Thesis statements

• Engels
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• GCSE

Goals for today 

Thesis statement construction 

Peer feedback on thesis statements 

Techniques and ideas in the extract 

Peer feedback on your body paragraph 

Information to prepare for your summative 

Rate the word 1 to 4

1. I do not know the word, and I have never seen it before. 

2. I've heard or seen the word before, but I'm not sure what it means. 

3. I know the word and can recognise and understand it while reading, but I probably wouldn't feel comfortable using it in writing or speech. 

4. I know the word well and can use it correctly in writing or speech. 

Polytheism 

Word of the day

Polytheism (n) - belief in many different gods; the belief in or worship of more than one god

Believing in only one god = monotheism

Believing in no god = atheism 

Many ancient civilisations believed in polytheism and worshipped numerous gods

Resources available 

• Introduction, chronology, cultural and theatrical contexts - in your copy of A Doll's House. 
  
• Digital theatre + videos and background information 
• Kognity - general information on drama - political and social commentary drama
• Kognity - paper 1 analysis skills (assessment) 
• Oxford Course Companion - general information on drama 
• Online summaries etc. 

In what ways do tone and characterisation in this passage reveal contrasting attitudes toward love and independence?

First steps to a thesis 

source: https://litlearn.com/ib-english/paper-1/thesis/ (adapted) 

“In the text, the author does this.”

Improve this thesis statement 

1. “In the story, the author looks at how the main character is sad and how he always fights with his parents when he returns home from school.” 
   
2. “In the prose extract, the author conveys the sadness of the protagonist through the portrayal of his frequent conflict with his parents.” 
3. “In the prose extract, the author characterises the protagonist as a sad teenager who suffers frequent conflict with his parents.”

source: https://litlearn.com/ib-english/paper-1/thesis/ (adapted) 

Helpful formula 

In the poem / play / prose extract / article (genre), the writer explores / criticises / ridicules/ portrays / highlights / illustrates (some verb) _________ (idea, effect, or meaning).

source: https://litlearn.com/ib-english/paper-1/thesis/ (adapted) 

BUT ... not finished yet ...

source: https://litlearn.com/ib-english/paper-1/thesis/ (adapted) 

“The writer does this, this and that in order to achieve a purpose.”

Added purpose 

1. “In the prose extract, the author characterises the protagonist as a sad teenager who experiences frequent conflict with his parents in order to highlight the harsh estrangement of adolescence.”
   
2. “In order to highlight the harsh estrangement of adolescence, the author characterises the protagonist as a sad teenager who suffers frequent conflict with his parents.”
3. “In the prose extract, the author explores the distressed emotional landscape of adolescence through the portrayal of the teenage protagonist's constant melancholy and familial conflict.” (expressed as a concept) 

source: https://litlearn.com/ib-english/paper-1/thesis/ (adapted) 

Helpful formula - completed

In the poem / play / prose extract / article (some genre), the writer explores / criticises / ridicules/ portrays / highlights / illustrates (some verb) _________ (idea, effect, or meaning) in order to __________ (some purpose).

source: https://litlearn.com/ib-english/paper-1/thesis/ (adapted) 

Unlocking 

- Topics: marriage, gender and power 

- Literary devices 

Extract Act III p. 96 - 97 

In this drama extract from Act III, Ibsen gradually increases the tension to expose conflicting attitudes towards love and equality in marriage in order to criticise the limited opportunities for women to live independent lives free from their husband's control. 

For the body paragraph given to you give feedback on only this aspect of the work:

 

1. Considering what you have now learnt about constructing a thesis statement, give feedback on how successful their thesis statement was. 
2. Rewrite the thesis statement. 
3. Give a what went well (WWW) and even better if (EBI)

Unlocking 

- Topics: marriage, gender and power 

- Literary devices 

Diction choice in dramatic dialogue Torvald	Objectification - "beautiful" 4 x, "Capri signorina", "capricious little Capricienne", "force""my sweet", "She's worth looking at", "beautiful apparition", "stubborn"
Diction choice in dramatic dialogue Nora	Very short, plain comments - "Yes?", "I knew it" Desolate
Diction choice in dramatic dialogue Christine Linde	Excitement, fulfilment - "Someone to work for", "A home to bring joy into!"
Stage and speech direction	Nora "(dully), "(whispers") Torvald controlling "leads her", "takes off", "forcibly"
Costume - symbolism	"Italian costume with a large black shawl", "evening dress, with a black coat" (takes off Nora's shawl)"

Unlocking 

- Topics: marriage, gender and power 

- Literary devices 

Foreshadowing dramatic irony	"An exit should always be dramatic"
Dark and light	"It's dark in here.", "(lights a couple of candles.)"
Symbols	"it's hot in here" - stove no longer gives comfort Key, doors - "A key is turned in the lock", door [...] remains open."
Time	"leave so early", "Just another hour!", "Not another minute", "just half an hour longer"
Punctuation	Nora - almost no exclamation marks, Torvald - drunk - a lot of exclamation marks, dashes showing confused thoughts and interrupting the women. Mrs Linde excited dashes and exclamation marks,
Monologue	Helmer controls the conversation and is condescending - talking about Nora, but not with her. Talks over Mrs Linde "Oh, yes, indeed -"

For the body paragraph given to you give feedback on only this aspect of the work:

 

1. Having considered some dramatic techniques, give feedback on the consideration of authorial choices.  Did they consider sufficient and well-chosen techniques? 
2. Give a what went well (WWW) and even better if (EBI)

For the body paragraph given to you give feedback on only this aspect of the work:

 

1. How successfully have they used insightful and convincing analysis and given good evaluation of the textual features to shape meaning? 
2. Give a what went well (WWW) and even better if (EBI)