PAPER ONE
REVISION HELP
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
PAPER ONE
You need to be able to do the following:
Identify the intended audience and purpose of different types of text
Understand the differences between the content and the theme of a text Describe the tone and mood of a text using appropriate vocabulary Identify several common stylistic devices, employed by writers, specific to a
genre Clearly identify how the stylistic devices position readers Confidently use the language of critical literacy to comment on a text Use the language of comparison to write an analytical comparative essay Plan a paper one Write analytically
EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING TEXTS THROUGH THE LENS OF THE ‘BIG FIVE’
1. Audience and purpose2. Content and theme3. Tone and mood4. Stylistic devices5. Structure
Advertisement autobiography biography brochureCartoon diary drama script editorialFeature article guide instructions letter of applicationNovel editorial opinion column posterPress release report review short storySong lyrics speech transcribed interview travel writingPersonal letter
Analytical Tools for Close Reading
Analytical Tools Guiding QuestionsAudience & Purpose Who wrote the text?
Who was it written for?Why did the writer write it?
What did he/she want the reader to ‘get’?
Content & Theme What is the situation in the text?What is the underlying idea the writer
wants to convey?Tone & Mood What is the tone of the speaker/writer?
How does the writer want the reader to feel from reading the text?
Stylistic devices and techniques What devices and techniques are used to convey the content and theme?
Structure What type of text is it?How does the structure help convey the
meaning?
TOOLS FOR CRITICAL READINGTo the IB, being a critical reader means to:
Demonstrate a critical understanding of the various ways in which the reader constructs meaning and of how context influences this constructed meaning
Demonstrate an understanding of how different perspectives influence the reading of a text
Demonstrate an ability to analyse the effects of language, structure, technique and style on the reader
Demonstrate an ability to compare and contrast the formal elements, content and context of texts
Discuss the different ways in which language and image may be used in a range of texts
Demonstrate an ability to evaluate conflicting viewpoints within and about a text
Demonstrate an ability to discuss and analyse texts in a focused and logical manner
(Taken from the IB’s Language A: Language and Literature Guide, 2011)
In order to develop the above skills, you should always ask yourself these important questions when reading a text:
1. What are the main points the author is making (summary)?
2. What is the author’s purpose for writing the text (to persuade? to entertain? to inform?)?
3. What connections or contradictions can be made to other works (compare and contrast)?
4. What is the effect of the text on the reader? How might this change depending on the identity of the reader?
5. What features of the text (structure, images, layout) are significant? Why?
6. What is your opinion of the text? What new and interesting ideas did you learn?
7. What questions or concerns are you left with, or what conclusions have you drawn after reading the text?
Essential Literary Terms
Alliteration: the repetition of initial consonant sounds in words to create an effect [Example: Merry maids a-milking]
Allusion: a reference within a literary text to some person, place, or event outside the text.
Analepsis: more commonly known as a “flashback”
Analogy: a comparison based upon a similarity between two things. It can function as an extended simile or metaphor.
Anaphora: a figure of speech in which a word or words are repeated, usually at the beginning of successive sentences or lines of verse.
Example: In every cry of every manIn every infant’s cry of fearIn every vice, in every banThe mind-forg’d manacles I hear.
William Blake, London
Assonance: the repetition of a vowel sound in words to create an effect[Example: Lazy, hazy days]
Atmosphere: the mood or tone created by describing the characters and the setting in a piece of writing
Blank Verse: a form of poetry which does not rhyme
Consonance: a form of rhyme in which the vowels are the same but pronounced differently [Example: love, prove]
Enjambment: the running on of thought in poetry, from one line or couplet to the next
Foreshadowing: a hint of events to come or later developments
Free Verse: poetry without a rhythmic pattern or rhyme
Hyperbole: deliberate and absurd exaggeration for effect[Example: It’s raining cats and dogs.]
Imagery: the images evoked by the author’s descriptions to enhance the readers’ understanding; images may involve all of the five senses or may be figurative
Internal Rhyme: the rhyming of two or more words in a single line[Example: The mate, that fate had me created for ~Johnny Mercer, That Old Black Magic~]
Irony: the meaning the speaker or writer intends to convey is different from the literal meaning
Metaphor: a device often used in poetry in which one thing is described in terms of another
Mood: the emotion of a piece of writing created by the writer
Motif: a recurring theme, idea, image throughout a literary work
Onomatopoeia: the sounds of the words used resemble their meaning[Example: splat!]
Oxymoron: a combination of words or terms that appear contradictory[Example: working holiday]
Paradox: an apparent contradiction that asserts the truth[Example: the last shall be first]
Pathetic Fallacy: giving human feelings to objects in nature
Personification: giving human qualities to inanimate objects, ideas, or animals
Repetition: a literary device used as a function of emphasis
Rhyme: words with the same terminal sounds; often used at the end of lines of poetry
Rhythm: a regular pattern or flow of language, usually in poetry
Setting: the place, time, and culture in which the action of a narrative takes place
Simile: a comparison, using the words “like” or “as”, between two things which may be dissimilar
Stanza: a group of lines in a poem; similar to a paragraph in prose
Style: the literary devices used by an author in constructing text
Suspense: a build up of events to capture the attention of the audience until the outcome is revealed
Symbolism: the use of images and symbols to represent complex ideas
Synecdoche: a figure of speech in which the part stands for the whole or the whole for the part.
[Example: in “brave hearts and steady hands,” hearts and hands stand for people. In “the police are investigating the case,” the police stands for some police.]
Theme: the central point about which the text is composed
Tone: a reflection of the attitude of the writer
WRITING A TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
You have already had practice writing a comparative commentary last year in MYP 5. This handout will help refresh your skills and add to the skills you acquired last year.
PRE-WRITING STEPS
STEP #1: Read both pieces several times until you know what each is about quite well. Choose the text that you will write about. As mentioned in class, mark up the pages, labeling the literary devices and what stands out for you as the reader. Make a note of the text’s purpose, audience, tone, point of view, diction, syntax, imagery and time period written. Your texts should be covered in writing, underlining and colors!
STEP #2: Make detailed notes about the main ideas you will focus on, and what evidence (direct quotations or paraphrasing) from the text will be used to support
these points. You will still have a thesis for a textual analysis that will be your main point of analysis. Think of a thesis based on your rough notes and the main theme or idea that is presented in the piece.
Here are some things to focus on for the textual analysis. Discuss as many of them as possible – this will obviously be more than a five-paragraph endeavor:
Content and Purpose: Talk about the theme and meaning in the piece. Are they implicit (hidden) or explicit (clear)? It is important to state the purpose of the piece, such as to entertain, to inform, or it could have a commercial purpose in the case of advertisements or travel logs. Who is the intended audience? Also, say whether it is objective or subjective, with justification such as a quote showing that the writer includes her or his personal opinions. When was the piece written?
Point of view: It is necessary to determine whether the writer is the narrator of the piece, then determine her/his relationship to the reader. The author could take up a superior, distance stance or a more intimate relationship, but remember to explain why (e.g. "to stir the reader's emotions by getting close to them"). And don't forget a quotation to show what you're talking about. You can also mention whether it is first-person or third-person, whether the writer is omniscient, and if we can trust them.
Tone: Read the pieces well to determine the tone (acrimonious, joyous, sardonic, pompous, pensive, etc). Use quotes to show your conclusion. Explain what effect this has on you as the reader. Does the tone change?
Diction: Are there active or passive verbs, superlatives, lots of adjectives? Explain why the writer might have chosen this sort of diction. Technical pieces usually have jargon e.g. a sports article, a set of instructions. Are there any diction motifs? For instance: a diction motif of hell can be shown by words like fire, flame, and torturous heat.
Imagery: Pick out figurative devices in the piece. Or perhaps it has none, and only displays literal images like “the black cat leaped onto the sofa”. Why is this? Imagery can be useful in persuasive pieces to appeal to the audience, by formulating images in their minds.
Syntax: Does the writer use short sentences or long extended ones? What is the writer's intention by doing this? Consider if the sentences have subordinate clauses; these may make sentences cumbersome or awkward, or even drawn out and meditative. How could this help the writer achieve her/his purpose?
Conclusion. Did the writer achieve her/his purpose well? Include a personal opinion such as "I feel the writer of the text succeeded in entertaining the audience using heightened tone, lots of imagery, and diverse syntax."
WRITING STEPS
STEP #3: Write your introduction. The introduction should be brief – no more than 100 words. State what the text is and its genre (article, poem, etc). State what the main point of the text is – this will be your thesis. Then state what you will be analyzing throughout your commentary. For instance "In this commentary, I will analyze the content and purpose, point of view, tone, diction, imagery, and syntax of the text."
STEP #4: Write the body of your textual analysis. You should have at least 4 or 5 body paragraphs. Remember to focus of not only the literary and figurative devices used, but why the author uses them – for what purpose? This is the main purpose of the textual analysis.
Each body paragraph should include evidence. A good way to ensure that each paragraph is complete is to follow the format of Point – Proof (quotation)- Comment (PPC)
Example body paragraph: The author conveys the idea of fear and terror when he refers to the house as "desperately dark" and this use of alliteration emphasizes the main character's feelings as he enters the house.
STEP #5: Write your conclusion. When you have mentioned all your key points, you need to end with a short conclusion. Did you find the text effective? What was the message of the text? Was it effectively conveyed to you, the audience? Include your personal opinion of the text here.
Post-Writing Steps
STEP #6: EDIT, EDIT, EDIT. If this is a summative assessment, you should be writing at least one draft before you begin your final copy for submission. If this is on an exam, AIS or IB, leave yourself enough time to read over your paper, check for errors and clarity.
STEP #7: Relax! You are done!
TRANSITIONAL WORDS & PHRASES
Agreement / Addition / Similarity
The transitional devices like also, in addition, and, likewise, add information, reinforce ideas and express agreement with preceding material.
in the first place
not only ... but also
as a matter of fact
in like manner
in addition
coupled with
in the same fashion / way
first, second, third
in the light of
not to mention
to say nothing of
equally important
by the same token
again
to
and
also
then
equally
identically
uniquely
like
as
too
moreover
as well as
together with
of course
likewise
comparatively
correspondingly
similarly
furthermore
additionally
Opposition / Limitation / Contradiction
Transition words like but, rather and or, express that there is evidence to the contrary or point out alternatives, and thus introduce a change the line of reasoning (contrast).
although this may be true
in contrast
different from
of course ..., but
on the other hand
on the contrary
at the same time
in spite of
even so / though
be that as it may
then again
above all
in reality
after all
but
(and) still
unlike
or
(and) yet
while
albeit
besides
although
instead
whereas
despite
conversely
otherwise
however
rather
nevertheless
regardless
notwithstanding
Examples / Support / Emphasis
These transitional devices (like especially) are used to introduce examples as support, to indicate importance or as an illustration so that an idea is cued to the reader.
in other words
to put it differently
for one thing
as an illustration
in this case
for this reason
to put it another way
that is to say
with attention to
by all means
important to realize
another key point
first thing to remember
most compelling evidence
must be remembered
point often overlooked
to point out
on the positive / negative side
with this in mind
notably
including
like
to be sure
namely
chiefly
truly
indeed
certainly
surely
markedly
especially
specifically
expressively
surprisingly
frequently
significantly
in fact
in general
in particular
in detail
for example
for instance
to demonstrate
to emphasize
to repeat
to clarify
to explain
to enumerate
such as
Cause / Condition / PurposeThese transitional words present specific conditions or intentions.
in the event that
granted (that)
as / so long as
on (the) condition (that)
for the purpose of
with this intention
with this in mind
in the hope that
to the end that
for fear that
in order to
seeing / being that
in view of
If
... then
unless
when
whenever
since
while
because of
as
since
while
lest
in case
provided that
given that
only / even if
so that
so as to
owing to
inasmuch as
due to
Effect / Consequence / ResultSome of these transition words (thus, then, accordingly, consequently, therefore, henceforth) are time words that are used to show that after a particular time there was a consequence or an effect.
Note that for and because are placed before the cause/reason. The other devices are placed before the consequences or effects.
as a result
under those circumstances
in that case
for this reason
for
thus
because the
then
hence
consequently
therefore
thereupon
forthwith
accordingly
henceforth
Conclusion / Summary / RestatementThese transition words and phrases conclude, summarize and/orrestate ideas, or a indicate a final general statement. Also some words (like therefore) from the Effect / Consequence category can be used to summarize.
as can be seen
generally speaking
in the final analysis
all things considered
as shown above
in the long run
given these points
as has been noted
in a word
for the most part
after all
in fact
in summary
in conclusion
in short
in brief
in essence
to summarize
on balance
altogether
overall
ordinarily
usually
by and large
to sum up
on the whole
in any event
in either case
all in all
Time / Chronology / SequenceThese transitional words (like finally) have the function of limiting, restricting, and defining time. They can be used either alone or as part of adverbial expressions
at the present time until now
from time to time as soon as
sooner or later in the meantime
at the same time in a moment
up to the present time without delay
to begin with
in due time
WRITING TIPS
CONTENT TIPS
1. Differentiate the reader from the intended audience. You are one of the readers; the audience is who the text was originally written for.
2. Whenever you analyze a literary or stylistic device, you must ALWAYS state how it affects the audience. The author always has a purpose for writing something, and this is usually to impact the audience. For example, if you say that the author uses to create an informative tone, you MUST state what impact this has on the audience or why the author did this.
3. Never have a quotation as a sentence. A quotation taken from a text must always have a few introductory words from you. You can say: “For example” or “In the text” or “The author writes”, before the quotation as an introductory phrase.
4. When writing, underline the names of books and movies, put quotations around the names of articles, web pages, and poems.
5. Your IB texts will always have line numbers. Use the authors name and line number if you quote from the text (Matthews line 25)
GRAMMAR AND STYLE TIPS
1. Don’t use expressions like “these days”, “nowadays”.
2. Don’t use the word “obvious”. Everyone approaches a text differently so you can never imply that everyone draws the same conclusions when reading a text
3. Don’t use words like “great”, “good”, “bad, “right” or “wrong”. These words are subjective words that are value judgments rather than analyses. Yes, give your opinion, but your opinion should never be a value judgment, it should be a reasoned and evidence-supported note about the text.
4. Don’t use “on” after words like emphasize and stress.
Example: By using interviews with upset teachers, the author emphasizes on the reality of teaching in the UK.
Example: By using interviews with upset teachers, the author emphasizes the reality of teaching in the UK.
5. Don’t use the expression “give off” as in the author “gives off a tone”. I don’t know where you got this from, but it sounds like there is a bad smell in the room. Stop it!
PARALLEL STRUCTURE
When you have more than one verb in a sentence, you must make sure that the verbs agree in tense.
Example: I like skiing, to swim, and eating.
Example: The author is writing about the perils of being a school teacher, while also chastising students for their outrageous behavior.
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
A sentence fragment is an incomplete thought. Beware of words like “while”, “whereas”, “until”. They give the false perception that a sentence is complete.
Example: While the author includes examples.
Example: While the author includes examples, he also includes statistics.
Writing the Introduction The Introduction should have the following components:
The Topic Sentence: One sentence that includes the topic of the essay and your opinion/point of view about the topic
Supporting Sentences (2-3): Two or three main ideas supporting your opinion on the topic (one sentence for each supporting idea). You will need to discuss each supporting idea in the body of your essay.
Summary Sentence (optional): You may include a closing sentence summarizing your opinion/point of view.
Writing the Body Use the 2-3 supporting sentences in your introduction to write the body. Start each body paragraph with one supporting sentence from your introduction. Use ideas, details and examples to complete each paragraph (4-6 sentences)
Writing the Conclusion The last paragraph of your essay is the conclusion. The conclusion echoes the introduction and summarizes the main points from your essay. Use the suggestions below to complete your conclusion:
Summarize the main points from your essay Give advice, make predictions, or draw conclusions Check your introduction to make sure you emphasize the main points
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!