Critical Lens Essays
The Task
• You are given a statement about literature
• You put that statement into your own
words
• You agree or disagree with the statement
• You support your position with details from
literature you have read
Organization
• You should have 4 paragraphs
– Intro
– Body 1 (about first text or character)
– Body 2 (about second text or character)
– Conclusion
Organization
I.
Intro
A. Lens
B. Interpretation
C. Agree/Disagree
D. Title, Author, Genre Information
Intro
•
Interpret the lens
1.
2.
3.
4.
Figure out what the lens means
Put that meaning into your own words
Think about how it will apply to literature
Don’t go word by word and replace with
synonyms.
Interpreting the Lens
“All literature is about the struggle between
good and evil”
Don’t simply say:
Every book is about the fight between nice
and bad.
Think about how it will apply to the literature.
Interpreting the Lens
• When applied to The Crucible this would
work better:
Conflicts in literature are often between those
who want to help others and those who want
only to help themselves.
In the play who wants to help others? Who
wants to help only themselves?
Agree / Disagree
•
•
•
•
Usually easier to agree
Don’t make reference to yourself.
Combine this with the TAG information
Don’t say “the quote”, “the statement”, “the
lens”
• Make reference to your interpretation
• Agreeable means nice, not that you agree.
Sample Intro
Jordan Baker once said, “All literature is
about the struggle between good and evil.”
This means that conflicts in literature are
often between those who want to help
other and those that are out only to help
themselves. Two characters from The
Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller, that show
how conflicts arise between those out for
themselves and those out to help others
are John Proctor and Abigail Williams.
Organization
II and III Body Paragraphs
A. Topic Sentence (1 sentence)
Should sound like interpretation
One character that shows how conflicts
arise between those out to help others and
those out to help themselves is John
Proctor.
Body Paragraphs
B. Supporting Details (8-10 sentences)
Provide specific details from the text that
show how conflicts arise between those
out for themselves and those out for
others. Include quotations and literary
techniques.
Literary Techniques
• If you can think of nothing else,
characterization and conflict will usually
work.
Discuss how the characterization of John
Proctor supports your point. Discuss how
the conflict between Abby and Elizabeth
supports your point.
Organization
C. Explanation of Details (2-3 sentences)
How do the details you have mentioned support
the topic sentence of your paragraph?
John Proctor’s ultimate decision to hang at the end
of the play and save the reputation of his friends
shows how conflicts in literature will arise
between those out to help others and those only
out to help themselves.
Organization
IV. Conclusion
A. Restate thesis
B. Summarize main points
Literature is often about the struggle between
those out to help themselves and those out to
help others. In The Crucible, Abby’s conflict
with Goody Proctor and John Proctor’s
ultimate decision to hang make it clear that the
selfish and the selfless will constantly battle
against one another.