USE-APPROPRIATE-CRITICAL-APPROACHES-IN-WRITING-A-CRITIQUE-SUCH-AS-FORMALISM_20240831_170530_0000.pdf

...

1. Quarter 1 - Module 6
USE APPROPRIATE CRITICAL
APPROACHES IN WRITING A
CRITIQUE SUCH AS FORMALISM,
FEMINISM, ETC.

2. LEARNING COMPETENCY
At the end of the lesson you will be able to:
use appropriate critical
approaches in writing a critique
such as formalism, feminism, etc.

3. POP QUIZ: ARE YOU
SMARTER THAN A
FIFTH GRADER?

4. What is a
critique?

5. How is critique
different from
criticism?

6. Can a critique
be positive or
negative?

7. Vocabulary List:
Paradox -
made up of two opposite things and that
seems impossible but is actually or may be
true or possible.
Evaluation -
to judge the value or condition of
something in a careful and thoughtful way;
to determine significance or worth.

8. Demography -
a family, group or government controlled
or led by man or group of men.
Patriarchy -
statistical study of human population with
reference to size and density, distribution
and vital statistics.
Tripartite - involving three people, groups or parts.

9. What is a Critique?
Critique is derived from ancient Greek
(“kritike”). It is defined as a careful
judgment in which you shape your opinion
about the strengths and weaknesses of a
piece of writing or work of art.

10. Depending on the
instruction of your
teacher, its length may
vary from 100 to 750
words or more.

11. It is not a summary of the piece,
rather, it is the critical evaluation
to further understand validity,
worth, effect, use of the material
that interests readers, and/or the
recommendation or appeal for
further appreciation.

12. This could be possible by way of subjecting
the piece of writing on the critical approaches
in analyzing the piece using appropriate
evidences and arguments. Proper and
acceptable reasons or proofs are necessary
to ensure quality and substance of the
opinions you have cited which reinforces
relevant persuasion.

13. Critical
Approaches in
Writing a Critique

14. 1. FORMALISM OR NEW CRITICISM
This approach claims that all that
are important in analyzing and
understanding the text can be
found in the piece of writing or
text itself.

15. The text is independent.
It has a fixed meaning.
It is timeless and universal.
Outside information regarding the
author, society of the time, politics
or any other external context are
no longer needed.

16. 1. What is the title, setting, other elements
etc. and to what extent it is symbolic?
2. What kind of language does the author
use?
3. How is the work’s structure unified?
4. How do various elements of the work
reinforce its meaning?

17. 5. What recurring patterns can you find?
What is the effect of these patterns or
motifs?
6. How does repetition reinforce the
theme(s)?
7. How does the writer’s diction reveal or
reflect the work’s meaning?
8. What is the effect of the plot, and what
parts specifically produce that effect?

18. 9. What figures of speech are used?
10. Note the writer’s use of paradox, irony,
symbol, plot, characterization, and style of
narration.
11. What effects are produced? Do any of
these relate to one another or to the theme?
12. Is there a relationship between the
beginning and the end of the story?

19. 13. What tone and mood are created at
various parts of the work?
14. How does the author create tone and
mood? What relationship is there between
tone and mood and the effect of the story?
15. How do the various elements interact to
create a unified whole?
16. What is the argument or thesis?
17. Who is telling the story in the piece?

20. Sample of Formalist Critique of
“Dead Stars” by Paz Marquez
Benitez
The title of the work already gives an idea as
to what it means. In physics, it is stated that the
light and energy of the stars have to travel light
years to reach us. Since they are millions of
miles away and light has to travel this large

21. distance, it is highly possible that the star has
already exploded while its light is still travelling
towards us. Therefore it is possible that a bright
light we see at night actually comes from a dead
star.
In the story, this metaphor is used to refer to
Alfredo’slove for Julia, a woman he meets and
falls for one fateful summer.

22. Not only is the title an indicator of what is to
come, even the fate of the characters in the
story can already be seen through their names.
Alfredo’s name means counselor of elves in
Spanish and suggests someone who is wise. In
the story, it is indicated that Alfredo is a lawyer,
a person who counsels. Still, his name denotes a
certain irony; despite his supposed wisdom,

23. Alfredo’s actions, especially his covert courtship
withbJulia while being engaged to another, are
anything but sensible. Julia’s name, on the other
hand, refers to someone who is youthful, which
is how Alfredo sees her for eight years until he
is confronted by reality.

24. 2. FEMINISM
This approach emphasizes the
importance or relevance of
women as subjects and how
gender been perceived in the
piece.

25. The images of women and the
underlying concepts of femininity
including economic, societal,
psychological and archetypal nature
of women are examined.
This approach likewise stresses
equality for a male dominated society.

26. 1. How are women’s lives portrayed in the
work?
2. Is the form and content of the work
influenced by the writer’s gender?
3. How do male and female characters
relate to one another? Are these
relationships sources of conflict? Are
these conflicts resolved?

27. 4. Does the work challenge or affirm
traditional views of women?
5. How do the images of women in the story
reflect patriarchal social forces that have
impeded women’s efforts to achieve full
equality with men?
6. What marital expectations are imposed on
the characters? What effect do these
expectations have?

28. 7. What behavioral expectations are
imposed on the characters? What effect
do these expectations have?
8. If a female character were male, how
would the story be different (and vice
versa)?
9. How does the marital status of a
character affect her decisions or
happiness?

29. 10. How does culture view women vs. men?
11. How is the relationship between men
and women portrayed?
12. What are the power relationships
between men and women (or characters
assuming male/female roles)?
13. Do characters take on traits from
opposite genders? How so? How does this
change others’ reactions to them?

30. 15. What does the work imply about the
possibilities of sisterhood as a mode of
resisting patriarchy?
16. What role does the work play in terms
of women's literary history and literary
tradition?

31. Sample of Feminist Critique of
“Dead Stars” by Paz Marquez
Benitez
The story is a study of power imbalance
brought about by gender. In the beginning,
Dead Stars already clearly illustrates the gender
roles ingrained in Filipino Society: Don Julian
and the judge are portrayed as the male leaders

32. of the household, taking up lofty professions
such as business and law while the women are
portrayed accomplishing domestic tasks such
as tending the children and preparing food.
The most note-worthy display of imbalance in
power, however, lies on the central theme of
Alfredo’s love for Julia as simply a dead star.
Eight years after their forbidden love and after

33. getting married to another woman. Alfredo still
holds Julia as an object of affection, thus
creating a distance between him and his wife,
Esperanza.
In their relationship as a wedded couple, the
power lies in Alfredo , not only because
patriarchal society designates him as the head
of the household, but also because he remains

34. unreachable to his wife by harboring feelings for
another woman. Moreover, the realization that his
love for Julia is simply a dead star is brought about
by his treatment of Julia as simply an illusion and
an object of affection, and not as a woman. This
gender imbalance leads to a tragic epiphany for the
characters, but is also a reflection of how men are
viewed to dominate not only in the household but
also in their relationship with women.

35. 3. READER RESPONSE
This approach stresses the
attachment or strong connectionism
of an individual reader’s mind to the
piece at hand. The reader herself
can put meaning and interpret every
part of the text.

36. The text is nothing unless it has
been read and interpreted by the
reader.
The reader’s reaction and
interaction made out of the piece
recreates and develops a further
depth of meaning.

37. The manner a poem or a short story
is read or delivered strengthens and
invokes visuals and imagination to a
much sought individual appreciation.
A reader who happened to read the
same text may find the experience
different from the first against the
second time.

38. Sample of Readers Response
Criticism of “Dead Stars” by
Paz Marquez Benitez
Despite being limited in length, Dead Stars
manages to evoke various feelings which
ultimately build up the ending. While Alfredo is
the center of the story, as a woman reader it is
hard not to feel greatly for Esperanza.

39. Esperanza can only be seen through the
perspective of Alfredo. This does a disservice to
her, as we can only know her through the
description of someone who does not love her
anymore. Still, it is also through Alfredo’s
descriptions and his unfaithfulness that
Esperanza gains sympathy from the reader.

40. During all the moments when Alfredo and
Julia are together, the thought of Esperanza
looms in the background—does she know? How
will she react? What will happen now? The
sympathy only increases when they get
married, for it is clear that Alfredo is detached
from her and is still harboring feelings for Julia.
While the end certainly evokes a feeling of loss

41. at Alfredo’s epiphany, it is the feeling of
betrayal for Esperanza that stays.

42. 4. MARXIST CRITICISM
This approach tries to unfold how
socioeconomic status affects
hierarchy or conflicts involving
social classes in the masterpiece.

43. 1. What are the differences between
economic classes?
2. What conflict has arisen between the
working class and the elite?
3. What implication may the
socioeconomic system bring?
4. What social class has been emphasized
and how was this portrayed in the piece?

44. Sample of Marxist Critique of
“Dead Stars” by Paz Marquez
Benitez
The imbalanced societal power play is
evident in the short story in the form of the
treatment of the characters based on their class.
This is most easily evident in the conversation
between Alfredo and his fiancée. Esperanza,

45. about Calixta, their note-carrier who grew up in
the latter’s family. The scene depicts a
parallelism in the circumstance of Alfredo and
his new love, Julia, and Calixta and her live-in
partner.
However, while no one blatantly frowns upon
the budding relationship between Alfredo and
Julia, except for some whispered rumors that

46. reached Esperanza, Calixta is dubbed “ungrateful”
to her master for doing such an act. Alfredo does
not have to answer to anyone for his
unfaithfulness, but Calixta is responsible not only
for what her family might think, but also for the
members of her master’s family. despite the same
circumstances, the two people are regarded
differently based on their positions in life.

47. 5. BIOLOGICAL APPROACH
Focuses on connection of work to
author’s personal experiences.
Understanding authors’ life can help in
comprehending the work. This aspect
amplifies meaning and relevance of the
text.
Other Approaches

48. 1. What aspects of the author’s personal life
are relevant to this story?
2. Which of the author’s stated beliefs are
reflected in the work?
3. Does the writer challenge or support the
values of her contemporaries?
4. What seem to be the author’s major
concerns? Do they reflect any of the writer’s
personal experiences?

49. 5. Do any of the events in the story
correspond to events experienced by the
author?
6. Do any of the characters in the story
correspond to real people?

50. 6. HISTORICAL APPROACH
This approach focuses on connection of
work to the historical period in which it
was written; literary historians attempt
to connect the historical background of
the work to specific aspects of the
work.

51. 1. How does it reflect the time in which it
was written?
2. How accurately does the story depict
the time in which it is set?
3. What literary or historical influences
helped to shape the form and content of
the work?

52. 4. How does the story reflect the
attitudes and beliefs of the time in which
it was written or set? (Consider beliefs
and attitudes related to race, religion,
politics, gender, society, philosophy, etc.)
5. What other literary works may have
influenced the writer?

53. 6. What historical events or movements
might have influenced this writer?
7. How would characters and events in
this story have been viewed by the
writer’s contemporaries?

54. 8. Does the story reveal or contradict
the prevailing values of the time in which
it was written? Does it provide an
opposing view of the period’s prevailing
values?
9. How important is it the historical
context (the work’s and the reader’s) to
interpreting the work?

55. 7. PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH
This approach focuses on the
psychology of characters.
1. What forces are motivating the
characters?
2. Which behaviors of the characters are
conscious ones?

56. 3. Which are unconscious?
4. What conscious or unconscious
conflicts exist between the characters?
5. Given their backgrounds, how
plausible is the characters’ behavior?
6. Are the theories of Freud or other
psychologists applicable to this work?
To what degree?

57. 7. Do any of the characters correspond
to the parts of the tripartite self? (Id,
ego, superego)
8. What roles do psychological disorders
and dreams play in this story?
9. Are the characters recognizable
psychological types?

58. 10. How might a psychological approach
account for different responses in
female and male readers?
11. How does the work reflect the
writer’s personal psychology?
12. What do the characters’ emotions
and behaviors reveal about their
psychological states?

59. 13. How does the work reflect the
unconscious dimensions of the writer’s
mind?
14. How does the reader’s own
psychology affect his response to the
work?

60. 8. SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH
This approach focuses on man’s
relationship to others in society, politics,
religion, and business.
1. What is the relationship between the
characters and their society?
2. Does the story address societal issues,
such as race, gender, and class?

61. 3. How do social forces shape the power
relationships between groups or classes of
people in the story? Who has the power,
and who doesn’t? Why?
4. How does the story reflect the Great
American Dream?
5. How does the story reflect urban, rural,
or suburban values?

62. 6. What does the work say about economic
or social power? Who has it and who
doesn’t? Any Marxist leanings evident?
7. Does the story address issues of
economic exploitation? What role does
money play?
8. How do economic conditions determine
the direction of the characters’ lives?

63. 9. Does the work challenge or affirm the
social order it depicts?
10. Can the protagonist’s struggle be seen
as symbolic of a larger class struggle? How
does the microcosm (small world) of the
story reflect the macrocosm (large world)
of the society in which it was composed?

64. 11. Do any of the characters correspond to
types of government, such as a
dictatorship, democracy, communism,
socialism, fascism, etc.? What attitudes
toward these political structures/systems
are expressed in the work?

65. 9. ARCHETYPAL APPROACH
This approach focuses on connections to
other literature, mythological/biblical
allusions, archetypal images, symbols,
characters, and themes.
1. How does this story resemble other
stories in plot, character, setting, or
symbolism?

66. 2. What universal experiences are depicted?
3. Are patterns suggested? Are seasons used
to suggest a pattern or cycle?
4. Does the protagonist undergo any kind of
transformation, such as movement from
innocence to experience, that seems
archetypal?
5. Are the names significant?

67. 6. Is there a Christ-like figure in the work?
7. Does the writer allude to biblical or
mythological literature? For what purpose?
8. What aspects of the work create deep
universal responses to it?
9. How does the work reflect the hopes, fears,
and expectations of entire cultures (for
example, the ancient Greeks)?

68. 10. How do myths attempt to explain the
unexplainable: origin of man? Purpose and
destiny of human beings?
11. What common human concerns are
revealed in the story?
12. How do stories from one culture
correspond to those of another? (For
example, creation myths, flood myths, etc.)

69. 13. How does the story reflect the
experiences of death and rebirth?
14. What archetypal events occur in the
story? (Quest? Initiation? Scapegoating?
Descents into the underworld? Ascents into
heaven?)
15. What archetypal images occur? (Water,
rising sun, setting sun, symbolic colors)

70. 16. What archetypal characters appear in the
story? (Mother Earth? Femme Fatal? Wise
old man? Wanderer?)
17. What archetypal settings appear?
(Garden? Desert?)
18. How and why are these archetypes
embodied in the work?

71. 10. PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH
This approach focuses on themes, view
of the world, moral statements, author’s
philosophy, etc.
1. What view of life does the story present?
Which character best articulates this
viewpoint?

72. 2. According to this work’s view of life,
what is mankind’s relationship to God? To
the universe?
3. What moral statement, if any, does this
story make? Is it explicit or implicit?
4. What is the author’s attitude toward his
world? Toward fate? Toward God?

73. 5. What is the author’s conception of good
and evil?
6. What does the work say about the
nature of good or evil?
7. What does the work say about human
nature?

74. WRITING STRUCTURE
Since our focus is on the appropriate use of critical
approaches in writing a critique, our outputs must
likewise be more on critiquing a piece of literature
like a short story, a poem, a novel and other literary
genre. In this accord, let us denote salient
structures and parts appropriate to include in the
output along with the outlined questions you have
included.

75. There has been no strict rules in terms of
structure for it varies depending on your
teacher’s task requirements, however, for
uniformity purposes, let us generally use the
following parts below ranging from at least
100 to 750 words.
Remember that the heart of your critique shall
focus on its and
and to relay how effective is the material.
strengths weakness

76. A. INTRODUCTION
(Short paragraph/paragraph/s
- one to three sentences or more)
This must include the title of the
material, the author, and your
assessment of the material.
For a short story, this part may also
include the background of the piece,
your opinion and the thesis.

77. The thesis includes the subject, your
opinion and your main point.
For example:
SUBJECT: The Blind Assassin
OPINION: Shows Atwood’s skills as a writer
MAIN POINT/S: Because of the visual imagery, the
strong characters and the
memorable message.

78. B. PLOT SUMMARY/DESCRIPTION
(Short paragraph/s – one to three sentences or more)
This involves the gist or the description
of the material.
For a short story, this is the
understanding of plot or summary of the
piece examined.

79. C. ANALYSIS AND
(One to three or more paragraph/s)
In this phase you will retrieve the guiding
questions of your choice to include in your
outlined discussion. It does not necessarily
mean that you will include all in one but
rather only those you think are needed
depending on the arguments or points you
wanted to stress.
INTERPRETATION
/EVALUATION

80. Likewise, though critical approaches are not
exclusive and may be used at the same time,
it is better to focus and use at least one
among the many approaches.
For the formalist view for example, any
among the character, dialogue, setting,
conflict, suspense, ending and plot would
speak by itself.

81. Analysis of the poem for formalists may
involve imagery, sound, figurative language,
language and other elements.
D. CONCLUSION/CLOSING PARAGRAPH
(One to three paragraphs)
At this point, you shall be able to link your
thoughts reinforced with your assessment
in the introduction.

82. If in any case it is possible for you to
compare the masterpiece to a similar work,
the better.
Your recommendation depends on how you
have perceived the material observing all
fair judgment and appreciation.
Note: The length and the depth of your critique depends on
the task required to you. Two to three paragraphs could
even be possible to include all the parts cited above.

83. For academic texts and researches the following parts may be adopted:
STRUTURE FOR
CRITIQUE OF
ACADEMIC TEXTS AND
RESEARCHES

84. This includes the title of the
book/article/work, the writer’s
name and the thesis statement
which will preview your analysis.
(around 5% of the paper)
A. INTRODUCTION

85. B. SUMMARY
(around 10%)
In this phase, objective or purpose must be
cited. Methods used if applicable could be
included along with major finding, claims,
ideas or message highlighted in the
material. This also includes arguments and
findings on the material.

86. C. REVIEW
(around 75%)
In this phase, the following must be observed:
1. Appropriateness of methodology to
support the arguments (for books and
articles) or appropriateness of mode of
presentation (other works) must be cited.
2. Theoretical soundness, coherence of
ideas.

87. 3. Sufficiency and soundness of
explanation in relation to other available
information and experts.
It is likewise best to ask the following questions during this part:
a. What are the assumptions mentioned in
the work? Are they explicitly discussed? •
What are the contributions of the work to the
field where it belongs?

88. b. What problems and issues are discussed or
presented in the work? • What kinds of information
are presented in the work?
c. How are information used to support the
arguments or thesis? • Are there other ways of
supporting the arguments or thesis aside from the
information used in the work? Is the author or
creator silent about the alternative ways of
explanation?

89. d. Discuss the article’s pros and cons and state your
opinion about its clarity and accuracy. Use the data
and examples from the article to support your
arguments.
D. CONCLUSION
(around 10%)
1. Your overall impression of the work shall
be stated.
2. Scholarly or literary value of the
reviewed article, book, or work.

90. 3. Benefits for the intended audience or
field.
4. Suggestion for future direction of
research.
5. Clarify and summarize judgments.
6. Comment about why such research
matters or what else needs to be
researched in the field.

91. OTHER GUIDELINES
in Writing a
REACTION PAPER,
REVIEW, & CRITIQUE

92. FOR ARTICLES OR JOURNALS
Show your agreement with the writer’s or
creator’s ideas and present an explanation
for this agreement.
On a general note, your REACTION
PAPERconclusion may focus on the
following ideas:

93. a. Did the work hold your interest?
b. Did the work annoy or excite you?
c. Did the work prompt you to raise questions
to the author?
d. Did the work lead you to some realizations?
e. Did the work remind you of other materials
that you have read, viewed or listened to in
the past?

94. OTHER POINTS TO
CONSIDER IN WRITING
1. ORGANIZATION
Depending on the approach, you can
arrange paragraphs by points, strengths vs.
weaknesses, or topics. Your goal isn’t just to
negatively criticize a book but also point
out what the author did well.

95. 2. WRITING TECHNIQUES
AND STYLE
In evaluating a book, don’t forget
to mention these points. Discuss
how effectively (or not) the
author used stylistic devices to
prove his ideas.

96. 3. EVIDENCE
Describe what types of arguments
the author used. Were they logical
and appropriate? Don’t forget to
explain why the evidence supports
your point.

97. 4. USEFULNESS
Discuss what the book adds to
understanding its topic. Is it useful?
Does it present ideas in original and
engaging ways? How does it address
the core aspects of society?

98. 5. EXAMPLES
Support every argument of your
critique with examples. You can’t
just write that the book was boring;
provide a quote as evidence and
explain why it does not appeal to
you.

99. FAMILY
FEUD

100. 1. This approach investigates
the relationship between
socioeconomic status and
hierarchical or class-based
conflicts within the
masterpiece.

101. 2. Give the 10 critical
approaches in writing a
critique.

102. 3. What is the title of the short
story written by Marquez
Benitez that was used as an
example in the first 4
approaches in writing a
critique?

103. 4. This approach focuses on
the psychology of the
characters.

104. 5. At what point of writing
structure, shall you be able to
link your thoughts reinforced
with your assessment in the
introduction?

105. 6. Critique is derived from
ancient _______ word meaning
7. _________.

106. 8. What words involves three
people, groups, or parts?

107. 9. This approach highlights the
significance of women as
central figures and explores how
gender has been portrayed
within the piece.

108. “The greatest glory in living lies
not in never falling, but in
rising every time we fall.” -
Nelson Mandela

109. THANK YOU!