English 102/Spring 2021Midterm
Professor Panetta, Patricia
Critical Analysis Paper
The Critical Analysis Essay assignment is meant to introduce you to the process involved in how to interpret and analyze a text and then write about it. Much of what falls under the practice of literary analysis involves discovering what others who are experts in their field have written about a text, then taking those interpretations and opinions and utilizing them to back up your own assertion. For the purposes of this exercise, you do not need to formulate an original assertion, merely discuss in a organized, clear, and well-written manner the interpretive points discussed in class or gathered from reading.
Topics: Critical Analysis and Research Essay: An argument for the relevance of literary criticism through the analysis of one or two works of literature using a single literary criticism.
Describe the narrative voice in a work of literature. Analyze how using that narrative voice changes the meaning of the work, or how it influences the reader to see events in a certain way. This is an especially interesting Critical Analysis to do on a work of literature which uses more than one narrative voice.
Describe the way irony is used in a short story. Analyze how that irony creates meaning. How does using irony work particularly well to develop meaning in a shorter work?
Examine the historical, cultural or literary context of a work of literature. Analyze how understanding that context can help the reader understand that work.
Please recall that a critical analysis:
is not merely a summary.
is NOT a review.
is interested in interpreting what kinds of meanings may be occurring in the text and sharing those with the reader.
utilizes concrete examples from the works to support your thesis.
Requirements for the essay:
Length: 2-3 pages. Write in enough detail to thoroughly investigate your topic. Your essay should have an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs (each with a topic sentence and a main idea), and a conclusion.
Quotes from the text: Include at least one quote from the text in each body paragraph.
Quotes from experts: Include at least one quote from an expert in each body paragraph.
Explanation of quotes: After you use a quote, explain and analyze how the quote proves or explains your thesis. A paragraph should never end with a quote.
Number of sources: Cite at your literary critique sources and the texts in the essay. Use MLA format and include a works cited with your paper.
