In this paper we provide a description of Rijndael using only algebraic operations in GF(2⁸). How the elements of GF(2⁸) are represented in bytes can be seen as a detail of the specification. In classical correlation analysis such as linear cryptanalysis, however, one works at the bit level and must assume a specific representation to study the propagation properties. We demonstrate how to conduct correlation analysis at the level of elements of GF(2ⁿ), without having to deal with representation issues. While this approach does not result in better bounds or stronger attacks, it allows to analytically address the resistance against linear cryptanalysis similar to what has been done for differential cryptanalysis in [3]. Further we show how linear functions over GF(2)ⁿ map one-to-one to linear functions over GF(2ⁿ) by the choice of a basis, and make the link with their mask propagation properties.