2008 Critical response (plus any help from past 4 uniters!) (2 Viewers)

[sarahh50]

There doesn't seem to be much activity from anyone doing a critical response this year
I was mainly wondering where everyone else is up to:

I'm only just beginning my draft now, am I late?

I'm having a bit of difficulty with the form, I've never been hugely successful at writing formally and everything i write has a trashy newspaper article type feel to it - does anyone know good websites or books that outline how to actually write a critical response?

I'd be really grateful if anyone gave me some assistance or imparted some wisdom to me. Or anyone who just wants to chat about how/what they're doing.

x
sarah

 

[topdeck]

Hey Sarah, i'm doing a critical as well!

I wouldn't worry about where you're up to....i missed the entire fourth term of school due to ilness and therefore haven't even got a thesis statement for mine yet.

What topic are you writing about? Mine's about E.M. Forster...although what area yet i'm still unsure.

btw is anyone else on this board going to the NSW Writers centre workshops in the holidays?

 

[sarahh50]

yay, another critical
urgh... sickness, well i hope you're a lot better

i'm examining humourous speculative fiction through terry pratchett's discworld series (or something like that) and looking at subversion of society and genre

there's a writers workshop?

 

[sculptor]

I'm also doing a critical response in 2008. I've been a diehard fan of medieval chivalric romance for about a year now (yes, weird I know): and my topic started out with looking at 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and whether it could be defined as a romance or anti-romance and in what context. This eventually blossomed into an analysis of the social, cultural, and historical influences that have changed society's definition of the 'Romance' genre since the 12th century beginning with the works of Chretien de Troyes. It's got a lot of scope but hopefully I'll be able to manage it alright.

 

[Debbo]

*Hi 5* to all the critical response people! We rock.

I'm exploring the notion of 'evil' in horror films as a reflection of the social anxieties of its context in relation to Freud's theory of the 'Uncanny'. I'm wondering if my focus on Freud is shifting my major work away from english and into more a more psychological field. Do you think it'd be ok?

How are people going with stuff? Gahh, Ive just been researching so I haven't actually written anything yet!!

 

[topdeck]

Hi Debbo, I wouldn't worry at all. Freudian analysis is a major critical reading that i think is fairly commonly used in analysis of english. It'd just be like doing a marxist or feminist reading of a book, so nothing to worry about i would say.

 

[Kray-AyzI]

wooo shout out to every1

um yeah well im just doing a piece on the legitimacy of serial killers in crime fiction.
its bordering too much on the realm of gothic fantasy
and so it should juz be considered that the serial killer novel is a branch of horrer fiction n not crime<< lol wtf aye....i dont even know

 

[Sarah160]

Hey guys!
My crit response is going to look at context and whether composers have the ability to escape their own context and be innovative in their works. I"m going to look at the question in terms of modern poet E.E Cummings because from my research it's clear that there is debate as to whether his compositions were really groundbreaking or not.
How far along is everybody? All i've got done is my proposal....

 

[mel-16]

Hey All.
I've been through about 10 ideas for my critical, and I was wondering.. is it better to stick with the first idea or keep thinking?
Any thoughts would be much appreciated

 

[Cheap Thrills]

speaking from my experience (very limited obviously), you should keep searching until you find something you are REALLY passionate about. I researched loads of ideas in the holidays and was on the verge of writing about masculinity in gothic fiction, when i chucked a spack attack, woosed out, and changed my entire focus. now im doing a postcolonial reading of slavery in the work of toni morrison, which im loving. so you really need to find what you will really love

 

[Dis Amrahs]

Hello, I'm doing a Critical analysis of the Beat Generation as not only a group of writers, but also as a group of friends. I am kinda looking at the social dynamics within the Beats, how it influenced their writing, spontaneous prose and their artistic practices in general. I also reckon ill look into jazz a bit. Biggest hurdle so far is actually starting the body of my essay!

Good Luck

 

[lordo]

i'm doing a crit response on the bourne identity, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind and fight club, based around the notion of their memory loss influencing their identity. i really cant word my thesis that well but. i have a feeling once i get that wording ok then it will just flow but for now... our teacher is majorly uptite, shes already made us write 4000 words =S 5000 by next week! eek! its stressful. but enjoyable at the same time haha. anyone like to help me out with wording of thesis??

 

[Sarah160]

Wow i totally wish that my teacher was pushing me that much! i've only met with her twice this whole time....i've written about 300 words...that equates to two paragraphs and not even a full introduction...wow i know i'm amazing...bask in my glory!
To lordo, maybe you could say something along the lines of "In terms of the film medium in popular culture, to what extent do memories define character identities"? i dunno, just a suggestion....shoot it down if you want to
So how do you all go about actually writing your major works? can you just sit down and write for hours or is it bits a time? and how much research have you done?

 

[lordo]

Wow i totally wish that my teacher was pushing me that much! i've only met with her twice this whole time....i've written about 300 words...that equates to two paragraphs and not even a full introduction...wow i know i'm amazing...bask in my glory!
To lordo, maybe you could say something along the lines of "In terms of the film medium in popular culture, to what extent do memories define character identities"? i dunno, just a suggestion....shoot it down if you want to
So how do you all go about actually writing your major works? can you just sit down and write for hours or is it bits a time? and how much research have you done?

yeah thanks that helped! for me, i just write lots of stuff in one go, usually its pretty inconsistent, but having the main skeleton of my essay lets me edit what i want. just my way =) btw... my teacher told me my thesis sucked. lol. so i have to start again. fun!