What We Review
Introduction
Critical analysis skills are like your secret superpowers when it comes to understanding literature, not just in high school but in all walks of life. When you critically analyze a story, you’re doing way more than just figuring out the plot. It’s about digging deeper to understand why an author chose a certain topic or wrote in a particular style. You’re not just reading words on a page; you’re exploring the deeper meanings, themes, and ideas hidden beneath the surface.
But it’s not just about understanding what the author is trying to say. Critical analysis also lets you evaluate how well they’ve said it. Was their argument effective? Did their story move you? Why or why not?
This article is here to arm you with the tools you need to become a pro at critically analyzing literary works. We’ll guide you through the steps to look beyond the obvious and uncover the rich, complex layers that make literature so fascinating. Get ready to dive deep and discover the world of literature in a whole new way!
What is Critical Analysis?
Critical analysis is like being a detective in the world of literature. It’s all about digging deeper into a book, poem, or play to figure out not just what the author is saying but how and why they’re saying it. It’s a way of interpreting and evaluating a literary work that goes beyond just the basic story.
When you critically analyze a text, you gain a much stronger understanding of it. This skill also comes in handy for understanding other literary works you might come across in the future.
- Understanding the Author’s Purpose: One key aspect is thinking about why the author wrote the story. What were they trying to say or achieve? What message were they hoping to convey to their readers?
- Exploring Literary Elements: Pay attention to the specific techniques the author uses. For example, if a story has lots of allusions (references to other works like the Bible or famous literature), it’s not just for show. The author might be using these references to create deeper connections and add layers of meaning to their story.
- Evaluating the Work: Finally, critical analysis is about forming your own opinion on the effectiveness of the work. Did the author do a good job with their topic? How does their work compare to others who have tackled similar subjects? Could they have done something differently to make their point more clearly or powerfully?
By considering factors like the author’s purpose, their use of literary techniques like figurative language, and the overall impact of the work, you start to develop your own critical viewpoint. This isn’t just about liking or disliking a book; it’s about understanding the craft of writing and what makes a piece of literature work (or not). This way, you’re not just a reader; you’re an analyst, understanding and engaging with literature on a much deeper level.
Identifying the Author’s Purpose
In literature, an author’s purpose is like a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered beneath the surface of the story. Let’s take Jane Yolen’s “The Devil’s Arithmetic” as an example to understand this concept better.
Yolen tells an intense story about a Jewish girl who time-travels to the Holocaust. She incorporates this historical atrocity respectfully into her narrative. Yolen includes sufficient concentration camp details to paint a picture and emphasize the heroes wrongfully imprisoned in these dreadful places.
In Yolen’s story, she includes themes such as unjust suffering, self-sacrifice, tradition, and the importance of family. These themes are developed through similes and word choice that imply fear and despair in one moment and hopefulness in the next. For example, when the protagonist, Hannah, is loaded onto the cattle cars with the other Jewish people from her village, she describes the people as “all crushed together, like cattle going to be slaughtered for the market (Yolen 71). Later, Hannah’s friend Rivka encourages her by saying, “My mother said that it is much harder to live this way and to die this way than to go out shooting. Chaya, you are a hero. I am a hero” (Yolen 142).
By analyzing these elements, you can start to see Yolen’s deeper purpose. She’s not just telling a historical story; she’s connecting us emotionally to the past, making us reflect on themes of human suffering, bravery, and the importance of remembering history. This is the essence of identifying an author’s purpose – looking beyond the story to understand what the author is really trying to communicate and why.
Analyzing Literary Elements
Every literary element contributes to the text’s overall meaning. These include plot, character development, and the use of similes, metaphors, and imagery. For example, in The Devil’s Arithmetic, Yolen juxtaposes the smoke rising from the execution chambers against a bright blue sky. This imagery emphasizes how the evil of the concentration camps blackens and distorts the beauty of nature and how our world should be.
Throughout her journey, Hannah, now Chaya, evolves significantly. Initially indifferent to her Jewish heritage, her experience in the camp transforms her perspective. She grows stronger, braver, and more empathetic, gaining profound respect for her roots. The plot is skillfully woven between the present and the Holocaust. Chaya’s journey brings real faces to the historical tragedy, humanizing the victims. Yolen presents a hauntingly real picture of Holocaust atrocities through Chaya’s eyes.
Strategies for Developing Critical Analysis Skills
While reading, keep an eye out for key literary devices like characterization, similes, metaphors, allusions, and imagery. These aren’t just fancy writing techniques; they’re clues to understanding the story’s deeper layers. Whenever you find a significant quote that uses one of these devices, write it down. But don’t stop there. Dive deeper by analyzing its meaning in two ways:
- Immediate Context: What does this quote or device mean in the specific moment of the story? How does it relate to what’s happening in that scene or chapter?
- Broader Context: How does this element connect to the overall central idea of the story? What bigger picture or theme is it painting?
For instance, in The Devil’s Arithmetic, Hannah refers to herself as a number, J197241, the number that the Nazi prison guards had tattooed on her arm. Hannah’s aunt quickly corrects her, saying, “You are a name, not a number” (Yolen 103). The meaning of this quote in context characterizes Hannah as starting to lose hope. However, the broader meaning of this quote when thinking about the central idea of the story is that Hannah is learning the value of family by receiving her aunt’s encouragement, especially the value of remembering what her relatives experienced in the concentration camps.
Conclusion
Critical analysis is like using a magnifying glass to look at a story. It’s not just about understanding what happens in the plot; it’s about diving deep into the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of the story. Why did the author choose this particular topic? How did they decide to approach it in their unique way? And, importantly, how effective was their method in conveying the message they intended?
This kind of analysis isn’t something you do just at the end of reading a novel. Instead, it’s a constant process of curiosity and questioning as you read. Every chapter, every paragraph, and even every sentence can be a clue to understanding the author’s deeper intent.
By continually asking why the author wrote the story in a certain way, you start to see layers and meanings you might have missed at first glance. This isn’t just about analyzing literature for a class; it’s about developing a skill that enriches your entire reading experience. Critical analysis teaches you to think deeply, question actively, and understand more profoundly. It transforms reading from a passive activity into an active exploration, where every story becomes an opportunity to discover, learn, and grow.
Practice Makes Perfect
In addition to the recommended activities above, Albert provides a wide range of texts for students to analyze and interpret. For emerging readers, check out our Short Readings course, which uses short passages to reinforce fundamental reading skills. Readers at all ability levels may enjoy our Leveled Readings course, which offers Lexile® leveled passages focused on a unifying essential question that keeps all students on the same page regardless of reading level. Learn more about the Lexile Framework here!
For authentic practice, check out our Essential Readings in Literature course. This course provides an overview of the core texts that American students often read in English class. Each text is broken down by skill, ensuring that students approach their reading from every angle.
With our easy-to-use interface and informative feedback, Albert.io is the perfect tool for reinforcing close reading skills and helping students develop a deeper understanding of the texts they encounter.
