To critique a piece of writing is to do the following:

Critical and Cultural Theory is a research area, and an area for doctoral education, that is dedicated to the critically motivated study of cultural artefacts and practices. Artworks, literary and philosophical texts, media technologies and social and political practices are at the heart of research.

Once you understand the following, you will have a complete idea of that particular literary theory:

1. The idea of the theory.
2. Domain of the theory.
3. Application of the literary theory.
4. Major figures associated with the theory and their contributions.
5. The theory that might have contradicted it or taken it forward.

1. describe: give the reader a sense of the writer’s overall purpose and intent.
2. analyze: examine how the structure and language of the text convey its meaning.
3. interpret: state the significance or importance of each part of the text.

Critical reading:

1. Identify the author’s thesis and purpose.
2. Analyze the structure of the passage by identifying all main ideas.
3. Consult a dictionary or encyclopedia to understand material that is unfamiliar to you.
4. Make an outline of the work or write a description of it.
5. Write a summary of the work.

1. 1 Ask Questions. When you’re assigned a literary essay in class, your teacher will often provide you with a list of writing prompts.
2. 2 Collect Evidence.
3. 3 Construct a Thesis.
4. 4 Develop and Organize Arguments.
5. 5 Write the Introduction.
6. 6 Write the Body Paragraphs.
7. 7 Write the Conclusion.

The elements are the plot, conflict, characters and the setting. Plot is the pattern of events that make up a story. In your literary analysis, you’ll want to focus on whether or not these events are significant to your claim.