Senior English Critical Writing Handbook - Selwyn House School

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THE STRUCTURE OF THE CRITICAL ESSAYA Sample EssayThe example that follows is set out in such a way as to illustrate the framework of the criticalessay while at the same time informing the reader about the details of the structure.Characteristics of the <strong>Critical</strong> Essay (Title)Introductory Paragraph(Preamble) One way to present our ideas to large numbers of people is to write for magazines, journals, andnewspapers. Although each of these kinds of publications has its own format, one of the most widely accepted waysto present reports and arguments is in the form of a critical essay. (Points) A critical essay consists of anintroductory paragraph, a thesis statement, supporting paragraphs connected by “verbal bridges” (transitionaldevices), and a concluding paragraph. (Thesis)The critical essay is often the best way to express your views about animportant piece of literature.Body ParagraphThe introductory paragraph gives a broad overview of the topic to be discussed. It begins with general statementsand then gradually helps readers narrow their attention to the specific points to be made in the essay. The general,broad statements are called “the preamble” (“pre” meaning “before” and “amble” meaning “a slow walk,” a“preamble” is a preliminary walk around the topic); the specific points to be made in the essay are presented in thethesis statement, which enumerates them in a one-sentence “road map” for the essay. For some specific kinds ofexpository essays (like historical arguments, for example), it is possible to present the thesis statement first, but itusually makes for better unity and greater clarity to present it last.Body ParagraphFollowing the introductory paragraph come the paragraphs that make up “the body” of the essay, that is, the largest,“meatiest,” section. Each body paragraph develops one of the points enumerated in the thesis statement. In a “topicsentence” (usually the first in the paragraph), that point is expressed as an opinion or given as a fact. In severalsucceeding sentences the writer explains, illustrates, defines, or analyzes the idea expressed in the topic sentence. Hemay also compare ideas, give facts, show cause and effect, or present quotations. Each body paragraph is “roundedoff” in a final way in a “clincher sentence” that “clinches” the argument presented in the paragraph or that re-statesthe topic sentence in different words.Body ParagraphTo connect all sentences and paragraphs smoothly, the writer uses transitions, which act as guides or bridges toenable readers to see new directions in the relationships between the ideas in the essay. Transitions may be singlewords (“moreover,” “otherwise,” “conversely,” “therefore”); they may be phrases (“in the same way,” “in thedistance,” “in fact,” “in other words”); or they may be clauses (“that is to say,” “it follows that”); or they may bewhole sentences. However small or large they be, transitions summarize what has gone before and foreshadow whatis yet to come.ConclusionThe essay concludes with a paragraph that re-states the thesis, summarizes the essay, and extends the importance ofthe thesis. The writer ought to avoid writing a one-sentence concluding paragraph. If he hasn’t enough material for aproper paragraph (a paragraph being defined, after all, as a group of sentences), he usually makes the last sentenceof his final body paragraph also the conclusion of the essay. To make such a procedure satisfactory, it is best hearrange the body paragraphs in ascending order of importance (climactic order), so that he ends strongly with hismost telling point. A conclusion ought to be strong because it is what comes last that the reader remembers mostclearly. The whole idea of an expository essay is to begin strongly with a clear thesis statement, to fill the middlebody paragraphs with vivid detail that supports that thesis statement, and to end strongly with a conclusion that7
encapsulates the meaning of the essay in as memorable a form as possible: clear beginning, full middle, strongending.The form illustrated above must be understood as very basic, of course, and somewhat flexible.The fundamentals are an introduction, a series of body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introductionand conclusion can, under special circumstances, be condensed to a single sentence each;but if they are so condensed, they ought to be attached to their neighbouring paragraphs ratherthan being allowed to stand by themselves. The number of body paragraphs is, of course, alsovariable. Just be careful not to write either a series of very short paragraphs or a series of verylong ones: about two paragraphs per page of double-spaced typewritten manuscript is a goodgoal. Toward the end of your essay, present your most important point, elaborated at fuller lengththan the others, and providing a focus towards which you and your reader may direct your fullestattention.8
Page 1 and 2: CRITICAL WRITINGANDREADINGATSELWYN
Page 3 and 4: AcknowledgementsThis handbook was o
Page 5 and 6: How does this Venn diagram stimulat
Page 7: eing. If you really cannot remain i
Page 11 and 12: NOTE: Quotations are parts of devel
Page 13 and 14: stack consisting of cards about one
Page 15 and 16: explaining the technique of a liter
Page 17 and 18: THE FORM OF THE CRITICAL ESSAYFORMA
Page 19 and 20: Prose Quotations of Four Lines or M
Page 21 and 22: One scene of it comes near the circ
Page 23 and 24: THE ANALYSIS OF FICTION: A PROCEDUR
Page 25 and 26: In his book The Technique of the Dr
Page 27 and 28: (c) Foreshadowing. A foreshadowing
Page 29 and 30: Our opinion of a fictional characte
Page 31 and 32: SETTINGSetting includes (1) the gen
Page 33 and 34: The most important of these methods
Page 35 and 36: symbols, poetic description, allusi
Page 37 and 38: Appendix 1MLA CITATION STYLEThis gu
Page 39 and 40: Book by a corporate authorAssociati
Page 41 and 42: Dussault, Marc and Bruce G. Barnett
Page 43: Appendix 3Donald MacGregor, 11BEngl

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