The Critical Lens Essay

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The Critical Lens Essay

• What is it?
• Why does it matter?
• How will I write one?

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What is it?

• The critical lens essay takes a look at
  literature and analyzes it based on a particular
  quote (lens).

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Why does it matter?

• It matters because you must write one your Junior
  year of English in order to pass the Regents
  exam!
• It also is an important culmination of proving
  your mastery of literature and literary elements.

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How will I write one?

• The critical lens essay is a formulaic essay
  which simply means it follows a formula.
• If you memorize the formula, you will succeed in
  writing the essay!
• CIA (T) is a memory trick to remind you what to
  put in the introduction of your essay.

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C

• Copy the critical lens quote.

• Sample Quote
• R. H. Delaney once said,Love builds bridges
  where there are none.

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I - Interpret

• Explain what you think the quote means.
• Example In other words, love can bring two
  people together who normally wouldnt be together.

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A Agree or Disagree

• Tell whether you agree or disagree with the
  quote.
• Example This is a valid quote because love can
  always bring out new feelings in people and
  create new relationships.

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T - Thesis

• Give your thesis which includes your two pieces
  of literature which you will rely on to prove the
  critical lens quote.
• (So, what two books give good examples that match
  the quote?)

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T Thesis Example

• Give the literature, genre, and author you have
  chosen, along with the literary elements you will
  be discussing.
• Example William Shakespeares play Romeo and
  Juliet and Steinbecks novel Of Mice and Men
  support the critical lens quote through conflict
  and characterization.

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Now, you practice!

• Critical lens quote
• A person is a person through other persons
  Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Remember the steps CIAT!

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Remember CIAT!

• Try writing an introductory paragraph using the
  quote by Tutu
• A person is a person through other persons
• Remember, you are going to pick two works of
  literature from this year to fit the quote since
  we are writing a full, not modified critical lens.

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Sample Introduction

• Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said that, A person
  is a person through other persons. In other
  words, who you are is heavily due to important
  people in your life. People can impact your life
  in tremendous ways. This quote is valid as proved
  in Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet and in
  Steinbecks novel Of Mice and Men.
  Characterization and conflict help to prove the
  validity of the critical lens quote.

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Sample body paragraph one

• In William Shakespeares play Romeo and Juliet,
  both Romeo and Juliet are defined by their
  extreme love for one another, even though they
  come from feuding families. They are
  characterized as love-sick teenagers who risk
  everything, including their lives, to be
  together. You could say that who they are is
  defined by their other half and that strong
  desire to be together which eventually ends with
  their suicides. They go against their families
  and their friends and follow their own hearts
  which lead them to each other and eventually
  buries the family feud. Clearly, this agrees with
  the critical lens quote and it is proven through
  characterization.

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Sample Conclusion

• People can impact our lives in ways we may have
  never dreamed. In the case of Romeo and Juliet,
  the characterization of the lovers shows how
  extremely their lives are dependant on one
  another. In Of Mice and Men, George overcomes
  the internal conflict of what is better for his
  life and proves to be a good friend to Lennie.
  Both works of literature prove that Tutus quote
  is true.

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Review!

• Just remember, CIAT!
• Choose the works of literature that you can best
  explain and that best fit the quote
• Dont pick the same literary elements for both
  works show that you know more than one!
• Ex Conflict, Characterization, irony, setting,
  foreshadowing, mood.

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What should you NOT do with critical lens essays?

• SUMMARIZE THE ENTIRE PLOT!
• LESS IS MORE
• -FOCUS ON THE LITERARY ELEMENTS

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Your assignment

• Now, you need to write the second body paragraph
  to make your essay complete.
• This must be done using Of Mice and Men and the
  literary element internal conflict.
• Follow the way the first body paragraph is set up
  and focuses on fitting the critical lens quote,
  NOT PLOT SUMMARY!!