What Is Intertextuality in IB English A?
In IB English A: Language & Literature, intertextuality refers to how one text interacts with, references, or echoes another. It’s the network of literary and cultural connections that shape meaning and interpretation.
Recognizing intertextuality helps students understand that no text exists in isolation — every work is influenced by others through themes, genres, styles, or cultural ideas. IB examiners reward essays that demonstrate this awareness, as it shows advanced critical thinking and contextual understanding.
Defining Intertextuality | IB Conceptual Overview
Coined by literary theorist Julia Kristeva, intertextuality describes how meaning is created through relationships between texts. Authors often:
- Allude to or quote earlier works.
- Adapt or parody existing genres.
- Echo recurring archetypes or symbols.
- Respond to historical or cultural narratives.
Example:
- Wide Sargasso Sea (Rhys) reimagines Jane Eyre from a postcolonial perspective.
- The Lion King echoes Shakespeare’s Hamlet through character parallels and moral conflict.
Both examples show how writers reinterpret older texts to explore new contexts and meanings.
Why Intertextuality Matters in IB English A
Intertextuality allows IB students to:
- Understand how ideas evolve across time and culture.
- Analyze authorial intention and reader interpretation in depth.
- Connect texts and global issues — a key goal for IOs and HL Essays.
Examiners value essays that explore how writers enter dialogue with other texts to challenge or expand meaning.
Types of Intertextual Relationships
1. Direct Allusion or Quotation
A clear reference to another text, event, or idea.
Example:
T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land quotes from Dante, Shakespeare, and religious scripture to layer modern despair with classical tradition.
2. Parody and Satire
Using humor or irony to critique earlier works or cultural norms.
Example:
Atwood’s The Penelopiad parodies Homer’s Odyssey from Penelope’s perspective, exposing gender bias in classical storytelling.
3. Adaptation or Retelling
Rewriting an existing narrative from a new angle or context.
Example:
West Side Story reimagines Romeo and Juliet in a modern, racialized setting to comment on urban division.
4. Thematic or Stylistic Echo
Texts share motifs, archetypes, or structural parallels without direct reference.
Example:
Both Frankenstein and Blade Runner explore the creator’s guilt and the ethical limits of human ambition — modern and Romantic versions of the same moral theme.
Step-by-Step: How to Analyze Intertextuality
Step 1: Identify the Connection
Ask:
- What older text or cultural reference is being echoed or reimagined?
- Is it explicit (named or quoted) or implicit (stylistic or thematic)?
Step 2: Explain the Relationship
Determine whether the new text agrees with, critiques, or subverts the original.
Example:
“Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea challenges Jane Eyre’s colonial narrative by giving voice to Bertha Mason, transforming a silenced character into a symbol of postcolonial resistance.”
Step 3: Analyze Technique and Style
How does the author use language, form, or structure to build on the earlier text?
- Diction or tone may mimic or distort the original.
- Narrative shifts may reveal new perspectives.
Step 4: Evaluate Meaning and Impact
Ask:
- How does intertextuality deepen the text’s message?
- What does it reveal about the author’s context or global issue?
Example Analytical Sentence:
“Through ironic repetition of religious language, Miller transforms biblical allusion into social critique, exposing how faith is manipulated for political gain.”
Intertextuality Across IB Assessments
Paper 2 (Comparative Essay)
- Highlight shared themes and stylistic approaches between your two studied works.
- Show how one author reinterprets or responds to another’s ideas.
Higher Level Essay (HLE)
- Use intertextuality to explore how meaning shifts across cultural or historical contexts.
- Compare two works that address a similar global issue — like identity, power, or truth.
Individual Oral (IO)
- Link intertextual references to a global issue (e.g., representation, marginalization, or memory).
- Discuss how shared symbols or genres communicate different perspectives on the same issue.
Common Mistakes When Discussing Intertextuality
- Treating intertextuality as simple “comparison” instead of creative dialogue.
- Mentioning allusions without explaining their purpose.
- Ignoring context — why the author chose to echo a specific work.
- Overstating influence — not every similarity is intentional.
IB Tip: Intertextuality is about meaningful relationship, not coincidence. Always link it to authorial intention and effect.
Why Intertextuality Builds IB-Level Insight
Understanding intertextuality helps IB students engage with literary evolution and global dialogue. It deepens appreciation of how writers reinterpret culture, challenge tradition, and shape collective identity.
Through RevisionDojo’s IB English Language & Literature course, students can explore intertextual mapping exercises, annotated comparisons, and exemplar essays that model how to connect texts with precision and depth.
FAQs
What is intertextuality in IB English A?
It’s the relationship between texts — how one work references, echoes, or transforms another to create new meaning.
How do I include intertextuality in my essay?
Identify a clear connection between texts and explain how it shapes theme, style, and reader interpretation.
Why is intertextuality important in IB analysis?
It shows awareness of how literature functions within cultural and historical conversations, a key aspect of IB Criterion A and B.
