Harry Potter EE

[ravador]

I'm doing Harry Potter for my EE and I somewhat ran out of ideas. Can any of you help me get more ideas please.

I already have some ideas, but my supervisor said its not enough and I have to figure out more ideas to support my topic.

Please help.... *begs*

[I am screwed]

WHAT is your topic woman ??

[ravador]

WHAT is your topic woman ??

It's on the title. "How does the series serves a gateway to reading other literatures?"

[jbird]

I would be careful with this topic. Are you doing this as an English essay? Because I don't think it would work for that. English essays need to focus on literary features of the work, not the social or cultural implications of reading it. I'm a big believer in picking topics you enjoy doing, but if this is an English essay, I think you need to completely revamp your question.

[Hexa]

I know someone who is doing an EE claiming Voldemort and the Death Eaters are allusions to Hitler and the Nazis.

You could go for something like that.

[Simon]

The topic sounds interesting but probably wont help you score too highly on the criteria. I also suggest that yous stick with Harry Potter (it's great to do something you enjoy doing) but that you examine literary aspects of it and not social Honestly though an EE on Harry Potter sounds really unique and interesting - hope it goes well for you!

[Proletariat]

The topic sounds interesting but probably wont help you score too highly on the criteria. I also suggest that yous stick with Harry Potter (it's great to do something you enjoy doing) but that you examine literary aspects of it and not social Honestly though an EE on Harry Potter sounds really unique and interesting - hope it goes well for you!

Actually, they are rather overdone as a general topic, and I have heard that rarely do they score very high. Only when the RQ is specifically English would the EE have a chance; the Death Eater/Nazis one above is kinda cutting it close, and I just don't see how the "gateway to other series" would work at all.

I would suggest looking at the EE Subject Guidelines that IBO releases. That will tell you exactly what kind of essay you're expected to write. Contrary to what a friend or teacher may tell you in a soundbite, the EE isn't a free-for-all.

[Jade D]

As the others have said, you'd need to make it more literary. I know someone who did one on mythology and characters' names, and how they develop the characters themselves.

Definitely have a look at the guidelines to figure out an appropriate question.

[Daedalus]

WHAT is your topic woman ??

It's on the title. "How does the series serves a gateway to reading other literatures?"

Not to put too fine a point on it, this title won't work. I don't know if you've read the past few years' examiner reports, but it's essentially not recommended you do Harry Potter or Twilight or writing of this type. HP is definitely a lot better than Twilight, granted, but it was still written for children, and the literary complexity you find in it is limited. More about plot than characters or feelings.. as far as the message of the series goes, you can probably sum it up in a sentence or two: "Love and friendship are the most important things and will always triumph."

Unfortunately Harry Potter represents the only writing many people have read outside their curricula, and sometimes the only writing people have read at all (we can thank Sparknotes for that). If you insist on doing it I'd explore areas like the government and authority; Rowling often links the two (as if schools have anything to do with governments!) and you have probably a lot of implicit social criticism with how the Ministry (of Magic) handles things. But it's weak, weak compared to what a literary EE should be like, and having read a few HP EEs myself (check the files section) I'd suggest you go read something that has won some prizes - check the Pulitzer or Man Booker lists; they'll give you recent (so not too boring) but literary (so EE-worthy) books.

[Guest Red XII]

That topic won't work for an English EE at all. That's more of a sociology/psychology topic than an English topic. English EEs require you to look at the literary features of the work, which makes HP a generally poor choice. While there is plenty to discuss from a literary perspective, taking on the whole series is a huge amount of work if you want to do it properly and is probably too broad to cover successfully in 4,000 words or less. Some universities have entire courses analyzing the series. There's a lot to talk about in terms of literary complexity, contrary to what many people will tell you (especially English teachers, because many forget that plot, characterization, and major symbolism are all primary features through which most of the message is created - anything they tell you about creating the message through similes and the like is ridiculous), but it's not something that you'll be able to do justice to in an EE, and it's not something the IB would like to see, as the IB tends to prefer you look at the nit-picky literary features as if every word was chosen with arduous care.

[I am screwed]

WHAT is your topic woman ??

It's on the title. "How does the series serves a gateway to reading other literatures?"

Not to put too fine a point on it, this title won't work. I don't know if you've read the past few years' examiner reports, but it's essentially not recommended you do Harry Potter or Twilight or writing of this type. HP is definitely a lot better than Twilight, granted, but it was still written for children, and the literary complexity you find in it is limited. More about plot than characters or feelings.. as far as the message of the series goes, you can probably sum it up in a sentence or two: "Love and friendship are the most important things and will always triumph."

Unfortunately Harry Potter represents the only writing many people have read outside their curricula, and sometimes the only writing people have read at all (we can thank Sparknotes for that). If you insist on doing it I'd explore areas like the government and authority; Rowling often links the two (as if schools have anything to do with governments!) and you have probably a lot of implicit social criticism with how the Ministry (of Magic) handles things. But it's weak, weak compared to what a literary EE should be like, and having read a few HP EEs myself (check the files section) I'd suggest you go read something that has won some prizes - check the Pulitzer or Man Booker lists; they'll give you recent (so not too boring) but literary (so EE-worthy) books.

They are right you need to re work your topic.... and i am sorry it just sound really messed up....

Edited May 6, 2011 by I am screwed

[Dumbledore]

I tried SO hard to be able to do a Harry Potter related extended essay! Unfortunately my mentor pretty much just denied me.

And I agree with everyone else, the topic you chose is really not going to work...

You need a ton of evidence and sources, and I can't see anything being written on that.

My extended essay was on a topic no one had really proven before and it made finding resources impossible and it was 10X harder to prove. So, I suggest you go with something that isn't super well-known, but also not completely irrelevant. I say this because you have to prove how your topic is important to research, and I don't know if what you chose is...

However, I think an amazing essay could be written on the social classes JK Rowling created with racism of muggle-borns and such...

[Ice Cream is really yummy]

I agree with what someone has mentionned earlier: This book was merely made to create some sparks in the imagination. This series was meant to target younger readers, so the literary mumbo-jumbo will be in lack. And, in my opinion, an extended essay in a language course means that you will be focusing on the language (so how the author uses the language to their advantage; literary devices) and literature. If you are unable to support your arguments well enough through the book, you will be in deep water.

Having said that, if you are very passionate with Harry Potter, then do it. An EE is supposed to be worked on and perfected during your 2 years in the IB. You need to have that drive from within to get you to look for the answers, supports, arguments, the library, find sources... Without that drive that comes from YOU, you will never get your EE done, and gain the maximum amount of points you can earn.

I do have one more comment. I like what someone else had said earlier too about looking at a list of books that were recognized and won some type of recognition "sticker", so to speak. There, you will definitely find something that the IB is looking for. Also, if you perhaps find another novel, you can do some type of comparison? So then, you can still work on Harry Potter, and still gain more points.

Remember: your EE question needs to be QUITE specific (only 4000 words alloted) and still provide indepth analysis. You must also bring forward/ come up with something (an idea, concept, something!) NEW. You have 2 years to figure this out, so don't waste any time! (IB suggests an EE takes about 40 hours to do) <-- Source: My IB coordinator

Edited May 6, 2011 by egr12resa

[Dumbledore]

I agree with what someone has mentionned earlier: This book was merely made to create some sparks in the imagination. This series was meant to target younger readers, so the literary mumbo-jumbo will be in lack. And, in my opinion, an extended essay in a language course means that you will be focusing on the language (so how the author uses the language to their advantage; literary devices) and literature. If you are unable to support your arguments well enough through the book, you will be in deep water.

Having said that, if you are very passionate with Harry Potter, then do it. An EE is supposed to be worked on and perfected during your 2 years in the IB. You need to have that drive from within to get you to look for the answers, supports, arguments, the library, find sources... Without that drive that comes from YOU, you will never get your EE done, and gain the maximum amount of points you can earn.

I do have one more comment. I like what someone else had said earlier too about looking at a list of books that were recognized and won some type of recognition "sticker", so to speak. There, you will definitely find something that the IB is looking for. Also, if you perhaps find another novel, you can do some type of comparison? So then, you can still work on Harry Potter, and still gain more points.

Remember: your EE question needs to be QUITE specific (only 4000 words alloted) and still provide indepth analyze. You must also bring forward/ come up with something (and idea, concept, something!) NEW. You have 2 years to figure this out, so don't waste any time! (IB suggests an EE takes about 40 hours to do) <-- Source: My IB coordinator

What!?!? Forty hours? Mine took like two hundred.

[IBKen-Z]

Everyone tells you to write your EE on something you're interested in but then it's really difficult. I agree with everyone else that writing about Harry Potter will be really difficult. There are lots of requirements that must be met and guidelines to be followed. I tried to write mine about Disney Pricnesses and it just didn't work out. In the long run, you'll be better off if you choose something less exciting but more researchable/arguable/well known. Wish we could do them about Harry Potter and Disney Princesses...

[I am screwed]

You need to write about something that your intrested in and at the same time it has to have scope for research/ depth and it has to be unique... like you

[Marina]

Out of curiosity, when is your EE due that you're just working on the topic??

[Matilda.ah]

What about something focusing on foreshadowing? You get a really focusssed qs and there is quite a lot on if you cover all seven books.

[Tallulah]

I also considered Harry Potter for my EE but I thought about sth else...I wanted to focus on horcruxes and the soul in Harry Potter books. I also wanted to compare it to the idea of soul in Roman Catholic church or sth...My supervisor said that it is a very good idea. What do you think?

[v4nd]

.