Title: The Critical/Analytical Response to Text The Craft of Writing an Essay
1The Critical/Analytical Response to TextThe
Craft of Writing an Essay Part 1
- PLANNING THE ESSAY
- WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT
- A Think Aloud Process
2Deciding on your thesis statement The first
step to planning your essay
- The assumption is that you know your text inside
out and have developed your own ideas in relation
to the text - For a literary essay, you are asked to make a
debatable claim that demonstrates your insight on
a specific topic (essential question). Your claim
should strike the reader as an aha rather than
a duh observation
3Critical Essay Question
- Essay questions normally consist of an essential
question that can be related to a wide variety of
texts. For example - With reference to the novel or film you studied
in ELA 20-1, discuss the ideas developed by the
text creator regarding how individuals struggle
to come to terms with their sense identity?
4STEP ONE Interpret the question (work the prompt)
- Underline the key thematic words - identity,
struggle, come to terms with - develop your own interpretation
- how do we determine what identity is?
- how will you define/describe identity?
- what factors may cause a struggle to come to
terms with identity?
5Now work interpretations to suit your chosen
text
- What do you think the author/director suggests
about various aspects of identity in your chosen
text? - Who gives the character(s) their sense of
identity? - What gives the character(s) their sense of
identity? - What does the text say about identity?
6STEP TWODecide on a text and create the question
- Change the statement into a question (that you
can answer) related to a specific text of your
choice - How/Why/When (under what circumstances) do / does
(name character/s) struggle to come to terms with
their sense of identity in authors (name text)?
7STEP THREEBrainstorm a subset of questions
- As you do so, think of possible answers. Let your
imagination roam over all possible questions - How is a sense of identity compromised in the
text? - Which characters (or characters) responses to
this struggle intrigue me? - How does / do the character/s display their
identity and does their sense of identity change
throughout the course of the text? - How does / do other character/s contribute
to/reinforce the main characters sense of
identity? - Which characters (or characters) responses best
demonstrate a struggle with their own sense of
identity? - What is the nature of the characters (or
characters) struggle (internal/external)? - Who or what is holding them back from achieving a
secure sense of identity? - How does the character (do the characters) of
your choice attempt to create/come to terms with
a new sense of identity? - Is a secure sense of identity achieved in the end
by the actions of your character(s) and if so how?
8STEP FOURCreate your claim blueprint your
supporting arguments
- Look for a pattern (group your ideas) in your
brainstorming that leads to a potential claim - Think of an argument/claim (that contains
potential for debate) - Create at least three supporting arguments that
support your main argument/claim - Be specific have specific incidents from the
text to back up your point
9STEP FIVEWrite your thesis
- A good thesis is not only a debatable claim, but
also suggests the structure of the paper. The
thesis allows the reader to imagine and
anticipate the flow of the paper - Your statement should
- State the topic
- State your insight/interpretation/claim
- Refer the text if you have not already done so in
your introductory paragraph - State specific character(s) involved
- Suggest a sequence of points that logically prove
the essay's main assertion - Be expressed in the present tense
10FORMULA SENTENCE(When in doubt, try this)
- Think about it this way
- By looking at ___, we see that ___ (unique
insight) which is significant because - Write it this way
- In (name of text), the author (name) develops the
idea that - Consider
- whether your statement implies cause and effect
(a leads to statement), makes connections or
comparisons (an is statement) or comments on a
theme related to the prompt
11Examples of formula statements
- Think about it this way
- By looking at the way Jamal and Forrester change
during the course of the film, we see that
individuals may hide their true identities from
the people around them and the outside world
which is significant because it is only when they
reveal who they really are that they are able to
live fulfilling lives. - Write it this way
- In the film Finding Forrester, the director, Gus
Van Sant, develops the ideathat individuals may
hide their true identities from the people around
them and the outside world however, it is only
when they reveal who they really are that they
are able to live fulfilling lives. -
12STEP SIXTest your thesis against the 5-part MTS
(magic thesis statement) formula
- Identify what you are looking at (aspect of
identity in character/s) - Identify the situation you can see / are
describing - State where that leads
- Point out the significance
- Be able to restate your thesis in other words
literally write a sentence following your thesis
that begins with in other words
13LAST STEPTest your thesis (CSSMI) Kiss me
- Clarity
- Use straightforward language avoid reference to
philosophers/philosophies or anything esoteric - Specificity
- Is your thesis it too vague? For example, the
statement Gus Van Sants characterization
demonstrates his incredible insight as a
director" is too vague because your reader can't
be sure what you mean by "insight" or how it
relates to "characterization" - Strength
- Make sure you have at least three arguments (in
mind) that support your thesis - Make sure you have evidence for each argument
- Each argument should be the material for future
body paragraphs - Manageability
- Can you handle the topic within the time
frame/space provided? - Interest
- Does it state the obvious (duh)? If it's so
obvious that nobody could fail to see it, it's
probably not worth writing about
14Identity in Finding Forrester Level 3
- Disadvantaged, basket-ball-playing, black teen,
Jamal Wallace, meets eccentric, reclusive writer,
William Forrester. Jamal is a gifted student and
writer, but he hides his talent from his peers in
order to be accepted. Likewise, Forrester is a
prize-winning writer who wants no contact with
the outside world and lives a life of isolation
in his small apartment. At some level, both
characters in the film Finding Forrester are
denying their true identities at the start of the
film, and it is only when the two meet that they
are able to gradually break through the barriers
that are holding them back from assuming their
true identities. Director, Gus Van Sant, uses the
films physical settings, costumes, and the motif
of literature to explore this idea. - Good opening hook. Two main characters are
introduced, and the notion that identity can be
hidden is set up briefly to provide context.
There is no interpretation or explanation given
of identity. Blueprint needs clarification.
Expressions such as Likewise and At some
level should be revisited. Where is the thesis
statement? - How to change to a level 4 see next slide.
15Identity in Finding Forrester Level 4
- Disadvantaged, basket-ball-playing, black teen,
Jamal Wallace, meets eccentric, reclusive writer,
William Forrester. In the film Finding Forrester,
the director, Gus Van Sant, develops the idea
that that individuals may hide their true
identities from the people around them and the
outside world however, it is only when they
reveal who they really are that they are able to
live fulfilling lives. Although Jamal is a gifted
student and writer, he hides his talent from his
peers in order to be accepted. Likewise,
Forrester is a prize-winning writer who wants no
contact with the outside world and lives a life
of isolation in his small apartment. At some
level, both characters in the film Finding
Forrester are denying their true identities at
the start of the film, and it is only when the
two meet that they are able to gradually break
through the barriers that are holding them back
from assuming their true identities. Director,
Gus Van Sant, uses the films physical settings,
costumes, and the motif of literature to explore
this idea. - Good opening hook. Two main characters are
introduced, and the notion that identity can be
hidden is set up briefly to provide context.
There is no interpretation or explanation given
of identity. Thesis statement included. Blueprint
needs clarification. Expressions such as
Likewise and At some level should be
revisited. - How to change to a level 5 see next slide.
16Identity in Finding Forrester Level 3 changed
to a level 5 ()
- Race. Employment. Family and friends. These are
all factors that contribute to an individuals
sense of identity. However, the concept of
identity is complex because an individuals sense
of identity is not fixed and is constantly
evolving as both external and internal
circumstances change. In the film Finding
Forrester, director, Gus Van Sant, develops the
idea that that individuals may hide their true
identities from the people around them and the
outside world however, it is only when they
reveal who they really are that they are able to
live fulfilling lives. In other words, in order
to establish an authentic sense of self and to
live a truly successful life, it is necessary to
overcome the fears and obstacles that may cause
an individual to hide vital factors that
contribute to his identity. In Finding
Forrester, Jamal Wallace, a disadvantaged,
basket-ball-playing, black teen, meets William
Forrester, an eccentric, reclusive writer, and
the identities of both characters are gradually
transformed. Because of cultural, environmental,
and self-imposed restrictions, both Jamal and
Forrester hide their true identities, Jamal
conforming to stereotypical behaviour to achieve
the acceptance of his peers, and Forrester hiding
from the outside world in the prison of his
apartment. Neither character is living a
fulfilling life however, when they both face
their challenges and fears, they are able to
reveal their true identities and achieve their
full potential. Director, Gus Van Sant, uses the
films physical settings to convey the
limitations placed upon the characters by their
environments, the motif of literature to create a
link between Jamal and Forrester, and clothing to
depict Jamals and Forresters emerging and
new-found identities. - What is good about this introduction?