Lesson 12

Critical
The word critical means; something of which is very important. When it comes to writing an essay, a critical essay is a way of giving out comments or judgments that analyze or judge something, especially in a detailed manner. The word "critical" has positive as well as negative meanings. ou can write a critical essay that agrees entirely with the reading. The word "critical" descri!es your attitude when you read the article. This attitude is !est descri!ed as "detached evaluation," meaning that you weigh the coherence of the reading, the completeness of its data, and so on, !efore you accept or reject it.

Critical Essay
" critical essay analyzes the strengths, wea#nesses and methods of someone else$s wor#. %enerally these essays !egin with a !rief overview of the main points of the te&t, movie, or piece of art, followed !y an analysis of the wor#$s meaning. 't should then discuss how well the author(creator accomplishes his(her goals and ma#es his(her points. " critical essay can !e written a!out another essay, story, !oo#, poem, movie, or wor# of art. " critical essay or review !egins with an analysis or e&position of the reading, article)!y)article, !oo# !y !oo#.

Each analysis should include the following points:

1. A summary of the author's point of view, including a brief statement of the author's main idea (i.e., thesis or theme) an outline of the important "facts" and lines of reasoning the author used to support the main idea a summary of the author's explicit or implied values a presentation of the author's conclusion or suggestions for action . An evaluation of the author's wor!, including an assessment of the "facts" presented on the basis of correctness, relevance, and whether or not pertinent facts were omitted an evaluation or "udgment of the logical consistency of the author's argument an appraisal of the author's values in terms of how you feel or by an accepted standard

#nce the analysis is completed, chec! your wor!$ As! yourself, 1."%ave & read all the relevant (or assigned) material'" . "(o & have complete citations'" &f not, complete the wor!$ )he following steps are how this is done.

*ow you can start to write the first draft of your expository essay+literature review. #utline the conflicting arguments, if any, this will be part of the body of your expository essay+literature review.

Essays outline

1. Introduction : -riefly state your position, state why the problem you are wor!ing on is important, and indicate the important .uestions that need to be answered, this is your "&ntroduction." . Body : /ive a brief bac!ground of the topic being discussed. )hen (ecide on your own position (it may agree with one of the competing arguments) and state explicitly the reason(s) why you hold that position by outlining the consistent facts and showing the relative insignificance of contrary facts. 0. Conclusion : 1oherently state your position by integrating your evaluations of the wor!s you read. )his becomes your conclusions section. &n this part, summari2e all your ideas about the given topic.

Consider this while writing:

The critical essay is informative; it emphasizes the literary wor# !eing studied rather than the feelings and opinions of the person writing a!out the literary wor#; in this #ind of writing, all claims made a!out the wor# need to !e !ac#ed up with evidence.

The difference !etween feelings and facts is simple))it does not matter what you !elieve a!out a !oo# or play or poem; what matters is what you can prove a!out it, drawing upon evidence found in the te&t itself, in !iographies of the author, in critical discussions of the literary wor#, etc. *riticism does not mean you have to attac# the wor# or the author; it simply means you are thin#ing critically a!out it, e&ploring it and discussing your findings. +se a "claims and evidence" approach. a. ,e specific a!out the points you are ma#ing a!out the novel, play, poem, or essay you are discussing and !ac# up those points with evidence that your audience will find credi!le and appropriate. e.g. "The War of the Worlds is a novel a!out how men and women react in the face of annihilation, and most of them do not !ehave in a particularly courageous or no!le manner," say it, and then find evidence that supports your claim. !. +sing evidence from the te&t itself is often your !est option. e.g. "isolation drives /ran#enstein$s creature to !ecome evil," !ac# it up with events and speeches from the novel itself. c. 0ely on is criticism, what other writers have claimed a!out the wor# of literature you are e&amining. ou may treat these critics as "e&pert witnesses," whose ideas provide support for claims you are ma#ing a!out the !oo#. 'n most cases, you should not simply provide a summary of what critics have said a!out the literary wor#.

 ,e sure your discussion is well organized. 1ach section should support the main idea. 'f you 2uote or summarize !e sure you follow an appropriate format and !e sure you provide a properly formatted list of wor#s cited at the end of your essay.

A critical essay may analy2e . . . 3 how 4ha!espeare presents the character, #thello, in his play, Othello; 3 the strengths and wea!nesses of the movie, Children of a Lesser God; 3 the use of color in 5onet's painting, Sunflowers.

Essay Writing

TOPIC : Harry Potter Mania

1very!ody #nows who 3arry is. 3e is a famous character whether it !e in movie or !oo#. 4indly state your opinion on how it greatly affected people in all ages. 5tate and give proof on how it !ecame popular worldwide. ,e a critic6 %ive your comments on the creation of the 3arry 7otter series 8a#e use of the tips given in order to create a good essay.

TOPIC : Spread o H1!1

"ccording to what was said on the news and related to us !y some students, you have e&perienced a wee# of schools suspension due to the widespread of the 'nfluenza virus in your country. What are the good and !ad outcome of this event or action9

 %ive you:re your view on this and provide the necessary proof on your view. 8a#e use of the tips given in order to create a good essay.