WRITINGTHECRITICALRESPONSE(CRITICALESSAY)

WHATISACRITICALRESPONSE? Acriticalresponseisaseriousexaminationofatopicor literaryworkforitsownsake,withoutreferencetopersonal views,biases,valuesorbeliefs.Acriticalresponsedoesnot usefirstpersonpronounsandaimstobeobjectiveandneutral 1 initspresentationofideasandsupportingevidence. Acritical responsedoesNOTexplainnegativeaspectsofliteraturein essayform. WHATISEXPECTEDINACRITICALESSAY? Studentsaretocommentonwhethertheauthor communicatedhisthemeeffectivelythroughhisuseofvarious criticalelements(characterization,symbolism,setting,etc.). Thisessaymustpresentideasinawellorganized,well defended,logicalandclearlyexplainedmanner. WHATISTHEME? Themeisthecentralideaorwritersmessageinapieceof writing.ThemeisnotastatementofamoralsuchasDont talktostrangers,norastatementoftopicsuchasThestory isaboutjealousyinfamilies.Themeanswersthequestion Whatistheauthortryingtocommunicatetothereaderabout lifeorthehumancondition?Anexampleofastatementof themeisAcarelessattitudeandgreedynaturewillresultin irreversibledamagetotheenvironment. WHATARETHECRITICALELEMENTSOFLITERATURE? Criticalelementsarethetechniquesauthorsuseto communicatetheirmessage.Thislistprovidessomepossible elements/techniques: LiteraryDevices irony metaphor simile imagery Elements characterization climax conflict tone Techniques foreshadowing pointofview setting symbolism

HOWDOSTUDENTSANALYZETHECRITICAL ELEMENTS? Whilereadingliteraturestudentsneedtobeawareofvarious criticalelementsthatemphasizethewritersmessage. Thefollowinggenericcharts,adaptedfromEssayWritingfor 2 CanadianStudents ,willapplytoanypieceoffiction,poetry, dramaornonfiction.Answeringthequestionsfromthecharts willfocusstudentsattentionontheelementsbeingusedby theauthorinthepieceofliteraturebeingstudied.

RichardDaviesandGlenKirkand,CanadianWritersHandbook (Toronto:GagePublishing, 2000), pp.177.

KayL.Stewart,ChrisBullockandMarianE.Allen, EssayWritingforCanadian Students (Scarborough:PrenticeHall,1994),pp.462465.

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CATEGORIESFORANALYSISofFICTION
Topic Context

3 CATEGORIESFORANALYSISofPOETRY

Whatconceptorissueisthisworkabout? Topic Whatconceptorissueisthispoemabout? Inwhatwayistheauthorslifeconnectedtothe Context Inwhatwayistheauthorslifeconnectedtothepoem? story? Setting Whataretheplace,time,andsocialenvironmentwithinthepoem? Setting Whatistheplace,time,andsocialenvironment People Whoisinthepoem:variouscharacters,onlyapersona(speaker),orboth withinwhichtheeventsoccur? personaandcharacters? Characterization Whattraitsdefinethecharacter(s)andhoware Whataretheimportantperceptions,observations,attitudes,orjudgments theyrevealed? associatedwiththepersona? Dothesetraitschangeinthecourseofthe Structure Isthepoemaparticulartype(sonnet,limerick,cinquain,haiku)? work?How/why? Howdoesthepoemusespacing,indentation,orothertypographic Structure Howhastheauthorarrangedtheeventsofthe variations? plot?(chronological,spatial,flashback, Howdoesthepoemuseorganizationalprincipleslogic,sequence, flashforward,etc.) events,movementofsensationsorfeelings,progressivethoughts,etc.? Iftheworkisdividedintoparts,dotheyreflect Style a)DictionArethepoetswordchoicesformal,informal,colloquial,archaic, thedevelopmentoftheact? oramixture?Hasthepoetchosendeliberatealterationsofusual Doestheactionleadtowardaclimaxorturning meanings(poeticlicense)? point? b)FigurativeLanguageandAllusionsHowdofiguresofspeechand Istherearesolutionofconflictsorarevelation? allusionsenhancemeaning?Whatsymbolicmeanings aresuggestedby objects,gesturesorimages?Whatistheeffectofconventional,universal Whydoestheworkendasitdoes? andspecificsymbols?Ifpresent,howhavepatternsofimagesand Style a)DictionAretheauthorswordchoicesformal, symbols(motif)contributedtomeaning? informal,colloquial,oramixture? c)Sentence/LineStructure Whatistheeffectoflinesorstanzaswithor b)FigurativeLanguageandAllusionsHowdo withoutconventionalsentencepatterns?Howdoespunctuationorlackof figuresofspeechandallusionsenhance itcontributetomeaning? meaning?Howhaveobjects,gesturesor d)RhythmandSound Whatdoestheuseofdevicesofsoundcontributeto imagesbeengivensymbolicmeaning?Whatis themeaning?(Doesthepoemuseregularrhythmpatternorisitfree theeffectofconventional,universaland verse?Arerhythmandregularlinelengthcombined,e.g.blankverse?Do specificsymbols?Ifpresent,howhavepatterns linescorrespondtounitsofmeaning?Howarepausesused?Isany ofimagesandsymbols(motifs)contributedto rhymeregularorunusual?Doesthepoemusedevicesofsoundsuchas meaning? alliteration,assonance,dissonance,onomatopoeia,imitativeharmony?) c)SentenceStructureWhatdosentence Tone patternsindicate? Whatisthepoetsattitudetowardsthesubjectand/orreader?(admiring, Tone ironic,mocking,condescending,candid,sincere,intense,serious,etc.) Whatistheauthorsattitudeaboutthestoryand reader?(admiring,ironic,mocking, Isthetonesad/melancholy,sarcastic,conversational,instructional,etc.? condescending,candid,sincere,intense,serious, Pointof Fromwhichpointofviewisthepoempresented:firstperson,omniscient, detached,etc.) View limitedomniscient,objective? PointofView Fromwhichpointofviewisthestorytold?(first Isthepersonacloselyinvolvedintheevents,ideas,sensations,or person,omniscient,limitedomniscient, feelingsdevelopedinthepoem? objective) Isthepersonasincere,ordoesthepoethavealessevidentpurpose? Doesthepointofviewchangeandwhateffect Howdoesthetitlerelatetothework? results? Theme Whatisthecentralideaofthepoem? Howdoesthetitlerelatetothework? 3 KayL.Stewart,ChrisBullockandMarianE.Allen, EssayWritingforCanadianStudents (Scarborough: Theme Whatisthecentralideaofthenovelorshort PrenticeHall,1994),pp.462465. story? SeniorHighSchoolAlbertaDistanceLearningCentreBarrhead,AlbertaMarch2002 2

4 CATEGORIESFORANALYSISofNONFICTION

Subject Whatissue,concept,eventorpersonisthiswork about? Context Forwhataudienceandinwhatsituationwasthe Context workwritten? Whatpatternoforganizationisused? Methodsof Setting olistingofdetails Development oarrangementaccordingtospace oarrangementaccordingtotime Character ocomparisonandcontrast ization oanalysisofcomponents osynthesis ocauseandeffect Dramatic oenumeration Structure oclassification odefinition oexample/illustration/anecdote oother Structure Howdoesthetitlerelatetothework? Howisthesupportselectedandarranged? induction deduction Style evaluation narration description deliberateorder other a)DictionHowdoestheauthorselect Style language?(scientific,technical,dialect, general,specific,etc.) b)FigurativeLanguageandAllusionsHowdo theseenhancemeaning? c)SentenceStructureWhatdosentence patternsindicate? Whatistheauthorsattitudeaboutthesubject Tone andreader?(admiring,mocking,condescending, Tone candid,sincere,intense,etc.) Whatisthecentralideaofthework? Thesis Theme

Subject

5 CATEGORIESFORANALYSISofDRAMA

Whatissue,concept,eventorpersonisthisworkabout? Doesitbelongtoaparticularkindofdrama? Forwhataudienceandinwhatsituationwasitwritten/produced? Isknowledgeofaudienceand/orsocialhistoricaland/orcultural situationrelevanttotheunderstandingoftheplay? Whatistheplace,timeandsocialenvironmentwithinwhichtheaction takesplace? Whatdocostuming,music,lighting,sets,etc.,indicateaboutsetting? Whatarethecharacterslike? Howarevarioustechniques,includingdialogueandacting,usedto portraythem? Dothecharacterschangeinthecourseoftheplay? Howdoestheplayusespatialandchronologicalstructure? Doestheplaybeginwithagradualunfoldingoftheplotordoesit beginaftertheoccurrenceofsomesignificanteventrevealedearlyin theplay? Doestheactionleadtowardsaclimaxandaresolutionofconflicts? Whydoestheplayendasitdoes? Istheplaydividedintoactsandscenes?Whatissignificantabout thesedivisions? Howdoestheauthor/directoruselanguage? a)DictionIsthelanguageofaparticularcharacterthatofformal, educatedspeechinformal,everydayspeechthecolloquialspeechof aspecificgroup?Doanyofthecharactersuseadistinctive vocabulary(forexample,thevocabularyofsalesmanshipinDeathof aSalesman)? b)FigurativeLanguageArethereanyfiguresofspeech(metaphors, personification,etc.)thatseemsignificantbecauseofrepetitionor placement?Arethereanyconventional,universalorcontextual symbols?Arethereallusionsthatcreatepatternsofmeaning?How? c)PacingIstherhythmofdialogueandactionmeaningful? Whatattitude(e.g.:serious,romantic,nostalgic,ironic)tosubjectand audienceisevident? Aretheresignificantshiftsintone? Whatisthecentralpointofthework? Whatissuggestedaboutmankindorhowhumansreactorcopewith conflict?

KayL.Stewart,ChrisBullockandMarianE.Allen, Essay WritingforCanadian Students (Scarborough:PrenticeHall,1994),pp.462465.

5

KayL.Stewart,ChrisBullockandMarianE.Allen, EssayWritingforCanadian Students (Scarborough:PrenticeHall,1994),pp.462465.

SeniorHighSchoolAlbertaDistanceLearningCentreBarrhead,AlbertaMarch2002

WHATSTHENEXTSTEPAFTERTHEANALYSIS CHARTS? Oncestudentshaveidentifiedthevariouscritical elementsinaworkofliterature,theymustdecidewhich elementsaremostsignificantandeffectiveinhelping readersunderstandtheliteraturestheme.Mostcritical essayswillrequirestudentstodiscusstwoorthree criticalelements.Studentsarenotexpectedtodiscuss eachelementfromtheanalysischarts!However,only discussingoneelementmayresultinanadequatemark iftheelementhasbeenwellexplainedandwell supported. WHATISTHEFORMATFORACRITICALESSAY? Aswithallformalessays,organizationisthekey! Planningyourideasandsupportbeforewritingtheactual essaywillresultinabetterproduct.Theessaymust haveanintroduction,bodyparagraphsandaconclusion.

SUGGESTIONSFORWRITINGTHECRITICALESSAY: Thefollowingsuggestions,adaptedfromCanadianWritersHandbook, providegeneralguidelinesforstudentswhenwritingcriticalessays. Avoidgivingplotsummary.Retellingthestoryisnot necessary. Bespecific.Specificexamplesshowunderstandingofthe literatureandofsupportforaninterpretationoropinion. Beaccurate.Thewritermustbeclearaboutwhatheis communicatingtothereader.Factsfromtheliteraturemustbe accurate. Usethecorrectterm.Useadictionarytoensurethecorrect termsareused.Forexample,thetermsnarratorandcharacter arenotinterchangeableandhavedifferentmeanings. Refertotheselectionbyitscorrectgenre.Dontcallaplaya movieoranovelastory,etc. Userelevantliterarytermscorrectly.Ifanalyzingpoetry,for example,knowthedifferencebetweenmetaphorandsimileand usethecorrectterm. Usesomequotations.Usingthreetofivekeyquotations illustratesthatthestudenthaspreparedtheessay,readthetext closely,andunderstoodwhatisimportant.Blendingthequote withthewriterstextillustratesitspointasinthefollowing:The speaker,however,isnotsooptimistic.Heseesthatthereare nomoreclownsnomorechildrennomoreoldladiesleftto 6 inspirethepoet/artist.

SAMPLEESSAYFORSTUDENTS: Asampleessay,whichanalysesthefilmCasablancafollowsonthe nextpage.Payingcloseattentiontotheorganizationandsupportof ideasinthisessayillustratestheexpectationsforstudents.

AnthonyC.WinklerandJoRayMcCuen,RhetoricMadePlain(DonMills:HarcourtBraceJovanvich, 1987),p.298.

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7 RomanceAndRealisminCasablanca

Introductory Paragraph

Thesis

BodyParagraph1 TopicSentence

Transition

BodyParagraph2 TopicSentence

Transition

Sinceitsreleasein1942,themovie Casablanca,directedby MichaelCurtiz,hasbecomeaclassic.Evenpeoplewhohavenever seenthefilmrecognizethethemeAssong,TimeGoesBy,andthe linePlayitagain,Sam,eventhoughthislineneveractuallyoccursin thefilm.WhyhasCasablanca remainedsopopular?Theanswertothis questionundoubtedlyliespartlyintheappealofitstwostars, HumphreyBogartandIngridBergman,andtalentedsupportingactors likeClaudeRains,SidneyGreenstreet,andPeterLorre.Itsmain appeal,however,isthemixtureof romance andrealisminitsplot, setting,andcharacterization. Theobviousromanticism oftheplottendstoobscureits Body realisticelements. Considerthedetails.Afterafewshotsofaspinning Paragraph3 globeandCasablancastreetscenes,weareintroducedtoRickBlaine TopicSentence (HumphreyBogart),amysteriousAmericanexpatriatewhoownsthe CafAmericain,meetingplaceofCasablancassmartset,andwho appearstocarefornothingandnobody.IntoRickscafwalkVictor Transition Laszlo(PaulHenreid),afamousResistanceleader,andIlsaLund (IngridBergman),hiswife,insearchofstolenlettersoftransitthat wouldguaranteethemasafeexitfromCasablancatoLisbonand America.InaflashbackwelearnthatjustbeforetheNazisoccupied Paris,RickandIlsametthereandfellinlove.Becauseoftheir agreementnottospeakoftheirpasts,however,IlsadoesnottellRick ofhermarriagetoLaszlo,whomshebelievestohavediedina concentrationcamp.OnthedaythatthetwoaretoleaveParistogether, IlsadiscoversVictorisstillaliveand,withoutexplanation,sendsRick anotesayingshestillloveshimbutcanneverseehimagain. RickandIlsaspast, then,isaromantictaleofloveandself sacrifice.WhentheymeetandfallinloveagaininCasablanca,they mustconfrontmorerealisticproblems:Rickscynicism,aproductof hissenseofbetrayalIlsaslove,respectandadmirationforVictor Victorsownsenseofhonourandtheveryrealthreatposedtothemall Concluding bytheNazisdeterminationtopreventVictorsescape. Paragraph Therealityofthisthreatisemphasizedby thedirectorsuseof thesetting.Ontheonehand,Casablancaisaromanticcity.Initsun bakedstreets,merchantsinfezzeshagglewithprospectivebuyers

KayL.Stewart,ChrisBullockandMarianE.Allen,EssayWritingforCanadianStudents (Scarborough:PrenticeHall,19940,pp.89.

insideRicksCafAmericain,thesceneofmuchoftheaction, thewealthygamble.Ontheotherhand,Casablanca,governedby FrenchauthoritieswhoaresubservienttoGermanadvisers,is themajorpointofescapeforrefugeesfromNazioccupied Europe.Consequently,weseethemarketplaceturnintoaplace ofterrorwhenamemberoftheFreeFrenchundergroundisshot byFrenchpoliceinfrontofthelawcourtsbearingthemotto Liberty,Equality,Fraternity.Similarly,theglamourofRicks cafisoffsetbytheplightoftherefugeeswhofrequentitandby theeasewithwhichtheGermansordertheplaceclosed.The settingthusemphasizesthefilmsmixtureofromanceand realism. Whatgivesthefilmitsappealisnotjusttheromantic hopethatthegoodguyswilleventuallydefeattheNazis, howeveritisthefilmsrecognitionofthestrugglethatgoeson withincharacterswho,whilebasicallygood,maymakewrong choices.Thisissuearisesforseveraloftheminorcharacters,but ismostfullyexploredintherelationshipbetweenRickandIlsa. AlthoughRickspast(runninggunstoEthiopia,fightinginthe SpanishCivilWar)suggeststhatheiscapableofidealism,his refusaltoshieldthemanwhostolethelettersofcreditraisesthe possibilitythathewillrefusetohelpLaszloandIlsa.Similarly, IlsasshiftfromthreateningtoshootRickforthelettersof transitoneminute,toplanningtogoingawaywithhimthenext, makesuswonderwhethershewillagainbecapableof sacrificingherloveforRicktoherdutytoherhusband.To emphasizetheseinnerstruggles,scenesbetweenRickandIlsa areoftenshotinhalflight,creatingthejuxtapositionbetween lightandshadowthatisoneofthefilmstrademarks.Sincemost ofusarefacedwithdifficultmoralchoices,weidentifymore fullywithcharacterswhofacesimilarstruggles thanwedowith thosewhoneverquestiontheirownmotivesorbehavior. Intheend,itistheromanticethicofloveandself sacrificethattriumphs,asRickputsIlsaandVictorontheplane forLisbonand,withCaptainRenaud,stridesoffintothefogto jointheresistancefighters.Butinitsuseofplot,settingand characterization,thefilmremindsusthatsuchtriumphsariseout ofourstrugglesagainstopposition,bothwithoutandwithin.Itis thisrealisticrecognitionofthedifficultyoflivinguptoourbest selvesthatgivesthefilmitscontinuingappeal.

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