higher level essay examples

IB English HLE Explained

Free introductory guide to IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE) by IB44 and IB45 graduates Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover.

In this guide, LitLearn students (and 2022 IB grads!)  Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover share their wisdom on how to conquer the IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE).

Lareina achieved an IB44, and Saesha achieved an IB45 as well as the coveted IB7 in IB English Literature HL, so you are in safe hands.

Meet your instructor Jackson Huang, Founder of LitLearn. His mission is to make IB English as pain-free as possible with fun, practical lessons. Jackson scored an IB45 and was accepted to Harvard, Amherst, Williams Colleges, and full scholarships to University of Melbourne & Queensland.

What is IB English HLE?

The HL Essay (HLE) is a 1200-1500 word essay about a text studied in the IB English course. For Lang Lit, the work you choose to analyze can be literary or non-literary, but for IB English Literature the text must be literary.

The HLE will make up  25% of your final IB English HL grade , and it is graded externally. You must choose your own line of inquiry   (i.e. a question that you will answer in your HLE–more on this later).

How do I choose my text for HLE?

Do NOT choose the “easiest” text. Life is always better when you do things you're interested in, and that advice applies to the HLE, too. Choose the literary / non-literary work that interests  you the most, so that you can (semi?)-enjoy the HLE planning and writing process.

You could start by thinking of a theme that you find particularly interesting and determining which text studied in class demonstrates this theme well.

How do I choose my line of inquiry for HLE?

The line of inquiry is the core question that you will answer in your essay. A quick example might be:

"To what extent is masculinity undermined by the characterisation of Little Thomas?"

Now, it's your job to forge your destiny and come up with your own line of inquiry. But it's not a complete free-for all! There are rules. The main rule is that your line of inquiry must fall under one of the 7 main concepts of IB English (see below for a quick summary).

This summary is vague, so let's go in-depth on a couple of these concepts to really show you what you should be doing in the HLE.

Identity is what makes you, YOU. Here are some questions the concern your own personal identity:

• What is your favourite colour? And why is it your favourite?
• What makes you different from others? Why do you think these qualities came to be?
• How would someone describe you in three words?

Now apply this same logic to characters within your text.

• How would you describe this character in three words?
• How do their actions within a text influence your view of their identity?
• How has the author crafted this character to make you view the character in a certain way?

Let's take a look at a concrete example of how we might choose evidence and quotes for a HLE on cultural identity. This example is based on a Vietnamese work in translation “Ru” by author Kim Thúy. For context, “Ru” is an autobiographical fictional account which explores Kim Thúy's move from Vietnam to Canada as an immigrant and her consequent struggles. The structure of her novel is largely lyrical and poetic.

Let's look at a section from her novel that may help us come up with an essay idea based on the concept of Identity. When she returns to Vietnam, she attends a restaurant, however this becomes a major awakening for her in terms of how she views her own personal identity. Kim narrates within her novel:

The first time I carried a briefcase, the first time I went to a restaurant school for young adults in Hanoi, wearing heels and a straight skirt, the waiter for my table didn't understand why I was speaking Vietnamese with him. Page 77, Rú

This is a perfect quote for the Identity concept. Can you see why? Let's think through it together…

Why would the waiter be confused if Kim, a “briefcase”-carrying individual in “heels” and a “straight skirt”, was speaking Vietnamese with him?

What does being “Vietnamese” look like to the waiter? Why does Kim not conform to his expectation? Was it perhaps due to what she was wearing?

Now, if we look at the section which follows this in the novel, we are able to see the impact this had on the character of Kim's sense of identity.

the young waiter reminded me that I couldn't have everything, that I no longer had the right to declare I was Vietnamese because I no longer had their fragility, their uncertainty, their fears. And he was right to remind me. Page 77, Rú

Here, we can clearly see that this character is now questioning her Vietnamese cultural identity. This is just one example that demonstrates the concept of Identity.

Culture seems to be this confusing thing.  Does it have to do with religion? Race? Beliefs? What does it mean? Does the monster from Frankenstein fit into a certain culture?

The easiest way to put it is this:  Culture is the way someone lives. It is their “way of life.” Think of it as an umbrella term. “Culture” can include so many different things; the list just goes on, for example religion, values, customs, beliefs, cuisine, etc.

Now think, how would I form an essay from this concept?

• When you read a text in class, you will notice that authors let you form an opinion on the culture of certain characters or groups within a text, but how is this done?
• How does the author represent the culture of a certain community?
• What types of patterns in daily routines are discussed?

It seems odd writing an essay about “creativity” because… like… how can anyone definitively say what ‘counts' as being creative–or not? When I say the word creativity , I think of new inventions, or maybe those weird and wacky art installations living inside those ‘modern art' museums. But hey, what's creative to me might not be creative to you!

When formulating a HLE on the concept of creativity we have two main pointers for you. Look for:

• Interesting + Unique techniques or literary devices used within a text by the author. You can learn more in the  Learn Analysis section of LitLearn.
• Recurring stylistic choices by the author

Now, for this concept, let's look at how we might select supportive evidence and quotations for a HLE on creativity within the narrative style of author Mary Shelley in “Frankenstein”. The narrative style uses  epistolary narration . This is a narrative technique in which a story is told through letters. This was something that I found both interesting and recurring within Frankenstein, which I believe worked to create a personal touch within the novel.

Additionally, Mary Shelley allows different characters to narrate Frankenstein during different volumes. Let's investigate this! I have written out different character profiles of the narrators below:

These 3 characters, each relate a part of the novel Frankenstein. This is an example of a creative authorial choice that allows us, as readers to explore different points of view within the text. This is just one example of a creative aspect of a text which you can analyze for your HLE.

Representation

Representation is all about how something is  portrayed, conveyed, shown, described, illustrated, depicted . There are many different things that can be ‘represented' within a text, and it doesn't have to be tangible.

For instance, you can look at how a belief, idea or attitude is depicted within a text through different characters or devices.

Again, let's explore a concrete example to make things clear: this time the graphic novel “Persepolis”. We'll consider an HLE on how a text  represents the  impact of political turmoil on society .

Chapter 10 of “Persepolis” highlights societal changes occurring due to the Iranian Revolution. The panels below list the authorial choices relevant to the negative representation of political change in a society. When looking at the techniques highlighted in the slides below, think about how you feel when you look at the panels below. Can you sense a more positive or negative feeling?

Cool, but what do we do to turn all this into an actual HL essay? Here is a sample response. The introduction might begin like this:

In the captivating graphic novel “Persepolis,” the author Marjane Satrapi explores the social and political impacts of the Iranian revolution. In particular, Satrapi conveys a disapproving viewpoint on political turmoil within the text. Throughout the graphic novel, Satrapi carefully represents how social isolation, hypocrisy and confusion is experienced by a young girl living in Tehran, as a result of political turmoil.  Example HLE Introduction

Then, in a body paragraph, on one of the key ideas mentioned above, we could analyze the different literary techniques. For example, Panel 1 is a great representation of the experience of confusion in the midst of political turmoil:

Marji is the younger girl pictured in the panels above. While her parents appear quite concerned by the news on the TV, she appears to not be in full comprehension of the cause for their distress. This is demonstrated by the visual imagery and dialogue, in panel 7, for instance, if you observe the facial expressions by each of the characters. Example of analysis in body paragraph

This is just a short example from one particular text. To help you unpack any text, try look for the following when analyzing chapter to chapter:

• What is the main idea of the chapter?
• Why did the author write it? What purpose does it serve?
• What do you believe is the overarching importance of the passage?

Brainstorming Tips

If you're having trouble picking your text and line of inquiry, then use this simple 20-minute process to brainstorm potential questions for your HLE:

• For each text / non-literary work, go through each concept in the table below.
• Write down a question for each of the two prompts for each category.
• Repeat for all of your texts.
• Pick the question-text combination that has the greatest potential for strong analysis.

How do I ensure my HLE question has a good scope?

Choosing a question with good scope is extremely   important, and it's one of the biggest challenges in the HLE. Here's why:

• If your scope is too broad , you may have too much to write about in order to answer the question, and therefore you won't be able to write deep analysis (which is super important–more on this later…)
• If your scope is too narrow , you may not have enough to write about and end up overanalyzing unnecessary and obscure details. Also something to avoid!

So, to help you get the balance just right , here are three examples of HLE questions, specifically for the concept of  Identity which we mentioned in the table above (by the way, the example is a made-up novel for illustration purposes).

• Too broad: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece?”
• Too narrow: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans toward discrimination in the workforce in the 21st century?”
• Just right: “How does Irene Majov in her novel  Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans in the 21st century?”

How to get a 7 on IB English HLE

There are many things that contribute to a 7 in your HLE and your IB English grade overall. But if we had to boil it down to one secret, one essential fact… then it'd have to be this: Get really good at analysis .

Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English. It doesn't matter if it's Paper 1, Paper 2, HLE, IO… You must learn how to analyze quotes at a deep level, and structure your analysis in a way that flows and delights your teachers and examiners.

Start with the basics

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Our free and Pro resources have helped IB English students skyrocket their grade in weeks, days and even overnight...   Learn Analysis for IB English , the simplest guide to a 7 in IB English.

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Finding Quotes

Also, you'll need to find good quotes for your text. Some good sources where you can find relevant quotes include  Goodreads , SparkNotes ,  LitCharts , and Cliffnotes . Of course, you could just find quotes yourself directly–this will ensure your quotes are unique.

Understanding the IB English HLE rubric

An essential step to getting a high mark on the HL Essay is understanding the rubric! It is SO important that you know what IB English examiners are looking for when grading your essay, as this helps you to shape the content of your essay to match (or even exceed) their expectations.

The IB English HL Essay is graded out of 20 marks . There are 4 criteria, each worth 5 marks.

Use the checklist below to make sure you're not making simple mistakes! Note that this is not the official marking criteria, and I strongly recommend that you reading the official rubric provided by your teacher.

Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding, and interpretation

• Accurate summary of text in introduction
• Focused and informative thesis statement
• Effective and relevant quotes
• Relevant and effective summary and ending statement in conclusion

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation

• Relevant analysis of a variety of stylistic features 
• Relevant analysis of tone and/or atmosphere
• Relevant analysis of broader authorial choices i.e. characterization, point of view, syntax, irony, etc.

Criterion C: Focus, organization, and development

• Introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion
• Organized body paragraphs – topic sentence, evidence, concluding statement/link to question
• Appropriate progression of ideas and arguments in which evidence (i.e. quotes) are effectively implemented

Criterion D: Language

• Use expansions (e.g. “do not”) instead of contractions (e.g. “don't”)
• Use of a variety of connecting phrases e.g. “furthermore”, “nonetheless”, “however”, etc.
• Complete sentence structures and subject-verb agreement
• Correct usage of punctuation
• Appropriate register – no slang
• Historic present tense : the use of present tense when recounting past events. For example, we want to write “In  The Hunger Games , Peeta and Katniss work   together to win as a district” instead of using the word “worked”.
• Avoid flowery/dictionary language just to sound smart; it is distracting and difficult to read. As long as you concisely communicate your message using appropriate language, you will score a high mark under this criterion.

Here's everything we discussed:

• IB English HLE is tough work! Start early.
• Brainstorm using the table of concepts to come up with a strong HLE question. Don't give up on this!
• Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English HLE (and in fact all IB English assessment). Check out LitLearn's course  Learn Analysis for IB English   for immediate help on the exact steps to improve in IB English analysis.

Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor 💪

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IB English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA examples

Type a search phrase to find the most relevant English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA examples for you

Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay Internal Assessments below for inspiration.

All English A (Lang & Lit) HL Essay IA Examples

Filter exemplars, how does gabriel garcía márquez’s chronicle of a death foretold explore the connection between cultural norms surrounding female virginity as a marker of honor with issues of gender and power, and what does it reveal about the community, how is symbolism used by marjane satrapi to depict the turbulent society of 20th-century iran in the graphic novel ‘persepolis’., want to get full marks for your ia allow us to review it for you 🎯, how does chimamanda ngozi adichie reveal the social and psychological effects of triple oppression through the main character in her short story “the thing around your neck”, how does jordan peele represent racism in the 21st century in his thriller movie ‘get out’, how does percy shelley’s portrayal of nature in his poem, the cloud, convey his critical perspective on anthropocentrism, fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, how does barbara kruger’s usage of imagery, text, and coloring in her different artworks create relations in order to employ women’s bodies and beauty standards in society, how do angela carter’s short stories in “the bloody chamber” portray gender roles through associations with nature to resist patriarchal and androcentric customs in society, how does the ad agency goodby, silverstein and partners use testimonial technique in their ‘got milk’ print advertising campaign to convey the message of milk being more beneficial and emphasizing its wholesomeness, how does duffy present different perspectives of people in war, how does lauren greenfield portray body image and its effect on identity in generation wealth, how do dimitry moor’s propaganda posters promote the ideologies of socialism to the proletariats of russia, how does süskind’s perfume represent the changing historical epochs of western society through grenouille’s life, how does chekhov use the theme of faith within romantic relationships to commend the evolving pre-bolshevik russian hierarchical class system in agafya (1886) and the lady with the dog (1899), how and to what effect do the motifs of light and darkness represent the presence and interconnectedness of both joy and suffering in banana yoshimoto’s kitchen, how and to what effect do the structural devices in lokasenna’s mimetic dialogue demonstrate the possession and transfer of power between characters, how does beyoncé portray the american black southern identity struggle by reclaiming cultural elements in the visual album lemonade, how does wilfred owen use imagery to address the mental trauma of combat, in what ways does henrik ibsen, in his play, a doll’s house, employ stylistic features to communicate the victorian social codes of the 1870s, in what ways does primo levi’s autobiography, if this is a man, present the difficulties of communication in auschwitz, how does sylvia plath use literary devices in “lady lazarus” and “a birthday present” to deliver the themes of suicidal thoughts and mental illness, jana curcio's exploration of racial generalization leading to the distortion of identity and freedom in the photo collection skin tones: visualize racism, how does the film 'the platform' use metaphors to represent the problem of class hierarchy in society and how this leads to wealth inequality, how does wilfred owen convey the traumatizing experience of war in his poetry, how does angie thomas’ use of symbolism in “the hate u give” explore systemic and structural discrimination of african-americans in 21st-century usa, to what effect did the visual features and captions used in lewis hine’s photographic body of work transform the public’s opinion on child labour in early 20th-century america, how does jonathan swift use satire in a modest proposal to effectively criticise class disparity in 18th-century ireland, how does noviolet bulawayo explore the themes of identity and belonging in three of her selected works: blak power, hitting budapest, and diaspora christmas, how and to what effect does william shakespeare use notions of duplication and duality in hamlet to explore the cyclical adversity of revenge, how does jordan peele convey the intelligence of chris in his film get out to represent the power of resistance, how does nawal el saadawi represent women objectification through the character firdaus and its consequences, how does mark doty explore the concept of liminal space in the poem “atlantis”, how does henrik ibsen portray a woman's identity in a male-oriented society and develops a different perspective of women through nora's character in his play "a doll's house", in her poems, how does szymborska provide a commentary on the dehumanizing process of the progressive concession of identity for capitalistic success, how does el-saadawi’s characterisation of firdaus’ growing resistance in the novel woman at point zero illustrate the struggle for freedom in a patriarchal society in egypt, how does edgar allan poe demonstrate the manifestation of paranoia in his building of unreliable narrators, how does charles dickens represent the theme of industrialisation leading to a loss of identity through setting and character in his novel, "hard times", how does robert browning use structure and symbolism in the poems ‘my last duchess’ and ‘porphyria’s lover’ to criticise victorian society's acceptance of men's control over women, how and why does the intersectionality of gender, race and sexuality in paris is burning play an essential role in the viewers' understanding of new york city's drag scene in the 1980s, to what extent can henrik ibsen’s writing be read as ‘feministic’ through the protagonist’s character in his play “a doll’s house”, how does purple hibiscus by chimamanda ngozi adichie explore the paradoxical relationship between love and violence.

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IB English, the HL Essay: All You Need to Know

Written By Our IB++Tutor Birgitte J.

What You Need to Know

• The HL Essay is a 1200-1500 word formal essay and it is based on a literary work studied as part of the course. You cannot use the same work for the IO or the Paper 2 [1] for this essay.
• In the IB Language and Literature course [2] , the essay can also be based on a non-literary or collection of non literary text(s).
• You develop a line of inquiry , a question that lends itself to an argument focused on how a theme or message is conveyed through literary features.
• The essay is completed in your own time and you should get some feedback from your teacher during the development of the essay.
• You do not have to incorporate secondary sources beyond the text you are working with.

The paper is externally assessed, meaning the final grade given is from the IB Examiner, not from your teacher. However, your teacher will give a predicted grade that is sent to the IB [3] .

How to Approach the Essay

The essay requires you to construct a focused, analytical argument, examining the work from a broad literary or linguistic perspective. It also requires you to adhere to the formal framework of an academic essay, using citations and references.

Connection to the Learner Portfolio

The HL essay is based on the exploration you have engaged with in the Learner Portfolio [4] . In the lead-up to the drafting of the essay, you must decide which text to focus on for further investigation, and which topic to write about. In choosing the topic, you can consult the course’s seven central concepts. You can choose any text with the exception of the texts used for the Internal Assessment (the IO) or the Paper 2.

How to choose a text

Don’t wait until the last minute and talk with your teacher about the text you want to use and the focus you are considering. Write your ideas out to make sure your line of inquiry is focused and appropriate for an analytical argument of a paper of this length.

In the case of a collection of short stories, poems, song lyrics or any short literary text, you may choose to use just one literary text from the work. However, It may be necessary to use more than one literary text from the work chosen.

The Language and Literature course only *

In the case of short non-literary texts, it may be necessary to use more than one from the same text type by the same author, for example the same creative advertising agency, cartoonist, photographer or social media user. At least one of these texts must have been studied in class. (If using a text in translation it must be a professional and published translation).

Determining the Topic and the 7 Course Concepts

It’s helpful but not mandatory to start with the seven central concepts of the course in generating or determining a topic for the essay. The questions below are meant as starting points for the focus of the essay, not as complete lines of inquiry which should be more specific to the chosen text (see examples of lines of inquiry below).

Questions may include; How is identity represented in the text? How are the characters in the text representative of a group? How does the text reflect the identity of the writer?

Questions may include; How is an aspect of the text representative of a culture or a particular place? How is a group of people or an institution conveyed? How is the text representative of a cultural perspective?

3-Creativity

Questions may include; How is the text representative of an individual or collective creativity, or lack of creativity? How is the text a reflection of the creativity of the writer?

4-Communication

How is communication or lack of communication conveyed in the text? How does the text itself communicate with the reader? How are aspects of communication illustrated through literary features?

5-Transformation

How is change or development illustrated in the text? How are characters transformed through action, communication or events in the text? What is the relationship between transformation and the goals, values and beliefs conveyed in the text?

6-Perspective

How is a perspective or different perspectives represented in the text? How is a shift in perspective portrayed? How is the writer’s perspective revealed through the text?

7-Representation

How does the text represent a particular theme or message? How are attitudes conveyed? In what way is reality or the world within the text represented?

IB English Language and Literature Guide examples of lines of inquiry

• Identity —how does Ralph Ellison, in his novel Invisible Man, succeed in making his narrator a convincing spokesperson for the concerns of African-Americans in the 20th century?
• Culture —how does Robert Capa represent post-Second World War France to qualify/exemplify the brutalities of the French population on former Nazi collaborators in La Femme Tondue? (Language A: language and literature only)
• Creativity —how do Mario Testino’s portraits manage to convey the personalities of those portrayed in original ways? (Language A: language and literature only)
• Communication– which view of love does Matt Groening convey in Love is Hell? (Language A: language and literature only)
• Transformation– in what ways does The Alan Parsons Project’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination offer a transformative re-reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s tales?
• Perspective– how does Mary Shelley’s protagonist in Frankenstein use the motif of dangerous knowledge to show the perspective of fear and anxiety of excesses in scientific enterprise in early 19th century Europe?
• Representation– through what means does Juan Rulfo successfully convey the representation of realistic and non-realistic characters and situations in Pedro Páramo?​

A Final Note on the Learner Portfolio and the HL Essay

The Learner Portfolio is not assessed but schools are required to keep it on file. It is intended to be a platform for reflecting on the texts studied, facilitating development of independent thinking. The reflections may include responses to cultural perspectives and values, inter-relationships and identities as it relates to topics and themes in the texts studied. The reflections may serve as a springboard for the line of inquiry in the HL essay. For example, you may keep a record of themes present, reflections on how particular passages within the texts reflect those themes, or how themes and passages convey one of the 7 central concepts.

[1] Paper 2 is cancelled for the 2022 cohort. No announcement has been made for the 2023 at the time this article was written.

[2] There are 3 IB English courses. The two most common are IB English A: Literature SL/HL, a course focused on literature (Poetry, drama, short stories and novels) and the IB English Language and Literature SL/HL course, focused on literature AND a variety of non-literary (non-fiction) text types.

[3] The examiner’s grade is independent from your teacher’s predicted grade.

[4] An individual collection of student work compiled during the course in which you explore and reflect on the texts throughout the course.

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Call for essays: language and literature

Calling all Diploma Programme (DP) alumni! We are looking for graduates and students, like you, to help the IB create a sample set of essays for an upcoming new Study in language and literature courses: the higher level (HL) essay. We need sample HL essays in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, German, Japanese and Turkish covering 16 different topics!

Show off your writing and set an example for future IB students.  Submit a proposal  by 30 June 2018 (extended from May) to write an original 1,200-1,500-word essay on a topic you choose within the categories of language and literature, or just Literature (full details below). If your proposal is selected, completed essays will be awarded a USD 50 Amazon gift card. 

ESSAY PROPOSAL FORM

What is the HL essay?

The HL essay is a component that requires candidates to write a 1200-1500 word formal essay, following a line of inquiry of their own choice into one of the texts studied. HL Language A: language and literature candidates will have a choice between writing about a non-literary or literary text.

Why was it added to the course?

The development of the HL essay followed the elimination of both written tasks and the written assignment in Studies in language and literature courses. Without those components, there would no longer be written coursework targeting research, editing and citation skills that are of such importance for university courses.  The essay also differentiates further between SL and HL, asking HL candidates to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the nature of linguistic or literary study.

What topic should my essay discuss? (choose one from either)

Language and literature

• On a number of columns by one same columnist
• On an advertising campaign
• On the body of work of a photographer
• On a biography
• On a collection of essays
• On a TV series or a film
• On a blog or any other electronic text
• On a series of articles by one same writer

Or  Literature

• On a work of poetry
• On a work of fiction
• On a work of non-fiction
• On a work of drama
• On a graphic novel
• On a group of songs by one same author
• On a work of poetry in translation
• On a work in translation

In what language should my essay be written?

We need essays in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, German, Japanese and Turkish.

What is the deadline?

Submit your  proposal  no later than 30 June 2018, though earlier is recommended. We will review proposals on a rolling basis and contact you individually with additional details and a deadline for the final essay.

Why DP graduates?

We need creative and original examples to guide students; we know you have the skills to do this! Show off your writing and set an example for future IB students.  Submit a proposal  for an original 1,200-1,500-word essay on a topic you choose within either the categories of Language and literature, or just Literature. If your proposal is selected and you submit a completed essay, you may be eligible to receive a USD 50 Amazon gift card .

What concept should I use as a starting point for the essay?

To guide students in their choice of topic, we recommend using the seven central concepts in the course as a starting point for developing a line of inquiry. These concepts are listed here:

The representation of the identity of a particular character or group of characters in the work, or on the way in which the work relates to the identity of the writer

The representation of the culture of a particular place, institution or group of people, or on the way in which the work itself relates to a particular culture.

The representation of the individual or collective creativity, or lack of creativity, within the work, or on the way in which the work represents the creativity of the writer.

Communication

The representation of acts of communication, or failures in communication, in the work, or on the way in which the work itself represents an act of communication.

Transformation

The representation of transformation or transformative acts in the work, or on the way in which the work itself is a transformative act either of other works through intertextual reference to them or of reality by means of a transformative effect on the reader’s identity, relationships, goals, values, and beliefs.

Perspective

The representation of a particular perspective or perspectives within the work, or on the way in which the work represents the writer’s perspective.

Representation

The way in which the work represents different themes, attitudes and concepts, or in the extent to which literature can actually represent reality.

Questions or comments? Write to [email protected] .

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IBDP English A: Language & Literature

Website by David McIntyre & Tim Pruzinsky

Updated 28 March 2024

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