Critical Essay

 What is the main theme of the story, and why do you think the author has chosen to write about it? ( The second part of this question is not easy to answer, and the author may not know – or entirely know – the answer either).

—  Is the theme embedded in a conflict? – a disturbance? – a problem? – a particular insight or ‘revelation’?

—  What aspects of form: style; specific choice of language; narrative voice (point of view) has the author employed to convey the story? How do these choices help to create the desired effect?  Think, for example, about the differences in style of the stories you have read; how do the characters speak? – or in what tone does the narrator speak about the characters (if narrator and character are not the same)?

The reason I have called this a ‘hybrid’ critical/response essay is that I want you to assess the story both ‘objectively’ and subjectively. In other words I don’t want you to simply write what you like or do not like about the story, but your objective analysis (critique) will include your response: the quality of what you write will show how much the story engages you, and this will tell the reader how you feel about the story.

The essay of 400-450 words .