Summary vs. Critique

1. TEK 9A: summarize text and distinguish between a summary and a critique and identify non-essential information in a summary and unsubstantiated opinions in a critique Summary vs. Critique In which we explore and exemplify the uses of facts, opinions, details, and analyses in literary responses

2. Definitions Summary:a brief statement of the main points of something; a comprehensive and succinct compendium Critique: A critical review or commentary; an evaluation and assessment or analysis of something

3. The Keys to Summaries Summaries do: • Include facts and ideas taken directly from the text • Keep it short and simple sticking to the main ideas and points • Create a basic overview of the scope of the text Summaries do not: • Include opinions and judgments about quality or importance • Lengthily retell the entire text and/or especially add things not in the text • Focus on unnecessary details

4. The Keys to Critiques Critiques do: • Evaluate the text and its elements for things like effectiveness • Analyze why and how questions about the text and its elements (author’s craft, theme, etc.) • Share the critic’s opinions and theories Critiques do not: • Focus on a comprehensive rerun of the plot • Have to be shorter or longer than the text itself • Create facts and details beyond the scope of the original text

5. Practice with “Story of an Hour” Summary Job Summary Example and Non-Example (Brief) N-Ex.: “The Story of an Hour” shows how awesome freedom is when a woman’s loser husband dies. After that, her life is going to rule epically! Ex.: In “The Story of an Hour,” a woman hears that her husband has died. After the initial shock wears off, she feels excited about being independent. When she soon finds out her husband is not dead and he shows up, she dies instead. • Think about the most important details of the story. • How would you arrange them briefly to give a general sense of what’s important? • More: Summaries usually focus on plot but can highlight other elements. Bonus: Write your own six or so sentence effective summary of “Hour.” Double Bonus: Re-write it focusing on mood or theme instead of plot.

6. Practice with “Story” cont. Critique Job Critique Example and Non-Example (Brief) N-Ex.: “The Story of an Hour” tells the story of a single hour in a woman’s life and the sad way she dies. Her husband is sad after her death because that’s part of the theme. Ex.: Chopin effectively uses an ironic ending to enhance the power of her story’s theme. Mrs. Mallard’s death surprises the reader, thus strengthening their understanding of her yearning for a freely lived life. • Choose elements to focus on for your evaluation and/or analysis. • Decide on what opinion(s)/idea(s) you’d like to expound. • Be specific using details and quotes to justify your critique. Bonus: From your own perspective critique Chopin’s characterizations. Do you believe in her characters? Find them interesting? Etc. Why or why not?

7. We Do: Reading Practice Activities – Group Work Hints Stick to the facts of what is in the story! Try to keep descriptive words to a minimum. Hit the plot arc. Elements you might choose: character, theme, mood, author’s purpose, tone, symbolism. Use your resources! • Summarize the plot of your group’s story. Try to keep it in the 3-9 sentence range. • Critique one literary element from the story. Be thorough and include evidence from the text. Bonus: Challenge yourselves to choose other more daunting literary qualities to summarize and/or critique. Write these round robin-style with your group.

8. You Do: Reading Practice Activities – With SSR Book Hints Use what you’ve read so far. Don’t worry about skipping ahead to the end. Highlight main actions. What keeps you reading? What might be even better? Use details. How do you feel while reading? Does it make senses in context? • Plot summary with complete sentences. • Character summary of the three or so most important people. • Critique the interest level of the book. Justify your judgment. • Critique the mood or tone of the book. How does it affect your reading? Bonus: Based on your summary and analysis of the book so far. Write the next section or chapter of what you think is likely to happen next.

9. Writing Application • Have out your “human condition” expository writing, notes, and resources. • Start by looking over what you’ve written and then turn back to your pre-writing, outlining, etc. Make a summary of all of your important points and ideas. • Then analyze the clarity of your writing project. Are you getting across your main ideas in an understandable fashion? Add vividness to your analysis. Are you using specific examples and high interest points to support your ideas? Prove it with justification from your writing and pre-writing. Bonus: Work on re-writing your text keeping the same theme and ideas but using a different tone to make your points. Example tones to try: Righteous, Sarcastic, Furious, Silly, Serious, Informal, Professional, Demagogic, Helpful, etc.

10. Flip Work • Take the opportunity at home to summarize and critique one or many of the following: your day, a favorite film, a favorite song, or come up with some other idea of your own. • Bonus: Create an original work of art of some sort (can be written, visual, aural, etc.) and summarize and critique. Double Bonus: Declare what three tones you will use in your original piece and then prove that you used them.