Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most...

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Critical Analysis An Introduction

Transcript of Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most...

Page 1: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

Critical AnalysisAn Introduction

Page 2: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,
Page 3: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

What IS critical analysis???

• Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature, the arts, and other humanities.

• In literature, to critically analyze means to break a subject (such as a character, theme, or event) into smaller parts, then examine its components and offer a meaning--or alternative meaning.

• Your opinion matters!

Page 4: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

How do I do it???

• Choose your subject and analyze it part by part through “slow reading” (or “close reading”)

• Select details or sections that are open to interpretation.

• Some ways we will practice interpreting details and sections are through tone, mood, and symbols.

Page 5: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

How would I organize it???

• Paragraph 1: Your introduction

• Paragraph 2: Analysis of one detail or section

• Paragraph 3: Analysis of your next detail or section

• Paragraph 4: Analysis of your final detail or section

• Paragraph 5: Your conclusion

Page 6: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

Consider this…

• The River

• The Fire

• The Fall

• The Fight

• The Storm

• The Rope

• What is the character doing in each of these sections?

• How have they changed in each of these sections?

• How is the environment or the historical context affecting the character?

Page 7: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

Locate a theme in the novel. What does this theme say about the novel as a whole and about the characters in particular? Make sure that

the theme you select corresponds to at least two

characters.

Page 8: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

• “The Corrupting Influence of Power”

• “The Bondage of Familial Bonds”

• “The Horrors of Slavery”

• “The Threat of Literacy”

• “The Role of Environment in Shaping Personalities”

Page 9: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

How does Rufus’ environment affect/change

him? Is it positive, negative, or both?

Page 10: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

• Pay careful attention to Rufus – track his development

• How does he appear at the beginning of the novel? At the middle? At the end?

• How has he changed each time Dana travels to him?

• What is making him change? Is it his family? Is it his environment?

Page 11: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

S. T. E. A. L.

Speech: • What does the character say? How does the character speak?

Thought: • What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts/feelings?

Effect on others: • What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel

or behave in reaction to the character?

Actions: • What does the character do? How does the character behave?

Looks: • What does the character look like? How does the character dress?

Page 12: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

RUFUS: The River

“When Rufus saw that it was his mother who held him, he clung to her, screaming as loudly as he could. There was nothing wrong with his voice, anyway.” (14)

It seems that Rufus is a mama’s boy, the way he “clings” to her and screams when he realizes it’s her. Dana also seems sarcastic in describing him.

No thoughts revealed in The River

“I reacted to the child in trouble.” (13)“He’s alive!” cried the woman. She grabbed him and nearly smothered him. “Oh, Rufus, baby…” (14)“What the devil’s going on here?” (14)“Before me was a wide tranquil river, and near the middle of that river was a child splashing, screaming… Drowning!” (14)

“A small red-haired boy floating, face down.” (14)“He was no more than four or five years old, and not very big.” (14)

- Dana saves him- His mother dotes on him- His father threatens to kill Dana

even though she saved his son.

This could mean that Butler is accentuating the fact that he is just a child. His thoughts are not yet formed.

Rufus is drowning when Dana first finds him.

Rufus is just a child and Butler paints him in a very vulnerable way. Red hair could also be symbolic?

Page 13: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

Does Dana’s experience in the antebellum South

affect/change her? Is she changed for the better or

for the worse? How?

Page 14: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

• Pay careful attention to Dana – track her development.

• How has she changed each time she travels to Rufus?

• How is the antebellum South different from her time?

• What happens to make her feelings change?

Page 15: Critical Analysis An Introduction. What IS critical analysis??? Critical analysis is one of the most common types of research papers in literature,

DANA: The River