Module 02

Introduction to English Literature

Critical Analysis Essay

Lecturer Incharge: Ms.Sandaruwani Abewardhana

(B.Ed. in English, HND. in English, TKT Qualified)
 What is a Critical Analysis Essay?
• The process of evaluating things, such as literary and artistic
creations, is called criticism.
• It derives from the word meaning "able to make judgments".
• A critical analysis essay is also known as a summary and
reaction essay, a critical response paper, a critical assessment
essay, or a critical analysis essay.
• We frequently link the word "criticism" with negative
comments when we hear it but criticizing doesn't always
entail pointing out flaws.
• Despite the fact that criticism entails active disagreement, it
works to explain the meaning and evaluate its efficacy.
• It is referred to as constructive criticism.
 Types of Analyses
Type Explanation
Rhetorical Analysis The purpose of this analysis type is to discover
how a text persuades its readers. It can help
you develop an ability to detect
manipulations.
Process Analysis This form of analysis divides a business, social,
or political process into several steps. There
are two distinct types of process analysis:
• Instructions on how to achieve a result;
• Explanations of how something works or
occurs.

Causal Analysis This type of analysis focuses on the events

that already happened and may try to predict
what will happen in the future. Counter-
arguments are a crucial part of the causal
analysis
Critical analysis This type of analysis aims to evaluate a work
and to promote its better understanding
 Difference between Summary and Analysis
• Students often confuse analysis with summary and get a lower grade as a
result. Here is how two notions differ.
• A summary is a brief restatement of the text’s main points that involves
paraphrasing.
• An analysis is a detailed examination of the evidence that uncovers
something new.
Check out this comparison to understand the difference better:
 ✍ How to Write a Critical Analysis Essay
• Critical analysis consists of two stages:
o Critical reading
o Critical writing
Critical reading

• Critical reading is a technique that involves discovering and evaluating the

text’s meaning and incorporating it into what you already know.
• Determine the central claim and identify how it is argued;
• Look for the large patterns that give purpose, order, and meaning to
arguments;
• Contextualize the text within an original historical, political, or religious
context;
• Distinguish the kinds of reasoning and methodology the text employs;
§ Examine the evidence.
§ Recognize manipulations.
Critical writing
 Critical Reading of

Street Cries
By Sarojini Naidu
Street Cries
When dawn's first cymbals beat upon the sky,
Rousing the world to labour's various cry,
To tend the flock, to bind the mellowing grain,
From ardent toil to forge a little gain,
And fasting men go forth on hurrying feet,
Buy bread, buy bread, rings down the eager street.

When the earth falters and the waters swoon

With the implacable radiance of noon,
And in dim shelters koïls hush their notes,
And the faint, thirsting blood in languid throats
Craves liquid succour from the cruel heat,
Buy fruit, buy fruit, steals down the panting street.

When twilight twinkling o'er the gay bazaars,

Unfurls a sudden canopy of stars,
When lutes are strung and fragrant torches lit
On white roof-terraces where lovers sit
Drinking together of life's poignant sweet,
Buy flowers, buy flowers, floats down the singing street.
 About the author

Sarojini Naidu
 About the poem
The poem describing the Indian Scenario.(Morning, Afternoon,
Evening)

The sky has been described in three ways

- The morning sky – filled with twittering of bird.
- The afternoon sky – unchangeable glare of the midday sun
- The evening sky – studded with stars

The street has been described in three ways

- The morning street – eager – Showing positive signs of winning the battle.
- The afternoon street – panting - Life undone by the scorching heat.
- The evening street – singing – sign of merry making and relaxation.
 Meaning of the poem
Stanza 1
When dawn's first cymbals beat upon the sky,
Rousing the world to labour's various cry,
To tend the flock, to bind the mellowing grain,
From ardent toil to forge a little gain,
And fasting men go forth on hurrying feet,
Buy bread, buy bread, rings down the eager street.

Meaning

• The sun rises in the morning and notes how people prepare and go to their
work.
• How people go through a lot of pain to earn so little.
• The various activities done by different people, for example, people taking
their cattle to the hills, other going to the field to harvest their grains, while
others are hawking their bread in the streets.
 Stanza 2
When the earth falters and the waters swoon
With the implacable radiance of noon,
And in dim shelters koïls hush their notes,
And the faint, thirsting blood in languid throats
Craves liquid succour from the cruel heat,
Buy fruit, buy fruit, steals down the panting street.

Meaning

How the day unfolds at noon when the sun is too hot.
In this stanza, hawkers are still crying out for people to "buy fruit" from their
tired throats as they crave for water to quench their thirst.
 Stanza 3
When twilight twinkling o'er the gay bazaars,
Unfurls a sudden canopy of stars,
When lutes are strung and fragrant torches lit
On white roof-terraces where lovers sit
Drinking together of life's poignant sweet,
Buy flowers, buy flowers, floats down the singing street

Meaning

• when evening reaches, during this time lovers enjoy each others company
sitting on rooftops.
• During this, as hawkers still struggle to sell their goods.
Certain anomalies:

.Throughout the poem it is unclear which scenario the poet has tried to portray
– urban or rural

• The use of bread as morning food is quite unnatural

• Mention of tending flock and binding grains – talk about rural
life
• Buy fruits – in Indian villages do we really need to buy for
consuming fruits or do we simply pluck and eat?
• Buy flowers – same as fruits – are flowers needed to be sold in
villages?
 Themes
• A poem written at a time when life was far from the madding
crowd’s ignoble strife
• How people are struggling to earn a little profit.
• Eventhough they have tiredness,they need rest or hungry
they have to work.
• Background of the Indian streets.
 Literary Devices
• Personification: earth falters, eager street, panting street,
gay bazaars, singing street,
• Imagery: BUY BREAD, BUY BREAD; BUY FRUIT, BUY
FRUIT; BUY FLOWERS, BUY FLOWERS, gay bazaar.
• Repetition- buy fruit, buy fruit, buy bread, buy bread, buy
flowers, buy flowers.
• Metaphor: canopy of stars (refers to the star studded
sky)
• Symbolism : When dawn's first cymbals beat upon the
sky.(Musical Instrument which signs the starting of the event)
 Glossary
• Dawn’s first cymbals – The first sounds of the early
morning, like, the bells from temples, church, etc.
• Labour’s various cry – Different kinds of workers walk up and
down the streets asking for work.
• To tend the flock – To take the cattle to the grasslands.
Bind the mellowing grain – Harvesting the ripe wheat, corn,
rice, etc.
• Canopy of stars – A sky full of stars Points to ponder(Write in
your notebook) Theme of the Poem Sarojini Naidu, the
‘Nightingale of India’ was born in Hyderabad.
Thank You