IB Literature: Individual Oral: Global Issues and Authorial Choices: Part 1

Thomas Lewandowski

5 Feb 202021:08

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this educational video, Mr. Lewandowski guides viewers on tackling the Interactive Oral component of the IB program, focusing on the intersection of global issues and authorial choices within literary works. He explores five broad areas of knowledge, offering insights into how to identify and connect global themes with specific authorial decisions. The video aims to broaden students' perspectives on the range of global issues, encouraging them to find personal relevance and depth in their literary analysis, with a teaser for the next part focusing on identifying global issues from a given text extract.

Takeaways

🌏 The IB program's interactive oral asks students to connect a global issue with an investigation of authorial choice in literature.
📚 There are five general areas of knowledge to consider for global issues: culture and identity, politics and power, art and creativity, science and technology, and nature and relationships.
🔍 Students can start with a global issue they are interested in and find its representation in the texts, or start with a text they love and identify global issues within it.
🏞 Possible global issues include climate change, death rituals, class, race, ethnicity, national identity, gender, colonialism, and privilege.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The importance of examining how societal structures like family, religion, and education impact individuals and vice versa.
🎨 Art and creativity can be explored in terms of how they reflect or influence global issues, such as the role of the artist in society or the power of creative expression.
💡 The script emphasizes the significance of authorial choices in literature, such as the use of pronouns, dialogue, and description, to convey a global issue.
📖 'All the Pretty Horses' by Cormac McCarthy is suggested as a text that can be analyzed for global issues, such as cultural identity and the impact of colonialism.
🤔 The process of identifying a global issue involves looking for themes or questions that resonate personally with the reader and can be connected to broader societal contexts.
🌐 The role of technology and its impact on individuals and society is highlighted, including modern concerns like the influence of the internet and AI.
📝 The script concludes with an example from a story, illustrating how specific literary techniques can be analyzed to reveal underlying global issues.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video by Mr. Lewandowski?
-The purpose of the video is to guide viewers on how to approach the Interactive Oral component of the IB program, specifically focusing on connecting global issues with authorial choices in literary works.
What are the five general areas of knowledge mentioned in the video?
-The five general areas of knowledge are not explicitly listed in the transcript, but they likely refer to broad categories such as culture, politics, science, art, and possibly others that can be used to identify global issues.
How does Mr. Lewandowski suggest finding a global issue within a literary work?
-He suggests starting with either a global issue that interests you or a work that you love, and then looking for connections or themes within the work that relate to your chosen global issue.
What is an example of a global issue that could be connected to a literary work?
-An example given is climate change, where one might look for sections in a work that investigate the natural world and the interdependency between humans and nature.
Why is it important to have a broad understanding of the range of choices for a global issue?
-A broad understanding allows for more creative connections between the global issue and the literary work, as it may not always be explicitly stated in the work.
What does Mr. Lewandowski suggest as a starting point for identifying a global issue in a work?
-He suggests starting with a paragraph or section of the work that resonates with you personally and then exploring the author's choices that surface the global issue.
What is the significance of Cormac McCarthy's 'All the Pretty Horses' in the video?
-The novel 'All the Pretty Horses' is used as an example to discuss potential global issues and authorial choices that can be found within the text.
What are some specific examples of global issues that could be explored under the category of culture and identity?
-Examples include family roles, class, race, ethnicity, national identity, gender, sexuality, and colonialism's impact on cultural identity.
How does Mr. Lewandowski define a global issue in the context of the Interactive Oral?
-A global issue is not just a single word but a statement or a question that can be explored through the author's choices in the literary work, often relating to the impact on individuals and society.
What is the importance of the author's choice of pronouns in the provided example paragraph?
-The choice of pronouns can create distance from the character, allowing for open interpretation, and suggesting that the character could represent any individual.
What is the next step after identifying authorial choices in the video?
-The next step, which will be covered in a follow-up video, is to explore how these authorial choices connect to potential global issues.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Global Issue Exploration in Literature

The paragraph introduces the task of linking a global issue with an author's choices in literature, specifically for the IB program. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the broad range of global issues and how they can be connected to literary works. The speaker suggests starting with either a global issue or a favorite work and then finding connections, using 'All the Pretty Horses' by Cormac McCarthy as an example. The paragraph also touches on the flexibility needed to find global issues within the themes of nature and human interdependence.

05:01

🏠 Culture, Identity, and Community Dynamics

This paragraph delves into the subtopics that can be considered under culture and identity, such as family roles, class, race, ethnicity, and national identity. It discusses the complexity of these issues and how they can be examined in literature, including the impact on individuals and society. The speaker also mentions the importance of looking at the broader implications of these issues, such as the effects of colonialism and the development of personal identity within various cultural contexts.

10:05

🎭 The Interplay of Rituals, Values, and Systems

The focus of this paragraph is on rituals and their connection to values and systems within society. It discusses how different cultures handle life events like birth, death, and marriage, and how these rituals relate to broader systems such as religion, politics, and family. The speaker also touches on the importance of examining the impact of these systems on individuals and society, including the potential for conflict and the exploration of power dynamics.

15:07

🎨 Art, Creativity, and the Role of Imagination

This paragraph explores the theme of art and creativity, discussing how these concepts can be examined in literature. It suggests looking for works that delve into the struggles of the creative process or that feature characters who are artists. The speaker advises against merely praising a work for its creativity but rather finding a thematic connection to the global issue of creativity or imagination within the narrative.

20:10

🌱 Environment, Technology, and Human Interaction

The final paragraph of the provided script discusses the impact of technology and the environment on individuals and society. It suggests examining modern works that explore the influence of the internet, AI, and social media on human relationships and thought processes. The speaker also hints at the potential for discussing the relationship between humans and nature, as well as the role of media in shaping societal values and behaviors.

🔍 Analyzing Literary Choices: An Example

The paragraph concludes with an example of literary analysis, focusing on the use of pronouns and interior monologue to create distance or intimacy with a character. It provides a brief excerpt from a story and suggests that the author's choice of pronouns may allow for broader interpretation of the character. The speaker indicates that the next video will explore how to connect this analysis to potential global issues.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Global Issue

A 'Global Issue' refers to a significant problem or topic that has worldwide implications and relevance. In the context of the video, it is one of the two focal points for an investigation in the IB program, where students are encouraged to connect a global issue with an author's choice in a literary work. An example from the script is the potential exploration of climate change within a work, even if not explicitly mentioned, by examining the author's depiction of the natural world and human interaction with it.

💡Authorial Choice

Authorial Choice pertains to the deliberate decisions made by an author in constructing a narrative or presenting themes in their work. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding these choices to uncover the underlying global issues. For instance, the use of certain pronouns in the script's example paragraph serves as an authorial choice that distances the reader from the character, allowing for broader interpretation and engagement with the narrative.

💡Cultural Identity

Cultural Identity is the sense of belonging to a cultural group, often defined by shared values, traditions, and history. The video script discusses this concept as a potential global issue that could be explored through an author's examination of ethnicity, nationality, and the impact of societal structures on individual identity. An example within the script is the exploration of Hispanic identity in Cormac McCarthy's 'All the Pretty Horses', which can lead to a broader discussion on national identity.

💡Class

Class typically refers to a socio-economic grouping in society, often associated with power dynamics and access to resources. In the video, class is mentioned as a global issue that can be analyzed through the lens of literature, looking at how class boundaries are reinforced or challenged within a narrative. The script suggests examining the complex roles and questioning of family roles within the class structure as a means to understand the author's perspective on class.

💡Race and Ethnicity

Race and Ethnicity are complex social constructs that categorize individuals based on physical characteristics and cultural heritage, respectively. The video script suggests that these can be global issues to explore in literature, particularly how they intersect with identity formation and societal impact. The script mentions the broader examination of ethnicity rather than focusing on a specific cultural group, which allows for a more generalizable discussion on the role of race and ethnicity in society.

💡Gender

Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, and expectations associated with being male or female. In the video, gender is highlighted as a potential area of investigation within the realm of cultural identity and community, including discussions on sexuality and its relationship with community acceptance or rejection. The script implies that an author's choices regarding gender representation can reveal insights into societal norms and individual identity development.

💡Colonialism

Colonialism is the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically. The video script touches on colonialism as a global issue that can be examined through literature, particularly focusing on post-colonial struggles for national identity and the cultural 'hangover' that can result from this historical period. The concept is used to explore the impact of colonial rule on cultural identity and the subsequent quest for self-determination.

💡Systems of Education and Belief

Systems of Education and Belief refer to the structured ways in which knowledge and ideologies are transmitted and maintained within a society. The video script suggests that these systems can be analyzed to understand their impact on society and individuals, including how they may reinforce or challenge existing power structures. The script mentions the potential for exploring the intersection of religion and education, and how these systems shape societal values and individual beliefs.

💡Politics and Power

Politics and Power involve the dynamics of governance, influence, and control within a society. The video script discusses these concepts as areas for exploration, particularly in terms of how they affect individuals and communities. Examples from the script include the examination of abuses of power, the impact of political systems on individuals, and the role of power in shaping societal norms and values.

💡Art, Creativity, and Imagination

Art, Creativity, and Imagination encompass the human capacity for original thought, expression, and the creation of beauty or meaning. The video script suggests that these concepts can be explored as global issues within literature, particularly focusing on how authors depict the role and impact of art and creative acts within society. The script implies that an author's portrayal of artistic endeavors can reveal insights into the value and function of art, as well as the challenges and rewards of the creative process.

💡Technology and Science

Technology and Science represent the application of knowledge to create tools, systems, and understanding of the natural world. The video script highlights these as potential global issues to be examined through literature, especially in the context of modern works that explore the impact of the Internet, artificial intelligence, and the relationship between humans and their environment. The script suggests that an author's choices regarding technology and science can reveal their perspectives on the benefits and challenges of these advancements.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of linking a global issue with an investigation of authorial choice in the IB program.

Explanation of five general areas of knowledge for identifying global issues.

Discussion on the importance of having a broad understanding of global issue choices.

Suggestion to start with a global issue or a work of interest to find connections.

Example of finding global issues like climate change within works that explore the natural world.

Cultural identity and community as potential global issues, including family roles and class.

The significance of examining how societal structures impact personal identity.

Exploration of ethnicity and national identity as global issues in literature.

The role of gender, colonialism, and post-colonial identity in shaping cultural perspectives.

Discussion on the impact of belief systems, including religion and education, on society.

Investigation of politics and power, including the dark side of power and abuses of power.

Analysis of the role of art, creativity, and imagination in addressing global issues.

The impact of technology and science on individuals and society as a global issue.

The importance of identifying personal engagement with the global issue in literature.

The process of examining authorial choices in pronouns to understand character distance and interpretation.

Use of interior monologue to provide insight into a character's mind and global issue connection.

Teaser for the next video focusing on finding multiple global issues within a text excerpt.

Transcripts

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Related Tags

IB Program Global Issues Literary Analysis Authorial Choices Cultural Identity Climate Change Death Rituals Class Struggle Ethnicity Study Power Dynamics Creative Writing