Name_____________________
English 11
Mr. Funk
Critical Lens Essay
The Critical Lens Essay
The critical lens is a type of essay, which you will be asked to write on the English Regents in
January. Though it may seem overwhelming at first, if you learn the steps involved with writing
the critical lens, it will become easier with practice.
Here are some sample questions that you may have about the critical lens essay with the
corresponding responses:
Why is it called a “critical lens” essay?
Critical lens is just another word for “quotation.” The Regents exam uses the term “critical lens”
because you use the provided quotation to help you interpret and explain a work of literature. Just
as a detective uses a magnifying lens to examine his evidence, a student uses the critical lens quote
to take a closer look at a book, short story, or play.
I don’t get it. What do we actually have to do?
Well, on the Regents you have to choose 2 works of literature and discuss how each of them relate
to the critical lens while also discussing 2 literary terms (characterization, symbolism, conflict,
etc…) which are found in each work. For now, we will just work with 1 work of literature.
How do I know what to say?
Basically, the most important thing to remember is that in order for your essay to make sense you
must structure your writing around your thesis statement.
Remind me again what a thesis statement is…
A thesis statement is a sentence or two, which declares the main idea (controlling idea) of your
essay. In other words, it tells the reader what your essay is about. Here is an example of a sample
critical lens and a thesis that I created for that critical lens using Romeo and Juliet as my work of
literature.
Critical Lens:
"The lives of characters who experience pain, hardship, or suffering in works
of literature often change as a result."
-Jonathan Ross
Thesis:
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare makes use of symbolism and characterization to illustrate the
life-altering effects that both love and death can have on a character.
The rest of the essay will prove this main idea with details and examples from the play.
What do I say in my introduction?
Just remember S.E.A.L.T.
State the quote
Explain the quote
Agree or disagree with the quote
Linking Statement
Thesis
Here is a breakdown of what that means.
1. “State the quote” means exactly what it sound like it does. Just rewrite the quote.
2. “Explain the quote” means put the quote into your own words.
3. “Agree or disagree with the quote” is also very simple. Just state whether you agree
with the critical lens or not and why.
4. “Linking statement” connects the critical lens with whichever work of literature you
are writing about. In this case, you will be writing about Romeo and Juliet.
5. “Thesis” is explained above.
Annnnd…here is an example of an introductory paragraph for the quote I presented earlier:
Sample Introduction
Jonathan Ross once said, "The lives of characters who experience pain, hardship,
or suffering in works of literature often change as a result." This means that when a
character in literature experiences a major crisis, the character’s entire life can change,
as a result. This is true because the experiences of a person shape their personality. In
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the characters face the consequences of a
forbidden love. Unfortunately, for the young lovers, the consequences are deadly. In
Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare makes use of symbolism and characterization to
illustrate the life-altering effects that both love and death can have on a character.
So, hopefully you now have a better idea of what the critical lens essay is and how it is written.
Be sure to ask questions about any of the above information that you still find confusing and
stay tuned for more!