English A1 EE - Is my topic too common?

[Hailzter]

I'm thinking of comparing Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte with Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. I'll be focusing on themes regarding class structure and the patriarchal societies depicted in both the novels. I know that Pride & Prejudice is done a lot, but I'm not sure whether it's commonly compared with Jane Eyre. Is this topic too common? Is it too vague? Your insights?

[Arrowhead]

Pride and Prejudice is a commonly used EE novel and so is Jane Eyre, compared or not. However, even with common books, an uncommon topic can be refreshing. I would discourage you from pursuing this line of topic because your topic itself is common and anticipated. There is very little surprising or difficult/challenging to prove. The analysis of patriarchal societies and class structure is one of the most oft-discussed themes in these books. Perhaps if you considered something different, what wasn't obvious at first glance?

I've used this example numerous times before, but I'll do it once again. One of my favourite English EEs, published by the IB as one of the 50 Best English A1 EEs is on The Lord of the Rings series. A student wrote his/her essay on the dominance of feminism in this series. Now as anyone who has read these books can attest, there are few female characters, and most of these characters are in the background at best. The Fellowship is male, Sauron is male, everyone of purport tends to be male. But this student put a unique take on the whole thing and one of the most inspired ideas I read in his/her paper was inferring that The Ring that started it all can in fact be considered female (hence referred to as 'the Precious'). It was fantastic, mainly because it challenged a concept that we simply take for granted in that book series.

So if you want to do it on Brontë and Austen, try and find a new and interesting take on something that everyone has taken for granted. Don't agree and recreate arguments that we've accepted and seen to be as central themes of the books.

Why don't you go ahead and do some pleasure reading and find an interesting book whilst doing so? A friend of mine who finished the IB last year got an A in her English EE and she did it on the Percy Jackson series. There are a lot of options out there if you're willing to search for them. Just sayin'.

The decision, as always, is yours.

Best of luck!

Arrowhead.

[Hailzter]

I understand what you're saying and this was exactly what I was afraid of. Unfortunately, I don't have any time to do any pleasure reading since IB sure keeps you on your toes. Thus, I've decided to change my choice of texts and topic completely. How about if I did a comparison between The Kite Runner and A Separate Peace? I'd primarily focus on the theme of friendship during adolescence, which would include attributes of jealousy, betrayal and resentment. The struggle of the protagonists to establish an identity of their own would be the second theme I'd explore. I'm pretty sure not a lot of extended essays are done on these novels, especially a comparison between the two since one is based in a boarding institute set in the mid 20th century while the other is based in the country of Afghanistan set in the 21st century. Your insight?

Edited August 9, 2012 by Hailzter

[Arrowhead]

Well, at this point anything Hosseini is overdone. But I still think an original take on him can be achieved with relative ease if you find the right book to compare it with. But A Separate Peace, really? Like, seriously? Why? Maybe it's a personal opinion, but I've always disliked that book. There's just something incredibly gnawing about Knowles' writing (in a bad way), and the character of Gene, OH MY GOD, the boy needs to grow an effing backbone, preferably before the anticlimax.

Eh, each to his own. I'm sure if you approach the topic delicately (it is a good topic, but I think the two themes will be too much for just 4,000 words) and tread it well, you can write something something quite amazing.

Unfortunately, I don't have any time to do any pleasure reading since IB sure keeps you on your toes.

Yeah I don't buy that. The IB is not overwhelming, not in the slightest, not if you keep yourself remotely organised. Yeah we all like to complain about it, but it's really not half as hard as IB students make it out to be. You can easily find time for pleasure reading during the IB, I did, while working part-time and doing loads of travelling over the weekends. You have to make the time. It's not hard if you're determined. Just sayin'.

Best of luck, mate! I really do hope you find your ideal topic and write an amazing essay.

Cheers!

Arrowhead.