Paper 2 Questions (Literature, May 2019)

Many of our students ask us for help with writing high-scoring Paper 2 exams. Two essential steps must be taken before attempting to write anything: the first is identifying what the question requires, so that your answer is seen as "pertinent". It is easy to miss the point of the question or its embedded nature. The second, and often hardest step, is deciding how the questions apply to your works, even when they appear not to. To learn more, ask for a free trial session.  

Answer one essay question only. You must base your answer on at least two of the three part 3 works you have studied and compare and contrast these works in response to the question. Answers which are not based on a discussion of at least two part 3 works will not score high marks.

Drama

1. Comparing at least two plays you have studied, discuss the presentation of order and disorder and the effects created.

2.   Referring to at least two plays you have studied, compare the ways in which visual elements of a play can reflect the inner thoughts and feelings of characters.

3.   With reference to at least two plays you have studied, compare the means by which the central conflict of the work is made clear from its opening.

Poetry

4. An important aim of poetry is to make the reader think. Compare how and to what effect this is achieved in the work of at least two poets you have studied.

5. Referring closely to the works of at least two poets you have studied, compare their use of literary devices in presenting loneliness or isolation or both.

6. Comparing the work of at least two poets you have studied, explore the means by which the speaker or persona is created.

Prose: novel and short story

7. In the works of at least two authors you have studied, compare the ways in which children are presented, and to what effect.

8. Place can assume so much importance in some works that it almost becomes another character. In the works of at least two authors of prose fiction you have studied, compare the presentation and significance of such influential places or settings.

9. In the works of at least two authors you have studied, compare how and to what effect power struggles are explored.

Prose other than fiction

10. In at least two works of prose other than fiction you have studied, compare the means by which the writer's credibility is established and how important this is to the work as a whole.

11. Works of prose other than fiction take us from the known to the unknown. In at least two works you have studied, compare the means by which authors have presented and used this shift.

12. The shaping of events, facts or ideas into a work of prose other than fiction often involves incorporating elements that we associate with poetry. Compare how and to what effect this has been achieved in at least two works you have studied.

How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Literary Analysis Essay

How to write a thesis statement for an analytical essay

Sample P1 Commentary (Literature) : Chocolat

During your two years of English A studies, you should make a point of reading through as many, and as wide a range of, sample commentaries as possible. Not only read them, but discuss them critically, and analytically with your teacher or tutor so that you can advance in your own writing and thinking.  

For commentaries and discussion, contact us.

Sample Commentary (Literature HL)

Excerpt (from "We came on the wind of the carnival" to "This time it may even be true.")

This extract, the opening of the novel Chocolat by Joanne Harris, tells how a mother and her young daughter, Anouk, arrive at a small rural town in France with a possibility that they might settle there.

In the town, Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, a carnival is taking place when the two arrive and it is interesting to see how some of the participants are described: “Rapunzel in a woollen wig, a mermaid with a Cellophane tail, a gingerbread house all icing and gilded cardboard ...” These descriptions are a mixture of the fantasy and the ordinary, even the carnival float is merely “A wooden cart, hastily decorated with gilt and crêpe”. They suggest a strong degree of transparency – perhaps a symbolic indication of what is to come further in the novel. Indeed, the carnival itself appears to be a weak attempt to impress when compared, by Anouk's mother, with other carnivals she and her daughter have seen: “a procession of two hundred and fifty of the decorated chars in Paris, a hundred and eighty in New York, two dozen marching bands in Vienna, clowns on stilts … drum majorettes with batons spinning and sparkling”.

 The small town itself is described in a less than favourable light. Some of the descriptions used, such as “a blip on the fast road ...”, “Blink once and it's gone”, rather than implying a quaint rural village appear to emphasize its insignificance. There is also the suggestion of something secretive and sinister about the place. For example, the “main street” is described as a “double row of dun-coloured houses leaning secretively together” and this is surrounded by “Farms scattered across the watchful land”. These descriptions are not only effective in portraying an isolated, tight-knit community but they also arouse a degree of curiosity in the reader as to why they might be considering settling there.

There is obviously a strong religious presence within the community, although from the way both the church and the priest are described, this appears to be a restricting, dominating force in the town. For instance, the church is described as being “aggressively whitewashed” and the priest himself a “black figure” who could be mistaken for a character from the procession, “the Plague Doctor”, appears to be not only a spoilsport but a dominant figure as he insists on making the playing children clean up carnival debris by just “a gesture”. Later in the piece the priest is described in greater detail, in a way that reinforces the idea that he is a dominant but unpleasant figure, with a “rigid stance”, “pale eyes”, and his “high cheekbones” suggest a degree of superciliousness, especially with his “fingers resting on the silver cross which hangs from his neck”. In addition, his look is described as “measuring”, which implies that he is somewhat judgemental in an unchristian way. 

The adult residents are also described in an unfavourable manner, which contrasts markedly with the descriptions of the children of the village. For instance, the adults are described as being somewhat insignificant: “They look much like all others we have known” and are “a little drab”, and the colours used to describe their clothing and hair project “dull” images: “brown, black or grey”. Their faces are described in an unfavourable manner, which contrasts markedly with the descriptions of the children of the village. For instance, the adults are described as being somewhat insignificant: “They look much like all others we have known” and are “a little drab”, and the colours used to describe their clothing and hair project “dull” images: “brown, black or grey”. Their faces are described as being “lined like last summer's apples”, which gives a wizened impression and suggests a sense of lifelessness which is also emphasized by their eyes being “pushed into wrinkled flesh like marbles into old dough”. The descriptions of the children, on the other hand, contain life and vivid colour: “A few children, flying colours of red and lime-green and yellow”. Indeed, they “seem like a different race” and they appear to inject a degree of energy in a town where even the dog is described as “sad”.

The residents seem to be quite insular and suspicious of “outsiders”, and although the mother in the story tells us that “No one looks at us” she gets the impression that “We are a curiosity to them”. This seems not to be surprising considering how the mother's appearance contrasts with that of the villagers, “her long silk scarf fluttering at her throat ...” and with her “exotic” clothes. However, it is interesting to see that the daughter's appearance, although she too wears “exotic” clothes, is as colourful as the other children in the village. Perhaps this is an indication that she will be accepted more easily than her mother. Indeed, the daughter appears to like the place: “I like it, I like it here. Are we staying?”

There is an indication that the unwelcoming fee of the place might alter later in the novel, in the line “Vines looking blighted and dead … but awaiting triumphant resurrection by March”. This appears to be supported by the sense of magic induced into the writing in the opening line “We came on the wind of the carnival”, the phrase being reminiscent of “the winds of change”. Indeed, it would appear that magic is needed if the rural town with its “strips of earth enclosed and regimented according to the strict apartheid of country farming” is to become anything else but “drab”.

Harris uses language to great effect in this piece. The many sensory inclusions, such as “hot greasy scents of frying pancakes and sausages and powdery-sweet waffles”, helps us to share the carnival experience, and the simile used to describe the confetti falling is particularly effective here: “like an idiot antidote to winter”, especially considering the weak attempts made to dress up for the carnival. She also uses and abundance of adjectives in her similes, which add a richness to the narrative. For instance, she describes her daughter's eyes as being “the blue-green of the Earth seen from a great height, shining”. Harris also includes a degree of ambiguity which succeeds in arousing curiosity. For example, at the beginning of this piece, the line “but at six the world retains a special lustre” seems a little out of place and its meaning is unclear. A little later, the line “At six it is possible to perceive subtleties which a year later are already out of reach” also appears to be unconnected, but the meaning will become clear later in the novel. In addition, some of the words are written in French and their meaning can be tentatively assumed. For example, the word “char” is unusual, but, through the reading of the passage, can be assumed to be a carnival float. This technique adds a degree of interest and colour to the extract.

The piece is definitely an effective opening. The ambiguity created and the curiosity raised by Harris makes the reader want to find out whether such a well-travelled pair who have visited Paris, New York, and Vienna will stay in such a “drab” town – indeed, why they have ever gone there in the first place.




Teacher comments:
 This is a perceptive commentary in which the student pays attention to
 • the vocabulary used by the writer
 • the effects of imagery in conveying the atmosphere of the town
 • the sensual descriptions
 • the contrast between the visitors and the people of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes
 • the narrative technique which makes one wonder what will happen next
 • the hints of conflict – perhaps between the narrator and the priest.

EE: Second Reflection (interim)

As part of your engagement mark (Criterion E), you will be required to fulfil 3 reflection sessions with your supervisor. Your reflection will be recorded in the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form (RPPF) and submitted along with your extended essay proper.

In this article we look into what is expected in the second (interim) reflection session and how you can best prepare for it:

What is expected in the Interim session?

In this session you must demonstrate to your supervisor the progress you have made in your research. You must also be able to discuss any challenges you have encountered, offer your own potential solutions and seek advice as necessary.


During this session your supervisor might discuss

• your understanding of the academic writing requirements, including referencing formats

• whether an appropriate range of sources has been accessed and how you are critically evaluating the origin of those sources

• what you now have to do in order to produce the full draft of your essay

By the end of the interim reflection you should both feel satisfied that there is

• a clear and refined research question 
• a viable argument on which to base the essay 
• a sufficient range of appropriate sources 
• a clear vision for the final steps in the writing process. 

How shall I prepare for this session?

By the time you meet with your supervisor, you should have

• refined your topic into a focused and appropriate research question

• significantly deepened your research and recorded pertinent evidence, information or data in the Researcher’s reflection space

• reviewed and consolidated the methodologies you are using

• formulated arguments based on the evidence that you have collected

• added to the working bibliography for your research.

What is the IOP all about?

The Individual Oral Presentation is a task completed at the end of your study of the three Part 4 'Options' works. It will be in the form of a 10-15 minute presentation in which you explore an issue that has arisen out of the works studied, and which you have taken a personal interest. The topic could be concerned with just one of the texts, or it could compare.

You can choose which topic you want to speak about, as well as the format in which you want to present your ideas (e.g.formal, critical or creative -- or mixture of both). It is important, however, to ensure that

• the topic is focused and specific, rather than general - and that you have an interest in it
• you think carefully about how to present in a way that engages the attention of your audience

How do I come up with a topic?

As mentioned above, it is vital that you have an interest in the aspect you choose. As soon as you begin your Part 4 studies, keep a record of potential ideas somewhere in your notes. Something interesting may emerge from your independent reading, from something your teacher or classmates say, or something that emerges naturally from class discussion.

What kind of topics might I choose?

Almost anything, as long as it allows you to fulfil the assessment criteria in as effective a way possible. Official suggestions from the IB are as follows:

• the cultural setting of the work(s) and related issues
• thematic focus
• characterization
• techniques and style
• the author's attitude to particular elements of the works (e.g. characters, subject matter)
• the interpretation of particular elements from different perspectives

In practice, this means you should choose a topic closely connected to one or more of the works studied, which allows you to demonstrate 'knowledge and understanding' in as detailed and interesting a way possible. Here are some examples from past students.

Work		Presentation focus
The Fall of the House of Usher, by Edgar Allan Poe		An assessment of the way typically gothic elements are revealed through the presentation of Usher’s house. The presentation made use of gothic architecture and painting.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou		An extract from the student’s autobiographical writing in which she explores the meaning of books in her life. This was used as a way to examine the importance of literature to the central character’s development in the text.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey		An exploration of the personality, role and significance of the character of Nurse Ratched in both the novel and the film adaptation.
Selected Poems by Tony Harrison		An investigation into the use of irony in Harrison’s poetry, including a pastiche of the author’s work.
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy		Question: In what ways is the natural setting important to the presentation of the relationship between the father and the son? Comparisons made with screen shots from the film version.
No Exit,  J.P. Sartre		Using three paintings as points of reference, a presentation that explored the importance of the motif of eyes to the play.
The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks		A performed monologue, written from the point of view of Frank’s father, in which he ‘explains’ his treatment of Frank. This was accompanied with an analysis of their relationship and its development in the novel.
Maus, Art Spiegelman		A defense of the novel against the charge that it is not a ‘literary’ work.
Short Stories, Gabriel Garcia Marquez		The evolution of Magic Realism as a genre, and its presentation in two of Marquez’s short stories. References made to both visual art and music.
Various Hypertext Novels		In what ways is the subject of time presented in the form of three hypertext novels? An ‘interactive’ presentation.

How should I prepare?

As with any extended piece of work, whether oral or written, it is crucial that you set about the process in a careful, methodical and detailed manner. Here's a suggested approach:

Stage 1: Choose a topic

As stated above, the topic must be one in which you feel personally engaged, not least because if it is interesting to you, then it will be to your audience. Make sure that the topic is associated directly with the text, even if you choose to talk about something biographical or contextual, because you will need to be able to demonstrate detailed 'knowledge and understanding' of the work in question - not only, for example, the period in which it was written.

Furthermore, make sure that the topic allows you to 'say' something about the work. It is important that skills of analysis, interpretation, and evaluation are present in the presentation. If it amounts to nothing more than a 'description' of a character or theme then you are obviously not going to do very well. Some students find it appropriate to set themselves a question, rather like for an essay, so that they have clear sense that they must argue a point

Stage 2: Research

Once you have decided on a topic, you need to set about making notes. This will involve

• re-reading the work, looking out for anything that is relevant to your chosen topic. You can pick out important events or moments, helpful quotations and write down points of analysis

• doing any necessary research, e.g. into the literary, historical or cultural context of the work

• reading book reviews or (perhaps) secondary criticism that provide you with alternative ways of seeing it

• (perhaps) exploring associated art work, or music

• (perhaps) exploring film, television or radio clips

Step 3: Decide on a format

As you make your notes on the topic, consider also the best way for presenting your ideas. PowerPoint may not be the most effective means of presenting your topic, nor of engaging your audience. Keep in mind that one third of the marks will be awarded for your presentation skills, so you want to give as much thought to the format as you do to the content.

Consider, for instance

• use of drama / dramatization - dramatic monologue, role-play, costume, symbolic props
• using images - your own or otherwise
• giving a speech or using speeches
• drawing on your own creative writing
• referring to film or television clips
• using music - your own production or from other sources

Think of the topic first, then the format. You may, for example, be a good actor but this does not necessarily mean that a dramatic performance will be the best means of exploring your topic. Nor should you rush into PowerPoint, unless you are confident that you can use it in an appropriate and effective manner. This means using it as a visual aid to support your talk, not the other way around. The focal point for the presentation should be you, not the screen.

Remember that if you choose a creative option (rather than a formal presentation), make sure to accompany it with a more formal analysis that explores, among other things, the intention behind the creative choice.


Stage 4: Develop a plan

Once you have decided on a topic and the way you intend to present it, you will need to devote sufficient time to organizing and developing your ideas. With 10-15 minutes for the IOP, you need to ensure

•  that there is a sense of development, not just repetition of one or two core ideas
• that the time allocated to each section takes into account the most effective way to engage and sustain the interest of the audience

It is also important to make clear the point(s) you want to make in each section. This means your points amount to more than just description or explanation. You must show ample evidence of your analysis, interpretation and evaluation of the material.  If you are uncertain how to organize your oral presentation, contact us.

Stage 5: Delivery

You will recognise the hallmarks of successful presentations because you have encountered them before, many times.  For this reason, you will know that good presentation technique comprises of the following kinds of elements:

• maintaining eye contact: there are few things less engaging than a talk given by someone who does not look at you 

• knowing your material: if you read verbatim from a sheet or if you learn your talk off by heart, you will automatically adopt a rather artificial register that, once again, will detach you from your audience. Know your material well, but use notes that keep you on track. When in doubt, turn your speech into bullet points, rather than complete sentences. This will make you do a little more work on the day, but will almost certainly improve the sense of engagement with your audience. 

• talking at an appropriate pace: nerves often result in people speeding up and sometimes being hard to follow. Take deep breaths before you start to talk, take time to let points sink in with your audience by including judicious pauses, and above all, ensure that what you are saying makes sense.

How will I be marked?

There are three bands in the marking criteria, each marked out of 10:


A: Knowledge and Understanding

•  How much knowledge and understanding does the student show of the work(s) used in the presentation?

Have you referred in detail to the text - both to particular moments, scenes or events, as well as to quotations? Make sure that all of your points are rooted in evidence. In addition, try to make sure that your presentation demonstrates a variety of ways of thinking about those texts - e.g. elements of description, analysis, interpretation and evaluation.

B: Presentation

• How much attention has been given to making the delivery effective and appropriate to the presentation? To what extent are strategies used to interest the audience (for example, audibility, eye contact, gesture, effective use of supporting material)?

Keep in mind the points made above about successful presentations i.e. make sure that both what you present and how you present are going to engage and sustain your audience's interest. Try to be varied, clear and confident.


C: Language

• How clear and appropriate is the language? 
• How well is the register and style suited to the choice of presentation? (“Register” refers, in this context, to the student’s use of elements such as vocabulary, tone, sentence structure and terminology appropriate to the presentation.) 

Have you referred in detail to the text - both to particular moments, scenes or events, as well as to quotations?  Make sure that all of your points are rooted in evidence. In addition, try to make sure that your presentation demonstrates a variety of ways of thinking about those texts - e.g. elements of description, analysis, interpretation and evaluation. Keep in mind the points made above about successful presentations i.e. make sure that both what you present and how you present are going to engage and sustain your audience's interest. Try to be varied, clear and confident. Make sure that your language is appropriately formal unless you are adopting an informal register in, for example, a character monologue. To score well in language you do not need to be overly sophisticated; you do need to be clear, precise and consistent.

If you'd like advice about any aspect of the IOP, contact us. New? Use our free trial session to start.

More Paper 2 Questions (English A: Literature)

Many of our students ask us for help with writing high-scoring Paper 2 exams.   An essential first step is becoming aware of the range of questions that can be asked. The second is knowing how they can be applied to your works.  Ask us for guidance.

Answer one essay question only. You must base your answer on at least two of the Part 3 works you have studied and compare and contrast these works in response to the question. Answers which are not based on a discussion of at least two Part 3 works will not score high marks.



Drama 

1. Extended speeches by individual characters, either alone on the stage or with others present, are used in plays with various purposes and outcomes. Using at least two plays you have studied, show how playwrights use such speeches to achieve purposes particular to their plays.

2. Plays employ various kinds of structural divisions such as prologues and epilogues, act and scene divisions, even carefully placed intermissions. In at least two plays in your study, discuss how some of these divisions have been used to underscore or complement the materials of the plays.


3. Dramatic tension in many plays arises from the conflicting goals of a protagonist and those of an antagonist. Using at least two plays you have studied, show how such fully apparent or subtle conflicts provide the foundation and interest of the plays.




Poetry

4. Poems are often meant to be heard, not just seen. In the work of two poets you have studied, consider those aspects of the poems that appeal to the ear in addition to other aspects of reader pleasure.

5. The metaphor, based on analogies between things, is a common and expected element of poetry. Show how at least two poets in your study have heightened meaning or interest in their poems by the use of metaphor.

6. Contrasts of many kinds are used by poets to sharpen their expression of ideas or feelings or both. In the work of at least two poets you have studied, explore the ways contrasts have been used to achieve particular effects.




The Novel and Short Story

7. Writers of fiction do not always relate events in the order in which they seem to occur in the worlds of their novels or short stories. Choosing two works by writers you have studied, show how variations of chronological order can be seen to serve the purposes of the stories.

8. Often, the memorable impact of short stories and novels arises from the careful and often brilliant creation of detail by their writers. Using two writers you have studied, explore the role and impact of some significant details in the narratives.

9. Who tells the story is often an essential feature in how far a reader finds a novel or short story credible, but sometimes it seems not to matter at all. Using two works you have studied, say how far the impact of the voice which tells the story is important to the success of the work.




Prose other than Fiction

10. Separating various stages of an autobiography or travel narrative is a challenge for writers in these forms. Choosing two works you have studied, discuss the way the writers have structured their works to make their material clear and interesting to their audiences.


11. Personal history as well as the backdrop of events surrounding that personal history are both significant to many works of prose other than fiction. In two works of this kind, discuss the handling of these two realms of existence.


12. Sometimes what is implied in a work of prose other than fiction is very important. Considering the work of two writers you have studied, explore the treatment of some issues and agendas that are only implied or treated briefly, but are, nevertheless, important aspects of the works.