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1. Overview

The IB English A: Language and Literature Paper 2 is a crucial component of the course that challenges students to engage in a comparative analysis of two studied literary works in response to a broad prompt, which may focus on themes, characterization, stylistic features, or cultural contexts. Students are required to write a well-structured essay, drawing on their knowledge of the texts without access to them during the exam.
Paper 2 emphasizes critical thinking, encouraging students to explore similarities and differences between texts, analyze authorial choices, and construct coherent arguments supported by relevant textual references. This guide provides comprehensive insights, from understanding the expectations of Paper 2 to structuring essays effectively, with sample responses to help students achieve a strong performance.
Higher Level
Standard Level

2. Time Management During Exam

Effective time management is crucial to complete your essay without rushing.
Recommended Breakdown:
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5–10 Minutes: Plan
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10 Minutes: Write the Introduction
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60–70 Minutes: Write the Body
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10 Minutes: Write the Conclusion
2.1 What is the Paper 2?
Understanding authorial choices is crucial when preparing for and writing the Paper 2 essay because it allows students to analyze how and why writers convey meaning through their works. By examining various elements, students can uncover the writers’ intentions, contextual influences, and the impact on the audience, which strengthens the analysis and makes arguments more persuasive. Furthermore, demonstrating an awareness of authorial techniques aligns with IB assessment criteria, ensuring a well-rounded and high-scoring essay.

1. Characterization

Characterization refers to how authors construct and develop their characters. This can include direct description, dialogue, actions, internal thoughts, or interactions with other characters. Strong essays delve into how these choices build relationships, reflect norms, or reveal themes.
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Types of Characters: Consider protagonists, antagonists, minor characters, and symbolic figures.
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Methods of Characterization:
3.
Dynamic vs. Static Characters: Analyze how (or if) characters evolve throughout the text, reflecting shifts in themes or ideas.
Tip: When comparing characterization across two works, focus on how the methods differ and why. For example, one author might use a first-person narrator to provide intimate insight, while another might rely on dialogue to reveal relationships and conflicts.

2. Setting

Setting refers to the time, place, and context in which a story unfolds. Through the use of setting, authors can create mood, influence character development, and highlight themes. Strong essays delve into how these choices shape the plot, providing deeper insight into the psychological or emotional states of characters.
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Physical Location: Consider how the physical environment in which characters interact serves as a metaphor for the characters' emotional states or societal conditions, and also how it reflect themes of confinement, freedom, or isolation
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Time Period & Society: Understand how the historical time and cultural context in which a story takes place shape characters’ behaviors, values, and relationships. The power structures, social norms, and expectations of a given time influence the choices characters make and often define the conflicts within the story.
Tip: When comparing the use of setting across two works, focus on how the authors utilize the time period, physical location, and/or societal context to reinforce themes or character development (why). For example, one author may choose a decaying, isolated environment to symbolize a character’s internal decay or sense of entrapment, while another might use a vibrant, bustling city to reflect a character’s ambition or struggle for identity.
2.2 Authorial Choices
Understanding the different types of Paper 2 prompts is crucial because it allows you to approach the exam with a clear strategy. Each prompt demands a specific focus and recognizing these distinctions and your strengths in advance enables you to select the prompt that aligns best with your analytical skills and familiarity with the texts. Being aware of the main focus of the prompt will maximize your chances of demonstrating deep understanding and critical thinking under timed conditions.

1. Authorial Technique Questions

Prompts focusing on formal and stylistic elements typically require you to base your analysis on a specific authorial choice, examining how it shapes meaning and influences the reader's experience.
Examples of such prompts include:
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“To what effect is contrast and/or juxtaposition used in the two works you have studied?”
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“Analyze the role non-human elements play in the two works you have studied.”
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“How do the authors use symbolism to convey their messages in the two works you have studied?”

2. Theme or Philosophical/Moral Questions

Prompts focusing on themes and concepts typically explore the underlying ideas or messages within the texts. These prompts often include keywords such as "justice," "identity," "conflict," or "power."
Examples of such prompts include:
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“Discuss the ways in which philosophical or aesthetic ideas are represented in the two works you have studied.”
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"Explore the theme of power and corruption in the two works you have studied."
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“Discuss the pursuit of happiness in the two works you have studied.”
2.3 Types of Prompts
Choosing the right texts for Paper 2 is crucial as it directly impacts the depth and quality of your analysis under timed conditions. A text you fully understand will allow you to recall key moments, literary techniques, and authorial intentions with ease. This familiarity makes it easier to construct a well-supported argument, integrate meaningful comparisons, and respond flexibly to different types of prompts.

1. Checklist for Choosing Text(s)

When selecting each text individually for Paper 2, consider the following factors to ensure you can analyze it effectively across different types of prompts:
1. Text Engagement
Have I read the entire text on my own, rather than just summaries or class discussions?
Do I feel confident that I understand the story, characters, and themes without needing to rely on outside explanations?
Was this a text I enjoyed studying, making it easier for me to recall details and write an analysis on an unseen prompt?
2. Authorial Choices and Intent
Can I explain why the author wrote this text and what central ideas or messages they wanted to convey?
Do I understand how the historical, cultural, or social context influenced the author’s perspective?
2.4 Choosing 2 Works of Study and Best Prompt

1. Introduction

The introduction sets the tone for your essay and establishes your argument. A strong introduction demonstrates your understanding of the prompt and outlines your comparative approach.
5 Step Guide to Writing a Strong Introduction:
1.
Contextualize the Prompt:
Example: For the prompt “How do the two works you have studied show that good can come out of destruction or violence?” you might write: “Destruction and violence have long been integral to storytelling, not merely as forces of devastation but as catalysts for transformation, revealing the resilience of the human spirit.”
2.
Introduce the Texts:
Example: “In both A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen and The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the resolution of conflict and the resulting character development suggest that good can emerge from destruction, ultimately offering readers a sense of resilience and renewal.”
3.
Summarize Each Text in 1-2 Sentences:
4.
State Your Thesis:
Example: “Although the type of destruction and social context are vastly different in each work, both authors communicate that good can consequently result from destruction through the growth of the protagonist and the development of their relationship with other characters.”
5.
(Optional) Outline Your Key Authorial Choices:
Example: “This will be explored through the use of symbolism, narrative structure, and character development.”

2.1 Structuring the Body Paragraphs

2.5 Structuring the Essay
Prompt: Compare how two writers you have studied choose to begin their works, and the ways in which each beginning connects to the work as a whole.

Context

Text 1: Atonement by Ian McEwan
Freytag’s Pyramid (Plot)
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Exposition: In 1935 England, 13-year-old Briony Tallis (protagonist and antagonist), an aspiring writer, misinterprets interactions between her older sister Cecilia and the housekeeper’s son, Robbie Turner, believing him to be a threat.
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Rising Action: Briony falsely accuses Robbie of assaulting her cousin Lola, leading to his arrest and imprisonment. This accusation alters the course of multiple lives, as Robbie is later sent to fight in World War II while Cecilia, who loves him, distances herself from her family.
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Climax: Robbie struggles to survive the war, making his way to Dunkirk, while Cecilia waits for him in London. Meanwhile, Briony, now older and remorseful, realizes the extent of her mistake and desires to atone.
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Falling Action: Briony visits Cecilia and Robbie, seeking forgiveness, but they reject her apology. She decides to become a nurse and later a writer, using her craft as a means of redemption.
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Resolution: An elderly Briony reveals that in reality, Robbie died at Dunkirk and Cecilia perished in the Blitz. The happy ending she wrote for them was a fictionalized attempt at atonement, as she could never truly undo the harm she caused.
McEwan’s Intention:
McEwan plays with narrative structure to make readers question the reliability of storytellers, including Briony and even himself as an author. With a metafictional twist, he explores how literature shapes reality and whether storytelling can serve as a form of moral reckoning. Ultimately, Atonement forces readers to confront the limits of forgiveness and the inescapable weight of past mistakes.
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Central themes: subjectivity of truth and perspective, power of storytelling, guilt and redemption, class and social inequality.
Text 2: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Freytag’s Pyramid (Plot)
2.6 Exemplar A: Technique Question
Prompt: What questions about power has your study of two works of literature raised?

Context

Text 1. “The Company of Wolves” by Angela Carter from The Bloody Chamber
Freytag’s Pyramid (Plot)
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Exposition: The setting is a winter landscape, and the narrative introduces the dangers of the wolves that lurk in the forest. A young anonymous girl, dressed in a red shawl, sets out on a journey to visit her grandmother.
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Rising Action: On her way, she encounters a handsome, charming huntsman. He challenges her to a race to her grandmother’s house, wagering that he will get there before her. The girl, intrigued and confident, agrees to the wager, allowing suspense to build as the huntsman rushes ahead so that she could kiss him as his reward for winning.
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Climax: When the girl arrives at the grandmother’s house, she finds that the huntsman has already arrived and killed her grandmother, revealing himself to be a werewolf.
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Falling Action: Instead of succumbing to fear, the girl seduces the werewolf, using her confidence and sexuality as a means of survival. She tames him, showing no fear, and embraces her new reality.
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Resolution: The girl and the werewolf spend the night together, marking a transformation in her role from prey to an empowered figure. The ending suggests a blending of human and animal instincts, challenging traditional fairy tale morality and emphasizing themes of female agency and sexuality.
Carter’s Intention:
Carter’s retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood” challenges traditional fairy tales that often depict women as passive victims who must be rescued. She reinterprets Red Riding Hood’s coming of age journey as one of sexual awakening that symbolizes her rejection of patriarchal fear and control. The ending suggests a blending of human and animal instincts, questioning rigid distinctions between civilization and savagery.
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Central themes: female empowerment, allure of the unknown, subversion of fairy tale tropes, transformation
Text 2. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
Freytag’s Pyramid (Plot)
2.7 Exemplar B: Theme Question