Student Question
What does critical reading of literature involve and what elements should be examined?
Quick answer:
Critical reading of literature involves examining how a story unfolds, focusing on the author's techniques and choices. Key elements to analyze include the mise-en-scène, character development, and use of language, such as metaphors and narrative voice. This process requires attention to detail, observing how these elements combine to create the overall work, much like appreciating the individual brushstrokes in a painting.
An outstanding question. Reading critically means not only reading to reveal
the plot but to understand and appreciate how the story unfolds, to watch the
progress of the author's "journey" through the work. Some of the elements to
observe are how the author puts us into the mise-en-scene (the place, the time
period, the social level, etc.), how the author builds the characters (speech
acts, choices made, inner thoughts, etc.), how the author uses language
(metaphors, figurative language, connotation, narrative voices, etc.), and
other building blocks that form a piece of literature. In short, critical
reading is being aware of the details, the "brushstrokes," that make the
picture, and watching the progress of the picture as the artist works.
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