General

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Syllabus Overview

Higher Level

Assessment	Text	Format	Task	Time	%
Paper 1	Two literary	Previously unseen	Two written analyses	2 h 15 min	35%
Paper 2	Two literary	Studied in class	One written analysis on one of four prompts	1 h 45 min	25%
HL Essay	One literary	Studied in class	One written analysis on a topic of student’s choice (1200-1500 words)		20%
Individual Oral	One original and one translation	Studied in class	One oral analysis on a global issue	15 min	20%

Standard Level

Assessment	Text	Format	Task	Time	%
Paper 1	Two literary	Previously unseen	One written analysis on one of two texts	1 h 15 min	35%
Paper 2	Two literary	Studied in class	One written analysis on one of four prompts	1 h 45 min	25%
Individual Oral	One original and one translation	Studied in class	One oral analysis on a global issue	15 min	20%

Assessment Criteria

Paper 1

1. Curricula

Stylistic Choices (non-literary)

Analogy	a logical comparison of one relationship to another a sword is to a warrior as a pen is to a writer orbits of electrons in an atom to the orbits of planets
Anecdote	a brief personal experience that a writer recounts to demonstrate knowledge or that a reader can relate to
Colloquialism	any use of language, word choice or sentence structure, that belongs to a casual environment and not to a formal one; slang “go for it,” “a big deal,” “props,” “lit,” “high,” “wasted”
Contrast	the use of two opposing ideas or images for easier understanding or for emphasis the darkest hour is just before the dawn
Diction	a particular choice of words to convey a positive or negative connotation—a certain emotion or image that a word implies “vintage” vs. “old,” “clique” vs. “group”
Ethos	an appeal to the writer’s credibility, either through a sense of ethics or through a sense of authority from expert knowledge, including the use of statistics and citations Doctors all over the world recommend this treatment.
Euphemism	an innocuous expression that replaces an unpleasant idea or image dead → “passed away,” fired → “downsizing”
Figurative language	any use of language to represent another meaning that is different from the literal definition “the world is your oyster” “the writing is on the wall” note: common types of figurative language include metaphor, simile, hyperbole, and personification
Humour	the use of a joke or funny statement to alleviate the seriousness of the subject or to facilitate understanding
Jargon	vocabulary used in a specific field or by a specific group; technical terms “matter” in chemistry, “demand” in economics
Logos	an appeal to logic, including inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
Pathos	an appeal to emotion, such as sorrow, fear, and sympathy the expression “the motherland” appeals to a sense of patriotism
Proverb	a well-known saying that expresses an idea about life, often clichéd “slow and steady wins the race” “haste makes waste”

Repetition	repeating certain words, ideas, or images for emphasis “that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” (“Gettysburg Address”) note: there are more specific terms for different types of repetition, such as anaphora and polysyndeton, but for the most part, repetition should be sufficient
Rhetorical question	a question that is not intended to be answered but to make a point “What’s in a name?” (Romeo and Juliet) the title of the TV show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Sarcasm	the use of language for its opposite meaning in order to criticize or to mock “Tell me something I don’t know.” “Good job, Sherlock.”
Structure	a particular choice in the organization and development of a text for dramatic effect or for easier understanding the short story “Indian Camp” begins and ends on a lake
Syntax	a particular choice in sentence structure to create emphasis, rhythm, or emotion “There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung” (“All You Need Is Love”)

2. Stylistic Choices

Fundamental question to consider when studying literature, or when studying any form of art: Why should we care about characters or events that are fictional and not real?

What fiction provides:	What fiction does NOT provide:
• entertainment / excitement	• lesson / moral
• personal connection / outlet	• message from author to reader
• experiences beyond our lives	• policy / solution
• emotional investment	• how to live / what to do in real life
• historical or cultural insight
• social awareness
• something to take away

To summarize, what fiction provides is theme, any idea or concept central to a work of art. Even though the plot—the physical, literal events of a story—is fictional, the theme is very much relevant in the real world.

For instance, the Harry Potter series contains numerous details—spells, potions, magical creatures—that do not portray the world in which we live. However, the fictional plot of Harry Potter offers depictions of love and death which are certainly important, meaningful aspects of our world.

In other words, the theme connects a fictional story to our world. Ask yourself, What can I find in this story that is meaningful in real life? There is NO single right answer to this question. Even the same idea can be expressed in different words or phrases. Any aspect of life that concerns us humans and is implied by the plot can be considered a theme. A literary work does NOT explicitly state its themes; instead, it uses the plot to show its themes.

Since a literary work conveys multiple themes, perhaps the best way to approach literature is to identify two or three overarching themes and examine the ways in which key characters, scenes, and symbols link to these themes.

This type of critical thinking leads us to literary analysis. The first time you read a literary work, you are focused on tracking the plot; in order to analyze the themes and the ways that the themes are portrayed, it is essential to read the literary work for a second or even third time.

3. Theme

Literary Terms

Allegory	a work that represents real-life, non-fictional issues or events Animal Farm for the Russian Revolution of 1917
Atmosphere / Mood	the feeling or emotion that a narrative conveys to a reader “There was no moon, and everything beneath lay in misty darkness: not a light gleamed from any house, far or near all had been extinguished long ago: and those at Wuthering Heights were never visible.” (Wuthering Heights)
Flashback	a scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story The Great Gatsby as Nick’s memories, the Pensieve in Harry Potter, the narrative structure of Memento
Foreshadowing	a hint regarding events that will take place later Regulus Black as R.A.B. in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Frame story	a story within a story, or a play within a play the story of Pyramus and Thisbe in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Imagery	the use of vivid, descriptive language to appeal to one of the five senses “It was a rimy morning, and very damp. I had seen the damp lying on the outside of my little window… Now, I saw the damp lying on the bare hedges and spare grass… On every rail and gate, wet lay clammy; and the marsh-mist was so thick.” (Great Expectations) sight → visual imagery hearing → auditory imagery smell → olfactory imagery taste → gustatory imagery touch → tactile imagery
Synesthesia	the use of language to appeal to more than one of the five senses at the same time “Back to the region where the sun is silent.” (Inferno) “In some melodious plot, Of beechen green, Singest of summer in full throated ease.” (“Ode to a Nightingale”)
In media res	a technique in which a narrative begins in the chronological middle of the plot, a characteristic of epic poems Iliad, Odyssey
Juxtaposition	the placement of two contrasting concepts, characters, or images next to each other to create a contrast “Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe.” (Othello) note: juxtaposition is largely interchangeable with contrast

Metafiction	a work of fiction with an awareness that it is a story, reminding the reader of this fictional quality Deadpool, The Handmaid’s Tale, Dracula
Motif	a recurring idea significant in a work the American Dream in The Great Gatsby, ambition in Macbeth note: a motif is largely interchangeable with theme, and which term you use for a certain idea depends on the argument of the essay
Parody	an imitation intended to mock or to criticize the original work Charlie Chaplin’s impersonation of Adolf Hitler in The Great Dictator
Satire	a work that criticizes individuals, governments, or societies in humorous and exaggerated ways Gulliver’s Travels, South Park, Saturday Night Live note: although they are very similar, a parody tends to have a specific target that it mocks while a satire tends to be an original work
Suspense / Tension	the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to a mystery the Hallowe’en night in To Kill a Mockingbird
Symbolism	the use of important objects—symbols—to signify ideas or qualities the mockingjay for the rebellion in The Hunger Games the Horcruxes and the Hallows for death in Harry Potter note: a motif tends to be an abstract idea while a symbol tends to be a physical object
Tone / Voice	the attitude of the writer or the narrator towards a subject matter or towards the audience “If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late? Nobody.” (The Catcher in the Rye) note: atmosphere refers to what the reader feels while tone refers to the perspective of the writer or the first-person narrator
Three types of irony:
Dramatic irony	the audience or reader is aware of something critical in the story, but the characters are not in Oedipus Rex, the audience knows that Oedipus has killed his father and married his mother, but Oedipus does not
Situational irony	a sharp, often humorous discrepancy between the expected result and the actual result in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wizard is revealed to be a fraud
Verbal irony	a statement whose intended meaning is drastically different from its literal or ostensible meaning; sarcasm “as clear as mud”

Character

Protagonist	the central character of the narrative Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, Hamlet, Holden Caulfield, Simba
Antagonist	the character who opposes the protagonist Voldemort, Darth Vader, Iago, Thanos, Scar
Antihero	a protagonist who is morally ambiguous and may do the right thing but not necessarily for the right reasons Alex in A Clockwork Orange, Deadpool in Deadpool
Dynamic character	a character who changes over the course of the work
Static character	a character who does not change
Everyman	a character who is ordinary but faces extraordinary circumstances Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four
Foil	a character who contrasts with another in order to highlight a particular quality in the pair of characters Voldemort for Harry in Harry Potter, Laertes for Hamlet in Hamlet
Round character	a character who is complex, with many different characteristics
Flat character	a character who is uncomplicated, with only one distinctive quality
Stock character	a stereotypical character who is easily recognized the superhero (Superman, Captain America) the mad scientist (Dr. Frankenstein in Frankenstein)
Tragic hero	a character who possesses moral qualities and is capable of noble action, but ends up in tragic circumstances and commits wrongs Macbeth in Macbeth, Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars
Tragic flaw (hamartia)	the quality that causes the downfall of a tragic hero Macbeth’s ambition in Macbeth Stannis’s righteousness in A Song of Ice and Fire note: hubris refers to pride as a tragic flaw

Point of View

First-person	a narrator relays events from his or her own point of view using the first-person pronoun, “I” or “we”
Third-person omniscient	a narrator who is not one of the characters has knowledge of everything in the story
Third-person limited	a narrator who is not one of the characters follows only a specific number of focal characters
Free indirect speech	a third-person narrative that conveys a character’s thoughts without interruption in the narration “As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive – no, looking at the sign; cats couldn’t read maps or signs.” (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone)
Alternating point of view	a style in which the point of view alternates between first- and third-person, or among multiple characters A Song of Ice and Fire
Stream-of-consciousness	a method of narration in which a character’s thoughts and feelings are depicted as they pass through the mind “a quarter after what an unearthly hour I suppose theyre just getting up in China now combing out their pigtails for the day well soon have the nuns ringing the angelus theyve nobody coming in to spoil their sleep except an odd priest or two for his night office the alarmlock next door at cockshout clattering the brains out of itself let me see if I can doze off 1 2 3 4 5 what kind of flowers are those they invented like the stars the wallpaper in Lombard street was much nicer the apron he gave me was like that something only I only wore it twice better lower this lamp and try again so that I can get up early” (Ulysses)
Unreliable narrator	a narrator whose credibility is in doubt due to his or her bias, ignorance, insanity, or dishonesty Humbert Humbert in Lolita, the unnamed narrator of “The Tell-Tale Heart” note: since every person possesses some level of bias, one could argue that all first-person narrators are unreliable

4. Literary Terms

Annotating a non-literary passage

1. Begin with fundamental details → writer, title, text type, context, topic

•

What information is provided about the writer?

•

To what extent do the details of when and where the passage was published affect its contents?

•

Expressed in as few words as possible, what is the topic?

2. Identify the purpose of the passage

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What is the passage trying to say or achieve regarding its topic?

5. Annotation

Literature Paper 1

Example: literary analysis

Introduction

1. General observation

2. Author’s name and title of the piece in relation to the General observation

3. Thesis statement

Breaking down each step

6. Essay Organization w/ Sample Paragraphs