What is a critical response paper?

A critical response paper is a response to a work we have read in class.  Though they are critical, they are also informal responses that you can relax in.  Responses all focus on the essay you have read and what worked and didn't work in it.  Explain in the response why you felt the essay was successful or not successful.  What could have been done to improve it?  What is particularly spectacular about it?

Each critical response paper must be 1-2 pages in length.

Here are some ways you can respond to the essay:

Grade the essay you are responding to and defend your grade:

Every grade has a reason behind it from professors.  You can grade these essays yourself, but like your professors, explain how you came to the grade.  This gives you a clear target for your response:  argue why you graded it the way you did.

Treat it like a review:

Movie, music, video games, and other reviews all respond to a work by explaining its quality.  It does so by explaining both its good and bad sides.  You can model your response after reviews you have seen for products and media you love.

Break it down by logos, ethos, and pathos:

Breaking the work down into these three sections makes it manageable.  Does the writer appeal to your logic?  Your emotion?  Establish good character?  All of these questions are significant and can become focal points for each paragraph.

These are not the only ways you can write a critical response paper.  Since they are informal, you have room to breathe in them.  Don't just write the assignment; dare to have a little fun with it.

The best way to get a handle on response papers, however, is to take a look at some samples as well.  I am posting two samples from previous classes that responding to the same work:  William Zinsser's "Simplicity".

     Sample Paper 1

     After reading William Zinsser’s “Simplicity”, I found that it was a refreshing and well- articulated piece concerning America’s obsession with textual puffery. His words were very clear and concise, and engaging enough to maintain my interest throughout the piece. Like many of the readers mentioned in the publication, I also have a short attention span. I can therefore relate to the targeted audience Zinsser was describing. I feel as though many writers today don’t take into consideration how the times have changed. In my opinion, education isn’t as valued as it once was in previous decades. The majorities of people in a sense seem to have a shortened vocabulary and would most likely have a hard time trying to understand and decipher large colorful words. Words like that would just deter them from continuing on with a book, or even a magazine article. Zinsser, from my perspective, understands the simplistic mind set of the populations of today. In turn, his straight forward style of writing appeals to all readers.

     His use of personification in the text was thoroughly enjoyable. I found his comparison of people to “elusive creatures” to be both accurate and creative. That small comparison helped paint a picture in my mind, and gave me a better understanding of the point he was trying to make. Readers are like animals; you have to bait them within the first few pages, and reel them in or suffer the consequence of losing their interest.

Writing is a skill that needs to be honed in on, perfected, re-evaluated and some times criticized in order to progress. Thinking in depth to how your readers will interpret or even understand your writing is key to successful work, in my opinion.           

     I strongly feel as though this particular piece is useful to both new writers and even well established writers. It gives you the tools to go outside of the box, per say. Consider who is going to pick up your book. How do you want them to feel? Not only did Zinsser give the necessary tools to avoid confusion of the reader, he showed effectively how it should look with his own essay.

     Overall, I found William Zinsser and his “Simplicity” essay to be not only helpful, but intriguing. His perspective on writing is clean cut, and to the point. I would recommend this written work to others who are looking to improve upon their writing.

     Sample Paper 2

     Writing is definitely a skill that must be crafted like a blacksmith forging a sword.  A lot goes into writing; plenty of ideas, a clear sense of direction, time, and effort to name a few suggestions.  These are the sweat of your brow and as the hammer strikes, so too your pen to the paper. 

     The effectiveness of William Zinsser’s essay is defined by the writer’s flubs and antidotes he provides.  He primarily focuses on the writer’s necessity to “declutter” and offers this advice: keep it simple.  He successfully narrates two stories to elaborate on this idea.  The first is the university president’s message to the alumni as an example of cluttered verbiage. The second example was of Franklin D. Roosevelt who told his speechwriters to be more clear-cut. 

     Reflecting on my earlier analogy, Zinsser goes on to explain how a writer, with pen drawn, must battle innumerable distracting factors in order to rescue his ADHD reader.  Life as it is is demanding enough.  However, adding to those factors are addictive electronic devices and a contagious social network, making it all the more dire for a writer to be concise (short and to the point) and precise (clear and exact) for instance with use of logic and verb tenses, respectively. 

     The writer must be fully cognizant of the purpose of his writing.  Zinsser states, “the clear writer is someone clearheaded enough to see this stuff for what it is: fuzz.”  Though it is ideal to have written a book a reader just can’t seem to put down, let alone part with, it takes a lot of hard work.  The “grab,” which is what was described, is quintessential in the relationship between writer and reader. 

     With all the effort writing requires, it would be a shame to see it rolled up into a ball to be thrown by the wayside.  Zinsser states, “The writer is making them work too hard, and they will look for one who is better at the craft.”  It would be a sword through my heart should a reader drop me for another he claims to be his hero. A dirty footprint on an essay, even if it were written in two minutes, hurts the soul of its writer; therefore, a lot can be said about effort. 

     What seems to be most poignant of William Zinsser’s writing is the fact that writing does indeed take effort.  It isn’t something that comes naturally but rather something that must be developed.  Not only is a writer fighting battles to save a reader but he is in constant battle with himself to “think clearly;” be logical.  A writer also battles posers who dabble in writing.  Zinsser hypothesizes that just as quickly as the poser states, “I could write a book about that” he’d give up once the reality of a true writer’s struggle is settles in.  “If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.”

    Sample Paper 3

      Upon  reading  Theroux's  "The  Male  Myth"  I  found  his  writing  plain,  simple,  clear  and  even  casual.  The  last  didn't  quite  fit  the  initial  assumptions  I  had  made  after  learning  of  his  well-educated  background  and  his  travels  abroad  as  a  Peace  Crops  volunteer.  But  I  enjoyed  his  genial  persona,  keeping  it  more  as  a  personal  conversation  with  the  reader  rather  than  a  formal,  stuffy  article.

     This  is  not  an  article  built  on  a  foundation  of  facts  or  statistics.  It  is  based  solely  on  Theroux's  personal  testimony  and  opinion.  This  is  why  you  could  decide  his  essay  is  ineffective,  but  I  find  that  these  actually  serve  as  eye-openers  to  the  argument  at  hand.  After  all,  there  really  isn't  much  research  on  the  expectations  placed  on  certain sexes,  and  how  these  expectations  affect  ones  self-esteem  and  position  in  society.

     One  of  the  highlights  of  the  essay  to  me  was  how  this  pursuit  to  fulfill  the  requirements  of  what  makes  a  "real  man"  in  our  society  could  damage  men's  connection  with  women  in  relationships  as  well  as  friendships  with  them.  No  matter  which  gender  you  are,  we're  all  taught  at  a  young  age  that  boys  and  girls  think  and  behave  differently.  Therefore,  we  usually  give  up  or  don't  even  try  at  all  to  make  sense  of  their  actions.  We  conceivably  would  have  a  better  chance  of  understanding  the  opposite  sex  (along  with  a  increased  sense  of  unity  between  the  two)  if  we  believed  in  the  same  ideals  and  strived  to  achieve  these  goals  together.

     I  also  particularly  enjoyed  his  idea  of  what  it  is  like  to  be  a  woman;  "By  contrast,  I  imagine  femininity  to  be  an  oppressive  sense  of  nakedness."  This  isn't  typically  the  case  in  my  personal  opinion,  but  it  certainly  is  a  great  definition  of  what  it  feels  like  to  be  leered  at  by  threatening  (or  just  plain  creepy)  men.  In  those  instances  this  comparison  rings  true,  no  matter  how  many  layers  of  clothing  you  have  on.

     As  for  his  thesis  statement,  I'm  sure  there  are  plenty  of  people  who  oppose  his  interpretation  of  what  being  "a  man"  truly  is;  "Even  the  expression,  'Be  a  man!'  strikes  me  as  insulting  and  abusive.  It  means:  Be  stupid,  be  unfeeling,  obedient  and  soldierly,  and  stop  thinking,"  says  Theroux.  His  opinion  could  be  judged  as  extreme,  radical,  and  downright  degrading  to  the  gender.  But,  hey,  these  are  his  emotions  based  off  his  lifelong  experience  of  being  a  man.  Why  shouldn't  he  express  exactly  how  he  feels?  It's  like  we're  peeking  into  Theroux's  personal  journal.  It  may  not  be  the  most  effective  writing,  but  it's  intriguing  writing,  the  kind  that  sheds  us  of  our  own  opinions  and  beliefs  we've  confined  ourselves  to,  and  gets  us  thinking.  Isn't  a  piece  of  writing  that  gets  us  to  think  more  successful  than  one  that  is  built  up  with  so  many  proven  facts,  evidence,  and  instances  that  we  don't  even  bother  to  think  about  or  question  it  at  all?

     This  is  why  I  deem  his  essay  effective  because  it's  not  an  article  about  factual  evidence  and  data  but  to  elaborate  on  his  experience  of  growing  up  as  a  male.  Perhaps  his  goal  was  to  comfort  other  tortured  men  who  have  felt  the  same  way  by  identifying  this  social  pressure  (and  also  to  liberate  them  from  it)  or  to  open  our  minds  to  this  perspective  we  had  not  considered  before.  He  most  certainly  achieves  this. 

Theroux  could  be  seen  as  a  liberator  of  these  imaginary,  ridiculous  social  commitments  of  what  being  a  "man"  or  "woman"  really  entails.  Considering  he  practices  his  passion  as  a  professional  writer,  even  though  he  admits  it  isn't  the  "manliest"  profession.

     In  short,  I  fully  appreciated  his  unique  perspective  on  both  the  male  and  female  sexes,  and  his  addressing  that  society  anticipates  for  each  of  these  genders  to  meet  a  defined  standard.  I  agree  that  any  preconceived  expectation  that  needs  to  be  accomplished,  or  is  not  accomplished,  can  be  harmful  to  ones  self-esteem,  social  interaction  and  position,  and  overall  well-being.  Therefore,  we  should  not  create  an  ideal  that  is  not  easily  obtained  by  abiding  to  a  simple  criterion,  like  honesty,  integrity,  etc.  But  most  importantly,  do  right  by  your  own  values  and  beliefs.