IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE) Explained
- Last updated on June 29, 2022
LitLearn Voted #1 IB English Resource for 2022
In this guide, LitLearn students (and 2022 IB grads!) Lareina Shen and Saesha Grover share their wisdom on how to conquer the IB English Higher Level Essay (HLE). Lareina achieved an incredible IB44, and Saesha achieved the coveted IB7 in her IB English Literature HL, so you are in safe hands.
Here are the burning questions we’ll answer in the HLE Explained guide:
What is IB English HLE?
How do i choose my text for hle, how do i choose my line of inquiry for hle, how do i ensure my hle question has a good scope.
- The story of how I found my HLE question…
- The importance of analysis in getting a 7 in IB English HLE
- You need to understand the marking rubric!
The HLE will make up 25% of your final IB English HL grade , and it is graded externally. You must choose your own line of inquiry (i.e. a question that you will answer in your HLE–more on this later).
The HL Essay (HLE) is a 1200-1500 word essay about a text studied in the IB English course. For Lang Lit, the work you choose to analyze can be literary or non-literary, but for IB English Literature the text must be literary.
Do NOT choose the “easiest” text. Life is always better when you do things you’re interested in, and that advice applies to the HLE, too. Choose the literary / non-literary work that interests you the most, so that you can (semi?)-enjoy the HLE planning and writing process.
You could start by thinking of a theme that you find particularly interesting and determining which text studied in class demonstrates this theme well.
The line of inquiry is the core question that you will answer in your essay. A quick example might be:
To what extent is masculinity undermined by the characterisation of Little Thomas?
Now, it’s your job to forge your destiny and come up with your own line of inquiry. But it’s not a complete free-for all! There are rules. The main rule is that your line of inquiry must fall under one of the 7 main concepts of IB English (see below for a quick summary).
This summary is vague, so let’s go in-depth on a couple of these concepts to really show you what you should be doing in the HLE.
Deep Dive: Identity
Identity is what makes you, YOU. Here are some questions the concern your own personal identity:
- What is your favourite colour? And why is it your favourite?
- What makes you different from others? Why do you think these qualities came to be?
- How would someone describe you in three words?
Now apply this same logic to characters within your text.
- How would you describe this character in three words?
- How do their actions within a text influence your view of their identity?
- How has the author crafted this character to make you view the character in a certain way?
Let’s take a look at a concrete example of how we might choose evidence and quotes for a HLE on cultural identity. This example is based on a Vietnamese work in translation “Ru” by author Kim Thúy. For context, “Ru” is an autobiographical fictional account which explores Kim Thúy’s move from Vietnam to Canada as an immigrant and her consequent struggles. The structure of her novel is largely lyrical and poetic.
Let’s look at a section from her novel that may help us come up with an essay idea based on the concept of Identity. When she returns to Vietnam, she attends a restaurant, however this becomes a major awakening for her in terms of how she views her own personal identity. Kim narrates within her novel:
The first time I carried a briefcase, the first time I went to a restaurant school for young adults in Hanoi, wearing heels and a straight skirt, the waiter for my table didn’t understand why I was speaking Vietnamese with him. Page 77, Rú
This is a perfect quote for the Identity concept. Can you see why? Let’s think through it together…
Why would the waiter be confused if Kim, a “briefcase”-carrying individual in “heels” and a “straight skirt”, was speaking Vietnamese with him?
What does being “Vietnamese” look like to the waiter? Why does Kim not conform to his expectation? Was it perhaps due to what she was wearing?
Now, if we look at the section which follows this in the novel, we are able to see the impact this had on the character of Kim’s sense of identity.
the young waiter reminded me that I couldn’t have everything, that I no longer had the right to declare I was Vietnamese because I no longer had their fragility, their uncertainty, their fears. And he was right to remind me. Page 77, Rú
Here, we can clearly see that this character is now questioning her Vietnamese cultural identity. This is just one example that demonstrates the concept of Identity.
Deep Dive: Culture
Culture seems to be this confusing thing. Does it have to do with religion? Race? Beliefs? What does it mean? Does the monster from Frankenstein fit into a certain culture?
The easiest way to put it is this: Culture is the way someone lives. It is their “way of life.” Think of it as an umbrella term. “Culture” can include so many different things; the list just goes on, for example religion, values, customs, beliefs, cuisine, etc.
Now think, how would I form an essay from this concept?
- When you read a text in class, you will notice that authors let you form an opinion on the culture of certain characters or groups within a text, but how is this done?
- How does the author represent the culture of a certain community?
- What types of patterns in daily routines are discussed?
Deep Dive: Creativity
It seems odd writing an essay about “creativity” because… like… how can anyone definitively say what ‘counts’ as being creative–or not? When I say the word creativity , I think of new inventions, or maybe those weird and wacky art installations living inside those ‘modern art’ museums. But hey, what’s creative to me might not be creative to you!
When formulating a HLE on the concept of creativity we have two main pointers for you. Look for:
- Interesting + Unique techniques or literary devices used within a text by the author. You can learn more in the Analysis Simplified course.
- Recurring stylistic choices by the author
Now, for this concept, let’s look at how we might select supportive evidence and quotations for a HLE on creativity within the narrative style of author Mary Shelley in “Frankenstein”. The narrative style uses epistolary narration . This is a narrative technique in which a story is told through letters. This was something that I found both interesting and recurring within Frankenstein, which I believe worked to create a personal touch within the novel.
Additionally, Mary Shelley allows different characters to narrate Frankenstein during different volumes. Let’s investigate this! I have written out different character profiles of the narrators below:
These 3 characters, each relate a part of the novel Frankenstein. This is an example of a creative authorial choice that allows us, as readers to explore different points of view within the text. This is just one example of a creative aspect of a text which you can analyze for your HLE.
Deep Dive: Representation
Representation is all about how something is portrayed, conveyed, shown, described, illustrated, depicted . There are many different things that can be ‘represented’ within a text, and it doesn’t have to be tangible.
For instance, you can look at how a belief, idea or attitude is depicted within a text through different characters or devices.
Again, let’s explore a concrete example to make things clear: this time the graphic novel “Persepolis”. We’ll consider an HLE on how a text represents the impact of political turmoil on society .
Chapter 10 of “Persepolis” highlights societal changes occurring due to the Iranian Revolution. The panels below list the authorial choices relevant to the negative representation of political change in a society. When looking at the techniques highlighted in the slides below, think about how you feel when you look at the panels below. Can you sense a more positive or negative feeling?
Cool, but what do we do to turn all this into an actual HL essay? Here is a sample response. The introduction might begin like this:
In the captivating graphic novel “Persepolis,” the author Marjane Satrapi explores the social and political impacts of the Iranian revolution. In particular, Satrapi conveys a disapproving viewpoint on political turmoil within the text. Throughout the graphic novel, Satrapi carefully represents how social isolation, hypocrisy and confusion is experienced by a young girl living in Tehran, as a result of political turmoil. Example HLE Introduction
Then, in a body paragraph, on one of the key ideas mentioned above, we could analyze the different literary techniques. For example, Panel 1 is a great representation of the experience of confusion in the midst of political turmoil:
Marji is the younger girl pictured in the panels above. While her parents appear quite concerned by the news on the TV, she appears to not be in full comprehension of the cause for their distress. This is demonstrated by the visual imagery and dialogue, in panel 7, for instance, if you observe the facial expressions by each of the characters. Example of analysis in body paragraph
This is just a short example from one particular text. To help you unpack any text, try look for the following when analyzing chapter to chapter:
- What is the main idea of the chapter?
- Why did the author write it? What purpose does it serve?
- What do you believe is the overarching importance of the passage?
Overall Brainstorming Tips
If you’re having trouble picking your text and line of inquiry, then use this simple 20-minute process to brainstorm potential questions for your HLE:
- For each text / non-literary work, go through each concept in the table below.
- Write down a question for each of the two prompts for each category.
- Repeat for all of your texts.
- Pick the question-text combination that has the greatest potential for strong analysis.
Choosing a question with good scope is extremely important, and it’s one of the biggest challenges in the HLE. Here’s why:
- If your scope is too broad , you may have too much to write about in order to answer the question, and therefore you won’t be able to write deep analysis (which is super important–more on this later…)
- If your scope is too narrow , you may not have enough to write about and end up overanalyzing unnecessary and obscure details. Also something to avoid!
So, to help you get the balance just right , here are three examples of HLE questions, specifically for the concept of Identity which we mentioned in the table above (by the way, the example is a made-up novel for illustration purposes).
- Too broad: “How does Irene Majov in her novel Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece?”
- Too narrow: “How does Irene Majov in her novel Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans toward discrimination in the workforce in the 21st century?”
- Just right: “How does Irene Majov in her novel Deadly Men effectively make her narrator a powerful mouthpiece for the concerns of Asian-Americans in the 21st century?”
How to get a 7 on IB English HLE
There are many things that contribute to a 7 in your HLE and your IB English grade overall. But if we had to boil it down to one secret, one essential fact… then it’d have to be this: Get really good at analysis .
Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English. It doesn’t matter if it’s Paper 1, Paper 2, HLE, IO… You must learn how to analyze quotes at a deep level, and structure your analysis in a way that flows and delights your teachers and examiners.
The first step of writing 7-level analysis is to choose the right quotes . Use the following rules of thumb when selecting quotes for your IB English Higher Level Essay:
- Quotes should contain strong literary or visual techniques .
- Quotes should relate to the thesis and question of your HLE.
- Smoothly integrate your quotes into your analysis.
You can start learning these skills for free inside Analysis Simplified , the simplest guide to a 7 in IB English.
Also, you’ll need to find good quotes for your text. Some good sources where you can find relevant quotes include Goodreads , SparkNotes , LitCharts , and Cliffnotes . Of course, you could just find quotes yourself directly–this will ensure your quotes are unique.
How do I write good analysis?
Explaining the ins-and-outs of writing amazing analysis is a bit too intense for this HLE guide. You can start learning all of this in Analysis Simplified –LitLearn’s flagship course that teaches you step-by-step how to write 7-level analysis in IB English, with short practice questions and real feedback on how you can improve your analysis responses.
Analysis Simplified helped Saesha improve immediately from a 6 to a 7 in IB English HL Literature. Check out her review.
Lareina joined Analysis Simplified in 2022 to sharpen her Paper 1 analysis. She loved the experience.
Understanding the IB English HLE rubric
An essential step to getting a high mark on the HL Essay is understanding the rubric! It is SO important that you know what IB English examiners are looking for when grading your essay, as this helps you to shape the content of your essay to match (or even exceed) their expectations.
The IB English HL Essay is graded out of 20 marks . There are 4 criteria, each worth 5 marks.
Use the checklist below to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes! Note that this is not the official marking criteria, and I strongly recommend that you reading the official rubric provided by your teacher.
Criterion A: Knowledge, understanding, and interpretation
- Accurate summary of text in introduction
- Focused and informative thesis statement
- Effective and relevant quotes
- Relevant and effective summary and ending statement in conclusion
Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation
- Relevant analysis of a variety of stylistic features
- Relevant analysis of tone and/or atmosphere
- Relevant analysis of broader authorial choices i.e. characterization, point of view, syntax, irony, etc.
Criterion C: Focus, organization, and development
- Introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion
- Organized body paragraphs – topic sentence, evidence, concluding statement/link to question
- Appropriate progression of ideas and arguments in which evidence (i.e. quotes) are effectively implemented
Criterion D: Language
- Use expansions (e.g. “do not”) instead of contractions (e.g. “don’t”)
- Use of a variety of connecting phrases e.g. “furthermore”, “nonetheless”, “however”, etc.
- Complete sentence structures and subject-verb agreement
- Correct usage of punctuation
- Appropriate register – no slang
- Historic present tense : the use of present tense when recounting past events. For example, we want to write “In The Hunger Games , Peeta and Katniss work together to win as a district” instead of using the word “worked”.
- Avoid flowery/dictionary language just to sound smart; it is distracting and difficult to read. As long as you concisely communicate your message using appropriate language, you will score a high mark under this criterion.
Here’s everything we discussed:
- IB English HLE tough work! Start early.
- Brainstorm using the table of concepts to come up with a strong HLE question. Don’t give up on this!
- Analysis is the key to a 7 in IB English HLE (and in fact ALL IB English assessment). Check out Analysis Simplified for immediate help on the exact steps to improve in IB English analysis.
Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor 💪
Jackson Huang
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Higher Level Essay
Whether you are an HL Literature student or HL Lang/Lit student, the HLE requires some special attention. The good thing about this assessment is that it’s a processed – rather than on-demand – piece of writing. This means you can take your time, put in the work, and produce something that you love and makes you proud. Our students crush this assessment! Use the same resources they do and enjoy your success.
Developing a Line of Inquiry and Thesis
The Line of Inquiry (LOI) and thesis are the cornerstone of the assessment, so don’t proceed until these are under control. Sadly, many students get off to a poor start with this step, and this means they end up writing either a shallow essay or one that doesn’t really satisfy the requirements of the task. These videos should help you unlock the task.
Start with a text you love and work toward developing a literary or linguistic perspective. Watch this video and start your pathway to success.
How To Write the Line of Inquiry
If the first method didn't work for you, please try another approach.
How to Write the Line of Inquiry (part 2)
Turn that LoI into a clear, precise, and insightful thesis statement that will drive the essay.
HLE Sample Thesis Statements and Writing
The HLE Complete Course from Start to Finish
We feel this is some of our best work. Teachers and students around the world have commented that this HLE series gets the job done and results in some powerful writing that makes students proud. Please take the time and work through the videos sequentially. Work along side with us. Let us guide you to HLE success!
Choose your text and write the LOI.
Student planning doc
Model Student planning doc
Time for brainstorming and outlining.
Student Organizer
Completed Sample Organizer
Master the intro and conclusion.
Sample Intro and Conclusion
Learn how to write strong HLE body paragraphs.
Sample Body Paragraphs
Learn to revise, edit, and polish the final product.
Final instructions before submission
Dave’s complete sample HLE
Some Sample Papers
Sometimes it’s easier to just look at a final product, break it down, and see how other students have approached the HLE. That’s why Dave and Andrew selected some strong papers, highlighted them, and discussed their strengths and weaknesses. We’ve examined tons of these things, so listen carefully. Lots of tips and tricks in these videos to help you pick up some extra points and crack into that mark band you want and deserve. Understand the task. Work hard. Defeat the HLE and allow yourself to beam with pride. Go ahead, you’ve earned it.
You’ve probably noticed that Andrew and Dave love drama. Dialogue, stage directions, props…they’re amazing! Watch our student crush this HLE on Death and the Maiden by Dorfman. What can you steal from this essay in terms of ideas, organization, and overall approach? Document: HLE Student Sample – Drama
Poetry anyone? Andrew and Dave love poetry for the HLE. They are complete “mini works” with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They are rich in techniques. They are complex and have deep meaning. In short, they rock. Just remember that for the HLE, “short texts need friends.” Document: HLE Student Sample – Poetry
Looking For More Support?
Hey, nobody said this thing would be easy. No worries. We’ve got you covered. Perhaps you want to see some more student writing? Check. We’ve got that. Perhaps you want to know some key points to include? Check. We got that too. You’re almost there! Finish these last two videos, add some finishing touches to your work, and submit that baby in with pride and confidence.
So you watched the videos above but are still concerned about “showing deep thinking” on the HLE? It’s ok – we know this is tough. Check out this video to see several samples of how to build big thinking into your writing. Document: Showing Deep Thinking in the HLE
We know, we know. The content is overwhelming and it’s just too much at times. You just want the top ten tips for success? Fine. Here you go. But don’t forget to go back and watch the rest of these videos when you’re feeling more energy. They’re a set. Watch them all and ace the HLE.
IB English Guys
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Top 8 Tips for Earning a Level 7 on the IB English HL Essay
- What is the IB English HL Essay?
Demands of the IB English HL Essay
- Examples of Level 7 IB English HL Essay Titles
- 1. Consider the Source you Wish to Write About
- 2. Decide on your Topic by Brainstorming Wider Themes
3. Consolidate your Line of Argument in a Thesis Statement
- 4. Identify the Strongest Evidence for your Argument
5. Plan, Structure, and Research
6. write a first draft with citations.
- 8. Re-write if Necessary
What is the IB English HL Essay
The IB English HL Essay is usually written at the end of the first year of IB English in international schools and constitutes 25% of the IB English grade. For IB HL English Language & Literature, the source for the 1200-1500 word essay will be a non-literary or literary text studied in the course; for HL English Literature, this will be a literary text studied in the course.
This external assessment will be unlike any English essay students will have written so far, as it requires learners to develop their own question, argue in the framework of an academic essay, and use citations.
In this way, the scope and direction of the IB HL Essay for English can be quite hard for learners to understand and master. Candidates need to research literary commentary to supplement their arguments and create a polished piece of literary criticism based on significant literary or thematic elements studied in the IB English curriculum.
Even the process of constructing an essay title and narrowing down the scope of the essay is challenging in itself. When our IB English tutors teach our students, we first prioritise this conceptual foundation.
Examples of Level IB English HL Essay Titles
Here are some examples of previous IB English HL Essay titles which have secured 7s:
The Inversion of Social Construct in Primo Levi’s If This is a Man
Masculinity and Strength in Yukio Mishima’s The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea
Alienated Masculinity in Katherine Mansfield’s The Garden Party and Other Stories
IB English HL Essay Overview
Having written an IB English HL Essay ourselves (‘Written Assignment’, during our time), our private IB English tutors know that many IB English students will find it challenging to elevate their analysis to an essay of this length while staying laser-focused on the topic.
This kind of sophisticated analysis is required for a Level 7 in IB English HL, so we model how we tutor based on the learning style of the student to best refine their line of argument.
Here is a broad outline of how we would structure the IB HL English Essay research and writing process. It also serves as a good checklist to keep in mind when writing any high school essay, especially for the IB.
1. Carefully Consider the Source you Wish to Write About
This seems like an obvious point, but some candidates choose what they believe to be the easiest option (e.g. a text with more obvious discussion points), even if they do not particularly like the text. Though this may be a good option for some, we have seen students struggle with researching, writing, and perfecting an IB English HL essay on a text they ultimately are not interested in. This can affect the strength of the line of argument, and how convincing the essay is.
2. Decide on your Essay Topic by Brainstorming Wider Themes
By narrowing down the most significant themes of the source, it is much easier to settle on a suitable topic. This is usually quite challenging, and we advise students to turn to private IB English tutoring if they struggle with this.
Along with constructing a suitable essay question, consolidating a strong line of argument, i.e. thesis statement, is crucial for a 7 in any IB subject, especially English. This will form the foundation and direction of the essay.
4. Identify the Strongest Pieces of In-Text Evidence for your Argument
This is a generalised suggestion, and the specific evidence to use will differ depending on the source and question that each candidate chooses for their IB English HL Essay. Essentially, your main arguments must be supplemented by the strongest two to four pieces of in-text evidence. In the IB English HL Essay, these are the primers for your analytical insights.
This is the most important part of the essay writing process and the make-or-break moment for IB English HL Essay success. You should produce a coherent plan, with main points clearly supplemented with the strongest in-text evidence and references to broader literary commentary.
Following appropriate introductory, analytical (PEAL), and conclusion structures should be familiar at this point from other IB essays, even outside of English. The challenge is now to express yourself in formal and persuasive language, while referencing research appropriately.
The first draft of any essay will require heavy editing to ensure that it is structurally organised and well-executed. At BartyED, our private IB English tutors regularly advise students in this crucial stage of the IB English essay. Our support ranges from fixing the tone of an essay to cutting down words (almost all students end up with more words than they planned for).
8. Re-Write If Necessary
Depending on the quality of the essay, the final steps of completing the HL English Essay will be making the relevant edits and refining expression as per the IB English Essay mark scheme. All of the assessment criteria must be met, which can pose a considerable challenge in itself.
Follow these steps, and with a good tutor, the HL English Essay is sure to be polished and high-level. Check out our website for more information about BartyED IB English tutoring programmes and frequently asked questions about the course. Or, contact a BartyED IB English tutor today to make sure you secure top marks for your coursework!
English Collaborative
IB English A Language and Literature: HL Essay Assessment Considerations
Please note: The purpose of this information is to elaborate on the nature of the IB assessment task, define and explain the assessment criteria and their implications, share observed challenges in students’ submitted assessment work, and offer strategies and approaches for assessment preparation.
This post is not meant to replace a reading of the IB Language A Subject Guides or the Teacher Support Materials available on MYIB. Those resources should always be a first stop for teachers when checking the requirements of each assessment task and how the task should be facilitated.
HL Essay Overview
Nature of the task.
- Students are asked to develop a line of inquiry of their choice in connection with a work or body of work studied in the course.
- In this context, teachers serve as advisors. The HL essay is an opportunity for students “to develop as independent, critical and creative readers, thinkers and writers” [1] which suggests there should be some degree of autonomy in choosing a work or body of work and determining the line of inquiry.
- The final essay is a focused argument critically examining a broad literary or linguistic perspective in one of the works or bodies of work studied in the course. The focus of the critical examination should be appropriate for the discipline; while there may be some overlap with other disciplines (e.g., art or film), teachers will need to use their professional judgement to evaluate appropriate boundaries for the line of inquiry [2] .
- The essay should be developed “over an extended period of time” [3] . Adequate time should be given for students to refine their ideas, plan their arguments, draft, and revise their essays. Teachers are expected to play an active role guiding and facilitating this process.
- The essay is formal and should adhere to the conventions of an academic essay in its structure and use of citations.
- In the marking of the assessment task, there is equal quantitative value placed on the ideas presented in the essay (10 marks) and the essay’s organization and use of language (10 marks). Maximum: 20 marks. [4]
- The final essay produced for submission needs to be 1200-1500 words in length. Examiners will not read more than 1500 words. [5]
Explanation of the task
- It is important that students develop a line of inquiry that is focused, analytical, and (when relevant) literary before they begin researching and writing. Students do not need to name literary or textual features in their question; however, the question should lend itself to an analytical investigation of the work that is appropriate for the discipline.
- The seven course concepts (identity, culture, creativity, communication, transformation, perspective, and representation) may serve as a starting point when developing a line of inquiry. [6]
- The discussion, ideas, and inspiration for the HL Essay will ideally come from the student’s Learner Portfolio. Students may expand on an idea, activity, or smaller-scale assessment explored in class as inspiration for selecting a topic and developing a line of inquiry. Students may also explore their own, self-generated lines of inquiry.
- Each student’s line of inquiry should develop from their own work or ideas about the work. Ideally, the learner portfolio will document this evolution (in some form).
Selection of work
- Students base their essays on one work or body of work studied in the course. Students may choose any work or body of work, except for the works/body of work used for the Individual Oral or the works chosen for the Paper 2 exam.
- Students should consult with their teachers when selecting a text, work, or body of work to ensure the material is rich enough to support a focused, analytical argument of this length.
- Documentaries and full features films are full, non-literary “works” and are acceptable material on which to base a line of inquiry for the HL Essay.
- Literary bodies of work include collections of short stories, poetry, essays, graphic narratives, etc.
- Non-literary bodies of work may include an advertising campaign, a journalist’s published articles or editorials, a photojournalist’s series of photographs, related public service announcements or campaigns, research and relevant publications by an organization (such as Human Rights Watch), a series of texts or shows by an interviewer, commentator or satirist, a podcast series, an editorial cartoonist’s publications, etc. [7]
- The texts in the body of work must share authorship. This means the texts are written or produced by a single author or are written and produced by collaborators that share a single authorship (such as an advertising agency, corporation, non-profit organization, television show, writer and graphic illustrator, etc.) [8]
- Students may base their essay on one text in a body of work (e.g., one short story in a collection), however students need to be careful to sustain a “broad literary [or linguistic] investigation” as opposed to a close reading or commentary. They are expected to make explicit connections in the essay between the text and the author’s body of work. [9]
- In most cases, it will be appropriate for a student to reference at least 2-3 texts in an author’s body of work.
- Students may explore and use any texts from an author studied in class, even if the specific texts were not part of the course study. This might be appropriate if the student’s specific literary investigation cannot be supported with the specific texts studied but could be supported with other texts by the author. [10]
Determining the topic (and line of inquiry)
- The essay needs to be focused on a broad literary or linguistic investigation that addresses a concept developed in the work or body of work.
- Students who struggle to identify a suitable concept can use one of the seven course concepts as a starting place to develop their line of inquiry (e.g., What does the work communicate about…? In what ways does the work transform our perspective on…? To what extent does the work represent…? )
- Students should be encouraged to explore a concept that is significant to them and their reading of the work.
- Teachers can advise and coach students through the process of selecting a topic and developing a line of inquiry, but teachers are not supposed to assign topics (or works) to students. [11]
What is the HL Essay Assessing?
Criterion a: knowledge, understanding, and interpretation (5 marks), defined terms.
- Students need a clear, cohesive thesis statement in the introduction of the essay that states the conclusions the student has drawn in response to the line of inquiry. The “conclusions” are the student’s central argument for the essay.
- Students need to understand the difference between demonstrating understanding of a work and offering interpretations of the work’s meanings. An essay must offer interpretations of the work’s implications to score at least a “satisfactory” mark in Criterion A.
- Good to excellent knowledge and understanding comes from knowing the works very well which usually requires multiple readings . Clear references, explanations, and detailed analysis in support of asserted interpretations are a more effective demonstration of knowledge and understanding than summary.
- When analyzing texts from a “body of work”, students are expected to make claims and connections to the body of work. If the focus of the essay is on an individual text (such as a short story or poem), it is important that the analysis be treated as a “broad literary [or linguistic] investigation”. Teachers will need to evaluate the extent to which this is possible for each individual text. It may be helpful for teachers and students to consult articles in scholarly journals to see examples of how a broad literary investigation can be approached with a shorter, individual text.
Activities and protocols that develop skills related to knowledge, understanding, and interpretation.
Formulating Interpretive Statements
This activity scaffolds the process of developing an “interpretive statement” in response to a text or work. This is achieved through a sentence completion exercise […]
Continue Reading
Concept Formation
In this activity, students use small examples to establish what a concept is (and is not). This inductive strategy works to give depth, ownership, and […]
Critical Lenses
Critical lenses help students engage with different perspectives with which to approach the reading and interpretation of a work. Each lens contains questions that provoke […]
Journal Writing
Journal writing helps students develop important thinking skills. There are the traditional approaches used in the younger years, like imagining a minor character’s point of […]
Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation (5 marks)
- This criterion asks students to critically analyze, evaluate, and compare how meaning is constructed and communicated in a work or body of work.
- The discussion, analysis, and evaluation of literary or linguistic features must work to develop the line in inquiry and central argument for the essay. This is a common shortcoming in student essays.
- The interrelationships of authorial choices and their effects may be complex, which requires thoughtful organization in the planning stage of the essay.
- Assertions that make judgements about a writer’s competency or simply state a preference for an author or style are not literary evaluations.
- An insightful literary analysis usually includes an appreciation of form-specific features.
Activities and protocols that develop skills related to analysis and evaluation
Why might this detail matter?
This activity gets students to think about the significance of minor details in a work. These details can be used as evidence to form the […]
Ladder of Abstraction
This activity allows students to process the ways in which details from a work might represent larger abstract ideas. Process Divide students in groups of […]
Appoint a Devil’s Advocate
This protocol invites divergent thinking in a group and works to facilitate a culture where different ideas are viewed as collaborative rather than combative. Preparation […]
This activity helps students visually see and appreciate the ways in which parts make up a whole. One of the challenges many students have is […]
Criterion C: Focus, organization, and development (5 marks)
- The line of inquiry (which includes the topic) should be clearly stated either as the title or in the introductory paragraph of the essay.
- The thesis (or argument) for the essay should be clearly communicated in the introductory paragraph.
- Effective organization helps students maintain focus, achieve cohesion, and develop claims. This means considering the most effective way to present the argument and its supporting evidence and analysis (chronologically, most persuasive evidence first, by sub-topic, cause and effect relationships, first impressions vs. later reflections, claims and counter claims, etc.).
- Each paragraph should be a point of development that supports the conclusions drawn from the line of inquiry (i.e., the essay’s central argument). The nature of the argument and the substance of the analysis should determine the number of paragraphs, their length, and their order. Forcing an argument into a formulaic essay structure can be limiting.
- Purposeful transitions create cohesion and logically take the reader through the essay’s evidence-based claims.
- Essays organized by authorial choices tend to be limiting because they struggle to appreciate the interdependency of features’ effects.
- One citation method should be sustained throughout the essay.
Activities and protocols that develop skills related to organization and development
Generate, Sort, Connect, Elaborate: Concept Mapping IDEAS in a Work
This activity asks students to individually identify ideas and issues developed in a work and collaboratively connect and develop one another’s ideas. This ultimately helps […]
Making a Précis
This activity guides students on how to distill a text into 100-200-word précis or summary. This is a helpful skill for preparing a passage response […]
This protocol helps students consider which ideas, issues, and feelings are playing a significant role in shaping their personal response to a work. Process Give […]
Sort Card Activity
This activity helps students organize information and identify conceptual trends. This activity models a process that students can use when planning their own essays and […]
Significant Quotes
Who said it? What is the context? and Why is this quote significant? may seem like an archaic exercise in today’s educational landscape, but the […]
Criterion D: Language (5 marks)
- A wider vocabulary and knowledge of sentence structures gives students more language tools to express abstract and complex thoughts.
- Correct use of terminology may be considered in awarding marks in this criterion; however, jargon is not the sole focus.
- When students use vocabulary and sentence structures that are comfortably in their repertoire, they usually express their thinking more clearly. When students stretch to use words or sentences structures with which they are not familiar, they risk miscommunication.
- An essay does not need to be flawless to earn top marks in this criterion, however the expectation for language to be clear, varied, and accurate is higher in this component. This is because students have an opportunity to revise their essays.
- Voice is welcomed in all IB assessment tasks: formal writing does not need to be turgid.
Activities and protocols that develop skills related to use of language
Interpretive Statement Wall
This protocol helps students develop revision skills by asking clarifying and critical questions about each other’s interpretive statements or thesis statements. This helps students develop […]
Evaluating Thesis Statements
This activity helps students understand the role language plays in communicating specific and complex ideas in a thesis statement. The approach invites active collaboration, and […]
Discussion Posts and Personalized Learning
This formative assessment gives students an opportunity to personalize their learning while engaging in collaborative discussion with their peers around their chosen text(s) or work. […]
This protocol helps students generate ideas in response to a work. Process Give students a writing task, asking them to identify one thing they think […]
[1] Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 42.
[2] To gain an understanding or confidence in evaluating analysis that is “appropriate for the discipline”, teachers may want to invest some time perusing scholarly articles written on works they teach or are familiar with using a database such as JSTOR or Ebscohost. These titles and articles an also be shared with students as guides and exemplars.
[4] Ibid, pp. 45.
[5] Ibid, p. 42.
[6] Ibid, p. 43.
[7] A list of text types can be found on p. 22 of the Language A: Language and Literature Guide. As mentioned in the guide, the list is not exhaustive.
[8] “Selection of work”. Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019, p. 43.
[11] Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. p. 44.
[12] Definition: a short statement of the main points.
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Higher Level Essay Weighting: 20%
- Identity —how does Ralph Ellison, in his novel Invisible Man, succeed in making his narrator a convincing spokesperson for the concerns of African-Americans in the 20th century?
- Culture —how does Robert Capa represent post-Second World War France to qualify/exemplify the brutalities of the French population on former Nazi collaborators in La Femme Tondue? (Language A: language and literature only)
- Creativity —how do Mario Testino’s portraits manage to convey the personalities of those portrayed in original ways? (Language A: language and literature only)
- Communication-- which view of love does Matt Groening convey in Love is Hell? (Language A: language and literature only)
- Transformation-- in what ways does The Alan Parsons Project’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination offer a transformative re-reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s tales?
- Perspective-- how does Mary Shelley’s protagonist in Frankenstein use the motif of dangerous knowledge to show the perspective of fear and anxiety of excesses in scientific enterprise in early 19th century Europe?
- Representation-- through what means does Juan Rulfo successfully convey the representation of realistic and non-realistic characters and situations in Pedro Páramo?
- How does F. Scott Fitzgerald foreshadow how Gatsby’s unnatural attachment to the past causes his downfall in TheGreat Gatsby?
- In what ways would Marxist theory about the stratification of wealth and power explain the violence that runs through the action of the novel A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez?
- To what extent was the characterization of the protagonist in Patrick Süskind´s Perfume influenced by Franz Kafka´s The Metamorphosis?
The Learner Portfolio and the Higher Level Essay
- Reflect on the ways in which each text they read relates to the seven central concepts of the course .
- Keep an ongoing record of themes and issues they find interesting in relation to each of the texts they read.
- Explore how key passages in the texts they have studied are significant in relation to those themes and issues.
- Trace the evolution of their thinking and planning in connection with their chosen topic.
- Record references for, and ideas and quotations from, secondary sources they might want to mention in their essay.
- Reflect on the challenges that the HL essay poses for them as individual learners.
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External Assessment: Higher Level ESSAY
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Call for essays: language and literature
Calling all Diploma Programme (DP) alumni! We are looking for graduates and students, like you, to help the IB create a sample set of essays for an upcoming new Study in language and literature courses: the higher level (HL) essay. We need sample HL essays in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, German, Japanese and Turkish covering 16 different topics!
Show off your writing and set an example for future IB students. Submit a proposal by 30 June 2018 (extended from May) to write an original 1,200-1,500-word essay on a topic you choose within the categories of language and literature, or just Literature (full details below). If your proposal is selected, completed essays will be awarded a USD 50 Amazon gift card.
ESSAY PROPOSAL FORM
What is the HL essay?
The HL essay is a component that requires candidates to write a 1200-1500 word formal essay, following a line of inquiry of their own choice into one of the texts studied. HL Language A: language and literature candidates will have a choice between writing about a non-literary or literary text.
Why was it added to the course?
The development of the HL essay followed the elimination of both written tasks and the written assignment in Studies in language and literature courses. Without those components, there would no longer be written coursework targeting research, editing and citation skills that are of such importance for university courses. The essay also differentiates further between SL and HL, asking HL candidates to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the nature of linguistic or literary study.
What topic should my essay discuss? (choose one from either)
Language and literature
- On a number of columns by one same columnist
- On an advertising campaign
- On the body of work of a photographer
- On a biography
- On a collection of essays
- On a TV series or a film
- On a blog or any other electronic text
- On a series of articles by one same writer
Or Literature
- On a work of poetry
- On a work of fiction
- On a work of non-fiction
- On a work of drama
- On a graphic novel
- On a group of songs by one same author
- On a work of poetry in translation
- On a work in translation
In what language should my essay be written?
We need essays in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, German, Japanese and Turkish.
What is the deadline?
Submit your proposal no later than 30 June 2018, though earlier is recommended. We will review proposals on a rolling basis and contact you individually with additional details and a deadline for the final essay.
Why DP graduates?
We need creative and original examples to guide students; we know you have the skills to do this! Show off your writing and set an example for future IB students. Submit a proposal for an original 1,200-1,500-word essay on a topic you choose within either the categories of Language and literature, or just Literature. If your proposal is selected and you submit a completed essay, you may be eligible to receive a USD 50 Amazon gift card .
What concept should I use as a starting point for the essay?
To guide students in their choice of topic, we recommend using the seven central concepts in the course as a starting point for developing a line of inquiry. These concepts are listed here:
The representation of the identity of a particular character or group of characters in the work, or on the way in which the work relates to the identity of the writer
The representation of the culture of a particular place, institution or group of people, or on the way in which the work itself relates to a particular culture.
The representation of the individual or collective creativity, or lack of creativity, within the work, or on the way in which the work represents the creativity of the writer.
Communication
The representation of acts of communication, or failures in communication, in the work, or on the way in which the work itself represents an act of communication.
Transformation
The representation of transformation or transformative acts in the work, or on the way in which the work itself is a transformative act either of other works through intertextual reference to them or of reality by means of a transformative effect on the reader’s identity, relationships, goals, values, and beliefs.
Perspective
The representation of a particular perspective or perspectives within the work, or on the way in which the work represents the writer’s perspective.
Representation
The way in which the work represents different themes, attitudes and concepts, or in the extent to which literature can actually represent reality.
Questions or comments? Write to [email protected] .
About the IB
HL essay – the process
Check the Subject Guide and with your teacher for official information about the HL essay.
There are a number of different ways to develop an HL essay. Consider the following outline; it isn’t 100% comprehensive but it covers the key elements.
Preparing for the HL essay
- Carefully read through the HL essay requirements and criteria.
- Analyze HL essay samples. Make sure you understand how a particular HL essay sample addresses the requirements and criteria.
- Work very hard on your schoolwork and school assessments. Although you may not realize it early on, these are designed to build the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful on your HL essay.
- You will probably start working on your individual oral before your HL essay. The bodies of work and works you use on your individual oral CANNOT be used on your HL essay.
- As you work through bodies of work and works in your class, put a list together of ones you are considering using for your HL essay. Keep adding notes / details about the works and bodies of works on your list as you go through the course.
- Consider a few different topics (e.g. one of the course’s concepts) for your HL essay. Keep adding notes / details about the topics on your list as you go through the course.
- Once you narrow down your list of possible bodies of work and work for your HL essay, go through them and annotate them specifically for the HL essay. Your HL essay will need evidence to support your arguments – start collecting it early on.
Creating your HL essay
- Evaluate your different options, consult with your teacher and then choose a final work OR body of work that will be the focus of your HL essay. Remember that the work or body of work that you choose cannot be used for another IB assessment.
- If you are considering using a short literary text (e.g. a short story) for the HL essay check the requirements on page 43 of the Subject Guide.
- Evaluate your different options, consult with your teacher and then choose a final topic for your HL essay. The Subject Guide states that the topic you choose, “should enable a broad literary or linguistic focus for the essay. In achieving this, the course’s seven central concepts may be a helpful starting point for students in generating or determining a topic for the essay” (43).
- Create an outline of your essay. The basic outline can start with a clear thesis statement and topic sentences.
- Early in the development process make sure your ideas / arguments / evidence meet the requirements and criteria for the HL essay.
- Periodically re-read review sample HL essays.
- As you put together your first draft, make absolutely sure that all of your sources are cited properly. If you wait too long to do this properly you will drastically increase the chances of making a mistake.
- You must put together the best possible first draft. Better first draft = better feedback from your teacher.
- Your teacher will give you feedback on your first draft but the feedback is somewhat limited. Page 44 of the Subject Guide provides additional information.
- As you get closer to finishing the final draft, double check that your HL essay follows all of the IB requirements and addresses the terms in the criteria.
- Before submitting your final essay make absolutely sure that all of your sources are cited properly.
- Submit your final draft to your teacher / IB according to the instructions you have been given. Each school has a slightly different process.
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One of the best ways to learn is by example. In order to become familiar with the expectations of the Higher Level Essay, you will want to look at how student work has been assessed in the past.Both poor and good samples are presented in these pages, so that you can learn from other students" experiences. We suggest you assess student work according to the criteria for the Higher Level Essay before you look at the examiner"s...
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IB English, the HL Essay: All You Need to Know
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What You Need to Know
- The HL Essay is a 1200-1500 word formal essay and it is based on a literary work studied as part of the course. You cannot use the same work for the IO or the Paper 2 [1] for this essay.
- In the IB Language and Literature course [2] , the essay can also be based on a non-literary or collection of non literary text(s).
- You develop a line of inquiry , a question that lends itself to an argument focused on how a theme or message is conveyed through literary features.
- The essay is completed in your own time and you should get some feedback from your teacher during the development of the essay.
- You do not have to incorporate secondary sources beyond the text you are working with.
The paper is externally assessed, meaning the final grade given is from the IB Examiner, not from your teacher. However, your teacher will give a predicted grade that is sent to the IB [3] .
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How to Approach the Essay
The essay requires you to construct a focused, analytical argument, examining the work from a broad literary or linguistic perspective. It also requires you to adhere to the formal framework of an academic essay, using citations and references.
Connection to the Learner Portfolio
The HL essay is based on the exploration you have engaged with in the Learner Portfolio [4] . In the lead-up to the drafting of the essay, you must decide which text to focus on for further investigation, and which topic to write about. In choosing the topic, you can consult the course’s seven central concepts. You can choose any text with the exception of the texts used for the Internal Assessment (the IO) or the Paper 2.
How to choose a text
Don’t wait until the last minute and talk with your teacher about the text you want to use and the focus you are considering. Write your ideas out to make sure your line of inquiry is focused and appropriate for an analytical argument of a paper of this length.
In the case of a collection of short stories, poems, song lyrics or any short literary text, you may choose to use just one literary text from the work. However, It may be necessary to use more than one literary text from the work chosen.
The Language and Literature course only *
In the case of short non-literary texts, it may be necessary to use more than one from the same text type by the same author, for example the same creative advertising agency, cartoonist, photographer or social media user. At least one of these texts must have been studied in class. (If using a text in translation it must be a professional and published translation).
Determining the Topic and the 7 Course Concepts
It’s helpful but not mandatory to start with the seven central concepts of the course in generating or determining a topic for the essay. The questions below are meant as starting points for the focus of the essay, not as complete lines of inquiry which should be more specific to the chosen text (see examples of lines of inquiry below).
Questions may include; How is identity represented in the text? How are the characters in the text representative of a group? How does the text reflect the identity of the writer?
Questions may include; How is an aspect of the text representative of a culture or a particular place? How is a group of people or an institution conveyed? How is the text representative of a cultural perspective?
3-Creativity
Questions may include; How is the text representative of an individual or collective creativity, or lack of creativity? How is the text a reflection of the creativity of the writer?
4-Communication
How is communication or lack of communication conveyed in the text? How does the text itself communicate with the reader? How are aspects of communication illustrated through literary features?
5-Transformation
How is change or development illustrated in the text? How are characters transformed through action, communication or events in the text? What is the relationship between transformation and the goals, values and beliefs conveyed in the text?
6-Perspective
How is a perspective or different perspectives represented in the text? How is a shift in perspective portrayed? How is the writer’s perspective revealed through the text?
7-Representation
How does the text represent a particular theme or message? How are attitudes conveyed? In what way is reality or the world within the text represented?
IB English Language and Literature Guide examples of lines of inquiry
- Identity —how does Ralph Ellison, in his novel Invisible Man, succeed in making his narrator a convincing spokesperson for the concerns of African-Americans in the 20th century?
- Culture —how does Robert Capa represent post-Second World War France to qualify/exemplify the brutalities of the French population on former Nazi collaborators in La Femme Tondue? (Language A: language and literature only)
- Creativity —how do Mario Testino’s portraits manage to convey the personalities of those portrayed in original ways? (Language A: language and literature only)
- Communication– which view of love does Matt Groening convey in Love is Hell? (Language A: language and literature only)
- Transformation– in what ways does The Alan Parsons Project’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination offer a transformative re-reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s tales?
- Perspective– how does Mary Shelley’s protagonist in Frankenstein use the motif of dangerous knowledge to show the perspective of fear and anxiety of excesses in scientific enterprise in early 19th century Europe?
- Representation– through what means does Juan Rulfo successfully convey the representation of realistic and non-realistic characters and situations in Pedro Páramo?
A Final Note on the Learner Portfolio and the HL Essay
The Learner Portfolio is not assessed but schools are required to keep it on file. It is intended to be a platform for reflecting on the texts studied, facilitating development of independent thinking. The reflections may include responses to cultural perspectives and values, inter-relationships and identities as it relates to topics and themes in the texts studied. The reflections may serve as a springboard for the line of inquiry in the HL essay. For example, you may keep a record of themes present, reflections on how particular passages within the texts reflect those themes, or how themes and passages convey one of the 7 central concepts.
[1] Paper 2 is cancelled for the 2022 cohort. No announcement has been made for the 2023 at the time this article was written.
[2] There are 3 IB English courses. The two most common are IB English A: Literature SL/HL, a course focused on literature (Poetry, drama, short stories and novels) and the IB English Language and Literature SL/HL course, focused on literature AND a variety of non-literary (non-fiction) text types.
[3] The examiner’s grade is independent from your teacher’s predicted grade.
[4] An individual collection of student work compiled during the course in which you explore and reflect on the texts throughout the course.
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As an HL student thinking about writing your HL Essay, you will need to make a choice between writing about a literary work or a non-literary work/non-literary body of work. Some of these terms may be confusing. A literary work includes things...
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- Review the notes indicated and decide what question you want an answer to regarding the material you have read.
What Is the Format for a Literary Essay?
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- Make a flow chart in connection to the sequence of ideas starting with the introduction, body, and conclusion.
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- Ensure sequences support the flow of the essay and make the whole link with each other.
- Develop a conclusion which answers the introduction of your essay.
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You may download our template essays on Hamlet for free, but do not submit them as yours.
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Hamlet Essay Examples: Problems & Solutions
Perhaps everyone heard about William Shakespeare and his tragedy “Hamlet.” The action takes place In Denmark, where prince Hamlet came after the death of his father-king. The father’s ghost appears to Hamlet, telling him he was killed by his brother Claudius who became the next king. Hamlet starts to think about revenge but hesitates. And everyone considers him mad. Finally, he was also poisoned after killing the new king.
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Literature Essays
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Second Generation Asian-American Identity in Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Hesitant. Hopeless. Humiliating. Centered in Seattle, Washington, near the end of WW11 when the Japanese living in America are forced to internment camps. It follows Henry Lee through multiple storylines of him growing up in the 1940s and as a widower with a son in the 1980s, describing the pains and horrors he faced while […]
Character Analysis of David in Giovanni’s Room, a Novel by James Baldwin
Post-WWII America known for conformity and normality was not a kind time to homosexual men. These men were deemed unacceptable in a society that did not accept them and many felt forced to keep their feelings internal. This in turn led to struggle and conflict, as David, the main character in the novel Giovanni’s Room […]
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The Life and Legacy of Mark Twain
Mark Twain Mark Twain was born two months premature as Halley’s comet passed. His real name was Samuel Clemens. As a child he listened to the slaves tell stories and was inspired by the Mississippi River. At a young age, he lost his father and two of his siblings. He learned to joke about his […]
The Theme of Overcoming Adversity in Maya Angelou’s “Still i Rise” and Langston Hughes’s “I, Too” and “Dreams”
Poetry of Voice, Society & Culture When I hear the stories of my grandmother, the things that strike my core the most is to hear the oppression and hate that she faced. Could you imagine? You would never know that she experienced these painful moments by looking at the joyful expressions displayed across this woman’s […]
Triumph in the Face of Adversity in the Color Purple by Alice Walker
Alice Walker, most famous for her unique The Color Purple, is the initial African-American lady to win a Pulitzer Prize for fiction (Alice (Malsenior) Walker). Along with writing successful publications, Walker is a staunch protector of human rights, racial equal rights, and respecting all types of life. Her written job as well as political advocacy […]
The Representation of Stereotypes in American Born Chinese, a Novel by Gene Luen Yang
The variety of stereotypes made use of in media and also day-to-day lives influences how people connect with each other in the real life. Chin-Kee’s story remained in the form of a television program. Danny is a popular American child whose cousin Chin-Kee comes yearly to check out from China (Yang 126). Chin-Kee stands for […]
The Three Unrelated Characters’ Quest to Change their Outsider Status in the Book American Born Chinese
American Born Chinese starts really strangely, with a tale of a Monkey King being rejected of reception held in paradise. However, guide promptly develops into a heartwarming story of 3 unconnected characters’ pursuit to change their outsider standing. Guide was composed by Gene Luen Yang, and also published by Square Fish Posting. American Born Chinese […]
Identity Relating to Social Class in American Born Chinese, a Book by Gene Yang
Guide “American Born Chinese” by Gene Yang covers a lot of issues that impact our present society. The subjects it covers consist of family members, society, identity, race, sex, and also social course. Although guide mostly has to do with Jin, it begins with a story concerning the Monkey King. Guide after that proceeds to […]
The Joyfulness of the City and the Misery of a Child in a Basement in the Ones who Walk Away from Omelas, a Short Story by Ursula K. Le Guin
In the narrative The One Who Walks Away From Omelas, writer Ursula K. Le Guin explains a stunning, wondrous city that seems virtually ideal. When I was first reading this, it made me think about a city that was someplace in the orient. I believed this due to the fact that there were gongs being […]
A Comparison of the Lottery by Shirley Jackson and the Ones who Walk Away from Omelasa by Ursula K. Le Guin
The principle that it is easy to understand for a single person to endure for the advantage of others has actually been the subject of lots of books and also tales. Like åmå. The Lotteryala by Shirley Jackson where a setting up is made annual as well as a lottery game. Is attracted to select […]
A Comparison between the Characters of Alan from Peter Shaffer’s Play Equus and Billy Bibbit from Ken Kesey’s Novel One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
In Shaffer’s, “Equus”, Alan is a young boy of 17 who has deep troubling issues. Alan keeps all these feelings to himself; he holds these secrets dear. In Kesey’s, “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest”, Billy Bibbit is a thirty one year old voluntary psychiatric patient, and he too, fights with his demons. Both of these […]
An Effective Use of Flashbacks in Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin
Sonny’s Blues In the short story “Sonny’s Blues” the writer, James Baldwin, uses flashback to help better understand what is going on in the present. Sonny is an African-American man that is currently in jail for using and selling heroin. The narrator of the story is Sonny’s brother, whom we never get the name of. They […]
Familial Connections in Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin
Familial connections are part of what makes us human. They can also be what makes us successful in life. In the short story “Sonny’s Blues”, James Baldwin shows us the true importance of family through the lives of Sonny and his brother. Baldwin uses their dad and his brother as a mirror for their own relationship, […]
The Theme of Escapism in Sonny’s Blues, a Novel by James Baldwin
The Great Escape James Baldwin was an essayist, playwright, novelist and poet. He is considered an extremely intellectual informative author, as well as famous writer in the article war 20′ th century. Baldwin invested his very early years in a plainly black, ghetto community called Harlem in New York City. This community is just as […]
Escapism in Sonny’s Blues, the Lottery, and no Speak English
Desire to Escape The desire of escaping reality stems from the unhappiness of one’s current situation. Unhappiness could be the lack of contentment, loss of family values or living in a false reality. It can also be “more often indicated by a simple wish for the masses to simply, magically, disappear.” (Krishna 2327). This unhappiness […]
An Analysis of Suffering in Indian Camp by Ernest Hemingway and Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin
In numerous circumstances jobs of literary works represent reality scenarios whether it be physical, psychological or mental problems. Humans all experience some form of suffering in their lives. Functions of literary works use the theme of experiencing to portray how individuals endure in their very own means and also exactly how they react to their […]
Why the Song of Solomon Interested me
Before the class Sex and the Bible. I hardly knew who Jesus was or what the inside of Bible looked like, or how it was set up. I have been my entire life non-religious, and while I don’t believe that this class would ever change that, it is interesting to learn about because it is such […]
The Uncontrollable Factors of Life in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
According to Hamlet, Shakespeare is stating that an individual does not have complete freedom in his/her life. The character Hamlet, created by Shakespeare, is the Prince of Denmark. Being born a prince, Hamlet has little control over the course of his life. Using imagery, allusions, and metaphors, Shakespeare shows that when one is born as royalty, […]
A Character Analysis of Macon in Song of Solomon, a Novel by Toni Morrison
Song of the Past, Song of the Passed It is no accident that we strive to have our names remembered. Whether it be the Native Americans, who named their children after those who had died so that each name’s history would not be forgotten, or the Western tradition of taking on our parents’ surname, names define […]
The Journey of Milkman Dead to Find his Identity in Song of Solomon, a Novel by Toni Morrison
Milkman Gone Splat! An Analysis of the Final Scene in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon follows the life of Milkman Dead as well as his odyssey in the direction of discovering his real identification as well as finding the background of his forefathers. The look for identification is one of […]
How People React to Hard Realities as Described in “Hamlet” and “The Bluest Eye”
When faced with a horrific yet undeniable truth or action, literary characters respond with unorthodox measures. Tragedies reflect human nature as they focus on tabooed topics such as murder and rape. In Hamlet and The Bluest Eye, characters give the reader an insight to how people react to harsh realities. Analyzing the initial reaction and […]
The Internal Conflict of Pecola Breedlove on her Appearance in the Novel the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Within oneself, one might experience mental struggle resulting from opposing needs, drives, or wishes. In other words, they may undergo an internal conflict. In the novel, “The Bluest Eye”, by Toni Morrison, Pecola Breedlove, an important character within the story, faces an internal conflict that revolves around her appearance. Moreover, her curiosity is captured by society’s […]
The Adoration of Romantic Love and Physical Beauty in the Novel the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Conformity Glorified Throughout my childhood and even today, I have been accustomed to society’s views of romantic love and physical beauty, expressed through the media and even my peers around me. Back in 7th grade, I remember my friends and I having a crush on a girl named Victoria, who was considered to be the […]
The Relationships between Race, Beauty, and Identity in the American South through the Black Women in the Bluest Eye, a Novel by Toni Morrison
In The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison explores the relationships between race, beauty, and identity in the American South through the lens of several black women and girls. Just prior to this excerpt, Pecola had knocked a berry cobbler onto the floor, incurring the wrath of her mother, Polly. In this passage, Morrison uses personification and […]
A Psychoanalytic Review of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, a Book by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Double The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and also Mr. Hyde is a type of a horroric gothic tale. We have the outrageous scientist, the strange beast, criminal offense, disappearance and also everything we require. One of the most fascinating aspect of it is the look of the double in the character. We have […]
A Review of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in Relation to the Victorian Society
The Victorian period is very much known for its scientific, social and pretty much economic changes. There were a lot of breakthroughs in science which are still relevant to this day, as its one aspect of it all is represented in the work The Strange Case of dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde written by Robert […]
The Presentation of Mr. Hyde’s Transformation in the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a Novel by Robert Louis Stevenson
Stevenson uses many different language techniques and devices in order to present the transformation of Mr Hyde. Stevenson uses detailed description to present Hyde for the first time to Dr Lanyon. Although Stevenson doesn’t directly state that it is Hyde, through his vivid description we are able to identify the person as Mr Hyde. Throughout […]
The Experience of Abortion in Hills Like White Elephants
Ernest Hemingway’s, Hills Like White Elephants”, is a story of a young girl who becomes pregnant and receives pressure from her lover to receive an abortion. In the story, her lover makes multiple remarks as an effort to persuade her to go through with the “operation” that she is clearly uncomfortable with. As the story […]
The Issue of Abortion in Hills Like White Elephants
This short story centers around a couple talking about a ‘procedure’. It becomes clear, through lines such as “let the air in”, “it’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy”, “Once they take it away, you never get it back”, that the procedure they’re speaking of is actually an abortion, and that the couple are […]
An Analysis of Point of View and Symbolism in Hills Like White Elephants
Point of view is the narrator’s relationship to the world of the work. It is a metaphor indication the location from which the narrator sees the story. It’s also called perspective. Point of view plays an essential role in the way we see and understand the story. The writer may or may not give details […]
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Example HLE Introduction Then, in a body paragraph, on one of the key ideas mentioned above, we could analyze the different literary techniques. For example, Panel 1 is a great representation of the experience of confusion in the midst of political turmoil: Marji is the younger girl pictured in the panels above.
HLE Sample Thesis Statements and Writing The HLE Complete Course from Start to Finish We feel this is some of our best work. Teachers and students around the world have commented that this HLE series gets the job done and results in some powerful writing that makes students proud. Please take the time and work through the videos sequentially.
HL Essay: Exemplar 3 (George Monbiot) At the time of writing (April 2020), we have published a range of materials on the work of George Monbiot. Put his name into the website's search engine and up they will pop. Just like that. We have also, to date, published two Higher Level (HL) Essays.
Improve your grades immediately with these 8 important IB English HL Essay strategies, tips and examples shared by our expert IB English tutors. ... Literature, the source for the 1200-1500 word essay will be a non-literary or literary text studied in the course; for HL English Literature, this will be a literary text studied in the course. ...
Sample HL Essays Below are a range of sample essays that are all "good" to "excellent" and would be marked in the 5-7 range. At the end of each essay are holistic comments by criterion that identify the strengths and limitations of the essay against each of the IB Language A HL Essay assessment criteria. Woman at Point Zero HL Essay
The HL essay is an opportunity for students "to develop as independent, critical and creative readers, thinkers and writers" [1] which suggests there should be some degree of autonomy in choosing a work or body of work and determining the line of inquiry.
Teachers not involved in the marking of external assessments. The HL essay is a 1200-1500 word essay that counts for 20% of the overall course. Students must select a body of work OR a work that is the focus on their analysis. Students also need to choose a topic that will be part of the analysis.
Sample hl english essay higher level (hl) essay in his essays, what narrative and language structures does george monbiot use to challenge power to bring about DismissTry Ask an Expert Ask an Expert Sign inRegister Sign inRegister Home Ask an ExpertNew My Library Discovery Institutions Prince Sultan University COMSATS University Islamabad
At HL, students are required to write a 1,200 -1,500 word formal essay which develops a particular line of inquiry of their own choice in connection with a non-literary text, a collection of non-literary texts by one same author or a literary text or work studied during the course. 42 Language A: language and literature guide External Assessment
At HL, students are required to write a 1,200 -1,500 word formal essay which develops a particular line of inquiry of their own choice in connection with a non-literary text, a collection of non-literary texts by one same author or a literary text or work studied during the course. 42 Language A: language and literature guide External Assessment
sample hl english essay david mcintyrethinkib studocu ... english a literature hl academic year2020 2021 helpful 314 comments please sign. 3 inor registerto post comments dp english a literature paper 1 sample guiding questions web jul 5 2022 questions for guided literary analysisfor paper 1 guided
We need sample HL essays in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, German, Japanese and Turkish covering 16 different topics! Show off your writing and set an example for future IB students. Submit a proposal by 30 June 2018 (extended from May) to write an original 1,200-1,500-word essay on a topic you choose within ...
Make sure you understand how a particular HL essay sample addresses the requirements and criteria. Work very hard on your schoolwork and school assessments. Although you may not realize it early on, these are designed to build the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful on your HL essay.
Higher level essay. HLE sample work. One of the best ways to learn is by example. In order to become familiar with the expectations of the Higher Level Essay, you will want to look at how student work has been assessed in the past.Both poor and good samples are presented in these pages, so that you can learn from other students" experiences.
HL Essay. HL Essay - Student Samples. HL Essay - Great Examples (Literature) 60'. If you choose one of your literary works for the Higher Level essay topic, this task is nothing more than has been the standard written coursework for years in Literature courses.
Language A: language and literature assessed student work HL essay example A: student work 4Along with the fixed methods of the education situation, Calvin's observations direct the viewers to the fact that teachers play an important role in breaking the monotony and encouraging individuality.
The HL Essay is a 1200-1500 word formal essay and it is based on a literary work studied as part of the course. You cannot use the same work for the IO or the Paper 2 [1] for this essay. In the IB Language and Literature course [2], the essay can also be based on a non-literary or collection of non literary text(s).
HL Essay - Student Samples HL Essay - Great Examples (Non-literary Works) 60' As an HL student thinking about writing your HL Essay, you will need to make a choice between writing about a literary work or a non-literary work/non-literary body of work. Some of these terms may be confusing. A literary work includes things...
7+ Literary Essay Examples & Samples in PDF. Part of submissions you give in school are essays. Essay writing is introduced in school is largely due to prepare a student or individual for work which also involves writing essays of sorts. The practice of writing essays also develops critical thinking which is highly needed in any future job.
21 samples found essays on this Topic General OVERVIEW Subject: Literature Pages: 3 Words: 732 Rating: 4,7 Is Hamlet Actually Mad Introduction Madness is considered to be performing some successive controversial actions in the hope of a contrary result. In the classic tragedy "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare,…
Sonny's Blues In the short story "Sonny's Blues" the writer, James Baldwin, uses flashback to help better understand what is going on in the present. Sonny is an African-American man that is currently in jail for using and selling heroin. The narrator of the story is Sonny's brother, whom we never get the name of.