In Literature, the thing that separates 'descriptive' or 'narrative' writing from a top band response is the phrase 'critical analysis'. However, this concept is hard to understand!
In a nutshell, the University of Sussex identifies critical analysis thus: Fundamentally, critical thinking is about using your ability to reason. It's about being active (as opposed to passive) in your learning. It means that when you approach an idea, you do so with scepticism and doubt, rather than with unquestioning acceptance. You're always questioning whether the ideas, arguments and findings you're coming across are the whole picture and you're open to finding that they're not. You're identifying, analysing and, where possible, solving problems systematically. Arguments, here, are not squabbles between people - though they do evaluate other people's ideas: they are the way in which ideas are developed and organised into a line of reasoning which moves in a logical order to the conclusion and which aims to persuade the reader or listener of the validity of the point of view presented. Being able to discern and create structured, reasoned arguments is central to critical thinking. Therefore, when, in a Literature exam, you are asked to explore the importance of, say, violence, you must approach this theme with an open mind and be prepared to question whether the theme is even present at all and, if so, to what extent. We will do more on this in class, but in the meantime, here is a handy 'am I thinking critically?' checklist to help you distinguish between this and simple narrative writing.
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In a Nutshell...Mr Utterson, the lawyer, is concerned when his friend Dr Jekyll leaves everything in his will to the mysterious, and often violent, Mr Hyde. Whilst trying to uncover a suspected murder plot, he ends up finding out that the truth is actually far, far worse... ArchivesCategories
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