During our second unit of Language and Literature Y2, we were introduced to a dystopian science-fiction novel, Never Let Me Go, written by the British author, Kazuo Ishiguro. As this unit shares a similarity with the previous unit, focusing on the theme of dystopia, we learned more about how dystopia can be presented through different literary works. We broaden our ideas on the topics of identity and relationships, as the novel pinpoints these ideas in order to create a distinct dystopian image presented in the fictional society.

Throughout the unit, we had to read Never Let Me Go and jot our ideas on different themes shown in the novel. The central dystopian themes that we had to analyze were: government control, environmental destruction, technological control, survival, and loss of individualism. The quotes that was found that fit in either of the themes were then connected to our own ideas, as well as different literary devices. This was important in the unit as it helped us gain a greater understanding about different themes and ideas that Ishiguro intended to share to the readers, and it also helped us to familiarize with authorial techniques, which is important for our paper 2 summative.

During the unit, it was beneficial for us to discuss about the key takeaways from the novel, as well as sharing about ideas through our own perspectives in order to grasp a better understanding of the novel. In the chapter 6-7 discussion assignment, we were assigned different main topics to discuss and take notes on; for example, specific objects, actions, and locations that are important in Never Let Me Go. As we discussed about each topic, we had to consider the roles, authorial choices, significance, as well as connecting it to a real-life example.

Another assignment that we did was mainly focused on our own thoughts and perspectives instead of solely focusing on the novel. We had to answer opinion-based questions about the ethical issues in Never Let Me Go. In this assignment, we specifically focused on the ethical issues of organ donations. The questions mainly include opinions on donating organs and different situations in different countries that relate to this topic. As the questions were opinion-based, I wrote my own personal thoughts and opinions as the answer.

In our first unit of Language and Literature Y2, we began the year with the introduction to dystopian literature. We studied the themes of societal expectations, relationships, social classes, and technology by watching and analyzing different Black Mirror episodes. Throughout this unit, we had done several activities and assignments in order to broaden our knowledge of the themes, as well as the structure of analyzing a film for IB Language and Literature.

During the beginning of our unit, we learned about China’s social credit system as it relates closely to the first episode of Black Mirror, “Nosedive”. We watched a Vice video on the social credit system, and how it controls all the citizens in a neighborhood. Through this system, having a higher rating allows for more privileges, while having a lower rating leads to less accessibility to several necessities. For example, people with lower ratings are prohibited from purchasing train and airplane tickets, instead, they are required to have a higher rating in order to purchase the tickets, or find another mode of transportation.

Before watching the Black Mirror episodes, we had to learn about the different terminologies that are used when analyzing a film. The terminologies were categorized into 7 different categories: framing, shots and angles, camera movements, sound, lighting, editing techniques, and theatrical elements. Each category plays a crucial role in making sure a film conveys the right message that it is intended to. These terminologies are important to know and understand when writing analysis essays on film to support and enhance our arguments and analyses.

The first episode that we watched was “Nosedive”. In this episode, we saw a close relation to China’s social credit system, where individuals are rated after doing simple tasks, or doing anything at all. The protagonist, Lacie, was often surrounded by other individuals with high ratings, making her feel more insecure about herself. Due to societal standards, Lacie was required to keep a high rating to keep her job, get her house, and even make and keep friends. After completing the episode and taking notes on it, we had analyzed a frame that we chose. I analyzed a frame with Lacie laughing at herself in the mirror, practicing her laugh to make it sound more authentic and friendly to other people around her. I considered the uses of different film techniques to explore the theme of authenticity.