The purpose of a critical analysis is to evaluate a book, in our case a novel, of historical relevance. Your review should analyze several aspects of the text under consideration, including the argument, content, organization, main themes, and relevance for understanding the historical time period and location in which it was written (late 18th and early 19th century Europe). This is a book which has multiple meanings and interpretations, but you should focus largely on its historical relevance.
Mary Shelleys book is perhaps one of the founding pieces of literature for many genres, including Gothic Horror and even Science Fiction. However, what it reveals about the concerns of European society in the early 19th century is particularly revealing.
In contrast to a book review, a critical analysis does not retell the story or simply repeat the argument. In addition to providing a summary of the main plots and content of the book, a critical analysis also evaluates an authors thesis or main theme. You should ask yourself: what is the author trying to say and has he made a convincing argument? How is this novel relevant to understanding the historical context of the time? This can include evaluating how the book is an example of Romanticism, how it comments on industrialization or the Scientific Revolution, or even how it addresses the issue of liberty and freedom.
Again, this is not a book review. You are not simply summarizing the book and what it is about, but instead looking at how the novel presents the historic time period in which it takes place.
Try to create an understanding of how the novel fits into our historical understanding of the time period. To do this, it is expected that you will use primary and secondary sources to support your argument from both the course assignments and outside material (specifically from the FIT Library and Databases). You should have minimum of three sources (not including the text itself). The use of these sources and the paper overall should show your ability to understand historical context, meaning how the setting of the novel fits within our established understanding of history.
You should have a title page, citations, and a bibliography, as well as page numbers on every page. A well-written paper is obviously more effective in presenting an argument than a poorly written one; thus the quality of the writing will affect your grade.
You should make a concerted effort to present a cogent and focused argument in your paper. Your first or second paragraph should state your position clearly and concisely and include some kind of thesis statement. Consider your audience to be an educated layperson who wants to understand the authors thesis/argument, the key commentary it makes to the historic time period, and your evaluation of it.
You will turn in your paper online through the Assignment link on Canvas. You will have until the end of the day (11:59 pm) on March 18th to turn your paper in.
When grading your critical analysis, I will be using the following grade format.
Grade Template for PapersI Format (must satisfy all the following requirements)
Student Name on paper (Only on the title Page)
Correct Margins (1 inch all around)
Correct font (New Times Roman)
Correct font size (12 point)
Paper double spaced
Assigned length (no less than 4 full pages and no more than 5 pages, not including the title page or bibliography)
II Style& Syntax (must satisfy all the following requirements)
Evidence of paragraph structure (which included transition sentences for each paragraph)
No overuse of quotations (avoid long quotes that go beyond three to four lines)
All sources must be cited using MLA citation. For an overview of the MLA documentation format see: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
No use of Wikipedia; no citations from Wikipedia
-(Note: The sources I expect you to use should be of an academic nature, meaning you should limit the sources you find from a Google search, and instead use the wonderful resources available both physically and online. Stick to academic sources.)
III Subject Matter of Paper (must satisfy all the following requirements)
Paper recognizes the purpose of the assignment, that of a critical analysis, and includes a clear and concise thesis statement.
Paper provides a BRIEF (less than a page) summary of the book and the time period in which in the book takes place.
IV Beyond the Basics (must satisfy all the following requirements)
Paper addresses all aspects of the assignment, including a full analysis of the book and its historic context.
Paper is well written and well organized.
Paper uses appropriate historical examples that more deeply illustrate the time period in which in the book takes place.
V Advanced Virtues (must satisfy three of the following requirements)
Paper makes effective use of reading assignments
Paper makes effective use of outside research materials
Paper demonstrates a historical sense (a deeper historical understanding of the time period and events taking place, which requires similar historical analysis used in the discussion papers) or fully analyzing the historical themes of the course
Paper demonstrates originality or creativity
This paper is worth 100 points. A student will receive a numerical score grade equivalent to how many of the above five (i.e. 5, V) categories the student satisfies for the paper
1 category=55 points
2 =65
3 =75
4 =85
5 =95
Note: This scoring system is not set in stone. If you have a very well written paper that is a fully fleshed out historical analysis, but full of grammatical errors, you are not guaranteed full points.