[HELP] A1 Self-taught orals

Hi!

So I'm not gonna lie, I'm very bad at A1, this could be because I'm self-taught and only have an online tutor.

Anyway, I have Orals in a few weeks and right now I'm preparing my answers for part 1. And there's this question: How does the passage show the state of mind of one of the characters in the novel?

Can you guys help me with what I could possibly talk about? I know you don't have the extract nor you speak in the same language, but some general ideas would be very helpful.

(My tutor is inexperienced too, first time he teaches IB, so he's not very helpful)

THANKS!

Reply 1

lalilou

It depends on the Novel really. Hard to try and help you without knowing which novel and which passage you are talking about.

But generally, in an oral, the questions are just to prompt your thinking. It is good to relate the passage to the rest of the novel, to mention the writer's style and key themes and how they are demonstrated in that particular passage. Make sure you don't go off on a Eastenders-type tangent where you start talking about the characters as though they are real people. You must remember that the novel is a piece of fiction, and the characters and plots are there to to provide the reader with a vicarious experience of life.

Reply 2

Andre09

you should look up the assessment criteria, it gives you an idea of what you need to talk about in order to get points, for example, the effect of literary devices, precise references to the passage etc.

Reply 3

pink giggle

Original post by bRunner

hey, at least you have an online tutor :tongue:

that's more than most of us self-taught students have (i think...)

i just had my orals last week, but anyways, as someone else said, these questions are more guiding questions. just look a lot at the different literary techniques being used - any symbols you can talk about? imagery? think of how the author is portraying the character's state of mind (through actions, words...)
your passage should be from a quite important scene in the novel, so there should be plenty to talk about -- think about why the passage you've chose is important and what elements make it important....and relate some of it back to the question.