Part 3 IB English A Standard Level Written Task PDF

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Summary

This is one of the written tasks I had to submit as part of the anthology of coursework that I had to write for English A standard level. It includes the rationale and everything that is required when writing a written task for IB English....

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Rationale This written task links to part 3 of the course which explores the text and the contexts of the literary piece that we have used. The written task uses Dr. Rank who contributes in revealing characters’ traits and accentuating the conflict in Nora’s relationship with her husband, Torvald. This had therefore provided a strong basis for my written task and gave me inspiration to write a diary from the perspective of Dr. Rank. It is evident throughout the play that Dr. Rank is infatuated with Nora, which have made him looked down upon for his love to a married woman. Therefore this aspect of his character has been primarily used in this written task, combined with impending sense of mortality which Ibsen has been mentioned frequently throughout the play through the use of symbolism such as the black-crossed letter and his ailments. Dr. Rank has been used by Ibsen as a mediator and his role in communicating with other characters gave him further knowledge and insight on their behaviours and his own opinions of them. This can be seen apparently through his opinions on Krogstad, Torvald, Nora which could imply that Dr. Rank would likely assume to know that Nora’s marriage will fall apart from the events that had occured. As such, this excerpt of Dr. Rank’s diary reflected on this assumption which pairs along with will add more to his characterisation and justifies his relationship with others. Written Task 26th of December, 1879 Dear Diary, Each day living in this town is getting darker day by day, based on my diagnosis I’m certain that my demise will be imminent. Grim reaper will rip my soul along with others into the dark abyss. This will be my last entry that I’ll ever write, my death is imminent. I wonder if anyone will bother even to find my cold dead cadaver or a funeral will ever be held in my honour, even when a letter has been sent already. That letter? That letter I sent to the Helmer house. I don’t even think it would do any good, Torvald couldn’t care any more about my letter when the man has the temperament of an 8 year old, even his children behaved better than him. I know he’s my friend, a good friend of mine; but he is an utter dandy, he needs to live in a world where nothing can be ugly. I couldn’t believe Nora could even stand to be with him. I pity her, Torvald is using her as an ornament; I would never let that guy come to my sick room. As I pass one last time along her house, there’s another letter in that mailbox, it has to be from Krogstad. That man may not be ill with any ailments but his mind is infected, corrupted by the filthy miasma that we call greed. He represents what is all wrong with this world, Torvald may be aloof but Krogstad is pure evil, he deserves all the trouble he received for being cynical and sly.

I’m terribly worried of my Nora, more than my own backbone. I can’t bear to see live in this lifeless marriage, if only I could help. I know that she can’t live with me, the same problems will sprung out from my death just like her father’s death, we won’t be able to live a normal life not when she’s already married. It's also apparent that she wants nothing of me, especially when she gave me the silent treatment and the cold shoulder after professing my love. I mean, at this point you know how much you’re worth when people I pray that Nora will find her own courage, courage that I’ve never been able to find. When she performed the Tarantella, she looked absolutely elegant; she reminded me of an angel who will carry away from the pain and suffering that have been inflicted upon me, that will be the last time alive that I’ll ever see her. There’s no longer a room for me to be in her life, she doesn’t need me. I’m only there to keep her secrets, her dark shameful secrets that would’ve made Torvald’s blood boil. She’s not perfect, no one’s perfect; I blame it on the humanity, the humanity that doesn’t give mercy to the harshness of life, the illegality of decisions we have to make to survive. After all, we are living in our own stupendous lie, this lie that we make to compensate the emptiness in our life, those lies no longer bother me; I’m going to die as an empty man without anyone loving me. I don’t know why I have to be involved in this affair, it only prolongs her suffering. I guess there is a meaning to my death, to give Nora her freedom to break the wooden barrier that is preventing her from the outside world. She doesn’t have to keep her secrets from Torvald anymore, the moment when Krogstad drops the letter by. It will be her moment to find out who Torvald Helmer is. At least I’ve made the right choice; to do absolutely nothing be replaced by another ‘friend’ in the cogwheel of playmates that they have. Besides, there’s no point in tarnishing their name nor hurting my own name, if there is one in the first place. As new life sprung in the prison of marital chaos and collapse, the weary and the exhausted has to die and fall into their grave pits. Therefore, I want to thank everyone who have made my life liveable, I want to thank Nora for giving me hope that had been lost by the winds and I want to thank you all who had ignored and disregarded my suffering. For now, the curtain must fall and god will embrace me up in heaven when the time comes, I assume it will be at any moment now. I pray that I will find true happiness and find acceptance in God’s kingdom. I hope to see Nora soon; this time free to love and live our way; the right way. With love’s embrace, Rank...