This document outlines critical approaches for writing reviews, reaction papers, or critiques of literary and artistic works. It discusses formalism, which examines elements like structure, imagery, and themes; biographical criticism, which considers the author's life; historical criticism, which views works in their historical context; Marxist criticism, which analyzes power dynamics; feminism, which focuses on gender roles; and reader-response criticism, which depends on the reader's reaction. It provides examples of applying each approach.

1. ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND
PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Cyra Mae Ladiao-Garcia

2. Critical Approaches
to Writing a
Review
Reaction Paper
Critique

4. The following critical approaches will
guide you on writing your review, reaction
paper or critique. These approaches will
help you focus on the more important
aspects to examine, analyze and evaluate.

5. - Formalism emphasizes the form of a literary work to
determine its meaning, focusing on literary elements
and how they work to create meaning.
-

6. •Poem (meter, figurative devices, imagery,
theme)
•Books/stories (setting, characters, plot)
•Movies (sound effects, transition, shots)
•Artistic expression (lines, colors, shapes,
rhythm, texture, sound)

7. • Biographical Criticism emphasizes the importance of the
author’s life and background into account when analyzing
a text.
How did the life of Dr. Jose Rizal affect his written works?
How did Pablo Picasso’s life experiences shape his painting
style?

8. • Historical Criticism posits that every literary work is the
product of its time and its world.
• How did Juan Luna’s ‘Spoliarium’ depict the happenings during the
time it was painted?
• How did Victor Hugo show the hardships and triumph during the
• French revolution, in his work, ‘Les Miserables’?

9. •Marxist Criticism emphasizes on how power,
politics, and money play a role in literary texts and
amongst literary societies and characters.
•In what way did the story/movie reflect the socio-
economic status of the characters?

10. • Feminism emphasizes on the roles, positions, and influences of
women within literary texts.
• Are women viewed as inferior beings in the movie? How were they
portrayed?
• What aspect of the painting mirrors the patriarchal ideology in our
society?

11. • Reader-response criticism emphasizes that the meaning of a text
is dependent upon the reader’s response to it.
• What emotion did you experience after reading the poem?
• What is your interpretation of the painting?

15. IDENTIFICATION
11. Who is the proponent of Marxist Theory?
12. Name the five divisions of Feminism.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17. Give at least 4 elements of a short story
18.
19.
20.

16. THE POISON TREE BY WILLIAM
BLAKE
• 21-30.