The literary individual oral

To say what the passage MEANS and HOW the writer achieves that meaning, then link it to the whole work — not to retell the plot.

Summary retells what happens; analysis explains what the passage means and how the writer's choices create that meaning and its effect.

Key images (and their feelings), shifts in mood or voice, who is speaking and how, and repeated words or ideas.

A change in mood, tense, or point of view. Shifts almost always carry meaning, so they are worth analysing.

First the content (what the passage is about), then the technique (how it is written) — always tied to the effect on the reader.

Voice (who narrates and their tone), imagery (the pictures/senses), diction (word choice), and structure (how the passage is arranged).

The EFFECT on the reader. Naming a technique with no effect ('there is a metaphor') earns nothing.

Place the extract (where it sits, what is happening), analyse two or three deep points with quotation, then link it to the whole work.

Retelling the plot instead of analysing; naming devices with no effect; forgetting to link the extract to the whole work.

The HL literature oral: you present on a short extract from one of your two studied works, then discuss it with your teacher.

The short passage — from a work you studied — that the HL oral is built on.

Say where it comes from and what is happening at this point — briefly, no long retelling.

Show what the extract means and HOW the writing creates it (voice, imagery, tone, character, theme) — the heart of the presentation.

Link the extract to the whole work — which central theme it belongs to and why the moment matters.

How to use evidence: make a point, quote a short phrase, then comment on its effect (answer "so what?").

The "I" in a first-person extract is the narrator (a character/created voice), NOT the author who wrote the work.

A short supervised preparation → a short prepared presentation on the extract → a discussion with the teacher about the work and its themes.

PLACE the extract, ANALYSE it (what it means + how), then CONNECT it to the whole work.

Highest: analysis over summary, short quotes with comment, a clear link to the whole work, fluent literary language. Lowest: plot retelling, reading a script, no evidence, narrator/author confusion.

“Evokes” — e.g. “The empty setting evokes loneliness.”

“Undermines” (or “subverts”) — e.g. “The cheerful ending undermines the earlier dread.”

Lead in → short quote → zoom on one word → say what it does.

“Arguably” — e.g. “Arguably, the ending offers no real hope.”

“By contrast” (or “However”) — signals a shift or opposing point.

“This connects to...” or “Building on this...”

“This passage reveals...” — precise and literary.

Every technique you name must be followed by its EFFECT on the reader.