A critical essay is an analysis of a text such as a book, film, article, or painting. The goal of this type of paper is to offer a text or an interpretation of some aspect of a text or to situate the text in a broader context. For example, a critical analysis of a book might focus on the tone of the text to determine how that tone influences the meaning of the text overall. Or, a critical analysis of a film might focus on the significance of a recurring symbol in the film. Regardless, a critical essay should include an argumentative thesis about the text and plenty of textual evidence sources to help support your interpretation of the text.[1] Keep reading to learn how to write a critical essay.
