The Critical Lens Essay
What is it?
Why does it matter?
How will I write one?
What is it?
• The critical lens
essay takes a look
at literature and
analyzes it based
on a particular
quote (lens).
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.
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.
“C”
• Copy the
critical lens
quote.
• Sample Quote:
R. H. Delaney
once said,“Love
builds bridges
where there are
none.”
“I” - Interpret
• Explain what you think the quote means.
• Example: In other words, love can bring
two people together who normally wouldn’t
be together.
“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.
“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?)
“T” – Thesis Example
• Give the literature, genre, and author you
have chosen, along with the literary
elements you will be discussing.
• Example: William Shakespeare’s play
Romeo and Juliet and Steinbeck’s novel
Of Mice and Men support the critical lens
quote through conflict and
characterization.
Now, you practice!
• Critical lens quote:
• “A person is a person through other
persons…” Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Remember the steps: CIAT!
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.
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 Shakespeare’s play Romeo and
Juliet and in Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice
and Men. Characterization and conflict
help to prove the validity of the critical lens
quote.
Sample body paragraph one
In William Shakespeare’s 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.
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 Tutu’s quote
is true.
Review!
• Just remember, CIAT!
• Choose the works of literature that you can best
explain and that best fit the quote
• Don’t pick the same literary elements for
both works – show that you know more
than one!
• Ex: Conflict, Characterization, irony, setting,
foreshadowing, mood….
What should you NOT do with
critical lens essays?
SUMMARIZE THE
ENTIRE PLOT!
LESS IS MORE
-FOCUS ON THE LITERARY
ELEMENTS
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!!