Portfolio; The Review
LAB: (Please read!)
You have written many reviews over the past 4 years in our creative writing classes. Review (or critical review (also called evaluation writing)) is a critical skill you will need in college writing. In a review, you (the author) attempt to evaluate a set of criteria to determine if something was good or bad.
The review usually includes an introduction (a hook, followed by a lead, followed eventually by your thesis or claim). The introduction is followed by a short summary of what you are evaluating (usually an article or book, but it might be a film, a play, a poem, an artistic work, or a variety of things). The second body paragraph might include the author's arguments or the author's theme. Generally, you are trying to explain WHY the author or subject did or wrote what he/she did or write. This is mostly analysis--using examples drawn from the text to support your thesis or claim. Finally, after these parts, the author (that's you!) evaluates how well the author/subject succeeded in whatever it was he/she attempted to set out to do. Finally, the last paragraph is a conclusion.
So, the parts of a review are:
For example: Your task was to write a review of The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White.
The highlighted line in your essay is your assumed thesis. Since you were reviewing the simple question: Was T.H. White successful writing a good book? Your thesis should answer this basic or root question. The body of the essay would then follow by breaking down the REASONS why you think that he wrote a good book or didn't. You then use evidence from the text to support your answer. Evidence just like in court. The more convincing you are, the better your argument.
In our example you might claim as your thesis: "Yes, T. H. White does an excellent job creating a setting for his novel The Sword in the Stone." You don't want to just jump into your thesis. Hook our attention by talking about setting. Then clue us in as to who T.H. White was and what book you're talking about. Then include your thesis.
Your second body paragraph would discuss the author's intent or "argument"--you might research what T.H. White said about his book or its setting. You may find out if White knew anything about living in the Middle Ages that might have inspired him. You might find out where he DID live and how that might help him create an effective setting. You might, also, examine passages in the book where he focuses on setting. Does he describe the setting well? How does he do it?
Next, comes the evaluation. This is your part. You are to explain what you think. In your opinion did T.H. White successfully create a memorable setting? It's always a good thing to give a few reasons why you think he was successful. Perhaps you could imagine the setting as if you were really there (it's a fictional book, after all), or perhaps you found his use of imagery helpful, or perhaps the setting was useful to the novel's characters, or perhaps the setting held a meaning that was useful to the theme of the book. You must present your case using textual evidence--and you can bring in star witnesses as well--what do the critics or reviewers say that might support your claim or thesis?
Finally, you will conclude by telling us why we should care or how what we just read can help us interpret other works by the author, or why the book should be read, or even why setting is an important part of a novel. Leave us with something to think about.
Please include your Sword in the Stone essay in your portfolio for MP2. You will also need the following in your portfolio:
You have written many reviews over the past 4 years in our creative writing classes. Review (or critical review (also called evaluation writing)) is a critical skill you will need in college writing. In a review, you (the author) attempt to evaluate a set of criteria to determine if something was good or bad.
The review usually includes an introduction (a hook, followed by a lead, followed eventually by your thesis or claim). The introduction is followed by a short summary of what you are evaluating (usually an article or book, but it might be a film, a play, a poem, an artistic work, or a variety of things). The second body paragraph might include the author's arguments or the author's theme. Generally, you are trying to explain WHY the author or subject did or wrote what he/she did or write. This is mostly analysis--using examples drawn from the text to support your thesis or claim. Finally, after these parts, the author (that's you!) evaluates how well the author/subject succeeded in whatever it was he/she attempted to set out to do. Finally, the last paragraph is a conclusion.
So, the parts of a review are:
- An introduction (hook, lead-in, thesis)
- A body paragraph summary
- A body paragraph author's argument
- A body paragraph evaluation
- A conclusion
There, of course, can be more than one body paragraph summary or argument or evaluation, depending on the length of the subject or depth of the essay.
For example: Your task was to write a review of The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White.
The highlighted line in your essay is your assumed thesis. Since you were reviewing the simple question: Was T.H. White successful writing a good book? Your thesis should answer this basic or root question. The body of the essay would then follow by breaking down the REASONS why you think that he wrote a good book or didn't. You then use evidence from the text to support your answer. Evidence just like in court. The more convincing you are, the better your argument.
In our example you might claim as your thesis: "Yes, T. H. White does an excellent job creating a setting for his novel The Sword in the Stone." You don't want to just jump into your thesis. Hook our attention by talking about setting. Then clue us in as to who T.H. White was and what book you're talking about. Then include your thesis.
Ex. Knowing where fictional events take place is important to readers. Without a good setting, a reader may get lost. The author T.H. White invites his readers to experience an England of long ago in his novel The Sword in the Stone. White does an excellent job creating a setting in his novel for many reasons.Your 1st body paragraph would likely give us a short summary of where the story takes place, and might clarify the different settings in the book and what important events happen there. You might mention Sir Ector's castle, or The Forest Sauvage, or discuss the time period the novel is set in, or discuss the places where the Wart learns his lessons: in the murky moat around the castle, in the nest of ants, in a badger den, or flying high over England as a goose, for example.
Your second body paragraph would discuss the author's intent or "argument"--you might research what T.H. White said about his book or its setting. You may find out if White knew anything about living in the Middle Ages that might have inspired him. You might find out where he DID live and how that might help him create an effective setting. You might, also, examine passages in the book where he focuses on setting. Does he describe the setting well? How does he do it?
Next, comes the evaluation. This is your part. You are to explain what you think. In your opinion did T.H. White successfully create a memorable setting? It's always a good thing to give a few reasons why you think he was successful. Perhaps you could imagine the setting as if you were really there (it's a fictional book, after all), or perhaps you found his use of imagery helpful, or perhaps the setting was useful to the novel's characters, or perhaps the setting held a meaning that was useful to the theme of the book. You must present your case using textual evidence--and you can bring in star witnesses as well--what do the critics or reviewers say that might support your claim or thesis?
Finally, you will conclude by telling us why we should care or how what we just read can help us interpret other works by the author, or why the book should be read, or even why setting is an important part of a novel. Leave us with something to think about.
Please include your Sword in the Stone essay in your portfolio for MP2. You will also need the following in your portfolio:
- Your analysis of Star Wars (using Joseph Campbell's theories on myth)
- Your draft retelling a myth
- A reflective essay on your work this marking period (comment on your work)
- Other writing (poem drafts, play/script drafts, fiction/story drafts, essays/memoirs or creative non fiction, revisions of work from MP1 or other assignments, films/blogs/websites/various media projects/presentations/art, etc.)
See above for a copy of the writing rubric for your portfolio.
Period 2:
Library: choose 1 of the following novels this morning (psychological science fiction novels using psychological experiments creatively):
A. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
B. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
In class, let's read about Abbe Faria & The Strange Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. Then you may use the time remaining (if any) to begin reading your selected text.
HOMEWORK: Read the 1st chapter of your book. Be prepared to discuss the chapter with your peers. Bring your book back with you to next class. Portfolios are also due. See post above for a rubric for your portfolio.
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