criticalanalysisrubric.pdf |
Critical Analysis: A Three Step Process
I. LITERAL LEVEL
II. DIVERGENT LEVEL
III. CONVERGENT LEVEL
Literal Level - characterized by a concern with facts or the primary meaning of an
expression.
Divergent Level - related to movement in different directions from a common point.
Convergent Level - related to movement together and unification in a common point, interest or focus.
I. LITERAL LEVEL
- Read through the work, including the title. (Poetry should be read aloud)
- Reread or scan the work, stopping to look up any unfamiliar or unusually used words.
- Paraphrase the literal meaning of the work. Consider the following questions:
II. DIVERGENT LEVEL
- Group words, phrases, and lines that seem to evoke a similar image. Underline key words.
- Brainstorm or cluster images (word pictures), connotations (word feelings) evoked by these grouped and underlined words, phrases and figures of speech (simile, metaphor, personification), symbol (something that stands for something else), and allusions (figures of speech that refer to some famous event or figure).
- List any repetition of words, phrases or images. In poetry look for repetition of sounds, rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, unusual capitalization, punctuation, word order or spelling. List any ideas such repetitions or stylistic conventions suggest. Are there any deviations from patterns or ideas that are being established? Why?
III. CONVERGENT LEVEL
- Establish possible patterns of thought, message, meaning or purpose for some word/phrase group or stanza.
- Collect, synthesize, summarize the message from the above (#7) words groups or stanzas that CONVERGE to create a unifying message for the whole work.
- From the previous 8 steps, state the conflict(s) (the opposition of one force against another) that is evident in this work. Then write at least one theme statement (the message or moral in the work) or resolution suggested by each conflict.
Literal Level - characterized by a concern with facts or the primary meaning of an
expression.
Divergent Level - related to movement in different directions from a common point.
Convergent Level - related to movement together and unification in a common point, interest or focus.