published in 1956. Additionally, the book is a criticism and collection of masterpieces of great writers like William Shakespeare, Chaucer, T. S. Eliot, and Maynard Mack among others. It is a giant collection of poems with 496 pages and at a point, was said to belong to The Oxford Library of English Poetry.

Over the course of seven centuries, this ambitious and eye-opening collection challenges the conventional approach to anthologies. Instead of organizing poems by poet, it takes a unique approach by arranging them based on their earliest appearances in the language.

Can’t wait to read? Download Literature texts for JAMB in 2024 the texts as PDF here.

Furthermore, for over seventy years, Penguin has stood at the forefront of classic literature publishing within the English-speaking world. Their impressive catalogue of more than 1,700 titles under Penguin Classics offers a diverse literary collection that spans different eras and genres. Readers have come to rely on this series for its authoritative texts, enriched by introductions and notes from esteemed scholars and contemporary authors. Additionally, the series consistently presents up-to-date translations crafted by award-winning translators, earning the trust of its dedicated readership.

New Poetry from Africa by Johnson, R., Ker, D. Maduka, C. Obafemi

This is a collection of African poems published by University Press Plc, Ibadan. It is a compilation of works of authorities in African literature like Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Catherin Acholonou, Ben Ameh, Funsho Aiyejina, Jared Angira, David Diop and others. Some of the poems in this great piece by Johnson R. and others include but are not limited to:

• Thunderstorm
• A Taxi Driver on His Death
• Sunset
• Black Woman
• They Sowed and Watered
• Maji Maji
• Leave Them Alone
• The Fate of the Elephant
• Harvest of Hate
• Black Singers
• Buka Man
• Love Circle

Camouflage; Best of contemporary writing from Nigeria, an anthology of new Nigerian writers

This is a collection of works of literature from new Nigerian writers. These writers were born after the independence and are believed to have had encounters with the civil war. this shaped their ideology – politically, morally and academically. However, critics have dragged them into the open air that their works are disjointed and lack certain features of traditional literature. Yet, few of them, due to their exposure have brought a breath of life into what is now seen as accepted literary work of Africans in their different shades and tones.

Edited by Nduka Otonio, the work has received accolades from scholars from all walks of life. The editor, Dr. Nduka Otonio is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator at the Institute of African Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.

A Peagent of Longer Poems by Parker, E.W

The “Pageant of English Verse,” a compilation put together by Ernest W. Parker, is a remarkable anthology. It spans the era from the late 19th century, starting with George Meredith (1828-1908), and extends all the way up to the year 1949. Despite its extensive content, consisting of over 450 pages, there is a notable omission: the book lacks information regarding its initial publication date.

This anthology, published and distributed worldwide by Longman, has been a significant literary presence. However, it is worth noting that it is gradually becoming scarce in the market. Limited copies of this anthology can still be found in various libraries, but as a whole, it appears to be slowly fading from circulation.

Can’t wait to read? Download Literature texts for JAMB in 2024 the texts as PDF here.

A Selection of African Poetry by Senanu, K. E. and Vincent, T.

This book presents a diverse range of poems, hailing from various parts of the continent, with a special focus on Liberian and Lusophone poetry. It also includes a collection of traditional poems. The new edition of this book brings several enhancements:

1. A new preface
2. An expanded introduction
3. Biographical details about the poets, accompanied by a comprehensive overview of their work
4. A commentary and line-by-line explanatory notes for each poem
5. Thought-provoking questions designed for students
6. A glossary featuring critical terms and techniques

“A Selection of African Poetry” is tailored to meet the educational requirements of students in schools and universities across West Africa. Moreover, it serves as an invaluable guide to African poetry for readers who wish to explore this rich literary tradition more broadly.

Poems of Black Africa by Wole Soyinka

Wole Soyinka unquestionably stands out as a prominent figure in African poetry. His poetic works have made significant contributions to the evolution of African poetry and its literary canon. This work, Poems of Black Africa contains a collection of poems by Africans. This is an anthology of over 300 poems. You may find the poem in the Internet Archive.

Can’t wait to read? Download Literature texts for JAMB in 2024 the texts as PDF here.

Oxford Anthology of English Literature, Vol. II by Kermode, F

Within this volume, readers will find an extensive collection of literary treasures from some of the most celebrated poets and playwrights in the English language. It’s a literary journey through time and imagination, spanning various epochs and genres.

First and foremost, the excerpts from all books of “The Faerie Queene” by Edmund Spenser grace these pages. This epic poem takes readers on a captivating adventure through a mythical realm, where knights, quests, and allegorical tales come to life, showcasing Spenser’s remarkable storytelling prowess.

Shakespeare, the immortal bard himself, finds a place of honour in this volume. His work, including “The Tempest,” invites readers to explore the complexities of human nature, the allure of magic, and the triumph of redemption through its rich characters and enchanting dialogue.

Christopher Marlowe’s presence in this collection is marked by two exceptional pieces: “Dr. Faustus” and “Hero and Leander.” Marlowe’s dramatic genius shines through the tragic tale of Faustus’s ill-fated pact with the devil and the poignant narrative of love and longing in “Hero and Leander.”

John Donne’s poetic brilliance graces these pages, offering readers a glimpse into the metaphysical realm of his mind. His poems delve into profound themes of love, spirituality, and human connection, leaving an indelible mark on the world of poetry.

Last but certainly not least, the epic works of John Milton find their place here. From the enchanting “Comus” to the powerful “Samson Agonistes” and extensive excerpts from the timeless “Paradise Lost,” Milton’s mastery of the English language and his exploration of profound themes like the human condition, temptation, and the struggle for virtue take centre stage.

In this volume, these literary giants converge, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of English literature, where each page holds a piece of the literary legacy that has shaped our cultural heritage.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this compilation of literary works presents a diverse and enriching journey through the world of poetry and literature. It spans various epochs, genres, and themes, offering readers a glimpse into the creative minds of both African and non-African writers.

From the thought-provoking verses of Wole Soyinka to the timeless classics of Shakespeare and Spenser, this collection encapsulates the beauty and complexity of human expression through words. It serves as an invaluable resource for students and enthusiasts of literature, providing not only a wealth of poems and plays but also critical insights and commentary to deepen one’s understanding.

As we navigate the intricate layers of these narratives, we gain a deeper appreciation for the human experience, transcending borders and eras. Whether you’re preparing for an examination, seeking inspiration, or simply indulging in the joy of literature, these texts offer a literary journey that is both enlightening and rewarding.

In a world where stories and poems connect us across time and space, these works remind us of the enduring power of words to inspire, challenge, and unite. So, as you embark on your literary exploration, may these texts serve as guiding lights, illuminating the path to a deeper appreciation of the written word and the rich tapestry of human creativity.