how to write a higher english critical essay

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Useful tips for your english revision., critical essay.

As part of your exam, you’ll have to write two critical essays. Each is worth twenty-five marks, and you get one and a half hours in total, or forty-five minutes each. That’s not a long time. The secret to writing a good essay in this time is planning.

The best way to write an essay at Higher level is to approach it ‘thematically’. This means that the key themes in the text should form the basis of your paragraphs. This will help you to analyse the text, rather than just describing it. Think about it this way – if someone asked you to explain why one football team beat another, and you simply explained what happened on a minute-by-minute basis, that wouldn’t be a very good answer. Instead, if you explained key aspects in which Team A was better than Team B, you would be more concise and give a better answer. That is the thematic approach.

So, when you come to plan your essay, you should aim to write three or four body paragraphs (not including the introduction and conclusion) that are each based around relevant themes. As part of your revision, you should make a ‘spider chart’ of key themes in the text, which you can then apply to the question.There are probably five or six key themes of each text (have a look at the ‘Help with Texts’) section to help you identify the key themes.

To give you an example, in 2012, one of the questions said:

If you were answering using “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” as your text, your three key themes might be: 1) The battle between good and evil in humans; 2) Addiction and the loss of control; 3) The contrast between Science and Morality.

Each of these paragraphs will allow you to explore different themes within the text, which means you can focus on analysis of the story, rather than simply describing what’s going on.

The ‘critical’ aspect of a critical essay is the analysis. You should be able to say why the author chose a particular word, event or character. Thinking about the message behind the text is a good place to start. Also, have a look at the author’s biography. Usually their own life experiences influence their writing. For example, Arthur Miller wrote “The Crucible” as a direct allegory of his own experiences of the Communist ‘witchhunts’ of 1950s America.

When it comes to writing your essays in the exam, the best way to divide your time is as follows:

10 minutes planning,

30 minutes writing (6 minutes per paragraph),

5 minutes checking your work.

Obviously, this doesn’t give you a lot of time to actually write your paragraphs. This will force you to be straight to the point (if you are someone who waffles, then the short writing time is a blessing in disguise). Keep your sentences short when you are writing. This will help you to be direct, and to keep you focused on the question at hand. Try reading past essays out loud to yourself, and seeing where the sentences are too long.

You can keep your topic sentences in particular very short. In fact, it’s best to make them straight to the point. Using the “Jekyll and Hyde” example above, the topic sentence for the first paragraph could be: “The battle between Jekyll and Hyde is symbolic of the battle between good and evil in humans.” This is direct, and shows the reader exactly what you will talk about in the paragraph.

Make sure that you finish each paragraph with a one sentence mini-conclusion that links back to the question. Usually the question is split into two, and the finish of the sentence should refer to the second part of the question. So, using the “Jekyll and Hyde” example, the final sentence of the first paragraph could be: “Jekyll’s growing realisation that he cannot control Hyde forces him to isolate himself, and shows that Jekyll has come to regret his earlier immoral decisions.” Writing a one sentence mini-conclusion will help you when it comes to writing your final conclusions, and will also keep your work focused on the question.

In your paragraphs, the best sentence structure is the P.E.A. approach. This stands for Point, Evidence, and Analysis. Make your point, then back it up with a quotation or an example from the text, and then explain why this is important or relevant to the question. You can practice this simple approach by using the following framework in your revision:

Point – One of the key themes in the text is…

Evidence – This is shown when…

Analysis – This highlights/emphasises….

Although it is best not to use these exact phrases every time, this does give you an idea of how you should approach the content of your paragraphs.

The Introduction

The format of your introduction should be:

1) A synoptic statement about the text (i.e. explaining when it was written, who wrote it, and a one sentence summary of the plot).

2) An explanation of the relevance of the question to the text. For example, using the sample question above, you should say why Dr. Jekyll is good to talk about as to a character who has a changing view of himself.

3) Identify the key themes of the text. In reality, this is you explaining what your paragraphs are going to be. Instead of saying “In this essay I will talk about…”, say “The most important themes are…” and then mention what your paragraphs will be. Be confident in what you are writing!

4) Try and draw your themes together into one ‘mega theme’. This will be the final sentence of your introduction, and so should be short and snappy (to get the reader’s attention). There should be an underlying point that links all of your themes together. For example, using the “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” question above, the three paragraphs are all linked by the idea of man’s internal conflict, and the ongoing battle between being ethical and fulfilling desires. This would be the ‘mega theme’.

The Conclusion

Conclusions are really very simple, although a number of students don’t even write one. If you’ve planned your time properly, then you will have time to conclude your argument. Not only is this critical for getting good marks for structuring, but it will allow you to actually answer the question. The format of the conclusion should be:

1) Spend one sentence summing up each of the paragraphs you wrote. The mini-conclusions you wrote will help with this.

2) Draw these all together again using your mega theme.

3) Your final sentence of the entire essay should give a direct answer to the question. Look at how the question is worded and use that to help you phrase your answer. Think about the final sentence as a one-sentence ‘in a nutshell’ answer. An examiner should be able to read just your last sentence to get a sense of what you are arguing. For the “Jekyll and Hyde” example, the final sentence could be: “Ultimately, Jekyll’s changing relationship with Hyde is an allegory for man’s internal conflict, and Stevenson’s belief in man’s capacity for both good and evil.”

Lessons to take away

Work on a ‘spider diagram’ of the key themes in your texts.

Keep your sentences short/read practice essays out loud to yourself.

Remember P.E.A.

Practice writing 10 minute plans.

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How to Write a Critical Essay

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Olivia Valdes was the Associate Editorial Director for ThoughtCo. She worked with Dotdash Meredith from 2017 to 2021.

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A critical essay is a form of academic writing that analyzes, interprets, and/or evaluates a text. In a critical essay, an author makes a claim about how particular ideas or themes are conveyed in a text, then supports that claim with evidence from primary and/or secondary sources.

In casual conversation, we often associate the word "critical" with a negative perspective. However, in the context of a critical essay, the word "critical" simply means discerning and analytical. Critical essays analyze and evaluate the meaning and significance of a text, rather than making a judgment about its content or quality.

What Makes an Essay "Critical"? 

Imagine you've just watched the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." If you were chatting with friends in the movie theater lobby, you might say something like, "Charlie was so lucky to find a Golden Ticket. That ticket changed his life." A friend might reply, "Yeah, but Willy Wonka shouldn't have let those raucous kids into his chocolate factory in the first place. They caused a big mess."

These comments make for an enjoyable conversation, but they do not belong in a critical essay. Why? Because they respond to (and pass judgment on) the raw content of the movie, rather than analyzing its themes or how the director conveyed those themes.

On the other hand, a critical essay about "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" might take the following topic as its thesis: "In 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,' director Mel Stuart intertwines money and morality through his depiction of children: the angelic appearance of Charlie Bucket, a good-hearted boy of modest means, is sharply contrasted against the physically grotesque portrayal of the wealthy, and thus immoral, children."

This thesis includes a claim about the themes of the film, what the director seems to be saying about those themes, and what techniques the director employs in order to communicate his message. In addition, this thesis is both supportable  and  disputable using evidence from the film itself, which means it's a strong central argument for a critical essay .

Characteristics of a Critical Essay

Critical essays are written across many academic disciplines and can have wide-ranging textual subjects: films, novels, poetry, video games, visual art, and more. However, despite their diverse subject matter, all critical essays share the following characteristics.

• Central claim . All critical essays contain a central claim about the text. This argument is typically expressed at the beginning of the essay in a thesis statement , then supported with evidence in each body paragraph. Some critical essays bolster their argument even further by including potential counterarguments, then using evidence to dispute them.
• Evidence . The central claim of a critical essay must be supported by evidence. In many critical essays, most of the evidence comes in the form of textual support: particular details from the text (dialogue, descriptions, word choice, structure, imagery, et cetera) that bolster the argument. Critical essays may also include evidence from secondary sources, often scholarly works that support or strengthen the main argument.
• Conclusion . After making a claim and supporting it with evidence, critical essays offer a succinct conclusion. The conclusion summarizes the trajectory of the essay's argument and emphasizes the essays' most important insights.

Tips for Writing a Critical Essay

Writing a critical essay requires rigorous analysis and a meticulous argument-building process. If you're struggling with a critical essay assignment, these tips will help you get started.

• Practice active reading strategies . These strategies for staying focused and retaining information will help you identify specific details in the text that will serve as evidence for your main argument. Active reading is an essential skill, especially if you're writing a critical essay for a literature class.
• Read example essays . If you're unfamiliar with critical essays as a form, writing one is going to be extremely challenging. Before you dive into the writing process, read a variety of published critical essays, paying careful attention to their structure and writing style. (As always, remember that paraphrasing an author's ideas without proper attribution is a form of plagiarism .)
• Resist the urge to summarize . Critical essays should consist of your own analysis and interpretation of a text, not a summary of the text in general. If you find yourself writing lengthy plot or character descriptions, pause and consider whether these summaries are in the service of your main argument or whether they are simply taking up space.
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Candidate 1 - Scottish text: The Slab Boys. Critical Essay: The Great Gatsby

Candidate 2 - scottish text: the telegram. critical essay: romeo and juliet, candidate 3 - scottish text: the cone-gatherers. critical essay: o captain my captain, candidate 4 - scottish text: the strange case of dr jekyll and mr hyde. critical essay: the crucible, candidate 5 - scottish text: in mrs tilscher's class. critical essay: death of a salesman, candidate 6 - scottish text: the strange case of dr jekyll and mr hyde. critical essay: a streetcar named desire, candidate 7 - scottish text: last supper. critical essay: a hanging.

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Candidate 1 - war photographer, candidate 2 - the cone-gatherers, candidate 3 - men should weep, candidate 4 - the slab boys, critical essay 2015  (all links open as pdf files), candidate 1 - the great gatsby, candidate 2 - death of a salesman, candidate 3 - a hanging, candidate 4 - death of a naturalist, candidate 5 - macbeth, candidate 6 - shutter island, candidate 7 - the rabbit catcher, candidate 8 - a streetcar named desire.

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5 Tips for writing a critical essay

The following table provides a helpful summary of key questions you should ask yourself as you prepare an essay that demonstrates the level of criticality expected at postgraduate level. The suggestions in the ‘do’ and ‘don’t’ columns are equally important so pay attention to suggestions.

Hillhead High School English Department

Practice critical essay questions.

Here are some critical essay questions organised by genre. Take time to plan out the structure of your essay, consider key quotations/features of your text. To challenge yourself, try a question under timed conditions (without notes!!)

• Choose a novel of short story in which setting in time and/or place is an important feature. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has portrayed this setting and how this has influenced your response to the text.
• Choose a novel or a short story which presents a theme that is relevant to you. By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has explored this theme.
• Choose a novel or a short story where an important character clearly shows development of change . By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the author has portrayed development and how this influences your response to the text.
• Choose a novel or a short story where you can identify a key moment such as a turning point or climax. By referring to appropriate techniques, describe the key moment and then go on to discuss its importance to the text as a whole.
• Choose a novel in which a character makes a decision which you consider unexpected or unwise or unworthy. Explain the circumstances surrounding the decision and discuss its importance to your understanding of character and theme in the novel as a whole.
• Choose a novel which explores conflict . Explain the events which lead to the conflict and how the conflict is (or is not resolved).

• Choose a play in which you feel sympathy for a character.
• Choose from a play which explores an important issue/issues within society
• Choose a play in which a power struggle is central to the action.
• Choose a play in which there is an important theme such as love, hate, betrayal, friendship, loyalty etc.
• Choose a play that builds to a climax . Describe how the playwright build up to the climax and then, by referring to appropriate techniques, go on to explain why the climax is vital to the play as a whole.
• Choose a play where your attitude to the main character changes as the play progresses . By referring to appropriate techniques, show how the character’s nature is portrayed, then go on to show how our attitude changes towards him/her.
• Choose a play in which the main character experiences conflict. By referring to appropriate techniques, explain what the conflict is, then go on to show how the playwright’s portrayal of the conflict influences our response to the play.

• Choose a poem in which the poet creates a vivid sense of a particular time or a particular place . Discuss how the poet’s vivid depiction of time or place adds to your appreciation of the central concern(s) of the poem.
• Choose a poem with a moral or social or political theme . Discuss, with reference to appropriate techniques, how the poet’s presentation of the theme deepens your understanding of the poem as a whole.
• C hoose a poem in which the poet effectively creates a character or persona . Discuss, with reference to appropriate techniques, how the poet’s effective
• Choose a poem which takes as its starting point a memorable experience. Discuss how the poet’s presentation of the experience helps you to appreciate its significance
• Choose a poem which is written in a particular poetic form or which has a particularly effective structure.

• Choose a piece of writing in which the writer’s use of language engages your interest in his/her portrayal of a country or culture. Discuss how the writer uses language to successfully engage your interest in this portrayal.
• Choose a work of non-fiction in which the writer’s description of an emotional experience creates a powerful impression. Briefly explain the emotional experience and then discuss how the writer’s description of this experience creates this powerful impression.
• Choose a piece of journalism in which the writer persuades his or her reader to a point of view by effective use of language. Briefly explain the writer’s point of view, and then discuss how the writer’s use of language is effective in persuading the reader.
• Choose a non-fiction text which recreates a moment in time. Discuss how the description effectively recreates this moment and show how important this is to your appreciation of the text as a whole
• Choose a non-fiction text which is structured in a particularly effective way. Explain how the structure enhances the impact of the writer’s message.
• Choose a non-fiction text which made you consider your views about a social or political or ethical issue. Explain what the issue is and how the writer uses language effectively to engage you.
• Choose a piece of writing which engages you not only intellectually but also emotionally. Explain how the writer successfully engages both your mind and your emotions.
• Choose a work of writing in which the writer brings a key incident vividly to life. Explain how the writer brings the incident vividly to life and how they contribute to your understanding of the person involved.
• Choose a work of non-fiction in which the writer expresses outrage or shock about an issue which you feel is important. Explain how the writer conveys the emotion and discuss to what extent this emotional appeal enhances your understanding of the issue.
• Choose a piece of travel writing in which the writer’s own personality emerges as a significant feature. Explain how the style of writing conveys a sense of the writer’s personality and discuss what extent this is important to your understanding to the key idea(s) of the text.
• Choose a non-fiction text which is written in the specific form of a diary or a journal or a letter. Discuss to what extent the writer’s exploration of specific features of the chosen form is important in conveying key idea(s) of the text.
• Choose a piece of journalism which, in your opinion, deals with a fundamental truth about human nature. Explain how the writer’s presentation of key ideas enhances your understanding of this fundamental truth.
• Choose a work of non-fiction in which vivid description is an important feature. Explain in detail how the vivid impression is created and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole.
• Choose a work of biography or autobiography which you feel is inspirational or moving. Explain how the writer evokes this response and discuss why you find the text inspirational or moving.
• Choose a piece of journalism which presents difficult or challenging ideas in an accessible way. Explain what is difficult or challenging about the writer’s ideas and discuss how she or he presents them in an accessible way
• Choose a piece of non-fiction writing in which the writer’s presentation of an experience triggers an emotional response from you. Give a brief description of the experience and then, in more detail, discuss how the writer’s presentation of this description evokes this strong emotional response.
• Choose a non-fiction text which explores a significant aspect of political or cultural life. Discuss how the writer’s presentation enhances your understanding of the chosen aspect of political or cultural life and how this impacts on your appreciation of the text as a whole.
• Choose an example of biography or autobiography which gives you a detailed insight into a person’s life. Explain how the writer’s presentation made you think deeply about the person and his or her life, enhancing your overall appreciation of the text.
• Choose a non-fiction text which is set in a society that is different to the one in which we live. Briefly explain what is significantly different and discuss how the writer made you aware of this.
• Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer’s ability to evoke a sense of place is very important to the success of the text. Show how the writer’s presentation of the location(s) enhanced your appreciation of the text.
• Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer presents a strong point of view on a particular subject. Briefly explain what the writer’s view is and discuss in detail how this view is presented convincingly.
• Choose a work of biography and autobiography which you feel is written with great insight and/or sensitivity. Discuss, in detail, how the writer’s presentation of this life leads you to this conclusion.
• Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer puts forward a view of a social issue. Briefly explain what the issue is and discuss how effective the writer is in influencing you to share his or her point of view.
• Choose a non-fiction text in which the style of writing is an important factor in your appreciation of the writer’s ideas. Discuss in detail how features of this style enhanced your appreciation of the text as a whole.