WRITING A CRITICAL LENS ESSAY: STEPS TO FOLLOW
INTRODUCTION:
1. Copy the critical lens statement.
2. Restate the critical lens statement by paraphrasing it in your own words. Start with In other
words,
3. Agree or disagree with the critical lens statement and identify the works you will discuss. Here
are two possible starts for your sentence (choose one):
A. The truth of this statement is shown by … (the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck and the
novel The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway).
B. This statement is supported by … (genres, titles, authors)
4. Thesis statement here.
FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH:
5. The topic sentence should relate to the critical lens statement and the book
Example: If the critical lens statement is: "Conflict in literature provide challenges to characters",
a possible topic sentence is …
In The Pearl, Kino faces conflicts that challenges him.
6. Include a brief plot summary (one sentence).
7. Explain your first example, with lots of textual evidence (ex. information from the book about
a conflict he faces). You may begin with One example … (of a conflict that challenges Kino is
…).
8. Identify literary techniques the author uses that support your analysis (from the notebox).
9. Make a transition into your second example (Another example… ; On the other hand…)
10. Explain your second example, with lots of specific textual evidence.
11. Write a wrap sentence that again refers to the critical lens statement.
SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH:
12. Follow steps #4-10 above for your second book.
CONCLUSION:
13. Brief relate back to the critical lens and the two books used.
14. Try to extend by giving your reader some insight or something to think about
Sample Critical Lens introduction/body for copy changes
(1) Family relationships can be either supportive or harmful. (2) In other words, interactions between family
members might be helpful or they might be detrimental. (3) The truth of this statement is supported by the novel To Kill
a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and the play King Lear by William Shakespeare. Each of these literary works has
characters who are hurt or helped by their families.
(4) In To Kill a Mockingbird, some family relationships are supportive, while others are detrimental. (5) This
novel is about a young girl's life in a prejudiced southern town in the 1930's. (6) One example of a harmful relationship
is Boo Radley's (7) conflict with his father. As a teenager, Boo gets into trouble with the law, driving a car on the town
square and locking the constable in the outhouse. Mr. Radley, embarrassed by his son's actions, tells the court that he
will guarantee that Boo never causes trouble again. As a result, Boo's father locks him in the house for more that fifteen
years. In addition, Mr. Radley does not even allow Boo to communicate with the outside world. When Boo begins to
leave treasures in the oak tree for Jem and Scout, Mr. Radley cements the hole, putting an end to the communication.
Mr. Radley's actions are harmful to Boo, and support Calpurnia's (7) characterization of Mr. Radley as "the meanest
man" in the world. (8) On the other hand, (9) this novel also provides an example of a positive family relationship
between Atticus and Scout. (Continue ………….) (10) To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates that family relationships
can be harmful, as shown by Mr. Radley and Boo, or supportive, as shown by Atticus and Scout.
(11) Another literary work with both positive and negative family relationships is King Lear. In this play, a
king makes a terrible decision to leave his kingdom to two deceitful daughters and to banish his one truthful. loving
daughter. One example of a supportive relationships is between King Lear and Cordilia, his youngest daughter.
(continue…………).