What is commentary?

The Individual Oral Commentary (also known as the IOC, done in the fall) as well as Paper 1 (your first IB English exam in May) ask you to perform LITERARY COMMENTARY. So you may find yourself asking:

What IS literary commentary?

As used in the language A: literature course, the terms “commentary” or “literary commentary” refer to literary analysis: a detailed examination of a piece of literature. The exercise of commenting on a piece of literature involves:

• close reading
• literary appreciation
• reading between the lines
• an understanding of the effects of literary features.

Students are expected to display an understanding of the complexities of a prose passage or poem and to develop a convincing argument using the text to support interpretations and judgments. There is no answer that is a formulaic “correct” answer and students are encouraged to explore their own ideas and insights—but also to support these with textual evidence so that they are not merely guesses. The teacher is instrumental in encouraging the student to be analytical and explore the subtleties of the text. Good commentaries typically show independent engagement with the text and a keen understanding of the effects of the author’s use of various literary techniques.

In whatever language students are studying language A: literature, they are expected to use language appropriate to literary discussion, and this will usually include accurate reference to commonly used literary terms. Discussing the effectiveness of the writer’s choice of literary techniques is even more important; mere listing and naming of literary terms will not attract high marks.

In the assessment criteria for paper 1, there is no requirement for students to make reference to other texts that may be associated with the genre of the prose passage or poem chosen.

The literary commentary (HL)

At HL students are required to structure their literary analysis in the form of an essay (also referred to as a “commentary” or “literary commentary”). The prose passage or poem on the examination paper is unlikely to be familiar to the students, so this exercise is often referred to as an “unseen commentary”. Conventions for the formal organization of ideas naturally differ widely between, and even within, countries and languages, so it is not possible to be prescriptive about how a commentary should be organized. However, the best commentaries will put forward a persuasively organized argument that is coherently developed and effectively structured.

Students are assessed on their ability to:

• show they understand the prose passage or poem through well-supported interpretation
• identify language usage, structure, technique and style used by the author
• discuss the effects that arise from the author’s choices
• present their ideas in a formally organized and coherently developed piece of writing.

Differences between written and spoken literary commentary

The same questions need to be answered in both types of commentary.

• What is the text about?
• How was it written?
• Why was it written?

In order to be successful, both types of commentary require careful thought and planning beforehand. Fundamentally the exercise is the same, with the following differences.

• The literary commentary (HL) in paper 1 requires students to make inferences based on the available evidence, as the prose passages and poems on the examination paper are not likely to be ones that students will have studied in class. The oral commentary, on the other hand, is based on extracts taken from works that have been taught in detail and the student must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the writer’s work through close analysis of the specific poem or extract.
• Speaking and writing require skills that overlap but are not the same. Before an individual oral commentary, students need to take notes and arrange them in the order in which they will deliver them. They should have learned how to speak clearly and fluently and be able to respond confidently to questions on interpreting literature. It is much harder to cover up a lack of knowledge in an individual oral commentary, and thorough revision of the part 2 works is important for success.