Outline #1 – Zoom in and then zoom out

Use this outline if you find your argument works best by first zooming into the extract and then
you want to zoom out to explore the whole work or body of work in connection to your global
issue. This structure also provides a clear separation between the extract and the larger work
or body of work.

Narrowed Down Global Issue:

How are mental health issues portrayed through literature and other forms of art, such as
music videos?

1-minute introduction (This is just a suggestion and is not exhaustive nor the only thing
students can do! In no particular order, students may want to have the following in their
introduction:)

What is the global issue and how have you narrowed it down?
Mental issues are a common theme in literature and artworks, and its portrayal has
varied over time, varying from being seen as detrimental to being seen as treatable, even
almost being normalized.
What is the summary/description of the “whole” literary work you have chosen? Write 1-
2 bullet points.
The Fall of the House of Usher is a conventional gothic story by Poe about a narrator who
visits an old friend’s house, only to find its former grandeur replaced with a deteriorating
landscape, where he witnesses the gradual collapse of both the physical house and House
Usher.
What is the summary/description of this particular extract you’ve chosen and why? Write
1-2 bullet points.
The narrator arrives to the castle of House Usher and notices how the landscape
surrounding the castle is almost like a desolate wasteland, with the castle itself covered in
vines and in a state of ruin.
What is the summary/description of the “whole” non-literary body of work you’ve
chosen? Write 1-2 bullet points.
The video “Feels Like Summer” is a music video by Childish Gambino that talks about the
problems that the world is facing in terms of climate change as well as more personal
problems that people might be facing. This video is also animated, which serves a
What is the summary/description of this particular extract you’ve chosen and why? Write
1-2 bullet points.
The two scenes are of Kid Cudi and Chris Brown’s characters in the video. Kid Cudi is a
rapper who became prominent for publicly confronting mental issues like his own
depression in his work.
What is the link or connection between the literary and the non-literary work/text and
how do they connect to the global issue in question?

What is your thesis or main claim? Alternatively, what is a question you could pose that
would frame your exploration?
Throughout history, mental health issues have been portrayed as something that cannot
be cured and as something that is terminal or permanent. However, with recent
advancements in psychology and developments in the treatment methods, mental health
issues are being seen are more treatable and common, almost being normalized in
society.
2-minute literary extract discussion zooming in on specific and detailed examples of the
author’s choices in connection to the global issue

Main claim/argument for this portion of the IO:

Piece(s) of evidence to support the claim/argument:
The Fall of the House of Usher portrays mental health issues as something that has a
gradual buildup but ultimately crashes down in one grand fall from grace.
Unpacking of the evidence - Name the formal or technical choice(s) in your evidence and
add your analysis and interpretation of how meaning is created:

(Repeat the evidence and the unpacking as many times as you need. There’s no set
number here as to how many examples you must have or how many choices you must
discuss in relation to meaning.)

2-minute whole literary work discussion zooming out on larger authorial choices in
connection to the global issue

Main claim/argument for this portion of the IO:

Piece(s) of evidence to support the claim/argument:

Unpacking of the evidence - Name the broader authorial choices or how the choices in
the extract are continued in the whole literary work. Make sure to add your analysis and
interpretation of how meaning is created:

(Repeat the evidence and the unpacking as many times as you need. There’s no set
number here as to how many examples you must have or how many choices you must
discuss in relation to meaning.)
2-minute non-literary extract discussion zooming in on specific and detailed examples of the
author’s choices in connection to the global issue

Main claim/argument for this portion of the IO:

Mental health issues are portrayed as something that is more treatable and is almost
normalized in everyday life these days. Lots of celebrities have come out to the public
with their accounts of struggles with mental issues.
Piece(s) of evidence to support the claim/argument:
Kid Cudi and Chris Brown are two prominent celebrities in the video who have dealt with
mental issues in the past.
Unpacking of the evidence - Name the formal or technical choice(s) in your evidence and
add your analysis and interpretation of how meaning is created:
Kid Cudi is a rapper who came to light for making his experiences with depression public
through his work, and is now doing better. Chris Brown developed mental issues as a
result of society’s overbearing stereotype forcing him to act more “masculine”. Both the
characters representing the two celebrities were shown with solid black backgrounds,
symbolizing how life and one’s situation may seem bleak when dealing with a mental
issue. The facial expression of Kid Cudi and Chris Brown’s posture also reflects how tough
going through those times are for people.
(Repeat the evidence and the unpacking as many times as you need. There’s no set
number here as to how many examples you must have or how many choices you must
discuss in relation to meaning.)
The characters themselves are represented as slightly glowing, almost with a sort of
angelic light. This is to represent that they are like a beacon of hope to those who are
currently dealing with similar issues themselves, to show that these issues are not
permanent and that they can be helped, or even cures, with the proper treatment.

2-minute body of work discussion zooming out on larger authorial choices in connection to
the global issue

Main claim/argument for this portion of the IO:

Piece(s) of evidence to support the claim/argument:

Unpacking of the evidence - Name the broader authorial choices or how the choices in
the extract are continued in the whole literary work. Make sure to add your analysis and
interpretation of how meaning is created:

(Repeat the evidence and the unpacking as many times as you need. There’s no set
number here as to how many examples you must have or how many choices you must
discuss in relation to meaning.)
Conclusion/Synthesis (This is just a suggestion and is not exhaustive nor the only thing
students can do! In no particular order, students may want to have the following in their
conclusion:)

Return to the global issue at hand. Why does it matter?

Return to the techniques and choices used by both authors in the extract and the body of
work or whole work. How is the global issue presented in both the work and the text?
 Why? Make sure this isn’t just a list of devices or features!

Try to synthesize what both authors have done in connection to the global issue. What’s
interesting or insightful about the ways in which they have explored the global issue?

If you want to do so, go broad. Why does all of this matter? How might this connect to
TOK? What makes this worth studying?

Feedback space (from peers, your teacher, or your own self-reflection)

What is a mental issue?

The definition is controversial as different people may think that different issues qualify to be
mental issues and others to not be.