Critical

Essay

 Purpose

A critical essay is designed to test your ability to

respond thoughtfully to a literacy text. The
examiner looks for three things:
To know you have understood the writers purpose
If you can comment effectively on the writers use
of literary techniques
Genuine personal response to text

The question

You may refer to relevant features

including: characterisation, setting,
key incident(s), climax/ turning point,
structure, narrative, theme, conflict,
ideas, description, symbolism,
imagery, tone, rhythm etc.

Structure

Introduction
Main body
Conclusion

 Introduction
1. General statements about your topic.
These sentences need to:
Attract readers attention
Introduce the topic in a general way to
orientate your reader to the subject and to
provide background information.
This provides the context.
Keep statements brief.
Provide background information

2. The thesis statement.

It is often the last sentence of the introduction and
gives the reader the following information:

-State specific topic.

Identifies your position on the topic or question
List the subtopics that will be discussed
Limits the scope of what will be discussed
Indicates the pattern of organisation of the essay
and gives a clear outline of what will follow
Indicates your argument or contention when you
are asked to draw conclusions about a subject.

Introduction example

A poem in which the speakers personality is

gradually revealed is Before you were Mine by
Carol Ann Duffy. The poem is a dramatic monologue
about the lifestyle the poets mother led before she
was born. With close reference to imagery and tone,
this will explore how the speakers personality is
gradually revealed and indicate how, through
content and language, aspects of the character
gradually emerge.

Main body
Should have 3-5 paragraphs
Each paragraph should have

a point
evidence-quotation to back up point
an explanation of how the quotation backs
up the
point, and answers the question

Paragraph Structure
Statement/point- what is the topic sentence/ point you are
making within the paragraph? States the topic and central idea
of the paragraph. (The point the paragraph makes)
Supporting sentences- these sentences support, expand,
explain, examine and justify the points made in the topic
sentence (evidence, examples and quotes that support your
position)
Analysis- detailed explanation of the quote linked to the point
and to the question= sympathy with character.
Concluding Sentence- relate the example and evidence
back to your thesis

Conclusion
-Relate the essay back to the essay question
-Reiterate the thesis point
-Reiterate most important evidence supporting
the position taken
-May also contain a reflection on the evidence
presented.
-The conclusion should match the introduction in terms
of the ideas presented and the argument put forward.

Analysis

Do not use this shows

Try substituting the latter for the following:
This reveals This displays
This indicates

This demonstrates

This highlights

This conveys

This deploys This implies

This illustrates

This proves

This presentsThis explains

Quotations

Quotations should flow into your sentence

or become part of it via the use of a
comma for example:
Repetition of the title, Before you were
Mine reveals that the child thinks that
what she says goes, which indicates her
selfishness.

Quotations
Quotations that do not flow into your sentence
should be introduced using a colon. e.g.
There is a strong contrast between the girl in
the photo and the mother she turned out to
be. As a teenager she is seen as a rebel: Your
ma stands at the close with a hiding for the
late one. The poet seems to admire this in her
mother...

Linking Paragraphs
Paragraphs should be linked together. Some
useful transitional words and phrases that can
be deployed include;
In addition

Furthermore

Therefore Rarely
As a result

Occasionally

Nevertheless Often
Moreover Commenting on

 to introduce an additional idea- in addition, another

reason/ aspect/example, furthermore, moreover,
besides
to introduce an opposite idea or contrast-on the other
hand, in contrast, in spite of, although, still,
nonetheless, instead, compare this with,
alternatively, otherwise, on the contrary, rather
to give an example-for example, for instance, an
example of this is, a further instance of this is

 to list ideas in order of time- first, first of all, first and

foremost, second, more important, most important, more
significantly, above all, most of all, concurrently, an
additional
to introduce an explanation or make a stronger
statement- in fact, indeed
to introduce a result -accordingly, as a result, as a
consequence, consequently, for these reasons, hence,
therefore, thus
to point to evidence-it can be seen that, the evidence is
that, in support of this

 General tips
1. Mention the author, title, general themes, and thesis in your intro
statement, but don't use examples in it.
2. Explain how the literary techniques convey ideas, but don't define
literary terms in your essay.
3. Work all quotes smoothly into grammatical sentences that explain how
and why the quote supports your thesis. Don't begin paragraphs with
quotes.
4. Don't discuss the fact that you are writing a paper. Just state your
points and prove them.
5. Don't repeat "in the story" over and over.
6. Use topic sentences in each paragraph. The topic sentence should link
the examples in the paragraph to your general thesis/point.
7. Restate and reword your thesis while providing some fresh insight in
your conclusion. Don't just restate the intro.
9. Don't say "I" in the essay, and say "the reader" or "the audience"
instead of "you."