Assignment:
Paper: Everyone's a Critic: Writing Interpretative Criticism
Premise
In segment of our class, we will reflect on the contested role of criticism in your field and in 4 society in general. The readings we'll discuss in class illuminate many of the difficulties involved in becoming an "arbiter of taste," especially during an era in which anyone can pass judgement on anything by simply going online. However, if we believe A.O. Scott. criticism is increasingly necessary, as it "promises to son through the glut, to assist in the formation of choices, land] to act as gatekeeper to our besieged sensoria."' It follows that good critics do not solely pass judgement on teals; rather, they express to an audience not just bow those works succeed or fail. but why those successes or failures matter.
Indeed, criticism that comes from deep thought. research, and analysis (often called "serious" or "dedicated" criticism) is as much in demand now as ever before. Informed critics have the ability to step back and consider how a work of art is situated within its particular moment-they see the "big picture" in ways that casual observers, listeners, or readers often do not. Many of these critics consider how a text engages with discourses of race, class, gender, and sexuality; by so doing. they consider all the various social or political forces that might influence a text's production and reception. Interpretative criticism. therefore, can pe both revelatory and powerful, and-as you might have guessed-now it's your turn!
Purpose
It is designed to help you continue to develop the writing and critical reasoning skills we have been working on since the beginning of the semester. You will continue to develop your abilities to think through your ideas and perform adequate research before beginning to write (prewriting), you will also keep working on expressing informed opinions in a way that is compelling and interesting to read.