Authors & Literary Criticism: What is Literary Criticism?

The purpose for writing a critique is to evaluate somebody's work (a book, an essay, a movie, a painting...) in order to increase the reader's understanding of it. A critical analysis is subjective writing because it expresses the writer's opinion or evaluation of a text. Analysis means to break down and study the parts. Writing a critical paper requires two steps: critical reading and critical writing.

Critical reading:

1. Identify the author's thesis and purpose
2. Analyze the structure of the passage by identifying all main ideas
3. Consult a dictionary or encyclopedia to understand material that is unfamiliar to you
4. Make an outline of the work or write a description of it
5. Write a summary of the work
6. Determine the purpose which could be
   • To inform with factual material
   • To persuade with appeal to reason or emotions
   • To entertain (to affect people's emotions)
7. Evaluate the means by which the author has accomplished his purpose

• If the purpose is to inform, has the material been presented clearly, accurately, with order and coherence?
• If the purpose is to persuade, look for evidence, logical reasoning, contrary evidence
• If the purpose was to entertain, determine how emotions are affected: does it make you laugh, cry, angry? Why did it affect you?

Consider the following questions: How is the material organized? Who is the intended audience? What are the writer's assumptions about the audience? What kind of language and imagery does the author use?

After the passage under analysis has been carefully studied, the critique can be drafted using this sample outline.

• I. Background information to help your readers understand the nature of the work
  • A. Information about the work
    • 1. Title
    • 2. Author
    • 3. Publication information
    • 4. Statement of topic and purpose
  • B. Thesis statement indicating writer's main reaction to the work
• II. Summary or description of the work
• III. Interpretation and/or evaluation
  • A. Discussion of the work's organization
  • B. Discussion of the work's style
  • C. Effectiveness
  • D. Discussion of the topic's treatment
  • E. Discussion of appeal to a particular audience

Remember :

Avoid introducing your ideas by stating "I think" or "in my opinion." Keep the focus on the subject of your analysis, not on yourself. Identifying your opinions weakens them.

Always introduce the work. Do not assume that because your reader knows what you are writing about, you do not need to mention the work's title.

Other questions to consider: Is there a controversy surrounding either the passage or the subject which it concerns?

What about the subject matter is of current interest?

What is the overall value of the passage?

What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Support your thesis with detailed evidence from the text examined. Do not forget to document quotes and paraphrases.

Remember that the purpose of a critical analysis is not merely to inform, but also to evaluate the worth, utility, excellence, distinction, truth, validity, beauty, or goodness of something.

Even though as a writer you set the standards, you should be open-minded, well informed, and fair. You can express your opinions, but you should also back them up with evidence.

Your review should provide information, interpretation, and evaluation. The information will help your reader understand the nature of the work under analysis. The interpretation will explain the meaning of the work, therefore requiring your correct understanding of it. The evaluation will discuss your opinions of the work and present valid justification for them.

Elisabetta LeJeune. October 8, 1997.

Copyright 1997 Southeastern Louisiana University . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.