Analysing Setting, Symbols and Silence: IB Lit Nov 2024 past paper

IB Lit Nov 2024 Past Paper

Welcome back to IB Bites! In today's video, we're analyzing a short story by Alani Apio titled "Ka Hoi Ana", which translates to "The Returning" in Hawaiian.

The excerpt features Alan, a man who has returned to Hawaii, his homeland, from California. The story explores themes of cultural identity, disconnection, and guilt, all of which come to the surface after Alan’s grandmother learns that he tried to kill a shark—a creature sacred in Hawaiian culture. This act creates internal and external conflict, revealing the tension between personal choices and cultural values.

In this video, we’ll:

• Annotate the first paragraph of the passage.

• Explore literary devices like passive voice, personification, metaphor, hyperbole, and simile.

• Discuss how these devices highlight the tension between Alan’s feelings of judgment, guilt, and cultural disconnection.

Key points covered:

• How silence is personified to emphasize judgment.

• The significance of the Hawaiian word lūʻau as a symbol of Alan's heritage.

• The metaphor of "the bowl of guilt" and how it reflects Alan’s internal struggle.

• The role of family photographs, personification, and harsh lighting in intensifying Alan’s alienation.

You’ll also learn how to structure your essay response effectively, including how to develop a clear topic sentence, integrate textual evidence, and frame your analysis with the author’s intentions.