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How To Write A ToK Essay - Updated 2023

Ace your ToK Essay with our expert tips & tricks! Get the latest and greatest techniques on "How To Write A ToK Essay" and impress the IB examiners.📝💡

Table of content

• Introduction

Purpose Of ToK

Assessment of tok, the game plan, execution of the gameplan, planning for tok essay, structure of tok essay, conclusions, bibliography.

Introduce your topic accurately and state your thesis statement for the essay carefully.  A thesis statement is like a teaser to your entire essay wherein you define your key terms and introduce your interpretation of the question. Make sure that you do not reword the prescribed title in your thesis. Instead, it needs to, as the word says, INTRODUCE your readers to what your essay is about. A strong introduction allows the reader to deduce what knowledge question(s) you are trying to answer.

So, in a nutshell

• Write interesting things about the given TOK essay title .
• Define key terms
• Narrow in on the particularly interesting aspect
• State your thesis statement . This will be your short answer to your given title if you don't know how to write a killer thesis statement check out this blog from SparkNotes .
• State your Roadmap. This will help the readers in understanding the direction of your essay.

How to write a TOK Essay? 

To answer that, you must familiarise yourself with what a TOK Essay is about.

Before you start reading this article,  Amanda  has some excellent TOK tips for you!

Theory of Knowledge is one of the most meta subjects that IB offers. Despite its complexity, TOK helps in providing a base for holistic learning and allows students to have a multidisciplinary experience. 

To understand TOK is to understand the essence of IB, a task that most people consider unattainable.

But not for you! 

Thank your lucky stars who made you land on Nail IB. How exactly will Nail IB help you? 

Well, nailing International Baccalaureate is something we will discuss later. 

Let's focus on cracking your TOK essay, shall we?

TOK demonstrates how students  can apply their knowledge  with  greater awareness  and  credibility .

Big words, huh? 

Now that we know that we cannot just slide through the Theory of Knowledge, let's understand how we can conquer this battle all guns blazing.

ToK essay’s primary objective is to answer the  why  behind our studies. 

It makes one aware of the real-life implications of their subjects. The students gain greater awareness of their personal and ideological assumptions and appreciate the diversity of different perspectives. It helps the students find their unique perception, a prerequisite for excelling in the IB TOK essays.

Before we dive into our gameplan, let’s overview the rules of the game.

There are two assessment tasks in the TOK: an essay and a presentation . While a presentation encourages students to explore a real-life situation through the lens of TOK, an essay is written on the basis of the various questions provided by the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

• The presentation is to assess a student’s ability to apply TOK thinking to a real-life situation whereas IB TOK essay is more conceptual.
• The essay is externally assessed by IB and must be on any one of the prescribed TOK essay titles issued by the IB for each examination session.
• Word limit of a TOK essay is 1600 words ( excludes extended notes, footnotes, bibliography).

Now that we have unleashed the game, let’s move ahead towards the gameplan of acing both, your presentation and your essay.

One of the fundamental tasks of TOK is to examine different areas of knowledge and find out their similarities and differences.

The TOK essay requires the students to investigate two Areas of Knowledge (AOK)  and two Ways of Knowing   (WOK) . AOKs and WOKs are investigated via questions such as:

• How do we know what we know? (WOK)
• What counts as evidence for X? (AOK)
• How do we judge which is the best model of Y? (WOK)
• What does theory Z mean in the real world? (AOK + WOK)

The aforementioned are  Knowledge Questions  which help combine the Areas of Knowledge and the Ways of Knowing that they are using. This eliminates the superficial way of learning and makes an individual sensitive to the nature of the information.   Our acquisition of Knowledge can be broadly divided into Shared Knowledge and Personal Knowledge.

Shared knowledge: What WE know It is the product of more than one individual. Although individuals contribute to it, shared knowledge does not solely depend upon the contributions of a particular individual—there are possibilities for others to check and amend individual contributions and add to the body of knowledge that already exists.

Personal knowledge: What I know It is essentially dependent on the experiences of a particular individual. Also known as procedural knowledge, it is gained through experience, practice and personal involvement and is intimately bound up with the particular local circumstances of the individual such as biography, interests, values, and so on.

The best hack to ace TOK essay is to develop a habit of making connections between the construction of knowledge, its acquisition and its relevance in the real world. 

After that one needs to develop an interest in understanding the difference between diversity and cultural perspectives and personal assumptions.

One also needs to critically reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions, leading to more thoughtful, responsible and purposeful lives.

Yes, this is what you signed up for. It may sound a little intimidating but once you get the hang of it you will be able to see the matrix and understand this beautiful world a little better.

Understand that to provide the best version of your writing, it will take you more than one or two drafts. First and foremost, you need to pick your essay topic diligently. Try to choose an essay topic that best interests you. The topic should also allow you to explore the Areas of Knowledge towards which you are naturally inclined. Here are a few sample questions:

a) 'Ways of knowing are a check on our instinctive judgments.' To what extend do you agree with this statement?

b) With reference to two areas of knowledge discuss the way in which shared knowledge can shape their personal knowledge.

c) How can we know if knowledge is produced more through 'Passive Observation' or 'Active-Experiment' within the Human and Natural-sciences under a Mathematical-Perspective?

d) "The whole point of knowledge is to produce both meaning and purpose in our personal lives". Assess the validity of this statement.

Great things take time. It took me more than a couple of weeks to finalize this TOK essay guide. It is completely okay if the first few drafts may not look pleasing or award-winning to you. You will require sharpening your perspective towards the topic each time you polish your draft. Your writing journey from a dull draft to a masterpiece will be a whole process that you will have to be patient with. Have faith in yourself and proceed stepwise.

You need to consider the opinions of others who have devoted hours of research and a lifetime of dedicated studying the topic that surrounds your writing. Unravelling the realms of your mind palace is so Sherlock but let’s not deny the fact that at times, Watson is the one whose expertise helps Sherlock through pretty difficult times. I mean even Batman needs a Robin. In support of my awesome sauce examples, the point I am trying to make is that  finding support for our claims and counterclaims through research is a good thing .

Use real-life examples to support your claims and counterclaims. These examples need to be documented researched examples like studies, experiments, articles, presentations by well-known people, etc. Examples that stem from your diploma subjects are highly encouraged, but those will need to be supported by research as well.   

It is suggested that you choose a title, stick to it, tackle it and not be afraid. Do not change your mind unless there is a good reason. Also, try choosing Areas of knowledge that you truly enjoy. You know slaying a known devil is much easier than an unknown one. Allot a TIMELINE to your essay. Start with creating an outline of your essay. This will help you to track your progress and accomplish your goals

You can use tools like  Trello  to organize your ideas and plan your TOK essay.

Areas of Knowledge (AOKs): TOK distinguishes between eight areas of knowledge. They are mathematics, the natural sciences, the human sciences, the arts, history, ethics, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous knowledge systems. It is suggested that students study and explore six of these eight.

Ways of knowing (WOKs): TOK identifies eight specific WOKs- language, sense perception, emotion, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory. It is suggested that studying four of these eight in-depth would be appropriate. WOKs underlie the methodology of the areas of knowledge and provide a basis for personal knowledge.

Moving ahead, let us discuss the structure of your TOK essay.

Your essay will consist of 4 broad segregations

Before breaking down further on the pillars, keep the following in mind

• Please note what the TOK essay title is asking you. (Read it a couple of times. We highly recommend that you brainstorm ideas with your TOK coordinator)
• Make sure you understand the command term and the question it is asking.
• What kind of knowledge is being elicited?
• When choosing your areas of knowledge (AoK) and ways of knowing (WoK) make sure that you are able to draw contrasts and comparisons, that is, you are able to find evidence that supports as well as challenges your claims.
• Identify key terms in your TOK essay title. Make sure you define them. Your essay will gravitate around them. Key terms/words in your titles are your essay anchors. Your response should be built around them.
• Your writing skills come in handy while you work on your IB TOK essay. Like any other essay make sure you have proper thesis statements and topic sentences to guide the evaluator through your work.
• Respect the TOK essay title. Rephrasing the topic is not encouraged . Your main job is to address the title.

The body can be mainly divided into 3 segments.

Body (1st Segment)

• AoK Claim:  Here you investigate your first Area of Knowledge and draw parallels between your AoK and the question. This is done by stating your claim. Claims can be general in nature and need not reference a particular area of knowledge. They help you shape your essay and investigate the question further. 
• Evidence: Example of a real-life situation, describe thoroughly and accurately, which supports your stated claim. (AoK)
• Counter-Claim: State your counter-claim: like claims, those can be general and need not reference a particular area of knowledge. Counterclaim helps you show the other side the coin and gives your essay a holistic nature. 
• Evidence: A referenced real-life situation/example. Describe thoroughly and accurately, show how this supports your counterclaim (AoK ).
• Don’t forget to weave in your WoKs:  You need to take into account the source of your knowledge. Here you can also investigate if your nature of acquiring the knowledge has, in any way, affected it. It is good practice to question if your knowledge would be different had it been acquired through a different source/method
• Mini-conclusion: Here you analyze your examples in reference to your claims and counterclaims. You must connect to your thesis statement and the prescribed title. How does your proposed argument, in this particular part of the body, connect to the prescribed title and the knowledge questions you are trying to answer?

Body (2): Follow the above process for your second AOK.

• Use this part of your essay to compare and contrast your varying AoKs. You need to connect them to your thesis and your prescribed title clearly showing how your arguments respond to the PT.

Your conclusion section will make your essay come together. It is the glue that will make your essay stick together. Herein, you need to

• Reiterate your thesis (initial response).
• Use your mini conclusions to write a final conclusion.
• Tell the reader what the significance is for knowing what we know in this particular PT.
• Discuss implications as well.
• Offer another perspective, how will the perspective of a different person affect the claims/counterclaims you make in the essay?
• Don’t forget to make the end strong.

We recommend all the ib students use the  citation machine  (It's FREE) to organize or generate a bibliography for your TOK essay. Please go through this extensive guide provided by the IB before you start working on your citations.

If you are still struggling heaps with your TOK essay feel free to subscribe to our tok notes bundles or get access to more than 500+ IBDP notes and past papers here .

Nail IB is your virtual companion that helps you hustle through your diploma and provide you with the right resources at the right time. To know more about acing IB, click  here .

I hope this article will become the foundation for figuring out how to write a TOK Essay.

Remember to have faith in yourself.

I hope you NAIL your TOK essay!

Quoting the great Napolean Hill

"Whatever the mind of a man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

IB Resources you will love!

IB TOK Essay examples

Type a search phrase to find the most relevant TOK Essay examples for you

Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example Theory of Knowledge coursework below for inspiration.

All TOK Essay Examples

Filter exemplars, is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., are visual representations always helpful in the communication of knowledge discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics., want to get full marks for your tok essay allow us to review it for you 🎯, for artists and natural scientists, which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained discuss with reference to the arts and the natural sciences., does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in "bubbles" where some information and voices are excluded discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, to what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use discuss with reference to history and one area of knowledge., tok essay: 5. “how can we distinguish between good and bad interpretations discuss with reference to the arts and one other area of knowledge”, nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them, do we need custodians of knowledge discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., how can we reconcile the opposing demands for specialization and generalization in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to mathematics and one other area of knowledge., do we need custodians of knowledge discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge, nothing is more exciting than fresh ideas, so why are areas of knowledge often so slow to adopt them discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge., is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history discuss with reference to the arts and history., are we too quick to assume that the most recent evidence is inevitably the strongest discuss with reference to the natural sciences and one other area of knowledge., is subjectivity overly celebrated in the arts but unfairly condemned in history, if “the mathematician’s patterns, like the painter’s and the poet’s, must be beautiful” (g. h. hardy), how might this impact the production of knowledge discuss with reference to mathematics and the arts., in the acquisition of knowledge, is following experts unquestioningly as dangerous as ignoring them completely discuss with reference to the human sciences and one other area of knowledge., is it problematic that knowledge is so often shaped by the values of those who produce it discuss with reference to any two areas of knowledge., is it always the case that “the world isn’t just the way i is, it is how we understand it – and in understanding something, we bring something to it” (adapted from life of pi by yann martel) discuss with reference to history and the natural sciences., does it matter if our acquisition of knowledge happens in “bubbles” where some information and voices are excluded discuss with reference to two areas of knowledge., is replication necessary in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to two aoks., for artists and natural scientists which is more important: what can be explained or what cannot be explained, are visual representations always useful in communication of knowledge discuss with reference to the human sciences and mathematics., is replicability necessary in the production of knowledge discuss with reference to two area of knowledge, est-il important que notre acquisition des connaissances se fasse dans des « bulles » où certaines informations et certaines voix sont exclues discutez cette question en faisant référence à deux domaines de la connaissance., to what extent is the knowledge we produce determined by the methodologies we use discuss with reference to history and one other area of knowledge..

Essay Papers Writing Online

Write a winning tok essay – essential tips and strategies for success.

When embarking on the journey of writing a TOK essay, one must navigate the intricate web of knowledge, exploring its depths and unraveling its mysteries. This intellectual endeavor requires careful thought, critical analysis, and a unique perspective. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the art of crafting a successful TOK essay, equipping you with the tools necessary to flourish in this academic exploration.

At its core, a TOK essay invites you to investigate the ways in which knowledge is constructed and justified, prompting you to question the assumptions, biases, and limitations that shape our understanding of the world. It beckons you to think deeply, to ponder the interplay between personal experiences, shared knowledge, and the varying methods by which knowledge is acquired. Through this inquiry, you will uncover the complexities and controversies that lie at the heart of knowledge production.

With each essay, you embark on a quest for truth, a quest that necessitates a deep understanding of the areas of knowledge and the underlying knowledge claims. As you embark on this journey, it is crucial to develop a clear and concise thesis statement that elucidates your position and guides the structure of your essay. This thesis will serve as the guiding light, illuminating the path to a coherent argument and a well-supported conclusion.

Understanding the Basics of a TOK Essay

In this section, we will explore the fundamental aspects of writing a Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the essential components and techniques that will contribute to a successful TOK essay.

When engaging in the writing process of a TOK essay, it is important to familiarize yourself with the core concepts and principles underlying this particular type of essay. Here, we will delve into the key elements that form the basis of a TOK essay.

1. Knowledge Questions: As the cornerstone of a TOK essay, knowledge questions are crucial in examining the nature of knowledge and its implications. These questions inquire about the methods, scope, and validity of knowledge across different areas of knowledge and ways of knowing. They challenge our assumptions and open up new avenues for exploration.

2. Areas of Knowledge: TOK essays require an exploration of various areas of knowledge, such as the natural sciences, mathematics, ethics, history, and the arts. Each area of knowledge offers unique insights into the nature of knowledge and its construction. It is important to consider different perspectives and approaches when analyzing these areas of knowledge.

3. Ways of Knowing: Complementing the areas of knowledge, ways of knowing refer to the different methods we use to acquire, interpret, and evaluate knowledge. These include perception, reason, emotion, language, intuition, and memory. Understanding the role of each way of knowing is essential in developing a well-rounded TOK essay.

4. Claims and Counterclaims: Central to a TOK essay is the presentation of claims and counterclaims. Claims assert knowledge claims or provide arguments that support a particular stance, while counterclaims challenge these assertions or offer alternative viewpoints. Presenting balanced and well-supported claims and counterclaims is important for constructing a persuasive argument.

5. Analysis and Evaluation: In a TOK essay, analysis and evaluation play a crucial role. It is essential to analyze knowledge questions and arguments thoroughly, critically assess the knowledge claims presented, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the supporting evidence. This analytical and evaluative approach contributes to a well-developed and coherent TOK essay.

6. Real-Life Examples: To illustrate and contextualize your arguments and analysis, real-life examples can be used in a TOK essay. These examples help to bridge the theoretical ideas with real-world situations, enhancing the reader’s understanding and engagement with the essay.

By understanding and applying these basic principles, you will be equipped to embark on the exciting journey of writing a TOK essay. Keep these foundations in mind as you explore further and delve deeper into the intricacies of this unique genre of academic writing.

Exploring the Key Concepts and Terminology

Delving into the core concepts and terminology is an essential step in crafting a successful TOK essay. By familiarizing yourself with the key ideas and terms, you will be equipped to analyze and evaluate knowledge claims from a wide range of perspectives.

Understanding the nuances of TOK begins with grasping the fundamental concepts that underpin the subject. These concepts provide the framework for exploring how knowledge is acquired, justified, and communicated. From the idea of knowledge as a human construct to the exploration of knowledge questions, each concept offers a unique lens through which we can examine the complex nature of knowledge itself.

Alongside the key concepts, TOK presents a rich tapestry of terminology that deepens our understanding of the subject. From terms like “epistemology” and “justification” to “ways of knowing” and “areas of knowledge,” this terminology helps us navigate the intricate terrain of TOK discussions.

Exploring the key concepts and terminology allows you to engage critically with the ideas presented in your essay prompt. By articulating these concepts and using the appropriate terminology, you can demonstrate a clear understanding of TOK principles and effectively communicate your thoughts and arguments.

Analyzing the TOK Essay Prompt

Examining and understanding the TOK essay prompt is a crucial step in successfully approaching the task at hand. This section will explore the importance of carefully analyzing the prompt and identifying the key concepts and ideas that need to be addressed in your essay.

• Understand the question: Begin by carefully reading and rereading the prompt to grasp its meaning and scope. Break it down into smaller parts to identify the different elements and themes it incorporates.
• Identify keywords: Look for keywords or phrases that stand out in the prompt. These are the terms that will guide your exploration and analysis of the topic.
• Define key concepts: Take the time to clearly define the key concepts mentioned in the prompt. This will ensure that you have a solid foundation for your exploration and analysis.
• Explore different perspectives: Consider the different perspectives that can be taken on the topic. Think about how different areas of knowledge or ways of knowing can shape your understanding and interpretation of the issue.
• Consider implications: Reflect on the implications of the prompt and its underlying concepts. Consider how they relate to real-world scenarios or examples and how they can be applied in different contexts.

By thoroughly analyzing the TOK essay prompt, you can gain a deeper understanding of the task at hand and develop a strong foundation for your essay. This process will help you identify the key concepts, explore different perspectives, and consider the implications of the topic, enabling you to approach your essay with greater clarity and focus.

Tips for Deconstructing and Understanding the Question

When it comes to tackling a TOK essay, one of the first and most crucial steps is to fully grasp and comprehend the question at hand. Deconstructing and understanding the question is essential in order to develop a well-structured and coherent argument throughout your essay.

Here are some tips to help you deconstruct and understand the question effectively:

1. Read the question carefully: Take your time to read and reread the question, paying attention to every word and phrase. Understand the key concepts and terms being used, as they will guide your analysis and argument.

2. Identify the underlying assumptions: Look for any hidden assumptions or presuppositions in the question. These assumptions can shape the way you approach and explore the topic, so it’s important to recognize them and consider their implications.

3. Define the scope of the question: Determine the scope of the question by identifying the boundaries and limits it sets. This will help you to narrow down your focus and avoid going off-topic. Consider whether the question is asking for a specific time period, region, or perspective.

4. Analyze the key terms: Pay close attention to the key terms used in the question and analyze their meanings. Consider possible interpretations and definitions to ensure that you have a clear understanding of what is being asked.

5. Break down the question into sub-questions: If the question is complex or multi-faceted, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller, more manageable sub-questions. This will allow you to tackle each aspect of the question individually and develop a more comprehensive response.

Remember, deconstructing and understanding the question is the foundation for a successful TOK essay. By following these tips, you can ensure that you have a clear and solid understanding of the question, which will guide your analysis and argument throughout the essay.

Developing a Strong Thesis Statement

One of the most critical aspects of writing a TOK essay is developing a strong thesis statement. This statement serves as the central argument or main point of your essay, and it sets the tone for the entire piece. A strong thesis statement not only captures the essence of your topic but also provides a clear direction for your exploration.

When developing a thesis statement for your TOK essay, it is essential to consider various factors. Firstly, you need to analyze the knowledge question or the problem you are addressing in your essay. This analysis will help you identify the key concepts or ideas that need to be included in your thesis statement.

Further, you should ensure that your thesis statement is specific and focused. It should make a concise claim or argument that can be explored and supported throughout the essay. Avoid making general statements that lack clarity or precision, as they can weaken the overall effectiveness of your argument.

In addition to being specific, your thesis statement should also be arguable. This means that there should be room for discussion or debate regarding your claim. A strong thesis statement invites multiple perspectives and encourages critical thinking among readers.

Furthermore, your thesis statement should be logical and coherent. It should present a clear and logical progression of ideas, guiding your readers through your argument. This can be achieved by organizing your thoughts and supporting evidence effectively.

Lastly, it is important to revise and refine your thesis statement as you go through the writing process. Don’t be afraid to make changes and adjustments to ensure that your thesis statement accurately reflects your evolving argument and the evidence you have collected.

In conclusion, developing a strong thesis statement is crucial for writing a successful TOK essay. It sets the stage for your essay, guiding the reader and providing a clear focus for your exploration. By considering various factors such as specificity, arguability, logic, and revising as necessary, you can create a thesis statement that effectively captures the essence of your essay.

Strategies for Crafting a Clear and Engaging Thesis

When it comes to writing a TOK essay, one of the most important elements is the thesis statement. This sentence or two sets the tone for the entire essay and provides a clear and concise representation of the argument or main idea. Crafting a strong thesis requires careful thought and consideration, taking into account the complexities of the topic at hand. Here are some strategies to help you create a thesis that is both clear and engaging.

1. Understand the prompt: Before diving into the creation of your thesis, it is crucial to fully grasp the prompt or essay question. Take the time to analyze the wording and identify the key concepts and ideas being presented. This will give you a solid foundation from which to build your thesis.

2. Brainstorm and research: Once you have a thorough understanding of the prompt, begin brainstorming ideas for your thesis. Consider different perspectives and arguments related to the topic, and conduct research to gather evidence and support for your claims. This will help you develop a well-rounded and informed thesis statement.

3. Be specific and concise: A clear and engaging thesis is one that is specific and to the point. Avoid vague or general statements that lack substance. Instead, focus on narrowing down your argument and expressing it succinctly. This will allow your readers to easily understand the main point you are trying to convey.

4. Consider counterarguments: When crafting your thesis, be aware of potential counterarguments or opposing viewpoints. Acknowledging these opposing perspectives and addressing them in your thesis demonstrates a thorough understanding of the topic and adds depth and complexity to your argument.

5. Use language effectively: The language you use in your thesis can greatly impact its clarity and engagement. Choose strong and specific words that convey your argument effectively. Additionally, consider using rhetorical devices such as parallelism or antithesis to add emphasis and intrigue to your thesis statement.

6. Revise and refine: Crafting a clear and engaging thesis is an iterative process. After writing your initial thesis statement, take the time to revise and refine it. Consider the feedback from others and make adjustments as necessary. This will ensure that your thesis is strong and compelling.

In conclusion, a well-crafted thesis is essential for a successful TOK essay. By following these strategies, you can create a thesis that is clear, engaging, and sets the stage for a strong argument. Remember to take your time and think critically about the topic at hand. With careful consideration and revision, you can craft a thesis that will captivate your readers and guide your essay to success.

Structuring Your TOK Essay

Arranging your TOK essay in a well-organized and logical structure is essential for effectively conveying your ideas and arguments. A strong structure not only helps your reader navigate through the essay effortlessly but also builds a solid foundation for a coherent and persuasive piece of writing.

One of the key elements of structuring your TOK essay is dividing it into distinct sections. This allows you to address different aspects of the prescribed title or knowledge question and present your arguments in a systematic manner. Consider breaking down your essay into introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

• Introduction: Start your essay with an engaging introduction that provides background information on the topic and introduces the knowledge question. You can also include a brief outline of the arguments you will discuss later in the essay.
• Body paragraphs: Divide your main arguments into separate paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect related to the knowledge question. Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence and support your arguments with relevant examples, evidence, and counterarguments. Make sure to explain the significance and implications of each argument to strengthen your overall analysis.
• Counterclaims: It is important to acknowledge and address counterarguments or alternative perspectives in your essay. This demonstrates your ability to critically evaluate different viewpoints and strengthens the overall credibility of your arguments.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main arguments and provide a concise conclusion that answers the knowledge question. Reinforce your thesis statement and leave the reader with a thought-provoking ending, inviting further reflection.

In addition to organizing your essay into sections, it is important to maintain a clear and logical flow throughout. Use appropriate transition words and phrases to connect your ideas and ensure a smooth progression of thought. This helps the reader follow your line of reasoning and effectively engages them with your essay.

Remember, a well-structured TOK essay not only demonstrates your understanding of the Theory of Knowledge but also enhances the overall impact of your arguments. Take the time to carefully plan and structure your essay, and you will be on your way to a successful and impactful piece of writing.

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Olivia Culpo Shares Video of Mother-in-Law Lisa McCaffrey Showing Off Her Dance Moves at Wedding Reception

"Best MIL in the world!!!" Culpo declared on TikTok, where she shared the clip

Erin Clack is a Staff Editor for PEOPLE. She has been writing about fashion, parenting and pop culture for more than 15 years.

Ethan Miller/Getty; Olivia Culpo/TikTok

Olivia Culpo 's mother-in-law has some smooth moves!

On Sunday, July 7, the model and former Miss Universe, 32, shared yet another highlight from her recent wedding to NFL player Christian McCaffrey — this one, a clip of Christian's mom, Lisa McCaffrey, tearing up the dance floor at the couple's wedding reception to Earth, Wind & Fire's 1978 hit "September."

In the TikTok video , Lisa can be seen showing off her impressive dance skills as a crowd of wedding guests stood around her clapping and cheering. The clip kicks off with her being twirled by former pro football player Luke Kuechly before she begins jumping up and down and performing a series of coordinated moves — with a few hair flips thrown in for good measure.

Lisa was fittingly dressed for the occasion in a sparkly black minidress with feathery fringe on the hem and a pair of comfy black sneakers to match.

Culpo wrote over the video, "Go mother in law!!" In the caption of the post, she added, "Didn’t see this clip until now and just had to share 😂 best MIL in the world!!!"

Lisa shared the dance-off clip on her Instagram page on Sunday, July writing in the caption: "So happy! Can’t stop dancing. I love my DIL! 😊."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Since Culpo and the San Francisco 49ers running back tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, on June 29, the influencer has shared lots of stunning photos and videos from her special day.

In a July 2 Instagram post, Culpo included a series of photos showing off her custom Dolce & Gabbana wedding gown from various angles. She reflected on the process of working with the famed Italian fashion house on the design of the dress — which featured modest details such as long sleeves and a crew neckline — in the caption.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

"One more for the dress of my dreams. Thank you  @dolcegabbana  for executing my vision perfectly," she wrote. "I cried the first time I tried it on. From the very first sketch, this was it for me. My dream dress. 🥹🤍."

Related Articles

TOK essay guidance

TOK Home > Free TOK notes > TOK essay guidance

You write your TOK essay on your choice of six prescribed titles, which are released at the beginning of DP2, and you have approximately 6 months to complete it.

Learn about the basic details of the TOK essay on this page. After you’ve grasped these, move onto our four-step guide to the essay: 1 Understanding the rubric , 2 Choosing a title , 3 Planning and structuring , 4 Writing and uploading .

10 TOK essay starting points

• 1 The TOK essay is an individual task
• 2 It represents two thirds of the overall mark for TOK
• 3 It is externally marked
• 4 You choose your title from a list of six prescribed titles, which change every exam session
• 5 The word count for the essay is 1600 words
• 6 You’ll meet your teacher for 3 interactions to discuss your essay
• 7 Key areas that are assessed include the clarity of arguments, level of effectiveness of examples, and the focus on the title
• 8 You’ll fill in a Planning and Progress Form (PPF), which you submit with your essay (although this is not assessed)
• 9 The context of the essay is explicitly about the five  areas of knowledge
• 10 There is a single criterion for marking, and four characteristics of an excellent essay (insightful, convincing, accomplished, and lucid)

A four-step guide to the TOK essay

Click on the buttons below to take you to the four steps of creating a great TOK essay. Don’t forget that we have plenty of videos on this and other aspects of the course, and members of the site have access to a huge amount of other resources to help you master the course and assessment tasks.

Check out our three-minute explainer video on the TOK essay here . The video goes over the basics of the TOK essay, such as how it’s assessed, the word count and other practical details, terms such as ‘perspectives’ and ‘implications’, and the role of real-world examples in justifying claims and arguments.

You’ll find more videos on this and other aspects of TOK here , and you can dive into much more depth via our free and premium webinars, here .

Watch our essay & exhibition webinars

Click on the images below to access these premium webinars on how to create the essay and exhibition. Access more webinars here , and watch our videos on the assessment tasks on this page .

FAQs about the TOK essay

How do i choose my tok essay title.

You choose your essay from six prescribed essay titles, that are released at the beginning of your second DP year. We give a few tips on how to choose a PT that will work for you here . But briefly, choose one that links to your pre-existing knowledge, and that you find personally engaging.

What will I be writing about in my TOK essay?

You’ll be answering your prescribed title, within the context of two areas of knowledge, considering how different perspectives might affect our response to the question, and what the implications of your arguments are.

Can I use ChatGPT to write my essay?

You can use ChatGPT to help you gather materials for your essay, but you should definitely not be using it to write the essay. Be very careful with ChatGPT. It bases its answers on online material, and much of this is inaccurate or out-of-date. For example, depending on what you ask it, it may tell you that you have to explore multiple areas of knowledge (rather than the two stipulated by the titles), and that you have to identify a separate knowledge question to the title (which is absolutely not the case).

How much help should I expect from my teacher?

Your teacher should run through the PTs when they are first released, and then meet you for three interactions, during which you’ll discuss your progress. They are allowed to give you one set of written feedback. But you can consult them at other times with specific questions.

Do I need to use real-world examples in my TOK essay?

Yes, real-life examples help illustrate your points and make your arguments more tangible. They can be drawn from personal experiences, historical events, scientific discoveries, etc.

Should I include my personal opinion in the TOK essay?

While the TOK essay is not about your personal opinion per se, it’s important to reflect on your perspective and how it shapes the way you understand the title. However, you should avoid using the essay as a platform for rants or unsubstantiated claims.

Is it necessary to include counter-arguments in my TOK essay?

Yes, including counter-arguments shows a deeper understanding of the complexity of the topic and demonstrates your critical thinking skills. It also enables you to consider different perspectives, and evaluate the implications of arguments.

Should I include the 12 key concepts in my essay?

Yes, as much as you can, draw on the key concepts such as justification, evidence, perspective, bias, certainty, and objectivity within your arguments linking them to the title, and to the real-world examples you draw on.

How do I ensure that my TOK essay reflects my own original thinking, and avoids plagiarism?

Clearly attribute ideas and sources that are not your own, and strive to present original insights and interpretations supported by evidence and reasoning. See our point above on using ChatGPT – never view this as more than a tool to help you gather material for your essay, rather than a tool to write it for you.

What are some common pitfalls to avoid when writing a TOK essay?

Avoid oversimplifying complex issues, relying solely on personal opinion without justification, neglecting counter-arguments, veering off the question, and failing to include a consideration of different perspectives.

How long do I have to write my essay?

You’ll have 6 months from the time the prescribed titles are released, to the deadline date for uploading your essay to the IB. However, most schools will set their own deadline for completing the essay, so that everyone has plenty of time to complete your PPF, and upload it on time. Follow what your school tells you about this.

How important is the TOK essay PPF?

The PPF (‘Planning and Progress Form’) is the document that you fill in to outline your discussions during the three essay. Although this is not directly assessed, it is an important part of demonstrating that you have approached the TOK essay in an ethical way, which is now particularly important in the era of ChatGPT.

What are some effective strategies for revising and editing my TOK essay to improve clarity and coherence?

Take breaks between revisions, seek feedback from peers or teachers, and carefully proofread for grammar, punctuation, and coherence.

Should I include references or a bibliography in my TOK essay?

While not required, referencing sources appropriately adds credibility to your essay; use footnotes or endnotes for citations.

Subscribe to the free TOK newsletter!

Subscribe to our free newsletter, and collect fantastic examples that will help you to understand the key ideas of TOK, support your essay and exhibition discussions, and help you to become an authentic critical thinker .

You’ll encounter some of the most important thinkers from the past and the present, go beyond the headlines of contemporary events and issues around the globe, and see how TOK concepts manifest in the real-world. Subscribe HERE !

Most Americans who vow to leave over an election never do. Will this year be different?

Deirdre Roney wanted an escape plan – a place to go if her darkest fears about America’s democracy came to pass.

The Los Angeles attorney and activist for immigrant and voting rights has worried about a rise of authoritarianism ever since Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016. As this fall’s election drew closer, that anxiety only grew.

Trump has vowed “ retribution” if he wins and a “ bloodbath ” if he loses. Though she says she’s not a high-profile activist, Roney fears political persecution could become a reality. “I would challenge you to find somebody who's as depressed and dark and scared as I am,” she said.

So, this summer, she secured her escape hatch. She and her husband obtained dual citizenship in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda in exchange for a development fund investment of about $100,000, she said – a barrier-free overseas refuge to use if she feels unsafe.

“I wanted us to have a place to go,” she said. “I wanted a Plan B.”

The idea of moving to another country to protest a presidential administration or political policy isn’t new – think the Vietnam War or even vows to move following the re-election of President George W. Bush. Even Trump once joked he might leave if Biden was elected. 

Typically, relatively few who vow to leave actually make the move, said Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, a University of Kent migration scholar and expert on Americans abroad .

But this year, as voter anxiety hits the red zone ahead of a divisive election contest between Trump and President Joe Biden, there are signs that Americans from a cross-section of society are taking a more serious look at the exits.

Want to leave the US? Here's how to move to Canada, Mexico and Europe as an American.

The percentage of U.S. citizens who would settle abroad if they were able reached 34% in a March 26 poll by Monmouth University, up from 12% since 1995. Monmouth polling officials said they believe the political rancor of recent years likely helped fuel the rise.

For some current and former members of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence community, threats to jail political opponents are driving them to weigh whether they may have to leave to avoid being illegally detained, according to a former FBI director.

A recent survey by the publisher International Living found that 65% of more than 2,700 readers said that concerns about the political climate prompted them to accelerate plans to relocate overseas.

Henley & Partners, a large global residence and citizenship advisory firm, reported this year that wealthy Americans are pursuing backup citizenship or residence abroad at record levels. Motivations for its clients include political risk along with tax or business reasons.

Several other firms that help Americans live or work abroad told USA TODAY that political uncertainty is driving a spike not just in inquiries and but in concrete efforts to secure visas, homes, dual citizenship or foreign work permits – whether to move or to set up a contingency plan. 

David Lesperance, a Canadian tax and immigration advisor whose firm helps people secure dual citizenships or residency abroad, said most of his U.S. clients now cite concerns including political polarization and deadlock, antisemitism, gun violence, threats to LGBTQ rights, fear of rule by “the other party” and retribution by a Trump administration. 

And for some, such moves are also easier in the era of remote work.

“What’s different today is people are acting on it,” Lesperance said, adding that the Supreme Court ruling relating to presidential immunity has further ratcheted up concerns. “They sense the danger is real.”

Whether significant numbers of Americans actually pull up stakes is far from certain. Moving abroad brings the challenges of obtaining a visa and leaving behind family obligations. And some view such sentiments as an overreaction at home when other countries also face new political turmoil.

But it’s an idea that is a growing topic of conversation, especially after a presidential debate that raised new questions about Biden’s suitability and Trump’s repeated falsehoods . Even before that, some said, the urge to escape has spurred calls for advice to friends living overseas.

Justin Knepper, 48, moved from California to Portugal in 2020. Now, he said, “I would say at least 50% of our friends are considering moving” with politics at least a factor for most.

Retirement: More Americans retire abroad. What happens when crisis hits?

Moving to South Africa: ‘We’ve got to get out of here’ 

Ted Baumann’s move last year came after he grew alienated from both political parties.

The 63-year-old worked in nonprofit housing and financial publishing while living in Decatur, Georgia, near Atlanta, with his wife, a pre-Kindergarten teacher, and their daughter.

He watched with concern as reactionary politics gathered steam amid President Barack Obama’s tenure.  He was stunned when Senate Republicans violated a norm by blocking Obama from filling a Supreme Court seat. He said it seemed like “Third-World style politics.”

He worried about how easily some could rationalize such moves. Then Trump won. All around him, he thought political debate had become increasingly vitriolic. 

“I remember waking up the next week and thinking, ‘We’ve got to get out of here,’” he said.

It wouldn’t be a difficult move. Baumann’s wife is originally from South Africa. And he’d previously lived for a time and already had dual citizenship.

But they were settled into their own Georgia community. They both had good jobs and their daughter was headed to high school. And then the pandemic hit. 

While voters had narrowly elected Biden in 2020, it rattled him that nearly half of America supported Trump’s ideas including stolen-election conspiracies that fueled the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

But Baumann – who said he doesn’t identify with either party but leans left – wasn’t thrilled with Democrats either.   

He thought liberals were overly focused on “identity politics, gender, race and sexual orientation – which are all important,” he said, and gave too little attention to pressing economic and other issues.

Over time, he lost faith that elected bodies could tackle everyday issues.

“It doesn't really matter which side you're from. It’s the inability to govern and to legislate and to address issues,” he said. “Because eventually, these unsolved issues are going to come back to bite you. You're going to run out of Social Security, you're going run out of healthcare for the elderly.”

By 2022, he and his wife decided, “This is not where we want to raise our daughter, this is not where we want to be,” he said, putting plans in motion to move to South Africa. 

There were economic considerations involved in their move, too: The cost of living, as well as health care, would be lower. Last year, they left behind their life in the Atlanta area for Cape Town. His daughter entered high school there and “couldn’t be happier,” he said. Baumann now works remotely.

To be sure, South Africa has its share of political struggles and problems, he said. But it felt like a place moving in a positive direction. America, by contrast, seemed to be moving backward.

Moving to Spain: Complicated reasons for going abroad 

Marsha Scarbrough arrived in Spain in early 2017.

Not long before that, she had given an interview to a Spanish reporter back home in the U.S., and found herself on the front page of a Spanish newspaper – dubbed “La Primera Exiliada,” the first exile, following Trump’s election.

Though she opposed Trump, Scarbrough moved at age 70 for a mix of reasons including affordable retirement, less expensive health care and a desire to live abroad, she said. She also wanted to be away from gun violence and other problems in the U.S., she said.

That’s true for most U.S. residents who migrate overseas for multiple reasons such as jobs, spouses or to study, said Klekowski von Koppenfels, the University of Kent expert. But she said politics can play into it. 

“Back when George Bush's handling of the Iraq War was a big political issue in the United States, I spoke with a number of people who had always meant to move to Europe and had always thought of studying in Europe. And then, as the Iraq War rolled around, they were increasingly unhappy with the politics around that. They thought, OK, now's the time for me to go ahead and move,’” she said.

A similar dynamic is in play for some currently considering a move.

Marco Permunian, founder of Italian Citizenship Assistance, has seen inquiries triple this year reaching as many as 250 a day, most U.S. residents looking to relocate, get dual citizenship based on lineage or obtain visas to work, study or retire in Italy or elsewhere in Europe.

He said a “general feeling of instability throughout the country, both politically and socially” is what’s driving many of his clients to seek to move to Europe now.  A minority of them are ready to go immediately, he said, while others “want to have the option to relocate if they have to.”

In France, Adrian Leeds, whose company helps Americans find real estate, said her business has doubled each year since the pandemic. While some Americans are worried about far-right gains in France , she said that pales to clients citing the “fear of Donald Trump and the disaster in the U.S. when it comes to healthcare, gun control, women's rights, etc.,” she said. 

Jennifer Stevens, editor at the move-abroad publication International Living, which conducted the survey showing rising political concerns among readers, has seen it too. 

“People who already had an idea in the back of their minds that they might like to go abroad sometime,” she said, “They're crafting a Plan B because they feel like they just might need it if things go sideways in November and beyond.”

More: Feeling strange about celebrating July 4th amid Biden-Trump chaos? You’re not alone.

But will they adopt Plan B? Klekowski von Koppenfels said a survey she helped to commission didn’t show a significant increase in emigration aspirations between 2014 and 2019 despite an increase in public statements about it.

Gallup found that during the start of the Trump Administration in 2017 and 2018, a record 16% of Americans said they would like to permanently move to another country if they could. That was higher than the average levels during the Bush (11%) or Obama administration (10%). 

Gallup said that while it didn’t ask respondents about political leanings, the surge in Americans' desire to migrate in those years came among groups that typically leaned Democratic and had disapproved of Trump: women, young Americans and people in lower-income groups.  

The percentage of respondents in later Gallup polls who said they'dthey’ve like to move abroad permanently dipped to 13% in 2020 and rose to 17% in 2023, according to data provided by Gallup.

In March of 2024, the Monmouth poll found that of the 34% who said they would settle in another country if free to do so. It asked about political leanings of those who said they would leave: 41% of independents, 35% of Democrats and 22% of Republicans.

If wanting or vowing to leave is most often a political statement, it’s also a source of political fodder.

When Barbara Streisand said she would leave the country if Trump won, the conservative outlet BlazeTV declared that, “For the second time in recent history, the trash is promising to take itself out.” In 2020, one Ohio sheriff mocked celebrities who said they’d leave four years ago but didn't by offering a one-way ticket out of the country . 

And some who want to leave get criticism for leaving the U.S. instead of fighting for change. 

After Scarborough moved to Spain, a man from another European country told her, “ ‘Well, you're just an opportunist. You’re taking advantage of other countries where people have done the work.” But she’d spent years advocating for causes back home, she said. 

“I'm choosing to spend my final years having fun in a place that has solved many of these problems and created a better quality of life,” she said. “At my age, I’ve done everything I can do. Do I need to keep fighting?”

Moving to Europe: Surprising, similar political issues 

Lauren Ell, 36, said people often underestimate the costs and challenges of moving. 

Ell, a Trump-supporting Republican Southern California native who moved to Sweden in 2016 to be with her partner, founded an online group called Nordic Republicans to connect conservatives, who she said are difficult to find in an area where Democrats tend to dominate expat forums.

“When I hear people say, ‘I'm gonna move out of the country, because of the politics there.’ I think it's a bit silly, because it's really difficult if you just want to get up and move,” she said.

Some countries have strict residency policies for immigrants. And obtaining visas, work permits and citizenship often takes time and is costly. 

“And then there’s the politics,” Ell said, noting that Sweden, despite its liberal reputation, didn’t close businesses or mandate certain health measure during COVID, in contrast to U.S. policies she opposed.  “They might be surprised that there's actually similar right-leaning politics in many European countries.”

Indeed, support for right-leaning politicians has been rising in some European countries. In France, a far-right party made historic gains in the first round of hastily called legislative elections, raising the specter of the far-right coming into power for the first time since Nazi occupation in World War II.  In early July, the Netherlands installed a new right-wing government, Reuters reported . 

Alessandra Bloom, 33, who moved from Boston where she worked in restaurant management to Rovigo, Italy in 2021 to seek dual citizenship based on lineage, now works for Italian Citizenship Assistance – and understands why some Americans back home are looking abroad.

“It feels heavy in America. The divide is so strong,” she said. But living in Italy has also shown her that “there are problems everywhere in the world, and no matter where you go, everyone has political troubles.” She added, “I mean, they have just as much conservative politics and immigrant policy that they're debating.”

David Morse, 72,  who once worked as a staffer to Congressional Republicans, said he left the U.S. because of Trump. He moved in 2019 to Norway, where his wife was born.  But he’s found it harder than he'd hoped to leave Trump’s political noise behind: “It’s hard to avoid Donald Trump.”

On TV,  he said, is a regular TV show chronicling Trump news. He’s everywhere on the internet.  And Morse still reads U.S. political news often.

“And I guess that's partly my fault, too, because I suppose I could just not read stuff and turn it off, but I don’t,” he said. Trump, he said, “sort of buries himself into your brain.”

He still plans to vote from abroad, a desire that has helped grow the group Democrats Abroad, an official group with state-level recognition by the Democratic National Committee, whose membership has tripled since 2015, according to a spokeswoman who declined to provide an exact figure. 

But Morse is happy living abroad. In part because he doesn’t see things changing anytime soon. While people moved to Canada to protest the Vietnam War, he said, “it wasn't systematic or fundamental to the American system.” This time, he said, it feels different.

He said he worries about a more violent or widespread version of Jan. 6 if Trump loses, and that democracy’s guardrails will fail to hold up. 

“There's nothing that says that American democracy is permanent and immutable,” he said. “And I fear it's coming apart.”

What do we do about Alice Munro now?

Reckoning with the late author and Nobel Prize winner’s complicity in her daughter’s abuse.

by Constance Grady

On Sunday, the daughter of the late Nobel Prize-winning Canadian author Alice Munro revealed a dark secret that sent the literary world reeling. It serves as a reminder about the shocking layers of complicity that develop when families protect abusers.

As recounted in an essay in the Toronto Star and an accompanying reported article , in 1976, Munro’s husband, Gerald Fremlin, sexually assaulted her daughter Andrea Robin Skinner, then 9 years old. Skinner eventually told her mother the truth when she was an adult — and Munro chose to side with and protect her husband for decades thereafter.

Skinner’s story, as outlined both in the essay and the Toronto Star’s reporting in which her siblings cooperated, is robustly supported. It has been investigated by the police and corroborated by her family, contemporaneous correspondence, and by her attacker, who pleaded guilty to legal charges for indecent assault in 2005.

In her essay, Skinner writes that she “wanted this story, my story, to become part of the stories people tell about my mother. I never wanted to see another interview, biography or event that didn’t wrestle with the reality of what had happened to me, and with the fact that my mother, confronted with the truth of what had happened, chose to stay with, and protect, my abuser.”

Now, the reckoning that Skinner requested has begun. In light of her story, Munro’s work reads shockingly differently.

In Munro’s work, women are repressed, silenced, and bullied by sadistic men, yet their thoughts and secret rebellions are slyly subversive

Munro, who died earlier this year , was celebrated for her short stories, which she wrote primarily about the inner lives of women and girls. In Munro’s work, women are repressed, silenced, and bullied by sadistic men, yet their thoughts and secret rebellions are slyly subversive. Frequently, she drew upon her childhood in small-town 1930s Canada, where, as she described it, girls were taught to cramp their minds to match the smallness of the lives they were promised.

For Munro to become a party to the silencing of her own daughter, to ally herself with her daughter’s abuser, feels like a betrayal of her readers. She was supposed to be on women’s side. How dare she have lied to us?

Here is what happened to Andrea Skinner, and how Skinner’s revelations recast Munro’s work.

How Alice Munro became complicit in her daughter’s abuse

Skinner is the youngest of Munro’s three children, all of whom she had with her first husband, Jim Munro. In a 2004 interview with the New York Times magazine , Munro describes herself as ambivalent about being a mother, which she felt was a fate thrust upon her by the expectations of her time. "She wasn’t the utter joy of my life she might have been,” Munro said of her oldest daughter, adding that she herself had “no moral scruples” about the sacredness of motherhood.

Munro and Jim separated in 1974. In 1976, she married Gerald Fremlin, a geographer she had met in college 20 years earlier. In the same 2004 Times profile, Munro says she fell for Fremlin the first time she ever saw him and agrees with the interviewer when she suggests that Fremlin is the love of Munro’s life.

After Munro and Jim divorced, they agreed to share custody of their youngest child. Andrea would stay with Jim and his new wife during the school year, and with her mother and Fremlin in rural Huron County in Ontario for the summer.

During Skinner’s first summer with Munro and Fremlin in 1976, when Munro was away, Skinner, then 9 years old, asked Fremlin if she could spend the night in Munro’s bed, which was separate from Fremlin’s but adjacent. Later that night, according to the Star, Fremlin climbed into bed with Skinner and began to rub her genitals and press her hand over his penis while Skinner feigned sleep. The next morning, Skinner wrote that she woke up with a sick migraine and dreaded getting out of bed.

When Skinner returned to her father’s house after that first summer, she told both her stepbrother and stepmother what had happened. They in turn told Jim Munro. Jim, however, did not talk to either Skinner or Munro about the assault. Instead, when Skinner returned to Munro’s house the next summer, Jim asked Skinner’s older sisters to travel with her, look out for her, and make sure she was never alone with Fremlin.

Fremlin did not touch Skinner again, but he continued to harass her until she reached her teenage years. He would expose himself to her and proposition her for sex. He told her that if she told Munro about what had happened, the shock would kill Munro. Skinner stayed quiet.

The trauma impacted her body. Her migraines continued and she developed bulimia. College was a struggle, and eventually, she dropped out.

In 1992, when Skinner was 25, she decided to finally tell her mother the truth. She wrote her a letter outlining Fremlin’s abuse. “I have been afraid all my life you would blame me for what happened,” she wrote.

Skinner’s fears were proven right. Munro treated Fremlin’s abuse as an infidelity and a betrayal from both him and her daughter. She left Fremlin to fly to one of her other homes and stew over what she saw as a humiliation, according to Skinner’s essay. When Skinner told her that Fremlin’s abuse had damaged her, Munro brushed the idea away, saying, “But you were such a happy child.”

Meanwhile, in a letter to the whole family, Fremlin threatened to kill both himself and Skinner and to make public pictures he’d taken of 11-year-old Skinner, which he described as “extremely eloquent.” He wrote his own explicit account of the abuse, in which he described 9-year-old Skinner as a “homewrecker.”

“It is my contention that Andrea invaded my bedroom for sexual adventure,” Fremlin wrote. “For Andrea to say she was ‘scared’ is simply a lie or latter day invention.” He went on to compare himself to Nabakov’s Humbert Humbert, casting Skinner as a seductive Lolita. “I think Andrea has recognized herself to be a Lolita but refused to admit it,” he wrote.

The only apology Fremlin made throughout his graphic, threatening letter was not for molesting Skinner. It was for being unfaithful to Munro.

After a few months of being separated, Munro went back to Fremlin, with a faux-feminist defense of her actions. Skinner writes that Munro said “she had been ‘told too late,’ she loved him too much, and that our misogynistic culture was to blame if [she was] expected [...] to deny her own needs, sacrifice for her children, and make up for the failings of men.”

Over the following decade, Fremlin’s abuse of Skinner became an unspoken secret, one the family knew about but refused to discuss. Skinner continued making regular visits to Munro and Fremlin’s home. When she and her husband became pregnant in 2002, she decided she couldn’t allow Fremlin to ever be around her children, and she called Munro to tell her so.

“And then she just coldly told me that it was going to be a terrible inconvenience for her (because she didn’t drive),” Skinner told the Toronto Star. “I blew my top. I started to scream into the phone about having to squeeze and squeeze and squeeze that penis and at some point I asked her how she could have sex with someone who’d done that to her daughter?”

The next day, Munro called Skinner back to forgive her for speaking to her mother in such a way, and Skinner decided to cut off contact.

In 2004, after reading that New York Times magazine profile in which Munro speaks so lovingly of her marriage with Fremlin, Skinner decided to go to the Ontario police. She brought them the 1992 letters from both herself and Fremlin about the abuse.

In 2005, Fremlin pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault and was sentenced to two years probation. Skinner felt satisfied with the sentencing, feeling that Fremlin, by then 80, was so old he was unlikely to hurt anyone else.

“What I wanted was some record of the truth, some public proof that I hadn’t deserved what had happened to me,” she writes.

That long-awaited reckoning would not happen until after both Fremlin and Munro died, Fremlin in 2013 and Munro in 2024. This year, with both Munro and Fremlin gone, Skinner and her siblings took their story to the Toronto Star.

Skinner and the suffering she’s endured, as well as her safety and well-being, are more important, on a human scale, than Munro and her literary legacy. Yet Munro and her legacy are why we know about this story at all. They serve as a reminder that even the people we like and admire can do terrible things and that they can be complicit in hiding an abuser in order to maintain the pleasant status quo of their own lives. They must be faced.

Reading Munro after her daughter’s story

Much of Munro’s old work reads differently in light of the knowledge of what happened to Skinner. Sex, sexual coercion, and the way brutal men use their power to silence women are recurring themes in her work, where she explored them with great sensitivity and intelligence. Knowing that she failed so conclusively at bringing that sensitivity and intelligence out of her work and into her real life when it mattered most makes those stories feel stranger and darker than they used to.

Only two years after Fremlin abused 9-year-old Skinner while she feigned sleep, Munro published a short story titled “Wild Swans,” in which a man gropes a college student on the train while the student, Rose, pretends she’s asleep.

Rose is horrified to find her seatmate’s hand on her leg, but she finds herself unable to reject it, embarrassed at the thought. “It made her feel uncomfortable, resentful, slightly disgusted, trapped and wary,” Munro writes. Yet, “If she did say Please don’t, she was sure he would ignore her, as if overlooking some silliness or impoliteness on her part. She knew that as soon as she said it she would hope he had not heard.”

It is not only embarrassment that keeps Rose from protesting, though. There is also “curiosity. More constant, more imperious, than any lust;” the desire to find out what will happen if she does nothing. And eventually, there is lust itself, “a sly luxuriance” that renders her both “victim and accomplice.” Later, we learn, Rose will use the memory of this encounter as a reliable fantasy.

Without the knowledge of Munro's personal life, “Wild Swans” reads like a canny exploration of the complicated nature of women’s sexuality. The way social pressures prevent Rose from protesting when she first recognizes an unwelcome touch and her eventual arousal reads like playful meditation on the ways our culture eroticizes sexual violence, so that it’s common for women to fantasize about assault.

The new knowledge of Munro lends itself to a darker reading. Revisiting it, I find myself running hypothetical scenarios in my head. Perhaps even when she wrote the story, back before she knew what he had done to her daughter, Munro was already looking for ways to think of Fremlin’s proclivities as harmless. Perhaps when Skinner told Munro about Fremlin’s assault, Munro grabbed for that old story about an unwanted groping turned desirable as a way of shielding her image of him from the awful truth of what he had done. No matter what scenario I imagine, I always find myself tripped up on the same fundamental question: How could a person who thought like that write the way she did?

It’s not only “Wild Swans.” The Toronto Star points to “ Vandals ,” a short story Munro published in 1993, a year after Skinner told her about Fremlin’s abuse. “Vandals” tells the story of a woman named Bea, in a relationship with the alpha male Ladner. Bea is devoted to Ladner, who takes care of two neglected neighborhood children, Liza and Kenny. He lets them romp around his bucolic property, teaching them about nature.

Ladner, though, is also emotionally withholding and demanding. He casually humiliates Bea, mocking her as vain and cowardly and silly. And he molests Liza, has in secret “grabbed Liza and squashed himself against her.”

Liza does not tell Bea about the abuse, but she has the sense nonetheless that Bea can protect her from the worst of Ladner. “Surely she could do it,” Liza thinks of Bea. “If only she could turn herself into somebody firm and serious, a hard-and-fast, clean-sweeping sort of woman, whose love was deep and sensible. If only she could find a way to rescue them—to make them all, and keep them all, good.”

Bea, however, remains the woman who Ladner mocked as being vain and cowardly and foolish. She stays with Ladner despite his mockery, having “forgiven Ladner, after all, or made a bargain not to remember.”

Years later, Liza breaks into Bea and Ladner’s house and trashes the whole place with a vicious artistic flair, ripping apart books and pouring whiskey and maple syrup all over the floor. “What did they do that made you so mad at them?” her husband asks her.

“Who’s mad?” Liza responds.

Liza’s vengeance targets not only her abuser but also Bea, the woman she believed would protect her but failed to be the kind of “firm and serious” woman who could do so. It’s her revenge that’s at the heart of the story, and the narrator suggests that her vengeance is fully justified.

We only know what she did, which was monstrous, and what she wrote, which was beautiful

With the knowledge of Skinner’s story, “Vandals” reads as a kind of allegory for Munro’s sense of what happened: the horror of Skinner’s letter wrecking her nice life like a vandal in a lovely house, a just punishment for own her shameful failure to protect a child as she “made a bargain not to remember” her husband’s vicious humiliation of her.

Reading “Vandals” now, it feels as though Munro knew that what she did was wrong. She was ashamed of it. She could not acknowledge her shame in real life, so she put it in a story and she made that story great. The whole thing becomes a kind of apology, all the more disturbing for the knowledge that in real life, Munro never apologized to Skinner. She foisted all the blame onto Skinner instead.

That scenario is only speculation. We don’t know what Munro thought or felt, and we never will. We only know what she did, which was monstrous, and what she wrote, which was beautiful.

The monstrous artist problem all over again

Among the most haunting parts of Skinner’s story for me is Fremlin’s invocation of Lolita in his own defense. He reads Lolita as a love story, an account of a sexually aggressive child seducing a hapless older man, and he argues that Skinner was just such a child.

Fremlin’s reading of Lolita is a common enough one, particularly in the 1990s. Yet such a reading requires ignoring the plentiful textual evidence that Lolita, whose real name is Dolores, is coerced into a horrific affair with her stepfather that she neither desires nor consents to. It requires privileging the narrative of Humbert Humbert over the protests from Dolores that he brushes away, like Rose in “Wild Swans,” as silly, embarrassing, rude.

I am accustomed to reading Munro, who wrote so evocatively of women’s fears and desires, as a corrective to a culture that would allow for such a reading of Lolita . Munro, I am used to thinking, is the kind of writer who excavates the stories and the pain and the rage of women from underneath tired old patriarchal narratives. I am not used to thinking of her as the kind of writer who would respect such a misreading of Lolita , much less as the kind of woman who would decide to stay married to Humbert Humbert.

Even when she’s a woman; even when she’s a woman who writes about women; even when she’s the kind of woman who is supposed to be on the side of other women

After all these years of the public learning about great artists doing terrible things — 62 years after Norman Mailer , 45 years after Roman Polanski , 32 years after Woody Allen , six years after Junot Díaz and Louis C.K. and Kevin Spacey and and and and — it feels naive to be shocked about Alice Munro. It feels naive to marvel, yet again, at the horrible revelation that people who make beautiful and very human art are, at the end of the day, j ust as capable of banal human monstrosity as all the rest of us . Even when she’s a woman; even when she’s a woman who writes about women; even when she’s the kind of woman who is supposed to be on the side of other women. Yet here it is: I am shocked. I am marveling.

In her book Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma , the critic Claire Dederer argues that one of the reasons we find ourselves so preoccupied with the question of what to do with art from bad people is that this question is “a kind of laboratory or a kind of practice for the real deal, the real question.” Namely, “What is it to love someone awful? The problem is that you still love her .” We fret over how to handle art from artists who have done horrible things, Dederer suggests, because we don’t quite know what we should do when the people we love in real life — friends, family members, spouses — do horrible things themselves, and then we find ourselves in the awful position of still loving them.

When Skinner told Munro what Fremlin had done to her, Munro found herself in this very position. She loved someone who had done something terrible. What could be done about it?

Munro’s response was by any moral measure a bad one. She allowed her love for her husband to supersede her love for her child, further traumatizing Skinner in the process. Through her inaction, she also became complicit in any future assaults on children her husband might have committed. “Vandals” suggests that perhaps she knew her choice was a shameful one. Her interactions with Skinner suggest that the shame was still not strong enough for her to choose differently.

Yet Dederer’s argument is not a call for us to estrange ourselves from all the people in our lives who have failed us, or to unthinkingly discard the art of artists who have done terrible things when their art still matters to us. Instead, her argument is a call to reckon with the love and the monstrousness at once, to hold both in our minds, the way Munro could do in her fiction but not in her life.

Munro's children told the Toronto Star that they want this allegation not to destroy Munro's legacy but to create a more robust understanding of who she was as a writer. If we want to accomplish that goal, we have to face the idea that the clarity and force of vision Munro brought to her work was not something she carried with her into the real world when it counted. She was as capable of self-deception as her characters were. The question now is whether learning that Munro is as horribly flawed as an Alice Munro character means the characters should mean less to us.

Correction, July 10, 11:45 am ET: An earlier version of this story, published July 9, misnamed the Toronto paper in two places. It is the Toronto Star.

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