Peeling the Onion: Deep Analysis for IB English Paper 2
- In IB English Paper 2, the difference between an average and excellent essay lies in the depth of understanding.
- High-scoring essays don’t simply describe what happens in the text
- They interpret how and why meaning is constructed through language, structure, and context.
- To do this, we need to move beyond surface reading.
- Think of your analysis like peeling back the layers of an onion: every layer you uncover brings you closer to a sophisticated and insightful interpretation of your texts.
What Does "Understanding" a Text Mean?
- Imagine a scale of understanding that stretches from zero (no clue) to infinity (limitless expertise).
- On that scale, your goal is to understand each of your Paper 2 texts well enough to confidently compare and contrast them through the lens of a prompt. This guide breaks that process into four levels:
Level 1: Basic (Surface Knowledge)
- Themes: Broad concepts explored in the work (e.g., alienation, justice, morality)
- Characters: Protagonists, antagonists, and key figures
- Techniques: Literary or stylistic devices (e.g., irony, symbolism, tone)
- Context: Historical, social, political, or biographical background
Level 2: Contextual Influence
- Understand how the context influences all aspects of the work
- Ask: How do social/historical conditions shape characters, themes, or techniques?
Example
In A Doll’s House, Ibsen critiques 19th-century gender roles through Nora's rebellion
Level 3: Relationships Between Elements
- Explore intra-textual relationships:
- How characters embody or subvert themes
- How techniques are used to shape characters or themes
- How context deepens these connections
Example
In The Crucible, Miller uses religious diction to reinforce the theme of mass paranoia
Level 4: Comparative Understanding (Boss Level)
- Make intertextual connections:
- How do techniques, characters, or themes differ across texts?
- Are authors critiquing similar ideas from different perspectives?
- Does context affect each author's treatment of a theme differently?
Example
Both Never Let Me Go and The Handmaid’s Tale critique systems of control, but Ishiguro uses subtle emotional tone while Atwood uses speculative dystopia.
The Onion Framework
To write sophisticated comparative analysis, ask these four questions for every point you make:
| Layer | Question |
|---|---|
| Surface | What happens? Quote a line. |
| Device | What technique conveys it? |
| Function | How does that technique support a theme or idea? |
| Resonance | Why does it matter in the broader context of the work? |
Example
- Macbeth
- Surface: Lady Macbeth says "Unsex me here."
- Device: Imperative verb + metaphor
- Function: Challenges traditional gender roles
- Resonance: Foreshadows her descent into guilt and madness, central to Shakespeare’s exploration of power and ambition
Example
- Never Let Me Go
- Surface: Kathy reflects, "We all complete."
- Device: Euphemism
- Function: Softens the horror of the clones' fate
- Resonance: Reflects broader themes of mortality and ethical passivity in scientific advancement
The Onion Drill
- Surface: Quote a key line from the text
- Device: Identify a technique used
- Function: Explain how it builds character, theme, or tone
- Resonance: Connect it to the author’s message or context
Link to the IB Marking Criteria
Criterion A: Knowledge, Understanding and Interpretation (/10)
- Use the Onion Drill to build insightful interpretations beyond plot summary
- Show how themes/characters/techniques link within and across texts
Criterion B: Analysis and Evaluation (/10)
- Analyse how techniques shape meaning
- Evaluate their effectiveness in context
- Compare how and why the authors made their stylistic choices
Criterion C: Focus and Organisation (/5)
- Each paragraph should follow the Onion structure (Surface > Device > Function > Resonance)
- Maintain clarity and balance between both texts
Criterion D: Language (/5)
- Use precise literary terms (e.g., juxtaposes, reinforces, evokes)
- Write with clarity, sophistication, and consistent academic tone
Tip
- Always Peel the Onion
- Go beyond what happens.
- Move through: Surface → Device → Function → Resonance.
- Train Yourself to Layer
- Don’t stop at identifying a technique, ask why it matters.
- Link each observation to a theme, then to the author’s purpose.
- Compare Layer by Layer
- For each text, unpack the same technique or theme through the onion.
- Then compare: Do they use the same method? For the same reason?
- Plan with the Onion in Mind
- Each paragraph should follow the structure:
- What happens
- Which device
- Why it matters
- Broader significance
- Each paragraph should follow the structure:
- Practise the “Mini-Onion” Drill
- Take one quote from each text.
- Write one sentence per layer (4 sentences total).
- This builds deep comparison skills and speeds up planning.
- Layered Analysis = Top Marks
- IB examiners reward essays that:
- Move beyond description (Criterion B)
- Show insight and significance (Criterion A)
- Are clearly structured (Criterion C)
- Use precise, analytical language (Criterion D)
- IB examiners reward essays that:
