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!!