Should I pick an obscure text for my English Literature EE?

Not for the sake of it. Obscure texts often lack the critical scholarship you need to cite for Criterion C. Originality comes from your research question and angle, so a well-known text with a fresh RQ usually scores better.

Does the text matter more than the research question?

No. The RQ and text together are what count, and the RQ is where originality lives. Write your research question first, because the text on its own is not the question.

Can I do my English EE on a graphic novel?

Yes, but it adds visual analysis as an extra layer to manage within 4,000 words. It works if the text is rich and your RQ is narrow, but expect more to juggle than with a novel.

How to Choose the Right Text for an English Literature Extended Essay

Choosing your text is the first big decision in an English Literature EE, and most students get the instinct backwards. They reach for the densest, most ambitious, most obscure text they can find, hoping it makes them look smart. That is rarely what wins.

The right text isn't the most ambitious one

It is the one that is original to you, that you actually find interesting, and that connects to a strong, emotive global issue. Examiners reward students who clearly have something to say, not students who picked a difficult text to look impressive.

Four things to actually weigh

1Density of literary techniques: how much is the text really doing at the level of language and structure?
2Existing critical scholarship: you need to cite for Criterion C, so a text nobody has analysed is much harder
3A narrow enough RQ that you can analyse it deeply in 4,000 words
4Your supervisor's enthusiasm: they write the report and read your essay through their own lens, so this matters more than students think

Why "overdone" isn't the problem you think

A popular text can feel overdone, but it is overdone in high school essays, not in EEs. In the Extended Essay, originality comes from your research question and your angle, not from how obscure the text is. A well-known novel with a strong personal arc and a current global-issue framing, like consumerism, mental health or identity, often beats a niche text you picked just to be different.

Tip

Graphic novels are a valid choice, but they add visual analysis as a whole extra layer to manage inside 4,000 words. It is possible, just harder, so go in with your eyes open.

Whatever you choose, write the RQ first. The text on its own is not the question. The RQ and text together are.

Key Takeaways

Pick the text that is original to you and tied to a strong global issue, not the densest one
Weigh technique density, available scholarship, RQ scope, and supervisor enthusiasm
Originality lives in your RQ and angle, not in an obscure text
Graphic novels add a visual-analysis layer that is harder to manage in 4,000 words
Write the RQ first, the text on its own is not the question

Free guide

Your RQ does the heavy lifting. See strong research question patterns across subjects.

See RQ examples