Tips on critiquing literature
HCA 699 Topic 2 DQ 1
What strategies will you use in your new role in health care to review and critique literature pertinent to your practice?
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Tips on critiquing literature
Introduction
When you read a piece of literature, there are many things that can help you understand the author’s intent. One way to get better at critiquing is to familiarize yourself with existing works that have been published or written by the author whose work you’re reading. There are also many resources available online where you can find information about authors’ previous works and their styles of writing.
Familiarize yourself with the author’s other work.
Familiarize yourself with the author’s other work.
In addition to reading their own body of work and looking for patterns, you can also use other pieces of literature by the author to get a better understanding of their style. For example, if you read “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and then “The House Without Windows” by Dostoevsky, you may notice similarities between the two stories: both deal with adultery; both are set in New England towns (though one is fictional); both have multiple narrators who attempt to describe events from different perspectives; etc. These similarities help us understand more about these authors’ styles as they relate to each other as well as how they relate to our own experiences with them
Notice how language is used in this particular piece of literature.
As you read the piece, notice how language is used in this particular piece of literature. Language can be formal or informal, simple or complex, poetic or prosaic. It can also be descriptive and narrative at the same time—it’s all about context!
Language can also be humorous or serious: one line might make you laugh out loud while another may leave you feeling queasy after reading it aloud with friends.
Notice sentence structure and length, puncuation, figurative language (metaphors, similes, personification), repetition.
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Metaphors and similes are two of the most common forms of figurative language. Metaphors describe something as being like another thing, for example: “The sun was shining brightly.” Similes compare two objects by using the word “like,” for example: “He’s a great guy—just like his father!”
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Punctuation is important because it affects how your writing sounds. For example, if you have an exclamation point at the end of a sentence or within an exciting paragraph, people might feel that they need to read more closely because it sounds like excitement! The same goes for commas between words (e.g., “The dog barked at him” vs “The dog barked at him”). This makes sentences harder to understand than those with periods where appropriate (e.g., “The dog barked”).
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Repetition also can affect how readers respond to texts; however, repetition must be used carefully since too many repetitions may be distracting rather than informative!
Assess the writing style. Is it formal or informal? Does the tone change?
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Assess the writing style. Is it formal or informal? Does the tone change?
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How does this affect your reader, and how does it affect their understanding of the story?
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What is the author trying to accomplish with their choice of language and tone?
Look for a central argument or theme that runs through the story/piece/book.
The central argument or theme of a story, piece, or book is often expressed in its first sentence. The author’s argument may be clear and explicit, or it may be subtle and implied. If you find yourself struggling to see what your instructor means when they tell you to look for the central argument of a piece or book (or even if they don’t mention it at all), then ask them what they mean by “central”!
If there are metaphors or symbols, what do they mean? What do they imply?
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What is the metaphor or symbol?
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What does it mean in the literal sense, and how does it help to advance the plot?
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Does it develop a character’s personality, or create an atmosphere of some kind? As you look at each metaphor, ask yourself if there are any connections between them and the rest of your work. If so, are they relevant to this particular piece of literature and its characters?
Is the author trying to convince you of something? What are his or her purposes in the piece of literature? Is there a call to action?
Sometimes it’s obvious that the author of a piece of literature is trying to convince you of something. For example, if the author has written an essay about vegetarianism, you can assume he or she is trying to convince his or her readers that eating meat is wrong.
It’s also possible for an author’s purpose in writing a piece of literature not be as clear cut as trying to persuade others how things should be done or what they should think about something related to their lives and work. This happens when an author uses language that seems like it could have multiple meanings depending on who reads them (for example: “I love you” could mean “I love you” unless another speaker says so first).
Sometimes authors will write pieces with multiple purposes behind them—for example: some authors may want their readers’ attention while others may want them buy more copies after reading their work!
Are there multiple points of view in the piece of literature?
To understand the difference between a first person and third person narrative, think of it this way: In a first-person story, you are the narrator. You tell us what you’re thinking, feeling or doing as you experience it.
In contrast, in a third-person narrative (also referred to as omniscient), the author assumes that he/she knows everything about everyone involved in the story—as well as how they feel about each other and their surroundings—and tells us about them through their thoughts and actions rather than through direct speech or action on their part.
It is helpful to understand both existing literature and work that you create to become more comfortable with literary elements.
The ability to critique literature is an important skill for writers. Whether you’re reading a piece of writing or writing one yourself, it’s helpful to understand both existing literature and work that you create to become more comfortable with literary elements.
For example, if you’re writing a story about two lovers who are separated by war but still want each other all the same, try reading “I Love You Forever,” by Robert Munsch. As a child and adult reader alike will notice: there are many similarities between this book and yours! Here are some ways that these books differ:
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The characters’ names (Jim & Mary) aren’t identical; they’re just close enough that people could confuse them from time to time when they meet each other again later on down their paths toward happiness after meeting again after being apart for years…
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a lot to know about critiquing literature. While it may seem daunting at first, if you put in the time and effort then it will pay off in the long run. With practice comes skill and confidence!
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