Final Exam Preparation: Paper 2
English Language and Literature Year 1
Paper 2
 Six questions about literature
 Six HL questions
 Six SL questions
 Choose the right questions!!
 Language B: 6-8 personal response questions
 Based on Part III: Literature in Context
 Must make reference to at least two works studied in
Part III
Part III Works
 G. B. Shaw, Pygmalion
 F.S. Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
 B. Schlink, The Reader, translated Carol Brown
Janeway
Brainstorm
 In a group of three or four, brainstorm some themes
and language devices that are evident in your
assigned work.
 Pygmalion
 The Great Gatsby
 The Reader
 Report back to the entire class
in ten minutes
Pygmalion
The Great Gatsby
The Reader
Choosing Questions
 Instantly eliminate any question that you
think you cannot do.
 Look for questions that appear logical and
straight-forward
 Look for topics that work well with the Part
III works we have studied
 Prioritize TWO questions that you think you
could tackle
A sample question
 Minor characters sometimes play major roles in a
piece of literature. Support this statement by
explaining why minor characters play a central
role in at least two of the literary works you have
studied.
 First tear the question apart:
 Minor characters
 Central roles
 What is the function of these minor characters?
 How can you turn this into a thesis statement?
Think of some examples
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Mrs. Pearce – Pygmalion, reveals Higgins’s character
Jordan Baker – The Great Gastby, foil to Daisy
Sophie the girlfriend – The Reader, foil to Hanna
Michael’s father – The Reader, advances theme
Michael’s mother – The Reader, character
development for Michael
 Kaparthy – Pygmalion , foil to Higgins
 Clara – Pygmalion, foil to Eliza
 The prison warden – The Reader, advances plot
Patterns
 Always look for patterns in your
brainstorming:
 Character development (indirect
characterization of main characters)
 Character foils
 Advances theme
 Advances plot
Thesis Statement
 How could I turn my brainstorming and patterns into
a thesis?
 Authors often use minor characters to achieve
several different purposes: achieving indirect
characterization, serving as character foils to major
characters, and advancing plot and theme.
 Once you have a great thesis statement that outlines
reasons, then your essay writes itself.
Organization
 Argue from specific reasons, not examples.
 Specific reasons:
 Achieve indirect characterization
 Act as character foils
 Advance plot and theme
 Do NOT argue by literary work
 In Pymalion, this is how minor characters work
 In The Great Gatsby, this is the function of minor
characters
 In The Reader, minor characters do the following.
Specific Examples
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Obviously you can’t include quotations
Be as specific and concrete as you can
Don’t summarize!
Start with a main point and then give the example
A quick sample
 Example: One of the major functions of a minor
character is to act as a foil to a major character. In
Shaw’s Pygmalion, Kaparthy fills this role perfectly.
Karpathy exudes the charm and social niceties that
Higgins lacks, thus highlighting Higgins’s character.
However, Karpathy also teaches English for financial
gain; he admits to blackmailing the Greek
ambassador. This is clearly distasteful to Higgins and
demonstrates that while Higgins can be a bully, his
motives are pure – or at least less self-serving.
Despite being a minor character, Karpathy’s role in
the play portrays a successful foil to a major
character. Similarly, Jordan Baker from …
Time Management
 You have 2 hours
 Spend 30 minutes planning
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Tear the question apart
Brain storm examples
Identify patterns
Write a thesis
Plan your outline
 Spend 60-70 minutes writing
 Spend 10 minutes reviewing in reverse
Stress Management
 We’ll do all the studying for English in class!
 Major factors affecting success on major exams
1. Hours of sleep the night before!
2. Eating breakfast: a balance of protein and carbs
3. Caffeine – but only enough to keep you awake.
 Blow off some steam:
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Go swimming
Shoot some baskets
Sing an aria
Dance like no one can see you