<p> Steps to Writing a Critical Lens Essay</p><p>Introduction - REALL</p><p>Restate the critical lens the (quote) word for word and leave it in quotation marks. Be sure to state who said the quote or to note that it was stated by an anonymous speaker.</p><p>• William Shakespeare once said, “All the world’s a stage.” • An anonymous speaker once said, “Literature is the building block of life.”</p><p>Explain and interpret the critical lens. In other words, put the quote in your own words.</p><p>•In other words, stories deal with real life problems that real people deal with.</p><p>Agree or disagree with the statement and explain why.</p><p>•This is true in most works of literature because in literature, as in life, there are many conflicts against others, nature, society and oneself.</p><p>LLiterature - title, author and genre (TAG) of the pieces you are about to discuss and the Literary elements, and connect them to the quote. Be sure to include proper punctuation around the title of the story.</p><p>• In the drama, Othello, by William Shakespeare, and the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the protagonists face conflicts that individuals struggle with today. This is illustrated through conflicts the protagonists face and through the themes.</p><p>Now take a look at the sample introduction in its entirety:</p><p>An anonymous speaker once said, “Literature is the building block of life.” In other words, stories deal with real life problems that real people deal with, and they can provide insight and wisdom on how to deal with these issues. This is true because in literature, as in life, there are many conflicts against others, nature, society and oneself. In the drama, Othello, by William Shakespeare, and the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, conflicts and themes illustrate that literature reflects real life. Body Paragraphs - The body paragraphs of your critical lens essay are where you will be proving your thesis statement. In other words, in your body paragraphs you will be using specific examples from the book that you read to prove your interpretation of the quote. You should have a minimum of two body paragraphs, each with a focused topic sentence. The topic sentence is the first sentence of each body paragraph and should include a subject and a focus. TWO pieces of literature and TWO literary terms.</p><p>1. Topic sentence should refer to your thesis (LL). </p><p>2. Provide 2- 3 sentences of plot summary as necessary. This can usually be accomplished by identifying the protagonist, setting, and explaining the main conflict(s).</p><p>3. Explain using SPECIFIC textual examples how the conflicts or other aspects of the literature reveal the theme. </p><p>4. Add additional analysis of the literature to demonstrate how it supports the lens.</p><p>5. *Closing sentence: Connect ideas back to the Lens: Therefore, In essence , Thus, In effect* </p><p>SAMPLE TOPIC SENTENCES:</p><p>•Like real people, the character Othello faces the common inner conflict of not always knowing who he can trust.</p><p>•Atticus, a main character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, faces the moral dilemma of choosing to stand up for what is right even though he knows it might bring danger to his family.</p><p>•The narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, must learn to treat others with respect even if she does not agree with their actions.</p><p>Here is a sample body paragraph:</p><p>Othello, the protagonist of the play, Othello, is faced with a conflict that many individuals face today: jealousy of another person. Thanks to lies from his “friend” Iago, Othello begins to believe that his wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with another soldier, Michael Casio. Iago, the antagonist of the play, who himself is consumed by jealousy of Othello, wants to destroy Othello by driving him mad with envy. By planting a handkerchief that Othello gave his wife is Casio’s room, Iago is able to show Othello credible evidence that adds to the tension of the play. Through Iago’s deceit, Othello becomes convinced that Desdemona has been unfaithful. In the process, Othello battles the inner conflict of whether or not to let his jealousy rule his actions. Eventually, Othello loses his battle with “the green monster” and violently lashes out against Desdemona. One of the play’s themes illustrated through this conflict is that jealousy can destroy lives. *Unfortunately, jealousy is a vice that dictates the actions of many individuals, not just those in literature.</p><p>*The details of the body paragraph are focused and back up the topic sentence. The last sentence of this paragraph ties into the interpretation of the quote and wraps up the writer’s ideas. Conclusion</p><p>The conclusion of your critical lens essay is also very important. Here you will rephrase your thesis statement, sum up the body paragraphs, and revisit whether you agree or disagree with the quote.</p><p>1. Concluding Thesis – rephrase your thesis 2. Concluding Summary - Revisit the main points you made in your body paragraphs. 3. Clincher - Make one final observation to sum up your thoughts in regard to the LENS</p><p>Now take a look at the sample conclusion in its entirety:</p><p>Themes and conflicts in the drama Othello and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird suggest that the main characters struggle with realistic conflicts. Othello must deal with the jealousy he feels towards Michael Casio. As a result, his good judgment is replaced with a jealous rage. Many of Othello’s problems stem from his inability to tell a friend from any enemy. Likewise, Atticus must deal with a difficult moral decision in a racist Southern town. In addition, the naive narrator must mature and learn to respect all individuals. An anonymous speaker once said, “Literature is the building block of life.” These famous works of literature show that while outside influences can affect a person drastically, ultimately a person’s inner strength leads him to either triumph or be defeated.</p>