CRITICAL AND ANALYTICAL
THINKING
Writing an analysis of a piece of fiction is a
process that involves unearthing various
meanings embedded in a text within the
framework of certain critical perspectives.
“To analyse” is to break information into
its elements. ‘To be critical’ (in an
academic sense) is to make careful
judgements about information and to
evaluate its quality.
Critical analysis is not:
• a straight description of something
• making assumptions without checking them out
• accepting information without questioning it
• giving information with mistakes in it or giving information which is misleading
• saying, “This writer says this, that writer says that”
without also giving your views on what the
differences are between what those two writers are saying.
(See Chapter 22 in The Student Skills Guide by Sue Drew and Rosie Bingham)
A well-constructed essay about a literary work does not usually progress in parallel with the plot. Your obligation is to illustrate your ability to think critically, not to reproduce the plot.
Here is an example of how many students
tend to make a very common mistake:
In William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet, these are the first two lines of the
“Prologue” as spoken by “The Chorus”:
“Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene...”
Here, Shakespeare is saying that the play is set
in Verona where there are two dignified
families.
Compare the previous “description” with the one below:
The opening lines of the Prologue are important because they paint a picture for the audience of what could and should be - fairness and dignity.
These words set up a powerful contrast to what is shown in the coming scene: the violence, hatred and bloodshed. It will be against this violent backdrop that the pure love of Romeo and Juliet will have to struggle.
