IB English / English Literature

Students often ask for research question ideas for their EE (Extended Essay). Realistically, a good EE research question/topic should be appropriately designed so that you would be able to 1) gather meaningful primary and/or secondary data and 2) be able to interpret the data, and analyse and evaluate the data within a 4,000-word limit.

Here are some sample English A: Literature and English A: Language and Literature EE research questions:

• Analyzing the depiction of socio-economic class in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.
• Analyzing the archetype of the Shakespearean fool in King Lear and As You Like It.
• Comparing the themes of violence and revenge in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold and the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy.
• Analyzing themes of identity and independence in the lyrics of Beyonce's Lemonade.
• [Lang and Lit only] Analyzing the depiction of gender roles and norms surrounding sexuality in the films of Nora Ephron.
• [Lang and Lit only] Analyzing the persuasive techniques employed by e-cigarette companies in the advertisement.

Here are some sample English B EE research questions:

• Analyzing how the lyrics of Don McLean's song 'American Pie' reflect post-war attitudes toward the American Dream.
• Analyzing how the television show The Office reflects British attitudes towards work.
• Analyzing the language of discrimination in American news media.
• Analyzing the use of symbolism and imagery in The Great Gatsby to understand American attitudes towards wealth and materialism.
• Analyzing the techniques Sir Arthur Conan Doyle uses to create tension and suspense in his Sherlock Holmes detective stories.

Here are some sample IB English A Literature IO topics:

• Analyzing the attitudes towards female identities and gender roles in Sylvia Plath's Ariel and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
• Analyzing the influence and limits of education in Alan Bennett's The History Boys and Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis.
• Analyzing the relationship between technology and dehumanization in George Orwell's 1984 and the poetry of Wilfred Owen.
• Analyzing the power of grace and revenge in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold and William Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice.
• Analyzing the relationship between personal relationships and social class in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire.

Here are some sample IB English A Language and Literature IO topics:

• Analyzing the presentation of feminine stereotypes in Carol Ann Duffy's 'Little Red Cap' and eLuxury.com's Little Red Riding Hood themed ad campaign.
• Analyzing the presentation of white supremacist power structures in Richard Wright's Native Son and HBO's Watchmen television series
• Analyzing the presentation of truth in storytelling in Tim O'Brien's "How to Tell a True War Story" and New York Times reporting on the American invasion of Iraq.
• Analyzing the presentation of nature's power in William Shakespeare's The Tempest and magazine articles about Hurricane Katrina.
• Analyzing the presentation of colonialism's effects on the individual in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and tourism advertisements for Hong Kong in the 1950's.

Students who are doing English A: Literature or English A: Language and Literature HL are required to write a HL essay.

Here are some sample IB English A Literature and English A Language and Literature HL essay topics:

HL essay topics for English A Literature:

• Analyzing the presentation of language and storytelling as dangerous in William Shakespeare's Othello.
• Analyzing feminist perspectives towards sexuality and beauty in Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife.
• Analyzing the representations of poverty and urban decay in Charles Dickens' Hard Times.
• Analyzing the presentation of collective grief in Euripides' The Women of Troy.
• Analyzing the presentation of South American values and beliefs in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold.

HL essay topics for English A Language and Literature:

• Analyzing representations of black male identities in the film Boyz n the Hood.
• Analyzing the speaker's transformations in identities throughout Taylor Swift's Reputation.
• Analyzing depictions of China and Chinese culture in American political advertisements.
• Analyzing the presentation of language and storytelling as dangerous in William Shakespeare's Othello.
• Analyzing feminist perspetives towards sexuality and beauty in Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife.

If you have first-language proficiency in English, it is very likely that you must choose to study either English A: Literature or English A: Language & Literature. But what are the requirements for each? Which course will suit you better? How difficult is Literature compared to Language & Literature? Let’s take a look at your options.

IB English A Literature

The most important feature of the IB English A: Literature course is that you will focus exclusively on literary texts. This includes different text types, such as drama, poetry, and prose. You will:

• Learn how to approach literature with a critical and analytical eye by looking at the critical perspectives of others and the cultural and social contexts behind the stories
• Develop your own interpretations and arguments for deeper meaning
• Compare and contrast different literary works
• Learn how the format and language of your texts can create meaning and effect for the readers
• Explore the relationship between literature and the world around you

Overall, choose IB English A Literature if you:

• Already enjoy reading literary and fictional works in English
• Are interested in how literature might affect the world, and how the world affects literature
• Are open to studying more “challenging” but rewarding text types, such as poetry, plays, and translated works
• Like to form your own opinions about stories you have read
• Are less interested in non-fiction and mass media text types, such as adverts, newspapers, speeches, online articles, etc.

IB English A Language and Literature

IB English A: Language & Literature differs from the Literature course because it focuses on both literary texts and non-literary texts found in a wide range of media. These include literary text types like drama, prose, and poetry, as well as non-literary texts like newspapers, articles, letters, speeches, autobiographies, comics, etc.

You will

• Learn how to approach mass-media texts with a critical and analytical eye by looking at the cultural, social, and political contexts, and considering the writer’s purpose and intentions.
• Develop your own interpretations of literary and non-literary texts
• Study and gain an understanding of several literary works
• Learn how the format and language of your texts can create meaning and effect for the target audience
• Explore the relationship between literary and non-literary texts with the world around you

Overall, choose IB English A Language and Literature if you:

• Enjoy reading non-literary works and non-fiction texts
• Already like to keep informed on current local and global issues via a variety of media
• Are interested in how purpose and intention behind texts can affect and manipulate the target audience to think a certain way
• Are interested in how mass media affects the world, and how the world affects mass media
• Are less interested in literary texts such as drama, novels, short stories, and poetry - and less inclined to search for deeper meaning in them.

IB English A Language and Literature

IB English A: Literature and IB English A: Language & Literature have similarly arranged exams. Some of these exams are externally assessed, which means they’re sent off to examiners, and some are internally assessed, which means that they are marked by your schoolteachers. Both courses have a Paper 1, Paper 2, and an Individual Oral component (IO). HL students of either course have an additional HL essay they must write. Here is a brief breakdown of the assessment similarities below.

Assessment component	IB English A Literature	IB English A Language and Literature
Paper 1: Unseen text	Part of your final exams. Students will analyse an unseen literary extract (likely prose, poetry, or drama) and write a commentary aided by a guiding question. HL students will analyse two texts and write two commentaries. This is externally assessed.	Part of your final exams. Students will analyse an unseen language extract and write a commentary aided by a guiding question. HL students will analyse two texts and write two commentaries. This is externally assessed.
Paper 2: Comparative essay This paper is identical across both courses and across SL and HL.	Part of your final exams. Students will be presented with four general questions and must write a comparative essay based on two works studied in the course.	Part of your final exams. Students will be presented with four general questions and must write a comparative essay based on two works studied in the course.
Individual Oral (IO)	15-minute oral presentation based on two literary works (one in English, one in translation) in the course, which you will use to answer the prompt: Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the texts that you have studied.	15-minute oral presentation based on two works (one non-literary, one literary) studied in the course, which you will use to answer the prompt: Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of two of the texts that you have studied.
HL Essay	Extra essay for HL only, based on a literary text studied in the course. 1200-1500 words	Extra essay for HL only, based on a non-literary text studied in the course. 1200-1500 words

For a more detailed breakdown and specifications, check the course guides for Language A: Language and literature and Language A: Literature

Still unsure? Here are some sample texts that you can look at to get a taste of each course.

IB English A Literature	IB English A Language and Literature
Drama A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Othello by William Shakespeare Prose The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez (translated) Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (translated) Poetry “Blackberry Picking” by Seamus Heaney “Dulce Et Decorum Est” by Wilfred Owen “When I Have Fears” by John Keats “The End and the Beginning” by Wisława Szymborska (translated)	Language types Newspapers and Op-Eds Advertisements Blogs Speeches and radio addresses Comics and political cartoons Travel writing Infographics
	Literary works Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (comic, translated) The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien (novel) Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen (drama, translated) The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy (poetry collection)

Students may choose to take either Standard Level or Higher Level in this course. Besides for the difference in difficulty and expectations, there are a few syllabus components that differ. Let’s look at a detailed breakdown with explanations. You can also skip to the brief diagram breakdown near the end of this article.

What are the differences in level of difficulty?

1. Wider range of texts and forms
   If you choose to do HL English A, you will study at least 13 texts, which will include novels, plays, poetry collections. In SL, you study at least 9 texts.
2. Higher expectations for analysis
   This is a subjective requirement, but teachers and examiners will expect a deeper level of analysis from HL students, compared to SL students. Both levels are expected to analyse the effects of certain lines, techniques, and literary choices in the texts, but HL students are asked to examine the deeper implications of the works. They may be encouraged to draw links between the literature and its effect on societies, or deeply consider the links between context and literary work. During in-class discussions, HL students are typically given more space to make personal interpretations of the works, and evaluate the validity of these interpretations in discourse with other student interpretations. SL students may be given more guidance, whereas HL students are expected to develop independent, critiquing mindsets while looking at literature.
3. Independent research
   HL students have an extra essay on top of the syllabus components they share with SL students. In this HL essay, they are responsible for choosing which text to focus on, determining their own research topic and question, and conducting their own independent research. HL students will therefore engage with the views of other critics and form their own opinions in consideration of existing opinions. They will also learn how to find credible secondary sources and use them in conjunction with their primary source text. This kind of independent work is similar to the research that arts and humanities students would conduct in university.

What are the differences in syllabus components?

Paper 1 requires students to respond to a previously unseen text and write an essay on it, accompanied by a guiding question. Both SL and HL will receive two extracts of different text types. Whereas SL students choose 1 extract to write a commentary on, HL students must respond to both extracts.

Paper 2 requires students to use two or more texts they have studied to respond to a chosen question with a comparative essay. The questions and mark scheme are the same for both SL and HL, though HL students may be expected to go into more depth with analysis and include more personal interpretation into their essays.

Individual Oral (IO) is an internally assessed component - it consists of a 10 minute presentation given by the student, with 5 minutes of follow-up discussion between teacher and student. The presentation should use two texts to respond to a chosen Global Issue. The structure of this component is the same for both HL and SL, though the expectations for HL presentations may be higher and the follow-up questions may demand deeper knowledge of the texts.

HL essay is an HL-only component. HL Lit students independently choose a work studied during the course and determine their own investigation into the text. They set their own research question and conduct research into critical interpretations and context, further reading, and independent analysis in order to answer their question fully. The essay is 1200-1500 words.

So which one should I pick?

If you’ve read through all the factual parts above and are still confused, here are some less factual reasons to choose SL or HL!

• Choose SL if you are primarily interested in English as a requirement to fulfil and have several other subjects you want to focus more on. Choose HL for the love of stories or your own existing interest in literature. If you already like to read for fun, form your own thoughts and interpretations from narratives, feel emotions for the characters, and argue for your interpretation - HL will give you more chances to do so in class. Otherwise, stick with SL.
• If you feel comfortable and confident reading various text types, like poetry and plays in addition to novels, then HL may be for you. If you haven’t voluntarily read anything since primary school (no judgement), you may want to stick to SL.
• Consider the other IB subjects you have chosen and see what is a good match. For example, HL History is often matched with HL English, for students who prefer to write essays and like humanities subjects. If you are already taking HL sciences, it is common to take SL English in combination.
• If you would like to study the arts and humanities or any subject that requires essay-writing skills in university, taking HL English is an excellent way to build up skills in preparation.
• If still in doubt, ask your current English teacher what they think, and consider their opinion. But remember that ultimately, the choice is always yours!

What are Global Issues in the Middle Year Programme?

Sometimes the world may seem like an infinite space of land, countries so far away that we may feel as though events that take place on the other side of the Earth have no ramifications on our lives, causing us to ignore these occurrences which are hurting humans we will never meet. These events may be connected to all or any of the following: racism, sexism, migration, consequences of climate change, stigmas on mental health (to name just a few). The IBDP English Language & Literature and English Literature curricula categorises these concepts under one short heading: “Global Issues”. The exam board describes them as any event that has significant, widespread implications in the world, on a local level and across borders. As an international curriculum, the International Baccalaureate has the human at its core, aiming to ‘promote intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century.’ Global Issues are particularly important for the IBDP English Language & Literature and English Literature, exams, all of which the Middle Years Programme (MYP) aims to prepare the student for. Hence, it is important that students follow the current social and political events taking place around the world by immersing themselves in reading articles, watching documentaries, and listening to podcasts.

How and why are Global Issues important for the MYP?

Students in the Middle Years Programme will be exposed to texts which will provide them with the skills to study the IBDP’s English Language & Literature curricula. They will be exposed to a myriad of non-fiction texts such as articles, adverts, comic strips, interviews, and infographics. The time periods in which these texts were written can vary. They can, for example, be given a travel writing piece from the 1800s or a makeup advert from the 1960s. Aside from analysing the texts’ language and stylistic features, students will be expected to comment on the global issues which have influenced the creation of the given texts. For instance, in regard to the makeup advert mentioned above which may contain words and images which portray females as mere accessories or trophies, the students will be expected to comment on how the time in which the ad was released and the social and political situation in the country the text was created in heavily prompted its message and style. The students’ study of non-literary texts is directly connected to the Paper 1 component of the IBDP English Language & Literature exam.

Of course, the Global Issues are not only limited to the Paper 1 section of the IBDP English Language & Literature exam but are also relevant for the Paper 1 exam of the IBDP English Literature syllabus. During the MYP the student will also be expected to analyse poems and extracts from prose pieces and plays. Not only will they study the texts in terms of language and structure but they will also look at how the writer’s lifestyle, upbringing, and the happenstances during the time in which they were alive affected the texts they created. For example, someone who has been forced to migrate due to war, famine, or political reasons will be more likely to write literary texts that study themes of displacement, immigration, and adapting to the adopted land. On the other hand, a black writer who has grown up in a segregated US during the early 1900s is more likely to write about themes of racism, alienation, and poverty. Hence, the student will comment on how the literary texts’ characters, plot, language, structural features, and setting display a global issue.

Global Issues are also relevant to the Paper 2 component of the IBDP English Language & Literature and English Literature exams. This component consists of the study of full-length selections of novels, plays, short story collections, and poems. During the course of the MYP students will start reading long texts which they will study through a variety of perspectives such as character development, plot, the writer’s creation of setting, the use of language and style, and most importantly themes. These themes are, in essence, the backbone of the literary texts, connecting readers to certain characters or to the plot in general. These themes will be connected to a global issue. A popular text that the student may be exposed to during the MYP studies is Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, the story of a teenage boy who feels disconnected from his surroundings, mostly due to his upbringing. One of the most prominent themes in the novel is the struggles of growing up, the physical and emotional transition from childhood to teenagerhood to adulthood and the role one’s parents play during this process. Thus, one of the global issues that the students can consider when reading the novel is neglect in parent-child relationships. Of course, when considering a global issue, the student will also need to delve deep into the historical context of the novel, hence the social and political events taking place during the time of the writer’s life which may have influenced and shaped the literary text.

Last but not least, global issues are particularly important for the Individual Oral (IO) which consists of a ten-minute presentation and a five-minute discussion with the subject teacher. For the IBDP English Language & Literature exam, the oral exam consists of the study of two non-literary texts exploring the same global issue. For the IBDP English Literature exam the oral exam consists of a study of two literary texts and a global issue. The students will need to study their chosen texts and do close language analysis to explore how the writers of both texts explore the global issue similarly, differently, or both. They will also need to comment on why this is the case by researching the historical and social context of the texts. The MYP does provide the students with basic training for the IO where they will most likely need to prepare a shortened version of five minutes, instead of the ten required for the IBDP.

The IB English Individual Oral (IO) is an internally assessed spoken presentation based on two texts that students have studied in class, in response to a chosen global issue. It is worth 30% of your overall grade at SL and 20% at HL. The presentation lasts for 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A with your teacher. With your teacher’s guidance, you will pick an extract each from two texts you studied in class, and use that as the basis of your planning. You’re allowed to bring 10 bullet points and a clean, unannotated copy of the extracts to the presentation, but you’re not allowed to bring a script to the exam.

With all these expectations, it may seem really daunting to prepare for the IO.

Here are 5 tips for you to excel at your presentation!

1) Choose a relevant global issue

What counts as a global issue? A valid global issue is a problem or aspect of society that affects many people around the world. The issue is global if it is not specific to one place, but is broader. It must be transnational too, crossing different borders and present in different cultures. A global issue must also be current - still an existing problem and not one that only existed in the past.

One good way to start choosing your global issue is to look at both your texts and what themes they share in common. Then, you can think of the potential global issues explored through those themes. For example, if both texts examine the theme of gender stereotypes, you can consider something like “Gender stereotypes and expectations as oppressive structures in society”. In another example, if both texts discuss clashing cultures and traditions, you can consider something like “Opposing values and misunderstandings in cross-cultural communication”. After you have chosen a topic, or at least have a pretty good idea of what to focus on, make sure to select extracts from the texts that have clear, quotable examples of your global issue.

2) Simple structure and clear transitions

Your presentation’s structure must be as simple as possible, with short pauses and topic sentences where you make it obvious that you’re moving onto another section.

Two common recommended structures for the IO are as follows:

1. Intro. Analysis of extract 1. Analysis of extract 2. Examples from wider work 1. Examples from wider work 2. Conclusion.
2. Intro. Analysis of extract 1. Examples from wider text 1. Analysis of extract 2. Examples from full text 2. Conclusion.

Avoid rambling and droning on without a pause. Even if what you’re saying is good, your structure will seem messy because your teacher can’t tell when one section ends and another begins. Instead, it’s okay to be super obvious about your transitions. E.g. You can say “Now I will talk about my extract from Othello, in which Iago and Brabantio use racial stereotypes to taint Othello’s reputation.”

At the end of every section, link what you just talked about back to your global issue.

3) Use a wide range of quotes and techniques

Each extract you choose must be 40 lines or less. Within your extracts, try to ensure good coverage engaging with the beginning, middle, and end of the passage rather than, say, just focusing on the first 20 lines. Your quotes can be spaced out. It is also recommended to address examples from the first few lines and the last few lines, so it’s clear why you cut the extract in this way.

To better show your knowledge to your teacher, it’s also a great idea to choose a wide range of techniques to comment on. For example, rather than giving three examples of metaphor, reselect your quotes so you can give an example of metaphor, one of sound imagery, and one of alliteration. This is better proof of your confidence with different literary and language techniques.

4) Explain, don’t recite

It is pretty obvious to teachers when students memorise their presentations word-for-word, rather than memorising key points and explaining them on the spot. Most schools do not recommend that you memorise your presentation word-for-word, but plenty of students do it. Both tactics work well for different kinds of students, but straight-memorisation can sound very awkward and unnatural.

Advice for word-for-word memorisation students:
Remember that your overall goal is to explain your points to the teacher, rather than recite an essay you memorised. To help this sound more like natural speech, try to pause or place emphasis where it feels helpful and natural. For example, in the introduction, slow down and state your global issue clearly. Give a short pause (the space of a breath) between different sections. For sentences or points that are complex, don’t rush through them - rather, place tonal emphasis on keywords and give appropriate pauses to indicate commas, fullstops, etc.

Advice for key points memorisation students:
Practice your presentation plenty of times and make sure that you’re able to explain your points well. It helps to have a classmate pretend to be your teacher and ask them afterwards if all the points were clear and easy to understand. You may also find it useful to start practicing with detailed notes, then rewrite and rewrite again with less information each time, until you can present confidently with your 10 bullet points.

5) Prepare and practice for the Q&A section

Don’t forget the 5 minute Q&A section at the end of your presentation! Each teacher in each school may ask different questions, but here are some common questions:

• Can you give more examples of your global issue in the text?
• What are the deeper implications or wider effects of your global issue over the entire text?
• What are the effects of your global issue on certain characters?
• What are some examples of similar/related themes to your global issue?
• What did you think of the ending of each text? What, if anything, does the ending say about your global issue?

Try to find and memorise some quotes and examples for each possible question. You could also ask your teacher in advance what kinds of questions they’ll focus on, or use your mock IO as a guideline to predict what they’ll ask in the real thing.

Follow these tips, and you should be well prepared and confident for your IO. Good luck!

The English A: Extended Essay may appeal to IBDP students who love literature and analysing stories, or those who feel more confident looking into texts with focus on language. Either way, it is excellent practice for those who hope to study humanities at university, or any subject that demands excellent writing skills. Here is what you need to know to write a good English EE.

The Basics

The Extended Essay is externally assessed and, combined with your grades for Theory of Knowledge, contributing up to three points to your total score for the IBDP Diploma. It is a 4000 word piece of formal academic writing accompanied by a reflection form of 500 words. Students are expected to conduct independent research into a topic they have chosen themselves, imitating the thesis-writing process at university. You will also receive guidance from a supervisor who specialises in your chosen subject, and will have three mandatory reflection sessions with them. Click here for more on the general specifications of the Extended Essay.

For English A, there are three categories of EE you can choose from. All three are meant to promote advanced research, writing skills, intellectual discovery, and personal creativity.

Category 1: Literature in English	Studies of one or more literary works originally written in English. Choose this option especially if you’re interested in a writer’s technical choices or word choices, their style of storytelling, the way they phrase their sentences,or other such elements. You will be analysing the text exactly as it was expressed by the original author/s. This category can be comparative or you can stick to a deeper analysis of a single text.
	An example of a research topic in category 1 is: The use of comic characters to explore serious issues in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure.
Category 2: Comparative literature in English and another language	Studies of a literary work or works originally written in English compared with one or more literary works originally written in another language. The work originally written in another language may be studied in translation. Choose this option if you are interested in comparing different literary traditions and the cultural contexts behind them. Where and how does the translated work intersect in themes, motifs, techniques, or other such elements with the English work? Compare how each text has achieved their purpose.
	An example of a research topic in category 2 is: The importance of satire in the travels of the main characters in Huckleberry Finn and Candide.
Category 3: Language and Literature	Studies in language based on one or more texts originally produced in English. Texts can be compared with a translated text originally written in another language. This category encompasses more than literature, and can extend to photography, advertisement, film, television, and music to name but a few. Choose this option if you are interested in the language of mass communication or how language is influenced by social, cultural, political and historical contexts. If you focus on mass communication, you will consider the way language is used and produced in a medium. If you focus on cultural contexts, you will explore how language impacts the world and shapes individual and group identity.
	An example of a research topic in category 3 isThe use of language and image by UK fashion and beauty magazines Cosmopolitan, Glamour and Look to construct a particular body image for women.

Please note, EEs submitted in studies in English A cannot be based on a text studied as part of your course. Students can base their essays on different texts by the same author.

Tips to success

Choose your text/s wisely

It’s important to select texts that you like. Many students get nervous about the EE and assume they must select literary classics or highbrow literature, or ask their supervisors to select their texts for them. Avoid falling into such a trap. If you’re sticking with a topic for 4000 words, make sure the source material is something you are passionate about. Also, try to avoid overdone, cliche, or very famous works - examiners have read too many EEs about these. Conversely, avoid super obscure texts, because you need to find at least a few secondary sources to support your arguments. Your supervisor will guide you away from unsuitable texts.

Have a focussed topic

If you are writing an English EE in categories A or B, make sure your topic focuses on a particular theme, idea, motif, or overarching technique. It is not enough to analyse how a text fits into a particular genre - this is too broad. Additionally, your research question should inquire into an intriguing and subjective aspect of the text/s, leading to a clear thesis statement or argument that you will link to throughout your essay.

Plan your structure

An English EE differs from a Maths, Science, or even History EE where you may use graphs, statistics, or visual aids. Your essay must be organised well to maintain your reader’s attention. You can begin by conceptualising the different sections of your essay and check in with your supervisor on how to structure them. Below are a few suggestions:

1. Explore a different theme or main point in each body paragraph, then order them in loose chronological order.
2. Same as above, but order in a way that illustrates your argument with best effect.
3. Explore a different usage of literary techniques in each body paragraph, always linking to effect.

Be aware of your text type options

For literature, you can choose drama and poetry as well as novels and prose. You can even write about non-fiction texts as long as they are written in a literary way, such as descriptive reports, creative travel writing, or detailed autobiographies.

For language, you can choose any mass media text types you like - newspapers, speeches, editorials, adverts, to name but a few - as long as there are enough substantial language choices to analyse.

Make sure to do your research and include secondary sources.

Remember that the English A: Extended Essay is different from the other pieces of writing you may complete as part of your IBDP English A: Literature or English A: Language and Literature studies. The most significant difference is the importance of secondary literature within your work. An essay that lacks in-depth research that is well applied to your text/s will not score well.

Secondary sources are generally considered scholarly works about an author’s life or their work, the genre in which a text is in, or more generic items regarding literary techniques. These sources may be found in the form of books, academic journal articles, essay collections in books, or even reviews, as long as they have a firm academic standing.

Your advisor should be able to point you in the direction of where to find such sources based on the accessibility options available at your school. However, it is good practice to use search engines such as Google Scholar to aid your research. Generally, when selecting secondary research to use, you should focus on two aspects, one being specificity (how close the secondary source is in topic to your own research) and the other being recency (how new an academic text is).

Finish with a flourish

In your conclusion, you have an opportunity to justify the importance of your EE. Answering one of the following questions can create a compelling ending:

1. Why should the reader care about your essay and the argument you proved?
2. What is so notable or unique about the results you’ve found?
3. What are the deeper implications you’ve found that made this topic so worth delving into?
4. What wider implications do your findings have for literature?
5. What wider implications do your findings have for the world, or for global issues?

Check out the IBO’s official Extended Essay webpage for more details.

If you are still feeling unsure about which EE topic to choose or are apprehensive about the quality of your work, CANA Elite is home to a plethora of expert tutors covering all areas of English language and literature. If you would like to find out more, feel free to contact us here.

What is the HL essay?

In IB English A: Literature and English A: Language and Literature Higher Level (HL) students are required to write a formal essay of 1200-1500 words based on a work previously studied in class. For literature students, the work can be a novel, short story collection, poetry collection, or other literary work. For language students, it can also be a collection of advertisements, selected speeches surrounding a political event, op-eds from a particular writer, a travel guide, or other non-literary work. The HL essay should also adhere to the formal framework of the academic essay, using citations and references and is worth 20% of their final grade.

In the HL essay, students are expected to develop their own topic and explore it independently. They must find their own focused question, refine their ideas, conduct research into literary criticism and social context, and advance an argument with minimal guidance from your teacher. This differs from Paper 1, and Paper 2, which provide a guiding question. On one hand, some students find the freedom liberating since they can pursue personal interests in a particular theme or idea in a text. On the other hand, other students can feel a little lost.

Finding a topic

To find a topic for the HL essay, consult the two course’s seven central concepts. Ask the following questions as a starter:

Identity
How does a character or group represent their identities in the text? How might elements in the text relate to or reveal the identity of the writer?

Culture
How does the text represent the culture of a particular place, institution, or group of people? How does the text itself relate to or portray a particular culture?

Creativity
>How do individuals or groups express themselves creatively in the text? Conversely, how might they lack creativity? How might the text represent the writer’s creativity?

Communication
How are acts of communication carried out, and are they effective or not? Why do they succeed or fail? Is the text itself a successful act of communication?

Transformation
How are acts of transformation portrayed in the text? How do characters go through change in their identity, relationships, values, or morals? Do these acts of transformations mirror, reference, or motivate transformation in real life?

Perspective
How are different perspectives depicted and/or juxtaposed in the text? How does the treatment of certain perspectives perhaps reveal the author’s own?

Representation
How does the text represent different themes, attitudes, or concepts? To what extent can language and literature effectively represent reality?

These ideas are only a general starting point. Students must pare down their ideas to construct a focused, analytical argument, examining the work from a broad literary perspective. This means researching critics’ viewpoints, historical perspectives, audience reception, and other secondary sources in addition to the primary source text. You can consult teachers for some help, but they may only provide general feedback.

Tips to excel

Focus on the topic but also look at the work as a whole.
The theme or topic a student chooses should be specific, but the scope of the assignment should be broad, unlike a close reading of a short passage. For example, do not focus on one poem within a poetry collection. Choose 3-4 poems and examine how a chosen theme is portrayed or developed throughout.

A thesis statement matters
A thesis statement is important - not only is it the central argument, but it could also be the link between multiple texts. To keep an essay cohesive, link back to the thesis statement at the end of every body paragraph and cut out all irrelevant points.

Choose quotes wisely
Not all evidence is made equal. Choose quotes that are most relevant to the topic and are strong examples in favour of the argument. Also, a common pitfall is when students quote to give context or explain a plot point. Paraphrase briefly if necessary, but save quotations for interesting language or literary choices.

Critical viewpoints and secondary sources
It is important to read a wide range of critical viewpoints on a chosen text and topic. See what other academics have said already, and whether their analysis can illuminate the essay. Try to choose secondary sources that support, rather than disagree, with your the central argument of the essay.

Plan your structure
Before diving into writing, plan the organisation of body paragraphs (for example by technique, theme, or effect) and try shifting the order around to find what flows best. Include an introduction that outlines an essay’s argument, and a conclusion that summarises it and closes the essay in a thought-provoking way.

Personal interest comes first
Some students are tempted to choose a particularly academic or seemingly profound topic, hoping it will earn them a better grade. However, if a student is not interested in the topic at all then they should not choose it. Writing and researching will become a chore. Essays written from points of genuine interest and passion will always be better than those written by a bored student, even if the topic seems more shallow.

Peer review
By IBO rules, teachers are not allowed to edit or proofread HL essays closely for you. They can only give general comments in one feedback session. However, a student’s peers can be an excellent alternative.They can check how clear and convincing an argument is, and give helpful comments because they have also read the text and have a similar understanding of it.

At Cana Elite, our plethora of dedicated experts of English Language and Literature tutors can help students achieve their highest potential in not only the HL Essay, but in the IBDP in general. Contact us today for more information.

IB English A: Paper 2 Comparative Essay requires students to use two works they studied in class and write a compare and contrast essay in response to a guiding question. With two works to juggle and similarities and differences to explore, you will want to ensure that your introduction is as clear as possible.

A good Paper 2 introduction does the following:

1. Defines the important terms in the guiding question
2. Introduces or briefly summarizes both texts in relation to the topic, naming the writer and the title of the text in full
3. Sets out a thesis statement that addresses both texts

Define the important terms

The important terms are the key words in the question, but every student has a slightly different understanding of what the question is asking. Writing out your own definition of the key terms indicates how you will approach the question and quickly puts your reader on the same page as you. Your definition can also double as an opening hook or thoughtful response to the question, which is a great way to start!

E.g. “How do two of the works you have studied portray the struggle to be understood?”

Here, the key terms are “struggle” and “understand”. Different students may have completely different approaches based on what is more relevant to their texts.

Student 1 writes: “The struggle to be understood and accepted is surely universally recognised across different cultures and times. Empathy is required to understand another person’s emotional state, and when there is a lack of empathy, true understanding of one another becomes impossible.”

Student 2 writes: “Mirroring real life, fictional characters often struggle to understand each other. Communication is attempted but ineffective, hindered by the self, the society, the listener, or by language barriers.”

Student 1 has defined understanding as emotional and empathetic, Student 2 defined it as a blocked act of communication. Laying out these terms makes things clearer for you and your reader!

Introduce your texts

Firstly, try to limit your summary of the texts to one sentence each. Secondly, ensure you have named the title of the text and its author in full - you only have to do this the first time. Finally, make sure you are summarising in a way that relates to the question.

E.g. “Some literary texts, although set in a particular place or time, convey ideas that are universal. In what ways is this true in two of the works you have studied?”

Sample summaries: In his famous play Death of a Salesman set in 1950’s America, Arthur Miller illustrates the consequences of the American Dream through the character of Willy Loman - whose endeavours and failures are universally relatable . Similarly, in The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea, Yukio Mishima depicts Noboru’s impossible search for an ideal world. While this search for perfection is terrifying in its brutality, it is also universally recognisable.

E.g. “With what techniques do two works you have studied create an unsettling view of love?”

Sample summaries: In Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller features an unsettling juxtaposition between Willy Loman’s love for his family and his love of reputation. In The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea, Yukio Mishima questions the existence of love at all, through the novel’s unsettlingly cynical 12-year-old narrator, Noboru.

As shown, different questions prompt different ways of summarising your texts.

Write your thesis statement

Here is where you write your answer to the question in a single statement. This part is absolutely crucial because it tells your reader what your argument will be. A Paper 2: Comparative Essay thesis statement can either be compare or contrast.

E.g. “Some literary texts, although set in a particular place or time, convey ideas that are universal. In what ways is this true in two of the works you have studied?”

Sample thesis: Death of a Salesman and The Sailor Who Fell From Grace both examine the pursuit of ambition and the consequences of failure, universal ideas that connect with audiences regardless of individual context.

E.g. “With what techniques do two works you have studied create an unsettling view of love?”

Sample thesis: Both authors portray love in unsettling ways - but whereas Miller maintains an underlying sincerity in the Loman’s love for each other, Mishima’s portrayal is more unsettling because it is wholly cynical.

The first example is a compare thesis statement, focusing on the similarities between the texts. The second example is contrast, focusing on the differences. Importantly, both thesis statements are still responding directly to the question.

For a more general overview on approaching Paper 2, click here.

What is Paper 1?

Paper 1 is one of two externally assessed final exams in the IB English A: Literature and IB English A: Language and Literature courses. It is a guided analysis that consists of two passages from two different text types, each accompanied by a question. Standard Level students choose one passage from the two and must write an analysis of it over 1 hour and 15 minutes. Higher Level students must write an analysis of both passages over 2 hours and 15 minutes. Literature students will receive literary passages only, and language students will receive non-literary texts only. These passages are unseen, so a student must study skills to be able to analyse and write about them in the respective time provided.

7 tips for revision

1. Simple before complex

   Many students panic over the time limit and jump straight into annotating or finding themes the first time they read the passage. Avoid doing this, as it may create the possibility of missing the basic, literal meaning of the passage. Spend five minutes reading the extract to understand the surface level of the text first. Start annotating on a second read, picking out themes, highlighting examples of literary/language techniques, jotting down how the writer creates particular effects. Scan a third time for structural decisions, formatting, and visual elements.

   Take enough time to understand the simple and literal before considering the deeper meaning or the text’s effect on its audience or reader. Although this may feel like a waste of time, avoid making such rash judgments; a solid understanding to begin with will allow students to avoid confusion later on.

2. Write theme or ideas-based essays

   Try to organise body paragraphs by themes and ideas, rather than techniques. Technique based paragraphs require less initial planning, but can become overly simplistic or repetative, putting a paper out of contention for top grade boundaries.

   The below provides an example of a rough plan for a literature essay, using the poem Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney.

   A thematic essay might be organised by the following ideas:

   • Paragraph 1: Portrayal of the natural world as abundant and full of life
   • Paragraph 2: Depiction of childhood
   • Paragraph 3: Loss of innocence and impending maturity
3. A technique-based essay might be organised as follows:
   • Paragraph 1: Use of sensory and natural imagery
   • Paragraph 2: Symbolism and choice of diction
   • Paragraph 3: Structural decisions and significance of the ending
4. The thematic essay is obviously tailored to this poem’s meaning, whereas the technique-based essay is not. Each thematic paragraph also only explores a single idea, so one can easily link a whole paragraph to a thesis statement. Themes immediately show better engagement with the text, and could even highlight more subtle elements found within it. Here is a master list of common themes explored in literature, with accompanying guiding questions.
5. Spend enough time on a thesis

   Guiding questions are typically vague to allow for a wide range of student responses. A thesis statement could be a direct response to the guiding question, but, if these fail to spark imagination, consider the following prompts.

   For literature: What is your personal interpretation of the literary passage? What do you think is the poet’s message? Or, what is the extract ultimately about, on a deeper level?

   For language and literature: What makes this language text particularly effective, given its target audience and context? What is your personal interpretation of the text? How has the writer used certain ideas, techniques, and formatting decisions to convey their message?

   Take ample time to figure out a thesis statement as this will be the central argument of the essay. However if stuck, it’s okay to jot down a placeholder thesis in pencil first, based upon the themes and evidence one will use during the planning stage. Ideally, one would understand what their thesis is based upon the themes that will become the central points of each paragraph.

6. Plan and annotate

   A solid plan is crucial for good essay structure and a well-explained argument. Be sure to include crucial components such as themes/ideas,a thesis statement, and all important points about tone/atmosphere, context, narrator/point of view, that will become the points of your paragraphs.. It is helpful to assign a different coloured highlighter to each theme and colour-code quotes. This way, one can easily find the points for each paragraph and their corresponding quotes. Annotating in the margins with arrows is also more efficient than writing out whole quotes in the planning stage.

7. Step by step analysis

   Practice explaining points step by step using past paper extracts. If PEAL (Point, Evidence, Analysis/Explain/Effect, Link) does not work, consider this alternative breakdown:

   Quote: In his ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’, Martin Luther King states ‘one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all.”’

   Technique: King uses verbatim quote and ethos

   Technique’s effect: to support his disapproval of unfair laws, and justify his civil disobedience. By quoting directly from St. Augustine - a respected Christian theologian and western philosopher - King points out that their viewpoints are the same.

   Wider effect on audience: This gives King’s stance a sense of morality and elevates its respectability. The western audience may not respect King’s opinion, but are more likely to agree with him because King has implied that to do otherwise is immoral or perhaps un-Christian.

   Link to thesis: King uses his awareness of his target audience to effectively tailor his argument to terms that they would understand and respect.

   Click here to download a template for step-by-step analysis.

8. Partial practice papers

   IB students are often too busy to complete full past papers. However, it is important to experience the wide range of text types/passages a student might get to build proficiency in approaching and interpreting them. One option is to do partial practice papers. Read the extract, plan and annotate, and write the introduction and topic sentences in full. Bullet point evidence or the points that will be used. This is still good practice even if the majority of the writing is left out.

   However, students should not only study in this way. They should go for both breadth and depth by alternating between doing partial practice and writing full papers.

9. Practice under timed conditions

   While not pleasant for students, it is crucial to practice Paper 1s under timed conditions. This is especially important as final exams approach. One may start preparing by initially giving themselves 20 minutes more than the allotted time. Then, slowly, one may complete the exam in lessening increments.

   Practicing this way will build confidence and allow students an understanding of how much they can write in the provided examination time.g. A student will have experience interpreting and understanding a text under stress. Timed practice is especially crucial for Higher Level students who need to write two essays. Not only is this key in gaining essential time management skills, but also in building better stamina and maintaining your concentration.

If, however, these steps appear too difficult or a student struggles completing such practice by themselves, Cana Elite offers tutors with an expert understanding of the Paper 1 exam for English Literature, and English Language and Literature who can help. With staff that includes current IBDP examiners, they can provide students with the coaching they need to achieve the grades they desire. Please feel free to contact us with questions or to book a lesson.

FAMILY

• How important is the family unit in your text?
• Is family depicted as a loving, close-knit and supportive group for its members, or is it depicted as dysfunctional in some way?
• How does a character’s familial background affect the way they behave and think?
• How might a character’s relationship with their nuclear and extended family indicate sociocultural context?

GENDER ROLES/STEREOTYPES

• What are the gender stereotypes typical of the time and place the text is set in?
• Is there pressure to conform to gender roles - and if so, where does the pressure come from?
• How are characters treated by others if they fail to fulfill certain gendered expectations?

RACIAL ISSUES

• What issues of race and racial inequality are explored in your text?
• How are certain characters treated differently because of their racial background?
• What does the portrayal of this treatment communicate about the author’s message?

CLASS DIFFERENCES

• How are certain characters treated differently because of their social class?
• How is class privilege portrayed in the text - in a critical, realistic, cynical, or supportive light?
• How might the writer indicate social class through dialogue, description, or other means?

POWER DYNAMICS

• Who has power in the story, and why do they have it?
• How do those in power exert their will and influence over those who are powerless?
• Is there a hierarchy of power, and how is it maintained?
• How might certain characters gain or lose power?

SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS

• What are the social expectations typical of the time and place the text is set in?
• How are characters treated in society and by others if they fail to fulfil certain social expectations?
• What are the benefits and disadvantages of adhering to social expectations?
• How does the presentation of social expectations perhaps indicate the writer’s opinions on whether the society is fair or not?

INDIVIDUAL VS. SOCIETY

• Are certain individuals at odds with the society they belong to, and why?
• How might a wider society ostracise, isolate, or alienate certain members with its values and beliefs?
• What are the consequences when individuals decide to reject the society they are from?

CULTURE AND COMMUNITY (or CULTURAL DIFFERENCES)

• How are cultures and communities portrayed within the text?
• How does the writer communicate a culture’s values, beliefs, morals, and traditions?
• Are there clashes of cultural difference in the text, and what are the effects on the individuals and communities involved?

NATURE (or MAN VS/AND NATURE)

• How is nature portrayed in the text - is it a powerful and life-giving force? Is it unforgiving and cruel? Is it a gentle and nurturing figure?
• How might the seasons and natural surroundings (including weather) symbolise or reflect the events in the text?
• Are the forces of humanity and nature aligned and in harmony, or are they at odds and in conflict?

LIFE VS DEATH

• Are life and death portrayed as opposing forces, or part of a natural progression, or something else?
• How do characters physically, spiritually, and mentally deal with being in life-threatening situations?
• How might a character’s conceptions of life and death change when confronted with the possibility of death?

LOSS

• What is there to lose in the narrative? It could be concrete things, like people, objects, money, etc. or more abstract things, like health, control, hope, a sense of purpose, etc.
• How do characters deal with (or not deal with!) loss and its accompanying grief?
• How might loss drive the story forward and affect a character’s motivations?

CHILDHOOD

• How are children and their lives portrayed in the text?
• How do characters handle the changing expectations associated with maturity and growing up?
• Does the childhood past of certain adult characters affect or inform their current actions, values and beliefs?

RELATIONSHIPS

• What kinds of relationships does the narrative focus on?
• Familial
• Romantic
• Friendship
• Antagonistic/Conflict-driven
• Motherhood/Fatherhood
• How might a portrayed relationship fulfil or diverge from our expectations of what it should be? (E.g. Readers usually expect an ideal romantic relationship to be based on love, kindness, and mutual respect, but the lovers in the text might resent each other.)
• How do the thoughts, speech and actions of characters help define their relationship with others?

CONFLICT

• What different forms of conflict are represented in your text?
• What root causes lead to conflict between individuals, cultures or societies?
• Is the conflict presented as something that can be resolved or not, and why? What point may the writer be making by pointing this out?

VIOLENCE

• What different forms of violence are represented in your text? (Don’t just think about the physical, but also more abstract forms of violence - institutional, mental and spiritual, gender and race-motivated, emotional abuse, etc.)
• What reasons do characters or societies use to justify acts of violence?
• How do forms of violence reflect the time, place, and sociocultural background of the text’s setting?

WAR

• How does the writer portray a wartime setting (if in the present) or the lasting effects of war (if in the past)?
• Do different characters react differently to war and trauma, and what is the effect of this contrast?
• How does war and conflict drive the narrative forward?
• How might the portrayal of war - its experience, consequences, and legacy - reveal the writer’s message?

SECRECY/DECEIT

• How and why do characters choose to keep secrets from one another or deceive others?
• How does the weight of secrecy and deceit help to build tension in the narrative?
• What are the effects of keeping secrets on an individual level or a societal level?
• How might the revelation of a secret act as a catalyst to move the story forward?

MEMORY

• Does the text focus on individual or collective memory, or both?
• How important is it to remember one’s past, and what are the consequences if history is forgotten?
• Conversely, what are the consequences of never letting go of one’s past?
• How does the writer use literary techniques to convincingly depict the act of remembering?

CHANGE/TRANSFORMATION

• What kind of development or transformation do characters go through in your text?
• Is the change portrayed as beneficial or disadvantageous, natural or unnatural?
• Do individuals and societies in the text embrace or fear change, and why?

COMMUNICATION

• When and why do acts of communication succeed or fail in your text?
• How might a lack of communication or miscommunication help to build suspense and dramatic tension?
• What are the effects of failing to communicate?
• In your opinion, is the text itself a successful act of communication?

ISOLATION/LONELINESS

• What causes an individual or group to be isolated from the society they belong to?
• Why might an individual choose to isolate themselves?
• How does the writer portray the effects of loneliness on the psyche of those affected?
• Is isolation normalised, or is it unusual within the society depicted by the text? What might the writer communicate through this choice?

HOME AND BELONGING

• How does the writer portray the domestic sphere?
• What causes a character to feel a sense of home and belonging, and conversely, what causes them to feel like they don’t belong at home?
• Why might characters leave home in certain situations, and what do they gain or lose by it?

If you’re a student who is thinking of transitioning from International Baccalaureate to A-Level or vice versa, you aren’t alone. Students commonly switch to A-level because the IB course load is too daunting, or they plan on moving to England for high school or university, or want to focus on fewer subjects. Conversely, some students switch from A-level to IB because they prefer a more international curriculum or want to take more electives. It is challenging but certainly achievable to switch syllabuses, even if you’ve already started with one. If you are taking English Literature, here are some key differences between the IB and A-level courses:

Standard and Higher; AS and A-level

For IB, you can choose whether to take your subject at Standard or Higher Level, as long as these options are available in your school. IB English A: Literature at SL is significantly easier than HL. For example, in Paper 1, SL students select one extract to write a commentary on whereas HL students must complete commentaries on both extracts. HL students must also write an additional self-directed essay on a literary text of their choice. Paper 2 and Individual Oral components are mostly identical between HL and SL.

In contrast, A-levels only offer one track for the chosen subject and there is no option to take English Literature at an easier level. However, students have the opportunity to take AS Levels, which are exams at the end of the first year. AS Levels count as their own qualification as well as being useful mock exams. This means if you drop a subject after the first year, your AS Level grades still contribute to UCAS points, though they are only worth 40% of a completed A-level and are not a completed degree. In addition, there is some slight variation in exam style depending on the exam board (OCR, AQA, Cambridge, Edexcel), so do your research and check mark schemes carefully.

Breadth vs. Depth

In IB, students are required to take six subjects, with additional Theory of Knowledge classes, extracurricular (CAS) requirements, and an Extended Essay. With so much to juggle, your focus is more spread out and you will spend less time on each subject. In A-level, it is typically acceptable to take three or four subjects, so subjects can go into more depth. In A-level English Literature, you will go into detail with each text, spend more time in class discussion, and slowly develop your skills for writing analysis and interpreting literature. In a way, A-level English Literature fosters the love for English at a more natural pace, whereas IB introduces students to an excitingly wide range of literature in a fast-paced way.

Difference in exams

IB English Literature has two external assessments taken at the end of two years - Paper 1 and Paper 2. In your first year, you will also complete an internally assessed Individual Oral exam, and HL students will complete an additional analytical essay. All IB English exams are closed-book.

In A-level, assessed components differ between various exam boards. For example, Cambridge splits their assessments into 4 closed-book exams, each 2 hours long. In contrast, AQA features some open-book components in their assessments. All A-level students will write a comparative critical study of two texts, and there are no oral exams. If you perform well under pressure, IB English Literature may be preferable for you. However, if you prefer taking your time on coursework or if oral exams make you nervous, A-level may be more suitable.

Global focus vs. Classical focus

In A-level, Shakespeare and Poetry are core components, and teachers typically choose “classical” English texts for class study (think Jane Eyre, John Keats, Pride and Prejudice, Paradise Lost, etc.) Most of your A-level texts will likely come from the British literary canon or be originally written in English. In contrast, IB encourages a more worldwide, modern focus by including a unit for literature in translation and an individual oral on global issues. This encourages teachers to pick texts from other cultures, some of which may be obscure. A-level lacks this component, but focuses on a wider range of time periods.

Finding resources

The IBO does not release their materials freely online - it’s difficult to even find the syllabus through legal means. A-level, on the other hand, is far more accessible. Official websites provide everything from syllabuses to some course material to past papers. The A-level programs have also been running for longer, so it’s easier to find subject guides, videos, and revision sources. However, be careful to use the correct syllabus for your exam board.

Ultimately, it is perfectly possible to switch from IB to A-level, or from A-level to IB. Being aware of the differences makes it easier to put in extra work where it’s needed and transition smoothly.

It wouldn’t be incorrect to say that English is the most disliked subject amongst secondary school students, and can we really blame them? It’s an arduous subject that requires constant practice to hone one’s skills, and there are so many of them to perfect. One must first be able to comprehend the surface-level meaning of a text, and this can usually be done with precision by picking up reading at a very young age when the brain is still malleable and more open to storing new vocabulary. One must then learn how to read between the lines, picking up on implications, hints that the writer disperses throughout the literary piece to potentially critique a certain character, a certain period, and certain ideologies. This is, of course, best done with the analysis of literary devices that need to first be identified, then reflected on– why did the author use this specific metaphor? Why this specific choice of word? What about the structure of the sentence they’ve opted for? Why the long asyndetic list?

And the reflection does not end with the literary devices of course, reflections must also be made on the social context, on why the writer may have written the book, how it mirrors the period in which it is set or written in, whether the writer is praising or criticising the social and political system they are writing about, and how the development of a specific character may be reflective of their emotions. And then there’s learning to outline an essay, determining topic sentences (each with a unique idea), and then pinpointing pieces of evidence to prove the idea presented, and then actually writing, expressing oneself clearly, staying focused, tying back to specific historical events.

There’s just so much to consider. However, in the grand scheme of things English as a subject is just not about the study of language, the act of comprehending, or even expressing oneself through writing. It is, in fact, an interdisciplinary subject that encompasses psychology, history, and sociology. To do well in the subject, a student has to reflect on most, if not all, mentioned areas.

English and Psychology

As an area that is concerned with the behaviours, attitudes, and motivations of individuals, along with how culture and societies impact these endeavours, psychology is deeply related to English, which has at its core human behaviour and the human condition. By delving into the mindsets of the characters in a literary piece, studying the way they use verbal and body language during their interactions with other characters, an English student can gauge the characters’ psychological state, reflecting on why they may be behaving this way and how much the culture they reside in has impacted their motivations and outlook. By closely examining a character’s actions, dialogue, and body language therefore we can make intelligent guesses about how they might react when faced with an event we can foresee. Think of Blanche in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. The fact that she immediately rushes to find a bottle of alcohol in her sister’s house after she is let in by the neighbour (Stella, her sister, has accompanied her husband, Stanley to the bowling alley) and her subsequent act of washing out the tumbler she has drunk from before putting it back from where she picked it up, gives us a hint at her secretive, deceptive nature, even in her relationship with those closest to her. In the same scene, her nervous state shown through how she jumps when she hears a cat shrieking, and through how she tightly clutches her bag reveals a potential unstable mindset that foreshadows the ending of the play where she descends into madness as she is physically attacked by her sister’s husband, yet still attempts to hold on to the illusion that her life is perfect and put-together. Hence, by merely following patterns in a character’s behaviour we can plunge into their psyche, which should then place us on a path of reflection about their psychology and what might have caused them to act in such a way.

English and History

Aside from Psychology, English is also deeply related to history, and gaining a deeper understanding of a literary piece is largely dependent on how much the reader already knows about the time-period of the writer and the setting of the text. It is our explorations of the setting, the characters, and their interactions that give us glimpses into what the social, political, and cultural structure of a specific era was like and what kind of ideologies and beliefs were prevalent at the time. For instance, upon reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Othello, both written in the early 17th century, we are able to understand the persistent racism and sexism at the time. Since literature is a form of social commentary, by closely observing character development and the specific atmosphere established in a given scene, we can perceive the kind of messages the writer wants to convey. For example, at the beginning of Macbeth, through the dark and spooky atmosphere established when we are first introduced to the witches, along with their physical descriptions, mannerisms, and the way that they talk, Shakespeare immediately triggers feelings of disgust in the reader. This was closely related to the fact that he had written the play for his patron James I of England, and aware of the king’s devotion to religion and his contempt towards anything supernatural and contrary to his Christian faith, his presentation of the witches, entities of black magic, would have appealed to the king’s emotions. Hence, it is evident through this that a writer’s creative choices are closely tied to the historical context of their time.

English and Sociology

Since both disciplines are concerned with human behaviour and the social interactions that shape the individual along with the society involved, it is evident that they interrelated. In fact, literary pieces are a vital source for sociological analysis as they provide insights into past and present societies, along with a glimpse into lifestyles, norms, and mores. Hence, by reading novels set in a specific time period, written by authors from different eras, the reader can identify trends of change within the social structure of a society and perhaps assess why these changes take place by observing a character’s development in accordance with the political and social climate of a setting. For instance, by reading the Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller readers can see how changes in a society’ expectations and values can have an huge impact of a person’s psyche. This is evident through the protagonist Willy Loman who once a successful person in the 1920s is now a struggling sales-person as values in the United States changed in the aftermath of the Second World War where the economic boom made citizens more interested in mass produced products, shopping malls, and gadgets, rather than relying on human communication and promotion when purchasing items. Therefore, literature can give us the chance to enter a society long past and comprehend the reasons behind its values.

So, while English may be a subject met with contempt by students, it is important to note that it has the ability to give us an insight into a myriad of subjects, enabling us to make sense of the human psyche, transporting us into a different era, and helping us understand the reasons behind our current systems of communication.