Paper 2 Works on Part 3: Texts and Contexts – 1. It could be argued that in some societies or cultures women are at a disadvantage to men or even actively discriminated against. To what degree is this evident in the way women are represented in the two works you have studied? 2. The depiction of violence in some form (cultural, political, physical, psychological, etc) is a central preoccupation of many works of literature. In the two works you have studied discuss how violence is depicted and explore its significance. 3. “Nature is fleeting and life is in a state of flux.” What is the significance of brevity and/or change in the two works you have studied? 4. How do authorial choices regarding setting (time and place) create order and influence meaning in the two works you have studied? 5. In the past it was believed that literature achieved its importance due to its ability to show people the way to goodness and virtue. To what extent can this be said of the importance of the two works you have studied? 6. Symbols can help a writer convey ideas, develop characters, establish atmosphere, etc. To what effect were symbols employed in the two works you have studied? -- Questions from Language and Literature Paper 2, November 2014 Paper 2 Preparation – You will write about your knowledge on Literary Devices and Context through the lens of the question, how they help shape the reading of the novels, supporting your arguments, and stating their effects on the reader. Select how the writer’s choice of stylistic features relate to the question and state their effects. Go deeply into a few, rather than hitting the surface of several. How are they used to construct meaning and how do they connect to the question? What are their effects? Each paragraph needs to have the ASEQ structure:A-Analysis through answering the question; S-support; E-Effect on the reader; Q-Link to the question. What to analyze: THEME “Is there a theme or central purpose that makes itself known? What beyond the essentials of plot, is the object of the account? How does this relate to the main character or point of view? What is the author’s objective in writing this piece?” Also consider what has the author tried to do in the novel? What are the work's moral attitudes, its view of life, and its wisdom about the human condition? -Paper 2 Support Material The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Or The Crucible by Arthur Miller Macbeth by William Shakespeare The Visit by Friedrich Dürrenmatt A A A S S E E Q Q S E Q PLOT/CONFLICT “Central and secondary conflicts (internal, between characters, between characters and fate/environment). How are these conflicts resolved?” -Paper 2 Support Material SETTING: “What is the setting? When and where does it takes place and why might this be significant? What part does the setting take in the narrative and on the values and norms of the characters? How does the setting effect your reading of the text?” -Paper 2 Support Material “Consider not just general geographical location and cultural context, but all details of A A A S S S E E E Q Q Q A A A S S S E E E Q Q Q place and time (e.g., the weather, a description of the furniture) for contribution to the following: mood and local color, contrast, symbolism, conflict, realism.” -Sandra Stoneman, AASSA 2014 CHARACTERIZATION “Who are the main characters in the text? How does the writer characterize them? Through dialogue, detail, action? Are the characters static, dynamic, round, flat? Why?” -Paper 2 Support Material A A S NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEW “What is the point of view? Who speaks? Are they reliable? Does this change throughout the work? What makes us question the identity of the subject? What is the effect of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd person narration? Is it limited, omniscient, peripheral?” -Paper 2 Support Material S S E Consider: What are the dominant traits of major characters? What are the characters' major functions (e.g., contrast, catalyst, commentator)? What internal/external forces shape the characters' actions and personalities? What are the methods of characterization (direct description, through thoughts, actions and speech, through other characters' perceptions)? What is the use of minor characters (to emphasize themes, serve as foils)? -Sandra Stoneman A E E Q Q Q A A A S S S E E E Q Q A A A S S S E E E Q Q Q Q STRUCTURE “What seems to be the apparent and obvious structure? If it is a poem, are stanzas of a consistent length? If prose, are paragraphs and/or sentences long? Are they short? How much consists of dialogue, either direct or in the form of reported speech? Are there lengthy descriptions? Are there long internal monologues? How do these relate to the reporting of actions of evens? Are there major structural divisions? Is there a significance of title and chapter headings, if any? A unique handling of time (in medias res, chronological, fragmented, flashbacks, contrast, foreshadowing, etc.)? Consider: parallel scenes; climax; subplots; What happens in the opening and concluding chapters? What are the effects of these elements?” -Paper 2 Support Material DICTION, SYNTAX and TONE “Use of language (colloquial, formal, informal, direct, figurative); tone (reflective, formal, informal, intimate, solemn, playful, ironic, objective, etc.); sentence length and patterns; quality and kinds of dialogue; comic or satiric elements (understatement, hyperbole, parody); irony (situational, verbal, dramatic, cosmic); how would you characterize the author's language and sentence structure?” A A A S S E E Q Q S E Q -Paper 2 Support Material FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE and IMAGERY A A A “Description (elaborate, full of realistic detail, simply and quickly sketched?); imagery; allusion; figures of speech, symbols, motifs, poetic devices.” -Paper 2 Support Material S S S E E E Q Q Q HISTORICAL CONTEXT “How does the context help shape the reception of the text? How does the historical context help shape your reading? What is the effect? How does the life of the author help shape the reading of a text? Consider the changing historical, cultural and social contexts in which particular texts are written and received (production vs. reception).” -Paper 2 Support Material A A A S S E E Q Q S E Q CRITICAL RECEPTION/THEORY “How can the works be read through the different literary theories we have learned (Feminist, Marxist, Psycological, Queer) “Theory should be seen as yet another ‘lens’ through which a A A A text can be viewed, and not as the “correct” reading in any way. In fact, one goal of the course is to allow students to understand the way in which a critical viewpoint is influenced by the historical and cultural context and that their own consideration of the work constitutes, in a way, yet another “criticism” of the text.” -Paper 2 Support Material PERSONAL CONTEXT “Every reader brings with him or her a set of values, beliefs and life experiences that shape the ways in which a text is interpreted or understood. How does your own personal and cultural context help shape your reception of the texts? S S S E E E Q Q Q A A A S S S E E E Q Q Q -Paper 2 Support Material IBO.org, Online Curriculum Center, Teacher Support Material "Language A: Language and Literature Teacher Support Material."Language A: Language and Literature Teacher Support Material. IBO, n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2016.