Critical: Also known as section II of Part A Diploma Exam Examples: A critical essay may analyze . . .

. * how Shakespeare presents the character, thello, in his play, Othello; * the stren!ths an" weaknesses of the mo#ie, Children of a Lesser God; * the $se of color in %onet&s paintin!, Sunflowers. A critical essay analyzes the stren!ths, weaknesses an" metho"s of someone else&s work. 'enerally these essays (e!in with a (rief o#er#iew of the main points of the text, mo#ie, or piece of art, followe" (y an analysis of the work&s meanin!. It sho$l" then "isc$ss how well the a$thor)creator accomplishes his)her !oals an" makes his)her points. A critical essay can (e written a(o$t another essay, story, (ook, poem, mo#ie, or work of art.

Writing the Critical-analytic Essay

*he Analytic Essay is an interpreti#e exercise in which yo$ "isplay yo$r close rea"in! skills (y analyzin! a work, no#el, play poem, etc. *his essay sho$l" (e clearly foc$se" on matters of craft, techni+$e, an" style. It sho$l" also to$ch on how this writer fits into contemporary tren"s, what pre#io$s a$thors may ha#e infl$ence" his or her, etc. Aim: *o ena(le secon"ary st$"ents to write a comprehensi#e analytical essay on Lord of the Flies, to practice the le#els of mastery nee"e" for this task, to achie#e acc$racy an" spee" in the proce"$ral knowle"!e nee"e" to complete this task. Declarati#e knowle"!e pres$me": A rea"in! of this no#el. Sample tar!et +$estion: -Novels are written for various reasons, as social commentary, as personal reminiscences, for entertainment, or for celebration of character or event, etc. Write an analytical essay on Lord of the Flies focusing on one element of it:

theme, character plot setting or style.

Teacher Structure : .esson /: (Dimension 1: Attitudes and perceptions p. 1 ! 0hy learn this1 Analytic essays occ$r across the c$rric$l$m, in "rama, reli!ion, m$lti2stran" science, history, !eo!raphy, le!al st$"ies, film st$"ies, En!lish, 34S, $ni#ersity. 5n"erstan"in! the task : anal"tic 6 what it&s all a(o$t, how the a$thor tackles his task, i"entifyin! its point of #iew alon! the ran!e of possi(le #iews, i"entifyin! the elements of the work, appraisin! key concepts, themes, or characters. Analysis is not a (ook re#iew, appreciation 7matters of taste, $sef$lness8, or plot s$mmary.

9ea" samples, mo"el analytic essays e.!., -'oo" no#els "o more than tell a story- AP :ote str$ct$re, synonyms: exemplifies, ill$strates, pro;ects, (ro$!ht forth,
"emonstrates, Do a P.A: an" a 3A9 post rea"in! reflection on the text.

.esson <: Para!raph str$ct$re: 3ES4. metho": 7 $tline, explain, s$pport, concl$"e, link8, si!npost sentences an" linkin! sentences. .esson =: >ow to (rainstorm i"eas, pickin! pertinent points 7see A(stractin! (elow8, examples an" oral an" writin! exercises. 'raphic or!aniser p. <?=. 5se a @rayer mo"el. .esson A: >ow to $se +$otations an" examples: samples an" writin! exercises. 5sin! a comparison matrix p. /</. A"#ice for this task we( search See .inks (elow. .esson ?: Post2rea"in! prewritin! orientation: $se a 9A@* mo"el. *ypes of +$estions an" types of plans, samples an" writin! exercises 7/AA8 .esson B: Scholarly tone, lan!$a!e an" metaphors, creatin! interest. !ore Stu ent Structure : .esson C: P$ttin! it to!ether: @rom notes to plan, arran!in!) recor"in! (est +$otations an" examples, @rom inci"ents to character profile 2 $se In"$cti#e reasonin! 7Student #and$oo% </, DL&eacher's (anual /A<.8 .esson D: @rom plan to first "raft. .esson E: 9e#isin! a "raft, e"itin!, critically examine the text, text an" +$estion ali!ne"1. .esson /F: 4ompletin! an" s$(mission of final copy. Attach criteria sheet. "esources: Some relevant lin#s
$$$ %est site for this tas# - gives specific strategies A"#ice for a Shakespeare essay 'oo" ($llet point a"#ice A"#ises constant re"raftin! S$ccinct a"#ice in B points 0ho is my a$"ience1

Analyzin! a text Gince 9occhio&s a"#ice plan an" sample sample: *he H$rassic Symphony :I5 points: persona, tone

&bstracting 7Dimensions of Learnin) &eacher's (anual p. /=F8

*o (e proficient an" confi"ent "ealin! with $nfamiliar information, makin! sense of information, relatin! "ata to !eneral patterns, !eneratin! metaphors an" analo!ies. -to make connections across "isciplines- to -fin" patterns that ha#e meanin!.-

Process(from literal to a$stract!

fin" the core elements 2 i"entify the literal information: @in" six key sentences. replace key wor"s fin" alternati#es for them compose another #ersion of the material

9eso$rce: %arzano 9. H. et al. Dimensions of Learnin) &eacher's (anual <n" e"ition. Alexan"ria, GA: AS4D, /EEC. Pa!e compose" an" maintaine" (y '.I. Smith Iris(ane A$stralia April <FF<.

How to develop and write an analytic essay

Argument: 0ritin! an analytic essay re+$ires that yo$ make some sort of ar!$ment. *he core of this ar!$ment is calle" a thesis. It is yo$r claim, s$ccinctly state" in a sin!le sentence. 0hat "o ($""in! literary critics s$ch as yo$rsel#es ar!$e a(o$t1 Jo$ make a per#asi#e, persistent case that a certain thin! is tr$e a(o$t a piece of literat$re. *his -thin!- sho$l" not (e rea"ily o(#io$s to the cas$al rea"er of the literat$re in +$estion. It is what yo$ "raw o$t of the (ook or essay, how yo$ interpret it. It is a claim that m$st (e s$pporte" (y specific e#i"ence from the text. Thesis statement: At least once "$rin! the co$rse of writin! yo$r essay, isolate what yo$ consi"er to (e yo$r thesis. Is yo$r proposition (oth ar!$a(le an" reasona(le1 If it is o(#io$s 7i.e. %ary 9owlan"son $se" the Ii(le for comfort "$rin! her capti#ity8 yo$ "onKt ha#e an ar!$ment. Ar!$ment re+$ires analysis 7i.e. takin! thin!s apart an" explainin! them8. ne test that may help is askin! yo$rself what the opposite -si"e- of yo$r ar!$ment wo$l" (e. A !oo", complicate" thesis 7which was propose" (y one of yo$r classmates8 is that -Altho$!h %ary 9owlan"son says she often $se" the Ii(le as a so$rce of comfort "$rin! her capti#ity, a closer rea"in! of her narrati#e s$!!ests her faith may ha#e (een more tro$(le" (y her experience than she lets on.- ne $sef$l str$ct$re for writin! thesis statements is the -altho$!h- form $se" a(o#e: -Altho$!h x seems to (e tr$e a(o$t this piece of literat$re, y is in fact more tr$e 7or makes o$r thinkin! a(o$t x more complex8.- In this form yo$ present (oth si"es of yo$r ar!$ment at once an" show which si"e yo$Kre on. Jo$r ;o( in the paper is to con#ince yo$r rea"er to ;oin yo$. Another way to write an effecti#e thesis statement is to $se the form -If we look closely at x 7e.!. how Ira"for" "efines free"om8 we "isco#er y 7that 8. In order to find something to argue: .ook for ima!es or metaphors that the a$thor $ses consistently. 0hat other sort of pattern can yo$ i"entify in the text1 >ow "o yo$ interpret this pattern so that yo$r rea"er will $n"erstan" the (ook, essay, poem, speech, etc. (etter1 0hat philosophical, moral, ethical, etc. i"eas is the a$thor a"#ocatin! or opposin!1 0hat are the conse+$ences of acceptin! the a$thor&s ar!$ment1 Explain how the work f$nctions as a piece of rhetoric22how "oes the a$thor attempt to con#ince his or her rea"er of somethin!1 @or instance, what wi"ely hel" (eliefs "o they $se to s$pport their ar!$ment1 >ow "o they appeal to emotions, lo!icL 9e2examine somethin! that the text or most rea"ers take for !rante" 7that *horea$Ks (ook 0al"en represents his attempt to escape from society8. 3$estion this ma;or premise an" see where it takes yo$

Ask yo$rself if an a$thorKs literary ar!$ment is inconsistent with itself or is in some way philosophically -"an!ero$s,- ina"e+$ate, $nethical, or mislea"in!. Examine how characters are presente" in a story. >ow "o they help the main character to "e#elop1 0hich characters are tr$stworthy1 0hich are not1 0hy are they presente" this way1 What counts as evidence: Structure: >ow the parts of the (ook or essay follow one another, how the parts are assem(le" to make a whole1 0hy "oes the a$thor start where they start, en" where they en"1 0hat is the lo!ical pro!ression of tho$!ht1 >ow mi!ht that pro!ression (e inten"e" to affect the rea"er 0hat effect mi!ht this pro!ression of i"eas ha#e on a !eneric rea"er or on a rea"er from the time perio" in which the work was written1 Does the piece mo#e from the !eneral to the specific or #ice #ersa1 If yo$ co$l" "i#i"e the (ook)essay into sections, $nits of meanin!, what wo$l" those sections (e1 >ow are they relate" to each other1 :ote that chapters, while they form o(#io$s sections can themsel#es (e !ro$pe". "eferring to the te't: In writin! analytic papers that a""ress any kin" of literat$re, it is necessary to refer to the text 7the specific wor"s on the pa!e of the (ook8 in or"er to s$pport yo$r ar!$ment. *his means that yo$ m$st +$ote an" interpret passa!es that "emonstrate or s$pport yo$r ar!$ment. 3$otation is $s$ally stron!er than paraphrase. 9emem(er also that yo$r p$rpose in writin! an essay is not merely to paraphrase or s$mmarize 7repeat8 what the a$thor has sai", ($t to make an ar!$ment a(o$t how the make their point, or how they ha#e sai" what they ha#e sai". (anguage: incl$"es the way an a$thor phrases his or her sentences, the key metaphors $se" 7itKs $p to yo$ to explain how these metaphors are $se", why these metaphors are appropriate, effecti#e, ineffecti#e, or am(i!$o$s8. Is the way a sentence is phrase" partic$larly re#ealin! of the a$thorKs meanin!1 Practical Essay-writing Hints: Please title yo$r paper an" make the title apt an" enticin!22I . GE a !oo" title. It p$ts me in a !oo" moo" (efore I start rea"in!. Ie clear a(o$t whether yo$Kre writin! a(o$t a (ook, an essay 7non2fiction, short prose8, a story 7short fiction8 a poem, a no#el 7(ook2len!th fiction8, an a$to(io!raphy, a narrati#e 7as in 4apti#ity :arrati#es8 etc. 0al"en is a (ook comprise" of chapters. Each of these chapters co$l" also (e calle" an essay. 0ithin these essays, *horea$ sometimes tells stories. *he (ook itself is not a story, ($t closer to a narrati#e, which is non2fiction. Always !o thro$!h at least two "rafts of yo$ paper. .et yo$r paper sit, prefera(ly for <A ho$rs (etween "rafts sometime "$rin! the process of yo$r writin!.

Eliminate first person prono$n 7-I-8 in yo$r final "raft 7itKs M for ro$!h "rafts an" may help yo$ write8. If yo$r para!raphs are more a f$ll pa!e or more in len!th it is more than likely that they are tooooooo lon!. Pro(a(ly yo$ ha#e too many i"eas -in the air- at once. 4onsi"er (reakin! the para!raph in half22into two smaller, ($t relate" ar!$ments. Jo$r rea"er nee"s a (reak, nee"s more str$ct$re in or"er to (e a(le to follow yo$r meanin!. If se#eral of yo$r para!raphs are excee"in!ly short 7A2? lines8, it is likely that yo$ are not "e#elopin! yo$r i"eas thoro$!hly eno$!h22that yo$ are writin! notes rather than analysis. Short para!raphs are $s$ally $se" as transitional para!raphs, not as content para!raphs. 7Short para!raphs can (e $se" in the rhetorical "e#ise of re#ersal where yo$ lea" yo$r rea"er "own a certain path 7to show them one si"e of the ar!$ment, the one yo$ are !oin! to oppose8 an" then t$rn away from that ar!$ment to state the tr$e ar!$ment of yo$r paper.8 Employ +$otation often. ne +$otation per ar!$mentati#e para!raph is $s$ally necessary. Depen"in! $pon the len!th an" complexity of the passa!e or topic yo$&re "ealin! with, more +$otations may (e $sef$l to pre#ent yo$ from !ettin! too far away from the text. Jo$r +$otations com(ine" with yo$r interpretations are yo$r proof. Ie s$re that yo$ show yo$r rea"er how they sho$l" interpret these +$otations in or"er to follow yo$r ar!$ment. 7Almost e#ery +$otation sho$l" (e followe" (y an interpretation, a "eeper rea"in! of what is (ein! sai" an" how its (ein! sai". *his interpretation "emonstrates how the +$otation s$pports the claim yo$&re makin! a(o$t it8. Pay attention to metaphor, phrasin!, tone, alliteration, etc. >ow is the a$thor sayin! what they are sayin!22what "oes that teach $s a(o$t the text1 9emem(er to write "irecti#e 7sometimes calle" -topic-8 sentences for yo$r para!raphs. *he first sentence of any para!raph sho$l" !i#e yo$r rea"er an i"ea of what the para!raph is !oin! to say an" how the para!raph will connect to the lar!er ar!$ment. It sho$l" ha#e more to "o with what "ou ha#e to say a(o$t the materials than what the a$thor him or herself has sai". *ransitions (etween para!raphs: try to !et away from $sin! -*he next,- -@irst of all-Another thin!...- to connect yo$r para!raphs. *his is the -list- metho" of str$ct$rin! a paper22not an inte!rate", lo!ical approach. A really stron! transition makes the lo!ical connection (etween para!raphs or sections of a paper an" !i#es the rea"er a sense that yo$Kre ($il"in! an ar!$ment. *o make s$re yo$ are makin! a well2connecte" ar!$ment, ask yo$rself how the last sentence of each para!raph an" the first sentence of the next are connecte". Each of the sentences within yo$r para!raphs sho$l" (e relate" somehow 7follow from, refer to, etc.8 the one that prece"es it, an" the one which follows it. *his will help the rea"er follow the flow of yo$r i"eas. *he or"er of yo$r para!raphs sho$l" re#eal a "e#elopin! ar!$ment. n the most (asic le#el, yo$ sho$l" (e a(le to conscio$sly ;$stify the presence an" placement of e#ery wor" in e#ery sentence, e#ery sentence in e#ery para!raph, e#ery

para!raph in e#ery essay. *o repeat: in re#isin! yo$r papers after the first "raft 7which is always, ine#ita(ly to some "e!ree conf$se" (eca$se yo$ are in#ol#e" in the process of workin! yo$r i"eas o$t8, yo$ sho$l" (e hi!hly conscio$s of what yo$ are "oin! an" why yo$ are "oin! it.

Return to American iterature Homepage