Language A: Language and Literature Internal Assessment IO
Outline Form
CANDIDATE NAME:
Global Issue: Gender stereotypes and imbalances
Specific Focus: How do popular texts such as Carol Ann Duffy’s
“Little Red Cap” and Liz Donnelly’s cartoons portray certain
power dynamics and gender stereotypes and attempt to challenge
them?
Texts Chosen
Literary Work - Little Red Cap, a poem where Carol Ann Duffy
retells the popular fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood” from the
female perspective.
Non-Literary- Liz Donnelly’s cartoon depicting female hiring
practices and gender discrimination
Body of Work- LD’s cartoons on gender imbalances and
stereotypes
Outline for IO [focus areas and textual evidence that is to be used] [in 10 bullet points]
1) Text 1
Carol Ann Duffy’s “Little Red Cap” re-examines the popular fairy tale “Little Red
Riding Hood” from a female perspective by providing a voice to the protagonist and
emphasising her behaviours and emotions. By providing agency to the suppressed
female character, Duffy empowers Little Red Cap and challenges established gender
norms and expectations.
2) Audience and Purpose
The narrative of the poem is of a 16 year old girl who is at the brink of adolescence (“sweet
sixteen”) and describes her journey from childhood to adulthood (“at childhood’s end”) and
the challenges she faces on the way, which creates a universal appeal towards people going
through transformations and personal journeys of growth and development. Through the
portrayal of Little Red Cap, Duffy empowers women that are transitioning into adulthood,
and helps them overcome certain gender expectations they may face on the way, such as
being bound to the patriarchal order, and helps them find their own voice and agency.
3) Metaphor
A clever metaphor used by Duffy through the poem is symbolising the uncertain terrains of
adulthood with the “dark tangled thorny” woods, representing a borderline space between
childhood and adulthood throughout the poem which can also be considered as adolescence
or young adulthood. The physical journey of Little Red Cap as she treads “deep into the
woods” and comes out “singing, all alone” parallels with her journey through adolescence
and how she emerges from the experience empowered and brave, and Duffy uses this
metaphor to highlight the challenges that the character has come across, such as “stockings
ripped to shreds”, symbolising loss of virginity and transition, and how she has faced the
challenges.
4) Structure of poem
Duffy frequents the use of internal rhymes such as “clues” and “shoes” and “got there,
wolf’s lair, better beware” which contrast the tone of the surrounding lines that describe
intimidating, dangerous circumstances such as losing one’s virginity and crawling through
woods. The rhyme scheme shows that although the experiences of LRC are alarming, she
desires for it and she is the one who is in control of what is happening to her, which goes
against the traditional expectation that little girls are supposed to be scared of threatening
wolves.
5) Symbol of empowerment
Duffy presents LRC’s final transformation into adulthood by chopping up the wolf
“scrotum to throat”, which is a sign of empowerment and development. Duffy once again
goes against established power dynamics and expectations between genders by showing
that LRC is the one in charge and by subverting the patriarchal order.
6) Text 2
Liz Donnelly’s cartoons depict relevant issues such as gender stereotyping and bias in a 2
7) Gender dynamic
Donnelly establishes gender stereotypes by portraying the male character in the position of
authority (interviewer) and the female character as lower than him (as the interviewee).
8) Text
The text below the cartoon demonstrates gender discrimination by implying that although the
woman is qualified, she is still underpaid (“cheap”).
9) Context
The cartoon brings to light one of the most significant issues in the world — gender
discrimination, in the form of workplace discrimination and unequal pay between men and
women. With many movements rising in recent times to promote equal treatment of men and
women, Liz Donnelly highlights such imbalances through her cartoons and criticises them,
thus showing her stance against matters like these and work towards creating a change.
Conclusion:
10) Gender imbalances and stereotyping are frequent themes in literary and non-literary texts.
The relevance of such issues in the contemporary era means more artists and authors express
their sentiment towards the issue of gender imbalance through their work and address it in a
suitable manner by informing the public about such practices and encouraging women to
challenge such stereotypes.
