,Click to edit Master title style,Click to edit Master text styles,Second level,Third level,Fourth level,Fifth level,*,Click to edit Master title style,Click to edit Master text styles,Second level,Third level,Fourth level,Fifth level,*,BBL 3201:Introduction to Critical Appreciation,Semester 1,2021-2021,26 June 2021,DKAP D2,OUTLINE,INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL APPRECIATION,HOW TO WRITE A GOOD CRITICAL APPRECIATION,SOME USEFUL HINTS,REFERENCING,WRITING ABOUT FICTION:THE WORLD OF THE STORY,THE NATURE OF THE FICTION,PLOT,POINT OF VIEW,CHARACTERS,SETTING,TONE AND STYLE,THEME,SYMBOL,QUESTIONS,1.What is literature?,Anything written in any genre which reaches a certain undefined standard of artistic merit,(King and King,English Literature Handbook,2001),Teaching of English-big L,small l,2.What is a critical appreciation of literature?,To comment,-more than line by line mechanical analysis of a piece of writing,To analyze,-examine closely,To discuss,-a close consideration of a topic in a literary work,-other words commonly used are comment,consider,examine,explore,evaluate,argue,3.Genres in literature,Types of literature:,poetry(poems),sonnet,ballad,ode,dramatic monologue,drama(plays),-tragedy,comedy,farce,short stories,novels,prose forms novels,short stories,fiction narrative fiction,non fiction prose essays,article,HOW TO WRITE A GOOD CRITICAL APPRECIATION,You need to:,PREPARE,by looking up obscure vocabulary;reading the poem aloud sentence by sentence;writing down paraphrases where necessary.(Full paraphrases should NOT be included in the essay itself.),cover the,WHOLE,poem/story,not leaving difficult bits out,or wandering around aimlessly;,ORGANISE,your approach.There are two main ways:,(a)part by part from beginning to end;this means you have to decide what parts hold together by virtue of their focus or pattern.Then write a paragraph clearly focused on that part,only,.The advantage:you show how form and content correlate;you show how poetic/fictional techniques work together to form a complete,complex effect.,(b)by themes,or ideas.This can be more interesting than(a),but is also more tricky to control;its more difficult to be complete in your discussion;and it means you have to be much better prepared before you begin writing.The advantage:it allows you to prioritise ideas from the start,instead of leaving them for your conclusion.,HOW TO WRITE A GOOD CRITICAL APPRECIATION,CONTD,INTEGRATE,quotations seamlessly into your own sentences;,dont,just tag them onto the end,or stick them ungrammatically in the middle.Use short quotations,even single words,which are directly relevant to or supportive of the overall point you are making,rather than long ones.,INTRODUCE,the poem/story clearly.Briefly spark interest with a quote or other intriguing start.Contextualize the poem and poet in its period and place,as far as is necessary to an understanding of the poem.Briefly describe its subject,speaker/hearer set-up,physical setting,occasion or event,and overall form,as necessary and relevant.In one sentence map out your approach part by part,thematically,or whatever,using key words as signposts.(Then pick up these signposts,in the same order,at the beginnings of the relevant paragraphs.),CONCLUDE,strongly.Sum up your claims about the deepest themes and broadest ideas contained in the poem,and their implications.,HOW TO WRITE A GOOD CRITICAL APPRECIATION,CONTD,SOME USEFUL HINTS,Start shallow,work deeper,.Describe first,then interpret.First outline the subject(literal matter or situation),end with the theme or themes(underlying,broad,abstract ideas),Be selective in your choice of,supportive detail,;you may not have the space to unpack absolutely everything in the poem/fiction.,Dont confuse paraphrase(saying the same thing in your own words)with interpretation(arguing,with evidence from the poem,for a certain reading of the unstated,implications,of what is on the page).,As a rough rule of thumb:,80%,interpretation(your claims about the texts implications,and explanations of how it works on ideas and feelings),20%,technical stuff(use of specific techniques;just enough of this to convince your reader that you know what the techniques are and how they function).,SOME USEFUL HINTS,Contd,Watch your grammar,.This course is not just about appreciating good writing;it is also about creating good academic writing.,depersonalize,.The appreciation is not(just)about your feelings,opinions and responses;it is not about,you,.You are making certain,claims,about the poem,which must be supported by evidence,from the poem itself,possibly amplified by material from the,writers,known situation and background(,not,your own life).,REFERENCING,Use critical material by all means,but use it sparingly and critically.DO NOT USE INTERNET SOURCES SUCH AS“SPARK NOTES THEY ARE GENERALLY WEAK AND OFTEN MISLEADING.Ask your lecturer who the best critics are.,If you do use a critic,ask these questions first:Who is this person?What are his/her qualifications?Is he