1. Critical Essay Masterclass
Ms Nitsche

2. Success Criteria What makes a good essay?
Good analysis – detail, relevant to question
Good evidence – description of scene/shot/technique, relevant to question, able to analyse in depth.
Topic sentences
Technical accuracy – punctuation, spelling, paragraphs, phrasing, capitals.
Flows well – connectives/linking language, order of techniques/scenes.
Wide vocabulary
REFER TO QUESTION!

3. How to Make Sure You Answer the Question
First of all, read the question carefully TWICE.
Sounds simple, but you wouldn’t believe how many people misread the question and answer based on what they THINK it asks them rather than what it actually does.
Secondly, pick out KEY WORDS from the question – note these down and try to think of alternative language/synonyms for them.
By having this language in your topic sentence and evaluation, you ensure you refer to the question.
By thinking of synonyms for the key words, you ensure your language and vocabulary is varied (nothing worse than a boring, repetitive essay)

4. PICK OUT THE KEY WORDS FROM THESE QUESTIONS
Choose a novel or short story in which the method of narration is important. Outline briefly the writer’s method of narration and explain why you feel this method makes such a major contribution to your understanding of the text as a whole. Choose a novel or short story in which there is a moment of significance for one of the characters. Explain briefly what the significant moment is and discuss, with reference to appropriate techniques, its significance to the text as a whole. Choose a novel or short story which has a satisfying ending. Discuss to what extent the ending provides a successful conclusion to the text as a whole.

5. Introduction
Start with TART - Title, Author, Refer to Task
You should also give a BRIEF outline of the story.
Make sure you EVALUATE the text, too.
Now, write your own introduction to ONE of the example essay questions.
YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES

6. Example
Khaled Hosseini’s exploration of guilt and atonement in his novel ‘The Kite Runner’ is at times a difficult read. Hosseini’s use of imagery, juxtaposition and exploration of morality highlights the tensions within social class and family relationships through the eyes of Amir, a young boy growing up in Kabul. Amir narrates the story as an adult looking back, still haunted by the day he ran away instead of helping his servant – an friend – Hassan be brutally sexually assaulted. This moment has a colossal impact on the novel, changing both boys forever, and leading Amir on a long path to redemption and self-realisation.

7. Point
The Point is simply what each paragraph is about- you make a main point in every paragraph you write. This is usually the TOPIC SENTENCE you use.
Do not signpost your paragraph e.g. do not say “I am going to talk about”

8. What is a TOPIC SENTENCE?
This is basically a sentence that introduces
what the paragraph is going to be about.
You should mention WHAT you are going to discuss in the paragraph, and refer back to the question.
REMEMBER YOUR KEY WORDS AND ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE!

9. Topic Sentences
All TOPIC SENTENCES should make some reference to the essay question.
A good way to do this is through the KEY WORDS we extract from the essay question.

10. Example Topic Sentences
Hosseini’s use of imagery at the very beginning of the novel immediately suggest that Amir is in some way constrained by some significant moment from his past.
Amir’s characterisation emphasises the difficulties – and moral cowardice – he faces in choosing to abandon Hassan to Assef.
It is telling how desperate Amir has become for redemption that Hosseini suggests he only seems to find a glimpse of it after being brutally beaten by Assef, in a clever echo of the suffering Hassan must have faced.

11. Referencing the question
A reader should be able to guess what the essay question is simply by looking at your essay.
It is VITAL that you ensure you refer to the question throughout – this is the only way you will be sure that you have actually answered the question!

12. Task
With your 18:00 partner, write THREE topic sentences for the following essay question:
Choose a novel or short story in which symbolism is a significant feature.
Discuss how the writer’s use of this feature enhances your understanding of character and/or theme in the text as a whole.
Be prepared to share with the class!

13. Evidence
The evidence is the quotation or description of the scene, shot or technique you are using to back up your point.
It is important that you pick evidence that you can explain and evaluate FULLY.
Finding quotations isn’t always easy, but it’s much easier when you know the book well – NEVER
Never just drop evidence in – always introduce them within the CONTEXT of the story, i.e. what is happening at this point in the story or film, what characters are involved and who they are, etc.

14. EXAMPLE
Topic sentence: Hosseini’s use of imagery at the very beginning of the novel immediately suggest that Amir is in some way constrained by some significant moment from his past.
Evidence: The novel opens with Amir personifying his past, stating that “the past claws its way out”.

15. Evaluation (Analysis)
This is the chance for you to explain how the quotation backs up the point you are making
You need to make sure that you fully explain the quotation or shot/scene/technique.
You then need to evaluate it - give your opinion on how successful it is.
Your opinion should be implicit - do not write “I think”.

16. 3 Steps for Analysing Quotations
What does the quote suggest/what are the connotations?
What is the writer using it to try and say?
How does this link to the essay question and overall novel?

17. Example
Topic sentence: Hosseini’s use of imagery at the very beginning of the novel immediately suggest that Amir is in some way constrained by some significant moment from his past.
Evidence: The novel opens with Amir personifying his past, stating that “the past claws its way out”.
Evaluation: This suggests that, for Amir, the past is powerful, almost tangible and hard to repress. Hosseini portrays Amir’s past as a character in its own right, stressing its importance on the whole novel even at this early stage. The word claws also has sinister connotations suggesting that a focus on the past can be harmful as well as haunting. Ultimately, this striking use of imagery foreshadows the damage Amir’s past actions have done, an the devastating impact they still have on him – and others, as we soon find out.

18. And that’s ONE paragraph.
Putting P E E Together
Point/ Topic Sentence.
Evidence – description of scene and technique.
Evaluation/Analysis.
And that’s ONE paragraph.

19. Which should look like this…
Hosseini’s use of imagery at the very beginning of the novel immediately suggest that Amir is in some way constrained by some significant moment from his past. The novel opens with Amir personifying his past, stating that “the past claws its way out”. This suggests that, for Amir, the past is powerful, almost tangible and hard to repress. Hosseini portrays Amir’s past as a character in its own right, stressing its importance on the whole novel even at this early stage. The word claws also has sinister connotations, suggesting that a focus on the past can be harmful as well as haunting. Ultimately, this striking use of imagery foreshadows the damage Amir’s past actions have done, and the devastating impact they still have on him – and others, as we soon find out.

20. TASK In your pairs, write a paragraph based on this quotation:
“• “…it rained the afternoon Baba took Ali and Hassan to the bus station. Thunderheads rolled in, painted the sky iron gray…the steady hiss of falling water swelling in my ears.”
Be prepared to share your paragraph with the class!

21. How do we write a conclusion?
An effective conclusion should:
Refer back to the questions.
Summarise your main points.
Comment on how effective the writer/director has been in their use of techniques.

22. Example
Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’ is a compelling novel, which explores in depth the complex nature of regret and redemption. Through Amir’s narrative we become aware of the judgments even children pronounce on each other, as he decides – fatefully – to sacrifice Hassan to gain his father’s affection. That tragic moment ultimately shapes Amir’s – and Hassan’s – life, as he constantly reveals how haunted he remains by his decision, and sees only his rescue of Sohrab as the way to atone for his sins. Whilst Amir is a cowardly and unpleasant child at times, Hosseini ensures that we do not completely lack sympathy for him – the complexity of his relationship with Baba, as well as Rahim Khan and Hassan’s forgiveness, help us understand that Amir is not defined by his decision to leave Hassan. Instead, he is defined by how he chooses to respond as time passes, and in this, Amir is highly self-critical. He knows that what he did was incredibly wrong, and the way he welcomes Assef’s brutality, in an echo of what Hassan suffered, emphasises his desperation for redemption, and his love for his lost friend. Rahim Khan tells Amir “there is a way to be good again” – the fact that Amir takes that opportunity shows us how important that moment in the dark, crumbling alley was in shaping who he becomes.

23. Task
Find your 9:00 partner and together write a conclusion based on the following question:
Choose a novel or short story which deals with the complexities or breakdown of a relationship.
Briefly explain the circumstances surrounding the complexities or breakdown and discuss how the characters’ feelings and/or reactions enhance your appreciation of the text as a whole.

24. Task
Create detailed plans for each of the essay questions on the previous slide.
Your plan should be for each paragraph and follow the PEE structure, as well as the 3 steps for analysis.
P – Point, topic sentence, what your paragraph will discuss, such as characterisation, theme, technique, etc.
E – Evidence, your quotation.
E – Evaluation, 3 steps of analysis, comment on how effective or successful the writer’s use of technique has been.
3 steps of analysis
1. Break the sentence down – look at the meaning and connotations of individual words, techniques and phrases, as well as the whole sentence.
2. Think about what the whole sentence suggests.
3. Comment on the context of the quotation, how it relates to themes, characters, symbols, etc.

25. If in doubt…
I know some of you are still struggling when writing critical essays, so here’s a cloze paragraph to show you how to layout yours if you’re really stuck.
Similarly/Moreover/As well as this/Furthermore/Continuing this idea, author/director’s surname emphasises/highlights/draws attention to/explores refer to the question through his/her skilful/clever/interesting/compelling use of technique. At/In which part of the story/novel/film we see describe what happens in the quote/scene. Quote (remember to take a new line for a quote)/description of film technique. The use of technique suggests that discuss the connotations. This clearly/successfully/effectively emphasises what impact the quote/technique has on the overall text and demonstrates how skilfully/effectively/clearly author/director’s surname has highlighted refer to the question.

26. E.g. Psycho Similarly, Hitchcock explores the more disturbing side of Norman’s character through his compelling use of camera angles. In the parlour scene, we see Norman and Marion discuss the possibility of Norman putting his mother into a home, where she cannot control him anymore. As Norman becomes increasingly angry at Marion’s suggestion, the camera angle on him becomes lower and lower. This use of the low angle here suggests that Norman has become a more powerful and threatening character. This clearly emphasises his hidden strength, suggesting a stronger darker side to him that we – and Marion – have previously been unaware of, which of course will be revealed fully in his brutal murder of Marion. It also demonstrates how effectively Hitchcock has highlighted the dual personality of Norman’s character even at this early stage in the film, foreshadowing what is to come later. E.g. The Flowers As well as this, Walker emphasises the loss of innocence and greater awareness Myop has of the world around her through her interesting use of symbolism. At the conclusion of the story, Myop puts the flowers she has picked down by the dead man: “Myop laid down her flowers”. The use of symbolism here suggests that the flowers represent Myop’s childish naivety and innocence – she not only has awareness of traditional funeral rites, but realises that this discovery is not a place for happy play and flower-picking. This effectively emphasises her growing realisation of the dangers of the world around her, and how the innocence she relished at the beginning of the story has been lost. It also demonstrates how clearly Walker has emphasised the theme of loss of innocence within the story through Myop’s reaction and the story’s sombre conclusion.