what lens essay

Writing a “Lens” Essay

This handout provides suggestions for writing papers or responses that ask you to analyze a text through the lens of a critical or theoretical secondary source.

Generally, the lens should reveal something about the original or “target” text that may not be otherwise apparent. Alternatively, your analysis may call the validity of the arguments of the lens piece into question, extend the arguments of the lens text, or provoke some other reevaluation of the two texts. Either way, you will be generating a critical “dialogue between texts.”

Reading the Texts

Since you will eventually want to hone in on points of commonality and discord between the two texts, the order and manner in which you read them is crucial.

First, read the lens text to identify the author’s core arguments and vocabulary. Since theoretical or critical texts tend to be dense and complex, it may be helpful to develop an outline of the author’s primary points. According the to Brandeis Writing Program Handbook, a valuable lens essay will “grapple with central ideas” of the lens text, rather than dealing with isolated quotes that may or may not be indicative of the author’s argument as a whole. As such, it’s important to make sure you truly understand and can articulate the author’s main points before proceeding to the target text.

Next, quickly read the target text to develop a general idea of its content. Then, ask yourself: Where do I see general points of agreement or disagreement between the two texts? Which of the lens text’s main arguments could be applied to the target text? It may be easier to focus on one or two of the lens text’s central arguments. 

With these ideas in mind, go back and read the target text carefully, through the theoretical lens, asking yourself the following questions: What are the main components of the lens text and what are their complementary parts in the target text? How can I apply the lens author’s theoretical vocabulary or logic to instances in the target text? Are there instances where the lens text’s arguments don’t or can’t apply? Why is this? It is helpful to keep a careful, written record of page numbers, quotes, and your thoughts and reactions as you read.

Since this type of paper deals with a complex synthesis of multiple sources, it is especially important to have a clear plan of action before you begin writing. It may help to group quotes or events by subject matter, by theme, or by whether they support, contradict, or otherwise modify the arguments in the lens text. Hopefully, common themes, ideas, and arguments will begin to emerge and you can start drafting!

Writing the Introduction and Thesis

As your paper concerns the complex interactions between multiple texts, it is important to explain what you will be doing the introduction. Make sure to clearly introduce the lens text and its specific arguments you will be employing or evaluating. Then introduce the target text and its specific themes or events you will be addressing in your analysis. 

These introductions of texts and themes should lead into some kind of thesis statement. Though there are no set guidelines or conventions for what this thesis should look like, make sure it states the points of interaction you will be discussing, and explains what your critical or theoretical analysis of the target text reveals about the texts.

Writing the Body

The body is where you apply specific arguments from the lens text to specific quotes or instances in the target text. In each case, make sure to discuss what the lens text reveals about the target text (or vice versa). Use the lens text’s vocabulary and logical framework to examine the target text, but make sure to be clear about where ideas in the paper are coming from (the lens text, the target text, your own interpretation etc.) so the reader doesn’t become confused.

By engaging in this type of analysis, you are “entering an academic conversation” and inserting your own ideas. As this is certainly easier said than done, Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein’s concept of “Templates” may prove useful. In their book, They Say, I Say, the authors lay out numerous templates to help writers engage in unfamiliar forms of critical academic discourse. They encourage students to use the templates in any capacity they find useful, be it filling them in verbatim, modifying and extending them, or using them as an analytical entry point, then discarding them completely.

Here I modify their basic template (They say ________. I say ________.), to create lens essay-specific templates to help you get started:

The author of the lens text lays out a helpful framework for understanding instances of ________ in the target text. Indeed, in the target text, one sees ________, which could be considered an example of ________ by the lens author’s definition. Therefore, we see a point of commonality concerning ________. This similarity reveals ________.

According to the lens text _______ tends to occur in situations where _______. By the lens author’s definition, ________ in the target text could be considered an instance of _______. However, this parallel is imperfect because _______. As such, we become aware of ________.

One sees ________ in the target text, which calls the lens author’s argument that ________ into question because ________.

If the author of the lens text is correct that ________, one would expect to see ________ in the target text. However, ________ actually takes place, revealing a critical point of disagreement. This discord suggests that ________. This issue is important because ________.

Wrapping Things up and Drawing Conclusions

By this point in your essay, you should be drawing conclusions regarding what your lens analysis reveals about the texts in questions, or the broader issues the texts address. Make sure to explain why these discoveries are important for the discipline in which you are writing. In other words, what was the point of carrying out your analysis in the first place? Happy lens writing!

Brandeis UWS Writing Handbook, 70.

UWS Handbook, 76.

Birkenstein, Cathy and Gerald Graff, They Say, I Say. (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2007), 2-3.

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How to Write a Powerful “Lens” Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

Writing an essay lets you dive deep into a topic, exploring its various facets and presenting your own unique perspective. Whether you are an excellent writer or just starting out, the lens essay is a valuable tool to develop your critical thinking skills and showcase your ability to analyze and interpret different sources.

The lens essay follows a specific structure and set of principles, where you critically analyze a single quote, book, or article and use it as a lens through which to view and interpret other texts or stories. While other essays may focus on making arguments or providing information, the lens essay requires you to take a stance and show how the quote or text you are using as a lens helps you understand a particular topic or issue.

The body paragraphs of your lens essay should include several original and well-researched examples that support your main thesis statement. Each paragraph should present a different example or piece of evidence, while also drawing connections back to the quote or text that serves as the lens. It is necessary to include critical analysis and explain how each example fits into the overall argument of your essay.

Critical Lens Remarks

When writing a critical lens essay, it is important to be aware of the various services and support available to students. Many college writing centers offer assistance with essay writing, and there are numerous online resources that provide tips and templates for structuring your essay.

To make your essay more analytical and impressive, it is necessary to include the following elements:

2. Body Paragraphs: In the body of your essay, make sure to identify the literary works you will be discussing and express your own interpretation of the quote. Use examples from the texts to support your claims.

When making critical lens remarks, it is important to be aware of the major principles of this type of essay. A critical lens essay goes beyond summarizing the plot or main ideas of a work; it requires you to analyze the literary elements and techniques used by the authors to convey their message.

One of the most common mistakes that students make when writing a critical lens essay is not being able to connect the quote to the works they are discussing. It is important to clearly identify whether the quote supports or contradicts the chosen works.

Furthermore, using too many quotes from the works without enough of your own analysis can weaken your argument. It is important to express your own thoughts and ideas about the topic, rather than relying solely on the words of others.

Writing a Thesis Statement

The thesis statement should be strong and concise, and it should clearly state the writer’s main argument or point of view. It should also provide enough support for the claims made throughout the essay. To write an excellent thesis statement for a lens essay, writers can follow these tips:

1. Understand the lens: Before writing the thesis statement, it is important to have a clear understanding of the lens through which the essay will be analyzed. This lens can be a specific theme, a literary theory, or any other analytical framework.

2. Analyze the texts: Take the time to analyze the literary works that will be discussed in the essay. Look for common elements, themes, or characters that can be used to support the thesis statement.

3. Be original: A strong thesis statement should be original and unique. Avoid generic statements that can apply to any topic or works. Instead, focus on expressing a specific argument or interpretation that is supported by the lens.

4. Use quotes wisely: Incorporate quotes from the works being analyzed to support the thesis statement. However, make sure the quotes are relevant and add value to the overall argument. Avoid using long quotes that may overshadow your own analysis.

5. Provide examples: Instead of just stating the main points, provide examples or evidence from the works to further support the thesis statement. This will make the argument more convincing and engaging for the reader.

6. Follow a clear structure: The thesis statement should be placed at the end of the first paragraph, as it serves as a roadmap for the rest of the essay. The following paragraphs should be well-organized and each should focus on a specific aspect or point related to the thesis statement.

7. Use templates: If you are struggling to write a thesis statement, consider using templates or guidelines provided by your teachers or academic resources. These can help you format your statement in a clear and effective way.

By following these principles, writers can create a powerful thesis statement that impresses readers and sets the tone for an analytical and exciting lens essay. Remember to take enough time to read and understand the works and analyze them in the context of the lens. With practice, writing a strong thesis statement will become second nature, allowing you to express your thoughts and insights confidently in your college essays and academic works.

Clear Presentation of the Topic

Another important element of a clear presentation is the thesis statement. This is a single sentence that expresses the writer’s stance or argument. It should be concise and to the point, letting the reader know exactly what the essay will be about.

Furthermore, it is necessary to support the thesis statement with three main points. These points should be supported by evidence and examples from the text or texts being analyzed. The writer should think about what they want to say about the topic and then find quotes or passages that support their ideas.

Moreover, the writer should make use of transitions to help guide the reader from one point to the next. This can be done with transitional words or phrases, such as “furthermore” or “on the other hand.”

Express Your Stance

When it comes to expressing your stance in a “lens” essay, it is crucial to have a strong thesis statement that clearly states your position. This statement should provide a clear and concise overview of the main argument you will be making in your essay.

When expressing your stance, it is helpful to think about the main elements of the “critical lens” topic and how they relate to each other. This will assist you in making a well-researched and well-structured argument.

Furthermore, as a writer, you may find it helpful to provide some remarks on the topic itself and its popularity among students and teachers. By doing so, you can demonstrate your understanding of the subject matter and show that you have done enough research on the topic.

In order to express your stance clearly and effectively, it is necessary to use clear and concise language. Avoid using vague or uncertain words that may confuse the reader. Instead, use strong and confident words to make your position clear.

By following these guidelines and expressing your stance clearly and confidently, you can impress your readers and make your essay more impactful. Remember, the more clear and persuasive your stance is, the more likely your essay will be successful.

What is a lens essay?

A lens essay is an essay that examines a particular text or piece of literature through the lens of a specific theory or school of thought.

What is the purpose of a lens essay?

The purpose of a lens essay is to analyze and interpret a text by using a specific theoretical framework or perspective.

How do you choose a lens for your essay?

To choose a lens for your essay, you should first identify the main themes or ideas of the text and then select a theory or perspective that provides a unique and insightful way of understanding those themes.

What are some common lenses or theories used in lens essays?

Some common lenses or theories used in lens essays include feminism, Marxism, psychoanalysis, postcolonialism, and structuralism.

What are the steps to writing a powerful lens essay?

The steps to writing a powerful lens essay include reading and understanding the text, selecting a lens or theoretical framework, conducting research on the lens, analyzing the text through the lens, and developing a strong thesis statement and supporting arguments.

What is a “Lens” essay?

A “Lens” essay is a type of literary analysis essay where the writer presents a text or work of art through the perspective of a particular lens or viewpoint.

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Alex Koliada, PhD, is a well-known doctor. He is famous for studying aging, genetics, and other medical conditions. He works at the Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics. His scientific research has been published in the most reputable international magazines. Alex holds a BA in English and Comparative Literature from the University of Southern California , and a TEFL certification from The Boston Language Institute.

How to Write a Critical Lens Essay Successfully Step by Step

Critical lens essay writing is a type of literary analysis where the writer is required to analyze and interpret a specific piece of literature or a quote. The essay typically involves discussing the meaning of the quote and how it relates to two literary works. The author is expected to use literary elements and techniques to support their interpretation and provide evidence from the texts.

The term "critical lense" refers to the perspective or lenses through which the scribe views and analyzes the literature. It often involves exploring the cultural, historical, or philosophical context of the works being analyzed. The goal is to demonstrate a deep understanding of the literature and present a well-argued interpretation.

In this guide, we’ll explore such crucial aspects of how to write critical lens essay, its definition, format, and samples. Just in case you’re in a big hurry, here’s a link to our essay writer service that can help you cope with a task at hand quickly and effortlessly.  

What Is a Critical Lens Essay and How to Write It

A critical lens analysis is a form of literary exploration that challenges students to interpret and analyze a specific quote, known as the "lens," and apply it to two pieces of literature. This type of composition aims to assess a student's understanding of literary elements, themes, and the broader implications of the chosen quote. Effectively producing a research paper involves several key steps, each contributing to a comprehensive and insightful analysis. 

The critical lens meaning is to provide a unique perspective into the complexities of literature. It goes beyond mere summarization, urging students to explore the layers of meaning embedded within the chosen quote and its application to literary works. Unveiling the assignment's meaning requires a keen eye for nuance and an appreciation for the intricate dance between language and interpretation.

Knowing how to write a lens essay involves mastering the art of interpretation. As students embark on this literary journey, the process of achieving this task becomes integral. It demands an exploration of the chosen quote's implications, an in-depth analysis of its resonance with the selected literature, and a thoughtful synthesis of ideas. A step-by-step approach is crucial, from deciphering the meaning to meticulously weaving insights into a cohesive and compelling narrative.

A lens analysis is more than a scholarly exercise; it's a nuanced exploration of the intersections between literature and life. It prompts students to unravel the layers of meaning embedded within the viewpoint, dissecting its implications for characters, themes, and overarching narratives. This analytical journey not only refines academic skills but also cultivates a deeper appreciation for the profound impact literature can have on our understanding of the human experience.

Step-by-Step Writing Guide

In this guide, we will explore the assignment’s prerequisites and outline five steps to help students understand how to write a critical lens essay.

STEP 1 - Understand the Critical Lens Quote

The journey of crafting a compelling draft begins with a deep understanding of the chosen quote or viewpoint. This quote typically embodies a philosophical or thematic idea that serves as a foundation for analyzing the selected literary works. Students should dissect the quote, exploring its nuances, underlying meanings, and potential applications to literature.

STEP 2 - Select Appropriate Literary Works

Once the sources are comprehended, the next step is to select two literary works that can be effectively analyzed through this framework. Choosing appropriate texts is crucial, as they should offer rich content and thematic depth, allowing for a comprehensive exploration. Students must consider how the texts align with and diverge from the central ideas presented in the quote.

STEP 3 - Interpret the Chosen Texts

With the literary works in hand, students embark on a close reading and analysis of the selected texts. This involves identifying key themes, characters, literary devices, and narrative elements within each work. The goal is to understand how each text relates to the material and to uncover the deeper meanings encapsulated in the literature.

STEP 4 - Write a Thesis Statement for Your Critical Lens Essay

The thesis statement is the compass guiding the entire document. It should succinctly capture the composer’s interpretation of the original source and how it applies to the chosen texts. A well-crafted thesis statement not only outlines the focus of the essay but also provides a roadmap for the subsequent analysis, showcasing the author’s unique perspective.

STEP 5 - Structure the Essay Effectively

The final step involves organizing the tract into a coherent and persuasive structure. A well-structured article typically includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction, students present their interpretation, introduce the chosen texts, and offer a clear thesis statement. Body paragraphs delve into specific aspects of lenses and their application to each text, supported by relevant evidence and analysis. The conclusion synthesizes the key findings, reinforces the thesis, and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

A successful article requires a meticulous approach to interpreting the quote, selecting appropriate literary works, closely analyzing the texts, crafting a robust thesis statement, and structuring the document effectively. By following these five key steps, students can develop a well-rounded and insightful article that not only demonstrates their understanding of literature but also showcases their ability to apply analytical thinking skills to literary analysis. Should you find the process challenging, simply contact us and say, ‘ Write an essay for me ,’ so we can find you a perfect writer for the job.

Critical Lens Essay Outline

Creating a comprehensive lens essay outline is an essential preparatory step that helps students organize their thoughts and ensures a well-structured effort. Below is a suggested outline, dividing the task into logical sections:

Introduction:

• Hook: Begin with a captivating hook or quote to engage the reader.
• Quote: Introduce the chosen quote, providing context and potential interpretations.
• Interpretation: Offer your initial interpretation and its implications.
• Thesis Statement: Clearly state your thesis, outlining how the document applies to the chosen literary works.

Body Paragraphs:

Paragraph 1: First Literary Work

• Brief Overview: Provide a concise summary of the first literary work.
• Connection to Critical Lens: Analyze how it applies to this text.
• Evidence: Incorporate relevant quotes or examples from the text to support your analysis.
• Interpretation: Discuss the deeper meanings revealed through the analysis.

Paragraph 2: Second Literary Work

• Brief Overview: Summarize the second literary work.
• Connection to Critical Lens: Examine how it is reflected in this text.
• Evidence: Include specific quotes or instances from the text to bolster your analysis.
• Interpretation: Explore the profound implications illuminated by the material.

Paragraph 3: Comparative Analysis

• Common Themes: Identify shared themes or patterns between the two works.
• Differences: Highlight key differences and divergent interpretations.
• Unity: Emphasize how both work collectively to reinforce the analysis.
• Counterargument.

Conclusion:

• Recapitulation: Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Thesis Restatement: Reiterate your thesis in a compelling manner.
• Concluding Thoughts: Offer final reflections on the broader implications of your analysis.

By adhering to this outline, students can systematically approach their essays, ensuring a coherent and well-supported exploration of the chosen perspective and literary works. The outline serves as a roadmap, guiding the author through each essential element and facilitating a more organized and impactful final product. You will also benefit from learning how to write a character analysis essay because this guide also offers a lot of useful tips.

Introduction

The introduction plays a pivotal role in capturing the reader's attention and establishing the foundation for the ensuing analysis. Begin with a compelling hook or a thought-provoking quote that relates to the chosen perspective. Following the hook, introduce the quote itself, providing the necessary context and initial interpretations. This is also the space to present the thesis statement, succinctly outlining how the outlook applies to the literary works under examination. The thesis should offer a roadmap for the reader, indicating the key themes or ideas that will be explored in the body paragraphs.

The main body paragraphs constitute the heart of the article, where the essayist delves into a detailed analysis of the chosen literary works through the framework provided. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific literary work, providing a brief overview, connecting it to the perspective, presenting evidence from the text, and offering interpretations. Use clear topic sentences to guide the reader through each paragraph's main idea. Strive for a balance between summarizing the text and analyzing how it aligns with the outlook. If applicable, include a comparative analysis paragraph that explores common themes or differences between the two works. This section requires a careful integration of textual evidence and insightful commentary. Keep in mind that learning the ins and outs of a literary analysis essay might also help you improve your overall written skills, so check it out, too!

The conclusion serves as a synthesis of the analysis, offering a concise recapitulation of the main points explored in the body paragraphs. Begin by summarizing the key findings and interpretations, reinforcing how each literary work aligns with the work’s angle. Restate the thesis in a conclusive manner, emphasizing the overarching themes that have emerged from the analysis. Beyond a mere recap, the conclusion should provide broader insights into the implications of the outlook, encouraging readers to contemplate the universal truths or societal reflections brought to light. A strong conclusion leaves a lasting impression, prompting reflection on the interconnectedness of literature and the perspectives that illuminate its depth.

Critical Lens Essay Example

Final Remark 

Through the exploration of literary works, students not only refine their understanding of diverse perspectives but also develop essential analytical thinking skills. The ability to decipher, analyze, and articulate the underlying themes and conflicts within literature positions students as adept communicators and thinkers.

Armed with the skills cultivated in dissecting and interpreting texts, students gain a formidable ally in the pursuit of effective communication. By committing to harnessing the insights gained through this assignment, students empower themselves to produce richer, more nuanced pieces. 

How to Write a Thesis Statement for Your Critical Lens Essay?

How does using a critical lens essay help writers, what are the best critical lens essay examples.

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What Is A Lens In Writing? (The Ultimate Guide)

Ever feel like your writing is stuck in a one-dimensional rut? Then you need to use a lens.

What is a lens in writing?

A lens in writing is a tool that shifts your perspective, like looking through a kaleidoscope. Writing lenses include historical, psychological, and critical. Use a writing lens to analyze, interpret, and craft richer, more engaging writing.

Buckle up, language enthusiast, because this ultimate guide dives deep into the fascinating world of writing lenses.

What Is a Lens in Writing? (10 Types)

Table of Contents

Think of a lens as a specific viewpoint or approach you adopt while writing.

It guides how you dissect information, select arguments, and craft your message.

Whether you analyze literature, dissect historical events, or craft marketing copy, lenses offer unique filters through which you process and present your ideas.

To simplify your journey, I’ve compiled a handy chart outlining 10 popular lenses:

Go ahead, bookmark this chart! It’s your cheat sheet to unlocking a universe of creative perspectives.

Now, let’s explore each lens, equipping you to wield them like a writing ninja.

Through the Lens of Time: The Historical Lens

What it is: The historical lens transports you to the past, examining your topic within the context of its era. This involves considering the social, political, and cultural factors that shaped events and influenced individuals.

How to use it: Research the historical context: dig into primary sources like documents, letters, and diaries. Analyze social norms, political structures, and major events of the time period. Consider how these factors influenced your topic and how your understanding might differ from a modern perspective.

Example: Analyzing a Shakespearean play through the historical lens involves understanding Elizabethan social hierarchy, religious beliefs, and theatrical conventions. This helps you interpret character motivations, plot developments, and the play’s overall message within its historical context.

Unveiling the Mind: The Psychological Lens

What it is: The psychological lens delves into the inner workings of the human mind, exploring characters’ motivations, behaviors, and mental states. It draws on psychological theories to analyze their actions, reactions, and thought processes.

How to use it: Identify key characters and their actions. Apply relevant psychological theories, such as Freudian psychoanalysis or cognitive-behavioral therapy, to explain their motivations. Analyze how their experiences and environment shape their behavior and mental state.

Example: Examining Hamlet’s indecisiveness and introspection through a psychological lens could involve applying Freudian concepts like the Oedipus complex and existential anxieties. This deepens your understanding of his character and the play’s exploration of human nature.

Decoding Social Structures: The Sociological Lens

What it is: The sociological lens focuses on the interactions, norms, and power dynamics within communities and societies. It examines how individuals and groups relate to each other, considering factors like social class, race, gender, and cultural values.

How to use it: Identify the social context of your topic: analyze social structures, power dynamics, and potential conflicts within the group or society. Consider how these factors influence individual experiences and group behaviors. Apply sociological theories like conflict theory or symbolic interactionism to explain observations.

Example: Analyzing a social media trend through the sociological lens might involve examining how it reflects broader cultural values, power dynamics between different groups, and the role of technology in shaping social interactions.

Weighing Wallets and Resources: The Economic Lens

What it is: The economic lens analyzes the financial aspects of a topic, focusing on production, consumption, and distribution of resources. It considers factors like market forces, economic policies, and social inequalities.

How to use it: Identify the economic context: analyze relevant economic concepts like supply and demand, resource allocation, and market structures. Explore how economic factors influence your topic and the individuals involved. Consider potential economic consequences of different actions or policies.

Example: Evaluating the impact of climate change through the economic lens might involve analyzing its effects on different industries, economic losses due to extreme weather events, and potential costs of implementing mitigation strategies.

Unveiling Power Plays: The Political Lens

What it is: The political lens examines the dynamics of power, governance, and influence within a political system. It analyzes how decisions are made, power is distributed, and individuals or groups compete for influence.

How to use it: Identify the political context: understand the structure of government, key political actors, and prevailing ideologies. Analyze how political dynamics influence your topic and the individuals involved. Consider potential political implications of different actions or policies.

Example: Examining a protest movement through the political lens might involve analyzing its demands in relation to existing power structures, the influence of political parties, and potential responses from the government.

Beyond Biology: The Gender Lens

What it is: The gender lens analyzes how gender identities, roles, and expectations shape experiences and social structures. It examines how individuals and groups are affected by societal norms and power dynamics related to gender.

How to use it: Identify the gender context: analyze dominant societal expectations for different genders, consider power dynamics and potential inequalities. Explore how gender roles and identities influence your topic and the individuals involved.

Example: Analyzing a novel through the gender lens might involve examining how female characters challenge or conform to societal expectations, exploring the portrayal of masculinity, and questioning power dynamics between genders.

Understanding Shared Values: The Cultural Lens

What it is: The cultural lens delves into the shared beliefs, values, and practices of a particular group or society. It examines how cultural norms, traditions, and customs shape experiences and behaviors.

How to use it: Identify the cultural context: research the specific belief systems, traditions, and values relevant to your topic and target audience. Analyze how cultural factors influence the perception and interpretation of your topic.

Example: Comparing advertising strategies across different cultures through the cultural lens might involve examining how humor, color symbolism, and family dynamics differ and how these differences impact marketing effectiveness.

The Power of Words: The Rhetorical Lens

What it is: The rhetorical lens analyzes how language is used to persuade, inform, or entertain. It examines the speaker’s purpose, strategies, and techniques to achieve their desired effect on the audience.

How to use it: Identify the speaker’s purpose and target audience. Analyze the language used, considering elements like tone, imagery, and emotional appeals. Evaluate the effectiveness of the speaker’s strategies in achieving their desired response.

Example: Analyzing a political speech through the rhetorical lens might involve examining how the speaker uses persuasive techniques like repetition, emotional appeals, and logical arguments to influence the audience’s opinion.

Preserving Our Planet: The Environmental Lens

What it is: The environmental lens considers the impact of human actions on the natural world. It examines issues like sustainability, resource management, and ecological consequences of human activities.

How to use it: Identify the environmental context: analyze the ecological impact of your topic and consider relevant environmental issues. Explore potential solutions and sustainable practices related to your topic.

Example: Evaluating the social impact of a new technology through the environmental lens might involve considering its energy consumption, potential pollution, and impact on biodiversity and resource depletion.

Shaping the Future: The Technological Lens

What it is: The technological lens examines the role of technology in society, focusing on its development, impact, and ethical implications. It analyzes how technology shapes our lives and raises important questions about its future evolution.

How to use it: Identify the technological context: understand the specific technology and its development stage. Analyze the social, economic, and ethical implications of its use. Consider potential future scenarios and responsible tech development practices.

Example: Discussing the potential benefits and risks of artificial intelligence through the technological lens might involve analyzing its impact on jobs, automation, and potential biases, highlighting the need for ethical considerations in its development and deployment.

Remember, these are just a few of the many writing lenses available. With practice and exploration, you can unlock a world of creative possibilities, enriching your writing and engaging your audience with diverse perspectives.

What Is a Critical Lens in Writing?

A critical lens is, in essence, a specific perspective or approach you adopt to critically examine a topic or text.

It acts as a filter, guiding how you analyze information, evaluate arguments, and ultimately shape your understanding.

Unlike mere summaries or descriptions, critical lenses encourage in-depth questioning, pushing you beyond surface-level observations to unearth deeper meanings and underlying assumptions.

Think of it this way: Imagine examining a painting through a magnifying glass.

While you could simply describe the colors and shapes, the magnifying glass allows you to closely scrutinize brushstrokes, textures, and hidden details, revealing the artist’s technique and message in a nuanced way.

Similarly, critical lenses empower you to zoom in on information, dissecting its layers and uncovering its deeper significance.

But remember, critical lenses are not about imposing a singular “correct” interpretation.

Watch this video about writing a critical lens essay:

Final Thoughts: What Is a Lens in Writing?

Don’t be afraid to experiment, break the mold, and see the world through a new lens. Write on!

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Tag Archives: lens essay

“the death of ivan ilych: a psychological study on death and dying” as a lens essay.

The lens essay is a commonly-assigned paper, particularly in Writing Seminars. The prompt for such a paper often asks students to “critique and refine” an argument, to use a source as a lens through which to view another source and in the process gain a better understanding of both sources. This type of essay can be hard to explain and difficult to understand, so it is one of the most common types of essays we see in the Writing Center.

Recently, I read Y.J. Dayananda’s paper “ The Death of Ivan Ilych : A Psychological Study On Death and Dying ” which uses the lens technique. In this paper, Dayananda examines Tolstoy’s famous short story The Death of Ivan Ilych through the lens of Dr. E. K. Ross’s psychological studies of dying, particularly her five-stage theory. Dayananda’s paper features strong source use, shows how structure can be informed by those sources, and serves as a model for an effective and cross-disciplinary lens essay.

Dayananda establishes the paper’s argument clearly at the end of the introduction, setting up the paper’s thesis in light of this lens technique and providing the rationale (part of the motive) behind applying Ross’s study to Tolstoy’s story:

I intend to draw upon the material presented in Dr. Ross’s On Death and Dying and try to show how Tolstoy’s Ivan Ilych in The Death of Ivan Ilych goes through the same five stages. Psychiatry offers one way to a better illumination of literature. Dr. Ross’s discoveries in her consulting room corroborate Tolstoy’s literary insights into the experience of dying. They give us the same picture of man’s terrors of the flesh, despair, loneliness, and depression at the approach of death. The understanding of one will be illuminated by the understanding of the other. The two books, On Death and Dying and The Death of Ivan Ilych , the one with its systematically accumulated certified knowledge, and disciplined and scientific descriptions, and the other with its richly textured commentary, and superbly concrete and realistic perceptions, bring death out of the darkness and remove it from the list of taboo topics. Death, our affluent societies newest forbidden topic, is not regarded as “obscene” but discussed openly and without the euphemisms of the funeral industry.

Dayananda then organizes the paper in order of the five stages of Dr. Ross’s theory: denial, loneliness, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. This gives the paper a clear structure and places the texts into conversation with each other on an organizational level. As the reader moves through each stage, Dayananda combines quotations from Dr. Ross’s study and evidence from The Death of Ivan Ilych to show how Ivan Ilych experiences that stage.

Dayananda’s interdisciplinary close-reading of Tolstoy’s text through the lens of Dr. Ross’s study allows us to better understand what Ivan is experiencing as we learn the psychology behind it. As Dayananda writes, “psychoanalysis offers a rich, dynamic approach to some aspects of literature.” The only way Dayananda’s paper could have been strengthened is if the essay also argued explicitly how reading the literature critiques or refines the psychological text, as the best lens essays run both ways. However, overall, Dayananda sets up and executes an original and effective lens reading of The Death of Ivan Ilych.

–Paige Allen ’21

Dayananda, Y. J. “ The Death of Ivan Ilych: A Psychological Study On Death and Dying .” Tolstoy’s Short Fiction: Revised Translations, Backgrounds and Sources, Criticism , by Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoi and Michael R. Katz, Norton, 1991, pp. 423–434.

The Shade of the Body: Notions of Materiality in Rauschenberg’s Dante Series

In a Tortoiseshell: In the paper excerpted below, the author builds a graduated version of the lens thesis: She analyzes Robert Rauschenberg’s 34 Drawings for Dante’s Inferno in the context of Dante’s Inferno itself, using close reading as well as scholarly texts to make a subtle argument about both texts.

Continue reading →

The “Immense Edifice”: Memory, Rapture, and the Intertemporal Self in Swann’s Way

In a Tortoiseshell: This excerpt from Andrew Mullen’s essay “The ‘Immense Edifice”:  Memory, Rapture, and the Intertemporal Self in Swann’s Way ” concerns the analysis of Marcel Proust’s “ Swann’s Way ” through the lens of Claudia Brodsky’s essay on narration and memory. Andrew’s essay is a prime example of the lens essay –an essay that is structured around the analysis of a source text using a theoretical framework provided by another. Continue reading →

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Critical Lens Essay Example for English Regents

A critical lens essay is a type of essay aimed at providing a personal interpretation and analysis of a certain quotation or statement, proving one’s opinion with the help of literature references. Though it contains a word “critical” in its name, it is not meant to be a critical piece. As a matter of fact, a critical lens essay is focused on highlighting strong and weak points of a given quote. Thus, the word “critical” stands for the demonstration of critical thinking skills of the author by means of supporting his claim with certain arguments taken from literary works. Linking one’s opinion to reputable sources makes a convincing effect on the reader, proving your ideas to be true.

How is a critical lens essay used?

Writing such type of essay appears to be quite a challenging assignment for students. First, while studying at high school, college, or university, one has to obtain and develop such essential skills as critical and analytical thinking; ability to compare facts, theses, quotes, and ideas, make one’s own statements and prove them, draw right conclusions. Second, a profound research on the given topic should be done, as it determines the further direction of your writing. Finally, a student needs to have an excellent command of grammar, spelling, and punctuation in order to express his/her thoughts clearly and academically correctly.

Thus, critical lens essays are perfect opportunities for professors to check students’ skills and abilities. No wonder this specific type of essay is often one of the tasks on the Regents, a New York State set of exams required for graduation. For this reason, one should know how to write a critical lens essay at the high academic level, because it reflects the general level of education of a student. Hence, the student is evaluated accordingly.

What is a critical lens essay format?

Typically, a critical lens essay follows a standard essay format pattern. Therefore, it consists of five paragraphs, including introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion, so it should not be long like a research paper . In order to develop the critical analysis, a student has to use examples from two literature pieces, each one discussed in a separate paragraph. The book titles need to be underlined and capitalized, written in accordance with the capitalization and punctuation rules. As for the language and general tone of writing, it should be objective, without revealing any of the author’s personal beliefs. All the claims need to be referred to reputable literature sources that would support the author’s thesis and present the evidence of its validation. In order for the tone to sound objective, one should avoid using personal pronouns, for example, “I”, “me”, “my”, “you”, “your”, “we”, “our”. On the contrary, it is recommended to replace them with third person pronouns or general words like “people”, “readers”, “audience”.

Tips to make a critical lens essay outline

As it was mentioned above, a critical lens essay template coincides with the fixed classic essay pattern.

Introduction

The first part of an essay is the introduction. This is the first thing that makes an impression upon the reader. So, the intro part should be captivating enough to get the reader really interested in what you have to say. The introduction starts with the quote, which is not just an ordinary sentence from the text, but a significant statement that holds considerable value. It should be universally acknowledged and meaningful; the author’s name should also be provided.

After introducing the quote, a writer has to interpret it in one sentence using his/her own words. Such an interpretation is called the thesis. It plays a role of the foundation of the entire essay, which makes it a crucial part of the paper. Therefore, a key to a high-quality critical lens essay is arranging the thesis in a wise and profound way, as it presents the criteria for the further analysis.

Having provided the thesis, the writer needs to support or refute it. Though, the decision whether to agree or disagree is based not on his personal opinion, but on two literature references related to the quote. Connecting the essay with relevant references affirms the objective approach. The titles and authors of the chosen literature works have to be underlined. The intro part ends with adding a few words about the chosen reference texts topics.

Body Paragraphs

There should be two body paragraphs introducing two literature works mentioned in the introduction. The writer needs to use the references as the means for supporting his thesis. Both topic and concluding sentences demonstrate and prove the connection between the reference examples and the thesis. There should not be any summarizing; just highlighting and analysis of the main points of both literary texts explaining their relevance to the core statement. Moreover, there is no need to retell the plot of the chosen texts. On the contrary, the writing should be laconic, but clear. To convey the arguments in the most appropriate way, some literary elements from the reference texts should be chosen, such as the following:

• Characterization (direct or indirect way to describe the character);
• Conflict (opposition of the ideas, forces, views);
• Figurative language (metaphor, simile, hyperbole, alliteration, personification);
• Flashback (describing the past event that is necessary to know at present);
• Foreshadowing (hints on the events to come);
• Setting (describing time and place of action);
• Symbolism (representing something through another thing);
• Theme (main idea, message of the text);
• Tone (author’s attitude towards the audience or subject).

The last essay part summarizes the arguments and proves the initial thesis right or wrong. The quote and the thesis should be restated here, but the thesis has to be rephrased, not taken from the intro part word by word. If the essay is written in a right manner, then the conclusion would follow in the most logical way and the readers would totally agree to it. While body paragraphs persuade the reader of the correctness of the thesis, the conclusion just states the fact: the thesis is true and it is absolutely confirmed. So, the reader is satisfied, though intrigued to investigate the topic more.

How to choose the right quote?

This is not an easy task to do. The quote determines the quality of the essay, depending on whether it’s relevant or not. Below there is a list of possible quotes that are approved to be used for critical lens essays as they are widely applied at the English Regents.

English Regents critical lens quotes list:

• “Courage is never to let your actions be influenced by your fears” (Arthur Koestler);
• “Individuality is freedom lived” (John Dos Passos);
• “Obedience is the mother of success and is wedded to safety” (Aeschylus);
• “Nobody can acquire honor by doing what is wrong” (Thomas Jefferson);
• “Do what you can, with what you have, and where you are” (Theodore Roosevelt);
• “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get” (Warren Buffet);
• “Some books leave us free and some books make us free” (Ralph Waldo Emerson);
• “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands” (Anne Frank);
• “Prejudice is the child of ignorance” (William Hazlitt);
• “If there is no struggle, there is no progress” (Frederick Douglas);
• “It is impossible to go through life without trust” (Graham Green);
• “Fear is simply the consequence of every lie” (Fyodor Dostoevsky);
• “No two persons regard the world in exactly the same way” (J. W. von Goethe);
• “We pay a price for everything we get or take in this world” (L. M. Montgomery);
• “Men are at the mercy of events and cannot control them” (Herodotus);
• “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it” (Helen Keller);
• “Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it” (Rene Descartes);
• “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” (Dr. Seuss);
• “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough” (Mae West);
• “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on” (Robert Frost);
• “Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results” (Albert Einstein);
• “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” (John Lennon);
• “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not” (André Gide);
• “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving” (Albert Einstein);
• “The real hero is always a hero by mistake” (Umberto Eco);
• “It is the human lot to try and fail” (David Mamet);
• “You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it” (Yann Martel);
• “The human heart has ever dreamed of a fairer world than the one it knows” (Carleton Noyes);
• “To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else” (Bernadette Devlin);
• “All that is literature seeks to communicate power” (Thomas De Quincey);
• “It is not what an author says, but what he or she whispers, that is important” (Logan Pearsall Smith);
• “What lasts is what is written. We look to literature to find the essence of an age” (Peter Brodie);
• “Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure” (William Saroyan);
• “All literature is protest. You can’t name a single literary work that isn’t protest” (Richard Wright);
• “The bravest of individuals is the one who obeys his or her conscience” (J. F. Clarke);
• “We do not read novels for improvement or instruction” (Oliver Wendell Holmes);
• “In a dark time, the eye begins to see” (Theodore Roethke);
• “A person is a person through other persons” (Archbishop Desmond Tutu);
• The right good book is always a book of travel; it is about a life’s journey” (H.M. Tomlinson).

The quotations listed above serve as appropriate examples of the NYS English Regents critical lens essay quotes. Thus, they might be widely used during the preparation for the Regents or any other type of exam where a critical lens essay is one of the tasks.

How to write a critical lens essay step by step?

Below there are detailed steps that may serve as an instruction for writing this type of essay. Each step will be followed by the relevant part of a critical lens essay example to make the guideline even more clear.

Step 1. Choose a meaningful quote and introduce it, indicating its author. Add a few sentences before it to get the readers involved and let them follow the logical flow of your thoughts.

Step 2. Interpret the quote, rewrite it using your own words. That would be your thesis.

Step 3 . Agree or disagree with the thesis.

Step 4. Introduce two literary references that prove your thesis. Express in a few words how they support the thesis.

Step 5. Start writing the first body paragraph focusing on the first literary reference mentioned in the intro part. Choose the literary element, through which the text and thesis would be connected. Prove that the text example supports the quote.

Step 6 . Do the same thing focusing on the other literary work while writing the second body paragraph.

Step 7. Summarize everything you have written. State the quote and thesis again, the latter should be rephrased, though. The conclusion has to prove the coherence between the thesis and arguments written above.

Below there is a sample of a critical lens essay that may be referred to during the preparation for the English Regents.

Critical lens essay example for English Regents

Human life is a constant alternating between success and failure. Today one may enjoy the abundance of money and opportunities, while tomorrow may bring something totally different. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, and where you are.” One’s duty in life is to do one’s best, strive to survive and get moving using all the skills and resources available, regardless of the circumstances. Life indeed often forces people to keep trying even in the most unfavorable conditions and teaches that doing this is the only key to win. Both Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and Love of Life by Jack London support the idea that all the problems can be solved if the person is well motivated and wise enough to direct all the efforts and chances towards one’s goal.

The novel Robinson Crusoe illustrates a strong will of an ordinary man who faced unpredictable circumstances after a shipwreck. He has lost everything and everyone just in a moment. The fate left him alone on the desert island in total despair. Daniel Defoe uses the direct method of characterization showing main hero’s desire to survive. He was not expecting such a fatal failure. Robinson got a tremendous challenge that let him acknowledge himself as a miserable creature but also created perfect conditions for self-discovery. On the unknown out-of-the-way patch of the Earth, he found himself completely helpless and alone in his struggle for life. Nevertheless, Crusoe realized the real value of human life and gathered all the possible means he could ever find on the island, which combined with his brilliant intellect and willpower saved him afterwards. The story is narrated in the form of his own diary, which pictures the hero in the most veritable way. He kept trying over and over again while building his refuge place, acquiring hunting and farming skills. The long twenty-eight years way through failures to victory taught him that the main thing in life is the ability to pull oneself together when there seems like nothing can be done. Robinson proved that it is not the setting and opportunities that matter, but a strong goal-oriented approach to the problem.

Love of Life demonstrates another example of overcoming hardships in life. Gold seekers are lost in the White Desert. While one of them leaves his comrade in trouble, he succeeded to survive. Through the tone of the novel, it is evident that Jack London supports his hero picturing him as a symbol of a victorious will power. Physical exhaustion, freezing cold of the White Desert, pain from the betrayal of the only friend, fear of loneliness, hunger, which is not eased with the miserable stuff that cannot even be called food. Moreover, he suffers from the pain in legs, being severely injured. Torturing body ache is combined with the despair of useless attempts to gain food and unbearable exhaustion, which leads to hallucinations. Yet, in spite of all he has encountered, despite being frightened and despaired, the man found enough courage not to give up but went on with a great passion for life, which helped him during struggles with a bear and a wolf. His irresistible desire to live, tranquility, and patience is what removed the fear and saved him from death. The hero was doing what he could: he was able to walk, he walked; he could only crawl, he crawled; he was obliged to fight with wild animals, so he did. As long as there were those primitive means for survival, no matter how adverse the setting, the man continued his difficult path and, finally, he succeeded.

All things considered, it seems sensible to assume that in order to lead the life to the full and survive despite all the troubles, one needs to use each little thing around, notwithstanding the limits. The core of success is human mind and will that dominates over poor conditions, situations that seem to be impossible, fears, and desperate obstacles. Thus, the saying “Do what you can, with what you have, and where you are” serves as the right motto for the general life philosophy.

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How to Write a Thesis Statement for a Critical Lens Essay

How to Do an In-Depth Analysis Essay

"Everyone's a critic," or so the saying goes. When it comes to writing a critical lens essay, it's true that you get the chance to view wisdom and literature through a critical lens. The thesis statement is the center point of any essay, so crafting a strong example takes work. Take your inspiration from the format of the critical lens essay introduction, making sure to revise the wording to make your statement as convincing as possible.

Critical Lens Essay

A critical lens essay is a type of literary analysis paper. In this case, you start with a quotation, which you view through a "critical lens." This viewing involves restating the quotation in your own words, thus interpreting it. You take a position in this paper by stating whether you agree or disagree with the quotation as interpreted. The majority of the essay consists of elements from literature, usually two works, that support your position on the legitimacy of the quotation.

Elements of the Thesis Statement

The thesis statement, the final sentence of the introduction, consists of one sentence only. This statement includes the title, author and genre of the works of literature you are using to support your position. The thesis statement also includes literary elements, like characterization or theme, from the pieces that help support your position. Altogether the thesis statement connects the works to the quote. For example, you write, "In the drama, 'Othello,' by William Shakespeare, the development of the characters and the treatment of the themes shows how literature mirrors life."

Writing Process

The process for writing the introduction informs how you write your thesis statement. Start by recopying the given quotation and interpreting it. Decide whether you agree or disagree with the quotation as interpreted. Next, think about why you agree or not, brainstorming literary works that support your position. Consider which elements of the piece support your opinion. For instance, if the quotation suggests problems, consider the conflict and resolution of literary works. The interpretation and your agreement or disagreement serve as the foundation of your thesis statement.

Strengthening the Thesis Statement

Because thesis statements contain a lot of information, you should revise it to avoid awkward wording. Since your agreement sentence comes directly before, you can start the thesis statement with, "The truth of this statement is shown by" then list the literary works and elements. The phrase "The truth of" serves as a transition between the agreement sentence and your thesis, but it leads you to write in the passive. An active statement is more decisive: "The conflict in the novel 'The Old Man in the Sea' shows the truth of the quotation." The certainty of this statement sets the stage for supporting your position.

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Critical Lens Essay: Writing Process Explored in Just One Article

Back on your studies again, aren't you? Well, what is it that you are looking for now? Ah, a critical lens essay. That may sound easy, alright, but you might feel that it poses a massive challenge, and rightly so. Don't you worry, though, because once you are done reading this helpful guide, you will have a very clear picture of how to write your critical lens essay. So, grab a cup of coffee and make yourself comfortable because we're about to begin.

What is a Critical Lens Essay?

Quite a lot of students these days keep asking themselves the same question: "what is a critical lens essay?" The critical lens essay is a kind of the critical analysis essay which focuses on the interpretation of a direct quote from a piece of literature. That may not seem like a good explanation, but in this case, it doesn't need to be too extensive. Writing a critical lens essay is not about throwing theory terms left and right, it's about actually putting the right words into the proper order.

The point is that many famous literary pieces are frequently quoted quite extensively, but the problem is that individuals doing that may not necessarily be familiar with any background information, nor are they aware of the context to which the quote belongs. The way people citing quotes understand them is very much different from their author's intended meaning and, as a result, such quotes end up living their own independent lives. Another extreme is that many people in their speeches and writings support their viewpoint with quotations, which are also taken out of context, thus gradually changing their original meaning in their audience's collective mind. This is why it is always a good idea to actually look at a quote through a critical lens, interpreting it with regards to its context and other circumstances which determine its meaning. But how do you go about writing an essay like that? Critical lens essays are known to have a very rigorous structure, and itis very important to follow it to the letter. So, let us have a closer look at the process of writing .

How to Write a Critical Lens Essay Step by Step

Let us look into the essential steps you're bound to take while writing a critical lens essay. Indeed, they may differ depending on the case, but we suggest coming up with and sticking to the general plan, which is the key to writings an excellent critical lens essay.

The first thing you should do before starting on your essay is find an unusual or particularly famous and widely misunderstood quotation. Also, make sure to find a source your quote is taken from to spare your readers the trouble of finding it by themselves. Once that has been taken care of, it's time to move on to observing other equally essential formalities.

Defining critical lens essay format

It is wrong to assume that critical lens essays are all written in accordance with just one format or citation style. The format of your essay will depend primarily on the citation style that your professor will require you to adhere to; MLA, APA, Chicago Turabian and Harvard being the most common ones. So, check it out with your professor and find a respective post in our blog to know what the standards of your particular citation style are. Keep in mind that your professor may require you to make certain modifications to the requested citation style. For instance, an APA style paper is supposed to have a title page, but some professors mayo specifically instruct their students to avoid those. Therefore, to be on the safe side, we recommend you always take note of all the modifications your professor may require you to do.

The typical structure of a critical lens essay

At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing extraordinary about the structure of the critical lens essay: an introduction containing a thesis, three body paragraphs designed to support said thesis, and a conclusion meant to restate the arguments and summarize the results of your study. However, in the majority of cases, the structure of each of these individual parts is clearly predetermined.

Critical lens essay introduction

Your title page (if requested by your citation style), abstract, and outline (if required by your professor) are followed by the introductory paragraph of your essay . It is supposed to start with an attention getter, which in our case should be the quote you're working on. Therefore, make sure you choose a memorable phrase, such that is an arguable yet widely recognized and impressive one.

Your next sentence should explain the quotation or provide your incentives to select it and/or the context to which it belongs. Then comes the culmination of your introductory paragraph: the thesis . Claim something disputive about the quote, the simplest thing here being agreeing or disagreeing with it, and then prove whether or not it is right. You may also state something about the context of your quote or its actual meaning, which can be different from the widely recognized one.

Provide one more sentence, in which you announce your arguments by explaining how you are going to prove your point. This part may sometimes be longer than just one sentence, but for the sake of complying with the classical structure of the critical lens essay, it is better to fit this information into one sentence. However, you should refrain from making it too long and taking up an entire page. If it is absolutely necessary, it is better to split it into several sentences instead of piling up a pyramid made up of multiple subordinate clauses.

Exploring critical lens essay's body paragraphs

Being the significant part of your essay , the body typically comprises three paragraphs, of which the first ones are meant to provide the reader with a structure, which somewhat replicates the introduction.

Before explaining your thoughts in detail, it's always a good idea to start with a literary element, such as a quote, citation or literary device, which is meant to support your thesis. The last paragraph is supposed to convey the author's interpretation of the quote in its relation to the evidence analyzed. In the classic critical lens essay, the body paragraphs are meant to have four sentences each. However, if the essay is too long to limit each of its body paragraphs to just this amount, it should replicate the primary structure of the classic essay by expanding each of the sentences to include several new ones, if necessary. Basically, don't limit yourself to just this plan if you feel like you have something more to say. Keep it concise, though. Every sentence should be ripe with information.

How to develop a critical lens essay conclusion

The conclusion is a very important part of your critical lens essay because it summarizes all the evidence and shows how your whole text body supports the thesis . Be sure to include all these elements in your essay's conclusion, because it's precisely the thing that leaves the final and lasting impression upon your reader. Work hard on it!

Critical Lens Essay Topics Examples

The examples of critical lens essay topics may be diverse, but we will just provide a couple of ideas for you to consider. A very widely cited quotation by the ancient Roman poet Juvenal goes like this: "Mens sana in corpore sano." Torn out of its context, it has been used to support various and even diverse viewpoints of the people who do not even know or care where the quote derives from. This quote is most frequently translated into English as follows: "A healthy mind in a healthy body." Some people interpret this by claiming that a healthy mind can only exist in a healthy body, while others, who subscribe to the notion of the mind being primary, maintain that if the mind is healthy, then it will create the conditions for the body to remain healthy. To a certain extent, one can agree with either of these points, but what did the author actually mean by it? Isn't that's an excellent topic for your critical lens essay?

Let's take another widely quoted statement "Curiosity killed the cat." Not a lot of people know that the prolonged version of this saying actually goes on to tell that "satisfaction brought it back." In this case, the second part about the cat being revived is missing, thus making it an interesting topic for your critical lens essay.

Here are a few more useful tips on how to write an excellent critical lens essay:

Do not try to start writing your essay by developing the introduction - work on your body paragraphs first. And it is not until after you are done putting them together that you can proceed with your introduction and conclusion. It is much easier that way, since in your introduction and conclusion you will have to refer to your body paragraphs, and thus it is better to write them by then.

For your convenience, we have broken down the whole process of writing the critical lens essay into 10 easy-to-follow steps:

• Choose your topic.
• Work out a thesis.
• Conduct the necessary research .
• Write your body paragraphs.
• Come up with your introduction and conclusion.
• Design your cover page and reference list.
• Format your paper.
• Do the spell check (if necessary).
• Get some rest. At this point, it is a good idea to have the paper proofread by somebody else.
• Proofread the paper by yourself for the last time.

Now, you are ready to submit a perfectly structured critical lens essay.

If you are still not a hundred percent sure that you will cope with the task, you may contact our customer support team and ask them for help. It won't be hard at all to work out an acceptable solution for you. Quite a few of our clients know it from their own experience. Join our team and take the first step on your journey to success.

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Lens Analysis

What is lens analysis?

Lens analysis requires you to distill a concept, theory, method or claim from a text (i.e. the “lens”) and then use it to interpret, analyze, or explore something else e.g. a first-hand experience, visual text, physical object or space, historical or current event or figure, a cultural phenomenon, an idea or even another text (i.e. the “exhibit”).

A writer employing lens analysis seeks to assert something new and unexpected about the exhibit; he or she strives to go beyond the expected or the obvious, exploiting the lens to acquire novel insights. Furthermore, there is a reciprocal aspect in that the exploration of the exhibit should cause the writer to reflect, elaborate, or comment on the selected concept or claim. Using a concept developed by someone else to conduct an analysis or interpretation of one’s own is a fundamental move in academia, one that you will no doubt be required to perform time and time again in college.

Note: The first part of the process (ICE) is also known as a “quote sandwich,” which makes sense if you think about it.

How to Perform Lens Analysis

• Introduce selected quotation from lens text i.e. provide the source for the quote as well as its context.
• Cite the quotation i.e. use a signal phrase and partial quotation to present the author’s ideas clearly to your reader. Make sure to provide the required citation (MLA for this class).
• Explain what the quotation means in terms of your argument i.e. ensure that the meaning of the quotation is clear to your reader in connection to your argument.
• Apply the quotation to a specific aspect of the exhibit i.e. use the idea expressed in the quotation to develop an insightful interpretation about an aspect of the exhibit.
• Reflect on the particular lens idea more deeply i.e. complicate it, extend its scope, or raise a new question that you will address next in your analysis, if applicable.

Writing About Literature Copyright © by Rachael Benavidez and Kimberley Garcia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Compare/Contrast Papers

• Point by Point Outline
• Subject Outline
• Lens Outline
• Compare then Contrast Outline

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What is lens.

Similar to a Subject Outlines, a Lens Outline focuses on one work/object by looking at it through the aspects of another.  This method works best when one item has been heavily discussed in class and you are assigned to compare/contrast another item with it. 

Outline and Example of Lens

1. Introduction      a. Introduce Items (works/objects)      b. Thesis Statement           i.Topic 1           ii. Topic 2           iii. Topic 3           iv. Etc. 2. Explanation of First Item (work/object)      a.  Information on Supporting Point 1      b.  Information on Supporting Point 2      c.  Etc. 3. Explanation of Second Item (work/object) when Compared to the First      a.  Similarity on Supporting Point 1      b.  Similarity on Supporting Point 2 4. Explanation of Second Item (work/object) when Contrasted to the First      a.  Difference on Supporting Point 1      b.  Difference on Supporting Point 2 5. Conclusion      a. Restate Thesis      b. Summarize how you proved your argument

1. Introduction      a. Introduce Items           i. First Work – The Lord of the Rings Trilogy had ample preparation time, budget, and a generous release schedule but used practical effects to attain greater realism and focused more on story telling rather than “filmable moments” that added little to the plot.           ii. Second Work – The Hobbit Trilogy did not have the preparation time, budget, or generous release schedule in order to be successful films.      b. Thesis Statement           i. When comparing the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Hobbit Trilogy, it is clear that preparation time, budget, special effects, and a well-spaced release schedule can have a tremendous effect on film quality.   2. Filming the Lord of the Rings Trilogy      a. Preparation Time      b.  Budget      c.  Release Schedule      d.  Practical Effects/CGI 3. Similarities between the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Hobbit Trilogy      a.  Release Schedule      b.  Budget 4. Differences between the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the Hobbit Trilogy      a.  Preparation Time      b.  Practical Effects/CGI 5. Conclusion      a. Restate Thesis      b. Summarize how you proved your argument

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Judges Appear Split on Immediate Migrant Arrests in Texas

A trio of federal judges who heard arguments over whether a contested state immigration law can be enforced during the appeals process did not immediately issue a decision.

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J. David Goodman

Here is the latest on the Texas immigration law.

A panel of three federal appeals court judges heard arguments on Wednesday in a bitter legal fight between Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over Texas’ new migrant arrest law, punctuating a dizzying series of legal developments over the previous 24 hours that left migrants and many law enforcement officials in Texas confused and uncertain.

The session had been hastily convened the day before by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, leaving lawyers scrambling to prepare for a hearing that could determine whether one of the nation’s most aggressive state efforts to enforce security on the U.S.-Mexico border should be allowed to become law.

Two judges spoke frequently during the hearing, and their comments suggested a split on the panel.

The chief judge of the court, Priscilla Richman, appeared skeptical of the Texas law, particularly its provision allowing state courts to order migrants back to Mexico. As she questioned Aaron Nielson, the Texas solicitor general, she read from a 2012 Supreme Court case out of Arizona that upheld the supremacy of the federal government in immigration matters.

“It seems to me that this statute washes that away,” Judge Richman said of the Texas law.

The other judge who spoke, Andrew S. Oldham, a former general counsel to Mr. Abbott, peppered the U.S. Justice Department’s lawyer with questions and appeared likely to side with Texas. Mr. Oldham had dissented in a Fifth Circuit ruling on Tuesday night that effectively put the law back on hold, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court had allowed it to go into effect.

Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, who was nominated by President Biden and confirmed last year, did not appear to speak during the hearing, which was conducted by video conference and streamed live to the public on audio.

The appeals court judges were considering a request by Texas to allow the law to take effect while its constitutionality is being challenged in court. A district court originally blocked the law in February . The appeals court judges issued no ruling during Wednesday’s hearing.

In a wide-ranging speech in Austin shortly after the hearing, Mr. Abbott, who has said that he expects the Supreme Court to eventually decide the constitutionality of the law, suggested that the statute had been crafted to challenge the high court’s precedent in the 2012 case, Arizona v. United States, which was decided 5 to 3.

“We found ways to try to craft that law to be consistent” with the dissent that the late Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in the Arizona case, Mr. Abbott said . Justice Scalia had suggested that the Arizona measures did not conflict with federal law but simply added state penalties to help enforce existing federal restrictions.

The hearing followed a rapid series of back-and-forth court decisions on Tuesday, including a procedural ruling by the Supreme Court that allowed the law to briefly go into effect for several hours. Then, on Tuesday night, the appeals court panel blocked the law again, ruling in a 2-to-1 decision.

The confusion continued into Wednesday and extended to state troopers, local police departments and elected sheriffs, some of them eager to implement the law, known as Senate Bill 4.

The law makes it a crime to cross into Texas from another country anywhere other than a legal port of entry, punishable by jail time, a deportation order from a state court judge or both. It would apply not just to migrants on the border, but also to people in Texas cities hundreds of miles away who entered the country without authorization as long as two years prior.

Brad Coe, the sheriff in Kinney County along the Texas border, said he woke up determined to hear directly from Mr. Abbott about what was going on with the law. “I’m on my way to his office right now,” he said on Wednesday morning.

Along the Rio Grande, a group of about 20 migrants in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, closely monitored their phones for any information about the new law as they gathered at the Paso del Norte bridge across from El Paso. Yazmine Marquez, a 34-year-old Venezuelan woman, was awaiting an immigration hearing in El Paso later on Wednesday.

“They have their reasons,” she said of the Texas leaders seeking to put the law into effect. “Not all migrants are trying to enter for good reasons. But most of us are trying to enter the United States for work and a better future.”

Mr. Abbott and other Texas officials have argued that the law is a necessary response to a record number of border crossings that at times have overwhelmed South Texas towns with hundreds of new migrants a day — and to what they say is the federal government’s failure to enforce the nation’s existing border security laws.

“Texas has a right to defend itself,” said Mr. Nielson, the Texas solicitor general, during his opening presentation on Wednesday. He argued that the state’s law mirrored federal statutes that already make it a crime to cross into the country without authorization.

“What we’re trying to do is to make sure that Congress, who sets the national immigration laws, that those laws are followed,” he said. “And to the extent that we can’t enforce federal law, which we’re not claiming to do,” he added, “we’re going to enforce our own laws.”

But Mr. Nielson struggled with hypothetical questions about the law. Judge Richman posed the case of a migrant who might have crossed without authorization from Mexico into Arizona, and then years later went to Texas: Could that person be arrested under the law?

“I don’t know the answer,” Mr. Nielson said. “Maybe?”

The federal government has argued, and did so at the hearing on Wednesday, that the U.S. Constitution and decades of legal precedent made immigration enforcement a federal responsibility.

Daniel Tenny, a lawyer for the U.S. Justice Department, said that the Texas law ran afoul of federal law and Supreme Court precedent, particularly a 2012 decision, Arizona v. United States, that was decided when Arizona tried to pass a state immigration enforcement law.

He said that the district court had simply preserved a system of federal jurisdiction over immigration and borders “that’s been in effect for 150 years.”

Legal experts who followed the hearing said the panel appeared inclined to leave the lower-court injunction in place while the appeals process goes forward, meaning that the law would stay on hold.

“The bottom-line takeaway is that the court is extremely likely to deny Texas the stay that they were asking for, which means that S.B. 4 will remain blocked,” said Raffi Melkonian, a federal appellate lawyer based in Houston who appears regularly before the Fifth Circuit.

The same panel of judges is set to hear fuller arguments on April 3 over the constitutionality of the law and the appeal by Texas of the injunction. Mr. Melkonian said that judging by the arguments on Wednesday, it did not appear that Texas would be on good footing for that hearing, either.

But the Fifth Circuit, based in New Orleans, has gained a reputation for hard-line conservatism. Many of its judges adhere to “originalism,” which seeks to interpret the Constitution through the lens of its 18th-century authors. The composition of the court was dramatically shaped by President Donald J. Trump, who nominated six of the 17 judges, including Mr. Oldham. Six of the others were nominated by other Republican presidents.

Both parties were likely to appeal any ruling.

The Supreme Court stepped into the case on Tuesday , but it did so on procedural grounds and did not address the broader question of the law’s constitutionality. It kicked the case back down to the Fifth Circuit, where a different set of judges had issued a procedural pause to the lower-court injunction, allowing the Supreme Court to weigh in.

When the high court sent it back and declined to order any further delay, the law was in effect for a few hours on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Some Texas officials celebrated. The attorney general, Ken Paxton, called it a “huge win.” But others, like Mr. Abbott, were more muted. “A positive development,” he called it in a statement.

Indeed, in a concurring opinion written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and joined by Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, the court urged the Fifth Circuit to take swift action. That was what appeared to trigger the appeals court panel’s announcement of Wednesday’s oral arguments, and a separate order dissolving their earlier procedural pause — blocking the law again.

As the hearing was taking place on Wednesday, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico attacked the Texas law during a news conference, calling it “draconian” and “completely dehumanized.” The Mexican government has said that it would refuse to accept deportations conducted by Texas officials under the law.

“It is as if the governor of Tamaulipas were to apply a law against Texans visiting Mexico,” he said, referring to the state in Mexico.

If the law were allowed to go into effect, Texas would be the only state known to deputize local authorities to arrest people suspected of illegally entering the country. Legal experts said a ruling in the state’s favor could encourage other Republican-led states to enact similar laws. On Tuesday, lawmakers in Iowa passed their own similar bill.

Reporting was contributed by Edgar Sandoval , Reyes Mata III , Mattathias Schwartz , David Montgomery and Emiliano Rodríguez Mega .

Julie Turkewitz

In Mexico, desperate migrants continue to seek U.S. entry.

News about the Texas immigration law traveled fast among migrants headed toward the United States border, heightening anxiety over their futures as they face difficult journeys through Central America and Mexico.

Andrea Ontiveros, 37, of Venezuela, was traveling through southern Mexico on Wednesday after passing through the perilous Central American jungle known as the Darién Gap . She said that she had left three children behind at home. Jobless, she could barely feed them, she said.

Still, she said that she understood, in part, why the Texas governor was trying to keep people out. “There’s so many people” seeking refuge in the United States, she said by phone. “Maybe they get to a point where they don’t know what to do, and this is the best thing.”

Ms. Ontiveros’s comments reflect those of many migrants seeking to enter the United States, who said they were aware of the Texas law being contested in the courts and, in some respects, even understood it. But their desperate situations made them willing to risk arrest under the measure, which would allow state and local police officers to arrest anyone who enters Texas without authorization.

Ms. Ontiveros urged compassion from lawmakers, and said that no matter the future of the Texas law, she would continue north. She planned to enter the country by turning herself in at an official border point after making an appointment to request asylum by using an app from the U.S. government called CBP One. This is an increasingly common choice for migrants, one that she considered “a bit more legal.”

“They should give us the opportunity” to enter the United States, she said, “because there are many people who come with good intentions, with the desire to do things right.”

Ms. Ontiveros’ fear, she said, was that the Texas law would spur other states to enact similar pieces of legislation. “If it works in Texas,” she said, “they will implement it at the next border.”

Ms. Ontiveros said she had been robbed at least three times on her journey north: once in Panama, again in Guatemala and finally in Mexico.

“It’s sad,” she said, “because we did not choose this experience that we’re living.”

Read the Federal Appeals Court Order

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a new order effectively again blocking a Texas law that would make it a crime to cross into the state from Mexico without authorization.

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David W. Chen

Inspired by Texas, Republicans in other states eye immigration bills.

On Tuesday, the same day that Texas was briefly allowed to enforce a new law empowering police officers to arrest unauthorized migrants, Iowa lawmakers passed a bill that would make it a crime to enter their state after having been deported or denied entry into the United States.

At least seven states, all controlled by Republicans, are hoping to follow suit or have already considered bills that were not passed.

The flurry of laws and proposals meant to crack down on undocumented migrants entering the country is part of the extraordinary mix of immigration, litigation and politics that is producing legal gridlock in the courts and confusion at the border.

The fate of all of these bills, though, will most likely hinge on the outcome of the Texas case, according to legal analysts and groups involved in migration issues. If the Texas law is upheld, then observers expect even more bills from Republican-leaning states modeled after what Texas did.

Kansas and Oklahoma are among the states that this year have introduced legislation related to illegal entry into the United States, echoing the law in Texas.

Louisiana became the most recent on Monday. And Missouri has two bills, including one sponsored by State Senator Bill Eigel, who is one of the leading candidates for governor this year.

Describing the surge at the border as an “invasion,” Mr. Eigel, who represents a St. Louis suburb, blamed “the failures of our federal government led by President Joe Biden to deal with that” during a committee hearing last week.

It is too early to tell whether any of these bills will advance as far as Iowa’s did. Bills in West Virginia and Mississippi have already failed. And a similar bill passed by Arizona’s Republican-controlled legislature was vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat.

But none of the other states eyeing immigration laws similar to Texas’ have Democratic governors.

Still, supporters and opponents of the Texas law said that they would not be surprised if lawmakers in other states tried to introduce similar measures as most legislative sessions begin to wind down in the next couple of months.

“The bigger picture is, given the scope of illegal immigration and the impact that it’s having on states and local communities, we’re likely to see more efforts on the parts of these jurisdictions to try to discourage people from settling there illegally,” said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supports reducing both legal and undocumented immigration.

Spencer Amdur, a senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said that advocates for immigrants were mulling legal challenges to the Iowa legislation, which Gov. Kim Reynolds has pledged to sign.

Among other objections, Mr. Amdur argued that the regulation of entry and removal was exclusively federal. He also said that the U.S. Supreme Court has held that states cannot unilaterally enforce immigration rules.

“We think the Iowa law is illegal for the same reasons we think the Texas law is illegal,” he said.

Mr. Amdur did note that while most of the bills, to date, have featured similar language, Oklahoma’s was slightly different , in part because of one phrase: “unlawfully present.”

Under the Oklahoma proposal, anyone who was arrested and accused of a crime and then determined to be “unlawfully present” in the country would be guilty of a felony punishable by at least 10 years in prison.

Jacob Hamburger, a visiting assistant professor of law at Cornell, said that the proposed laws run the risk of leading to racial profiling. He also said that if the courts uphold the Texas law — basically, that “Texas can have its own deportation policy” — then states led by Democratic governors that have sought to strengthen immigrant protections may be emboldened to push for looser work authorization laws and other policies.

But for now, he said, “aspects of Texas’ overall strategy — like this public campaign to bus migrants to cities — might have weakened Democrats’ commitment to immigrants.”

Reyes Mata III

Soldiers with the Texas National Guard are patrolling the edge of the Rio Grande in pickups, kicking up dust as they try to push back migrants who have found a way through rows of concertina wire. Sometimes the migrants crawl back toward the riverbed when they hear the roaring trucks approaching. Other times they bolt in small groups toward the border wall, sprinting about 50 yards across desert sand to the gates where U.S. Border Patrol agents are stationed.

David Montgomery

Gov. Greg Abbott said state law enforcement officials would continue to use their existing powers to keep migrants from entering Texas without authorization, even as they await the outcome of the court case. “We’ll continue to do everything we can to protect the sovereignty of the United States of America,” Abbott, a Republican, said in a wide-ranging speech at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

About 200 men, women and children are encamped on a swath of the Rio Grande littered with makeshift tents and trash as they wait for a chance to push through rows of concertina wire, dash past Texas National Guard soldiers and present themselves for immigration processing. “Where are the soldiers? To where do I run?” shouted 22-year-old Junior Salvatierra, who is from Ecuador, as he approached the encampment.

Edgar Sandoval

Migrants are continuing to trickle to a bus station just over the border in Brownsville and many say they’re having a hard time keeping up with the status of the new law. Diego Barajas, 46, of Michoacán, Mexico, and his family of five knew that crossing the river could get them arrested, even though they waited months to get an appointment for an asylum interview. “We did everything possible to enter legally and avoid arrest,” he said.

Texas police departments expressed confusion over how to proceed.

Brad Coe, the sheriff in Kinney County along the Texas border, woke up on Wednesday with one destination in mind: Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.

Sheriff Coe is the lead police authority in a mostly rural county that has embraced the state’s attempt to halt the sharp rise in migrants coming from Mexico. He said he was done with the whiplash of confusing legal orders issued in the past 24 hours over the law.

He wanted to hear from Gov. Abbott himself. “I’m on my way to his office right now,” he said.

He recapped the conflicting directives handed down on whether his department had the legal authority to arrest migrants who have entered the country illegally, under the terms of the new law.

The Supreme Court ruled “that yes we can,” he said, referring to Tuesday’s decision. “But a lower court said no we can’t. The Supreme Court is supposed to be supreme court of the land. Something ain’t right.”

Police departments across Texas, both close to and far from the border, expressed confusion over how to proceed after the Supreme Court briefly allowed the new law to go into effect on Tuesday — and then an appeals court once again halted it.

On Wednesday morning, a panel of three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit heard more arguments from both the state and federal government about whether the law should go into effect. Many police departments said they would be paying close attention to how the panel ruled before they unveil their plans.

The law, known as Senate Bill 4, would make it a state crime to cross into Texas from Mexico anywhere other than a legal port of entry. The first arrest would be considered a misdemeanor and subsequent arrests a felony.

The state police have not given any public indication as to how or when it would begin enforcing the law, if it ultimately goes into effect. Abril Luna, a spokeswoman with the police department in Brownsville, on the border, said that whatever the ruling, she did not expect daily operations to change dramatically. “If the law passes, of course it will be enforced just like any other Texas laws,” Ms. Luna said.

Jodi Silva, a spokeswoman for the police in Houston, the largest city in Texas, said they too would decide what course of action to take after a new court ruling is issued. “We are also monitoring and see which direction we go,” Ms. Silva said.

In San Antonio, Javier Salazar, the sheriff of Bexar County, which includes that city, issued a policy manual that directs his deputies to enforce the law without engaging in racial profiling, which many critics of the law fear would happen as state and local police try to determine who may have entered the country illegally. Deputies making arrests will base them “on probable cause supporting the elements of the offense and not on national origin, immigration status, ethnicity or race,” it said.

The police chief in the border city of Laredo, Miguel Rodriguez, said that he too had concerns that Latino residents might fear that his officers could target them at random.

“We want to avoid the racial profiling part of this; it lends itself for that,” Chief Rodriguez said. “Unless you are crossing the river and we see that as a crime in progress, then we can apply it right away.”

If the law were to go into effect, he said, his officers would apply it only during the course another arrest, such as for drunken driving, and that his officers would not be routinely “asking for papers and immigration status.”

Back in Kinney County, Chief Coe, whose office employs six deputies, said that the long list of aggressive border security measures adopted by Mr. Abbott in recent months — which include placing concertina wire along the Rio Grande and a heavily armed law enforcement presence on parts of the border — appears to have deterred people from crossing. Last year, his deputies arrested up to 20 migrants a day. More recently, he said, “we’re lucky if we get two or three a day, max.”

He said he hoped S.B. 4 would be allowed to take effect, not because he wants to arrest migrants, but because it would act as a deterrent. “People would stop coming because it is against the law,” he said.

Mattathias Schwartz

A federal appeals court shaped by Trump is at the center of a debate over border authority.

The 13 federal appeals courts across the country sit just below the U.S. Supreme Court. In theory, the appeals courts, each covering a judicial circuit, are equals.

But often enough, one circuit court has taken on an outsize role in shaping seminal constitutional questions that end up before the Supreme Court.

After Sept. 11, it was the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Va., which took a sympathetic view of the expansive executive powers asserted by President George W. Bush in the war on terror. During the presidency of Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco emerged as a check on some of the administration’s most contentious policies on the environment and immigration.

Now, the spotlight is on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, as it weighs the fate of a Texas law that would give police officers in Texas the authority to arrest people suspected of having entered the United States unlawfully — a power that has long been understood to rest with the federal government.

It is a case with far-reaching legal and political implications, and it has thrust the Fifth Circuit into the middle of a fierce debate over the extent of federal power over the nation’s borders.

Based in New Orleans, the Fifth Circuit hears cases from three states — Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Twelve of its 17 judges were nominated by Republican presidents; six of those 12 were nominated by Mr. Trump.

Many of the Fifth Circuit’s Trump-nominated judges adhere to “originalism,” which seeks to interpret the Constitution through the lens of its 18th-century authors.

That has led the Fifth Circuit to stake out some positions — such as protecting a violent abuser’s legal access to firearms — that even the Supreme Court’s conservative majority has appeared skeptical of. Out of nine Fifth Circuit decisions that were reviewed by the Supreme Court last term, seven were reversed.

Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond Law School, said that the Fifth Circuit often ends up to the right of even the Supreme Court, and that he has seen some signs that Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. tries to “moderate” the circuit’s rulings.

Even so, the Fifth Circuit’s growing role in teeing up Supreme Court cases is unmistakable. The number of cases from the Fifth Circuit that were taken up by the nation’s highest court has more than tripled over the last seven years.

The rise has been fueled in part by conservative activist plaintiffs, who have filed federal cases in Texas in hopes of finding judges willing to issue nationwide injunctions. The Fifth Circuit also hears appeals to federal cases brought by Texas’ governor and attorney general, who have been mounting legal challenges to federal authority over immigration and the border.

The Fifth Circuit wasn’t always the champion of states looking to resist federal authority. During the civil rights era, the court repeatedly ruled that the federal government could force Southern states to integrate.

The court’s rightward shift can be traced to the early 1980s when Congress split the circuit in half, creating the new 11th Circuit to hear cases from Florida, Georgia and Alabama, and leaving the Fifth Circuit with Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

The split was followed by a spate of judicial vacancies that allowed Republican presidents to shape the court. President Ronald Reagan nominated eight judges to the Fifth Circuit; President George H.W. Bush nominated four more.

Even with the addition of two judges nominated by President Biden, the court has remained firmly conservative.

This year, the court has ruled that Texas doctors are not required to provide abortions in the case of a medical emergency, despite Biden administration guidance. It struck down a rule by the Department of Energy that would have made dishwashers and laundry machines more efficient. Last week, it granted an emergency stay at the request of two oil and gas companies, which don’t want to disclose climate-change-related business risks as required by new rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Judge James Ho, one of the Fifth Circuit’s Trump nominees, has called on his colleagues to buck “cultural elites” and stick to originalist readings of the Constitution. “Judges must not be afraid of being booed,” he said in a 2023 speech at the Heritage Foundation.

Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas Law School, has faulted the Fifth Circuit, saying that its actions based on originalism are a “power grab,” in which interpretations of history are tailored to deliver the policy outcomes sought by conservatives.

Judge Ho’s appetite for confrontation differs markedly from some conservative Supreme Court justices. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, for example, has cautioned her colleagues not to “amplify disagreement with stridency.” And Chief Justice Roberts has called for “the fundamental principle of judicial restraint” in his concurrence with Dobbs v. Jackson, which overturned Roe v. Wade.

Dobbs, too, reached the Supreme Court after passing through the Fifth Circuit, where Judge Ho was one of three judges to hear the appeal. The panel upheld a lower-court ruling that limited Mississippi’s ability to restrict abortion rights. In his concurrence, Judge Ho wrote that only the Supreme Court could undo its own precedent.

It did exactly that, two and a half years later.

After one hour, the arguments have concluded. The judges did not issue a ruling from the bench. It was not clear when they would do so. Only two of them spoke, and appeared to be at odds. Looks like we could be in for a 2-to-1 decision.

Texas is arguing that some aspects of the state law are lawful, and that the lower judge’s injunction blocking it from taking effect should not be allowed to stand. Chief Judge Richman says that doesn’t mean that the judges would need to let the entire law go into effect.

Aaron Nielson, the Texas lawyer, suggests at the end of the arguments that the judges could send the case back down to the district court with instructions for the previous judge to amend his injunction, allowing those portions that the appeals judges believe are lawful to go into effect.

Texas is back up for rebuttal, arguing that for the Justice Department to prevail, it would have to show that all aspects of the state's migrant arrest law are unlawful.

The case before the appeals court today is actually a combination of two lawsuits against the Texas migrant arrest law: one brought by the United States, and a second brought by the A.C.L.U. along with civil and immigrant rights advocates and El Paso County. A lawyer for the A.C.L.U. is speaking now.

Judge Oldham questions whether the A.C.L.U. and the other parties have standing to sue, appearing to doubt that they do. “Clearly our clients are scrambling” to adjust to the Texas law, said the A.C.L.U. lawyer, Cody Wofsy.

“The District court looked at the record that stacks here are undisputed. District court found that these plaintiffs would indeed be severely harmed by SB4 going into effect. That subject to clear error review here. And and that makes sense because this is not a marginal change. We’re talking about SB4 radically altering the state of immigration in the state of Texas. It’s creating an entirely new system where people are going to be subject to a state made, state run system with no access to federal relief, federal discretion. And so clearly, our clients are scrambling to try and adjust to this entirely new system. And it’s also not really in doubt, you know, how broad the system is going to be. The record is clear. Defendant McCraw projected 80,000 arrests a year under sb four. That’s a huge new process that is going to upend our system.

If the judges allow the Texas law to go into effect, the Justice Department lawyer asks that they delay its effective date so that the federal government could again seek emergency action by the Supreme Court.

Maria Belen, 37, has traveled for the past month from Ecuador with her 11-year-old daughter, Sofia. “As I understand it, the law is on hold,” she said, adding that she believes the Texas law being fought over in court today is unjust. “For all that we have been through, all this struggle, we left all our possessions, our home, for another law to be passed against migrants, I feel it is not fair at all.”

So far we have heard from two judges on the three-judge panel. One appears skeptical of the Texas migrant arrest law, and another has sharply questioned the Justice Department lawyer. The third, Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, who was appointed by President Biden, has not spoken.

The Justice Department lawyer is repeatedly referring to the ruling by the Supreme Court striking down portions of Arizona’s divisive "show me your papers" law that was passed more than a decade ago. “This entire scheme is exactly what the Supreme Court warned against,” he says of the Texas law.

Judge Oldham pointedly asks the federal government’s lawyer: Is there something that a state can do on immigration that’s not preempted by federal authority in some way? “Yes or no?”

Appeals court panel includes a former top lawyer for Greg Abbott.

The panel of three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that was hearing arguments on the Texas immigration law on Wednesday is a different group than the one that earlier this month temporarily blocked a district court injunction on the law.

The three new judges include Chief Judge Priscilla Richman, who was nominated by President George W. Bush and formerly served on the Texas Supreme Court, and Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, nominated by President Biden and confirmed only a few months ago.

The third judge on the panel is Andrew S. Oldham, who was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and had previously served as the general counsel to Gov. Greg Abbott — the Texas governor who is one of the chief proponents of the landmark state immigration law. Before that, Mr. Oldham represented the state of Texas in federal court cases as a deputy solicitor general in the Texas attorney general’s office.

The panel on Wednesday will be considering a motion from Texas, which is appealing the district court injunction last month that blocked the law. Lawyers for the state are asking for a stay pending the appeal — in other words, Texas would like the court to allow the law to go into effect while the appeals process moves forward.

The panel was split 2-to-1 on Tuesday night about lifting a more temporary “administrative” stay, which had set aside the injunction and paved the way for the law to be implemented briefly on Tuesday. Mr. Oldham dissented in that decision that effectively blocked the law once again, saying he would have left the law in place until the court could rule on a more lasting stay.

“A preliminary injunction is an extraordinary remedy that alters the status quo,” Mr. Oldham wrote in a one-paragraph dissent, suggesting that the status quo was to allow the law, which was signed by Mr. Abbott last year, to go into effect.

The other two who felt otherwise, Chief Judge Richman and Judge Ramirez, did not explain their reasoning.

The new panel of judges will be hearing more extensive arguments on the more fundamental legal issues raised in the appeal early next month. Their initial threshold will be to decide whether the lower court’s preliminary injunction blocking the law was justified.

Judge Andrew S. Oldham interjects for the first time, questioning the Justice Department lawyers. Oldham had dissented with the panel on Tuesday night when it temporarily blocked the Texas law, saying he would have allowed it to go into effect.

A group of about 20 migrants gathered at the Paso del Norte bridge in downtown Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, this morning, closely monitoring their phones for any information about the new Texas law. “They have their reasons,” Yazmine Marquez, a 34-year-old Venezuelan woman who has an immigration hearing in El Paso at 1 p.m., said about the Texas politicians backing the law. “Not all migrants are trying to enter for good reasons. But most of us are trying to enter the United States for work and a better future.”

Texas was given roughly 20 minutes in the hearing and has now wrapped up, with some time for rebuttal later. The Justice Department is up now.

We’ve only heard from one judge on the panel so far, the chief judge, who sounds skeptical of the Texas law, particularly when it comes to state removal of migrants. She quotes from the Supreme Court’s 2012 decision in an Arizona case, which reserves the power to admit or exclude migrants to the federal government. “It seems to me this statute washes that away,” she said of the Texas law.

The federal court hearing on the Texas immigration law is moving quickly. The state’s lawyer is already talking about running short on time for arguments.

Emiliano Rodríguez Mega

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico called the Texas migrant arrest law a “draconian” and “completely dehumanized law” in a news conference on Wednesday. “It is as if the governor of Tamaulipas were to apply a law against Texans visiting Mexico,” he said.

“We would not accept deportations, I’ll tell you that, from the Texas government,” López Obrador said. “And we are not going to stand with our arms crossed.”

“We don’t go out of our way to create conflict” with federal law, the lawyer for Texas says under some pretty skeptical questioning from Chief Judge Priscilla Richman, one of three members of the appeals court panel that is considering the Texas immigration law.

A judge asks the lawyer for Texas a hypothetical question: What if someone crosses without authorization from Mexico into Arizona, then years later goes to Texas. Can that person be arrested under the law? Nielson, the lawyer, says he does not know. “I’m reading the text. Maybe?”

We have our first interjection by a judge. It’s hard to tell by the audio, but it appears to be the chief judge, Priscilla Richman. She appears skeptical of the Texas law’s provision allowing for a state court to order migrants back to Mexico.

The hearing has begun, starting with remarks from Aaron Nielson, a lawyer for the state of Texas. “Texas has a right to defend itself,” Nielson said, referring to an argument that the surge of migration at the border constitutes an invasion, which triggers a clause in the U.S. Constitution allowing for self-defense by states.

“Everybody is concerned about the border, there’s a real crisis going on here,” Nielson said. “We are on the front line, and we are going to do something about it.”

Here’s what could happen at the appeals court hearing.

After a day — and night — of judicial rulings around Texas’ migrant arrest law, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Wednesday morning is hearing oral arguments from Texas lawyers and the Biden administration.

In essence, the court has only one decision to make: Should the new law be allowed to go into effect while the complex legal arguments over whether it is constitutional go forward?

If the panel sides with Texas, then the law, known as Senate Bill 4 or S.B. 4, would go into effect, as it did for several hours yesterday.

The Justice Department is arguing that an injunction issued by a lower-court judge blocking implementation of the law should remain in place because the law is unconstitutional. If the panel sides with the Biden administration, then it would remain blocked.

The panel could decide the question today. Or it could issue a ruling at some point in the future.

The same panel of three judges is already set to consider the merits of Texas’ appeal on April 3. It is possible that the judges could decide not to take any action before then, in which case the injunction would remain in place and the law would not take effect.

If the panel were to issue a new stay allowing the law to go into effect, Texas or the Biden administration could seek to have arguments over the stay heard by the full Fifth Circuit court at some later date. Or they could also seek new emergency action from the Supreme Court.

In other words, whatever happens on Wednesday, the legal fight over S.B. 4 will continue.

“The Supreme Court is going to eventually have to resolve this case,” wrote Steve Vladeck , a professor and constitutional law expert.

Federal agents and state law enforcement officers from around Texas are regularly rotated to the border, often staying in local hotels. In the lobby of my hotel in Eagle Pass this morning, a pair of federal agents expressed their own confusion over the status of the Texas law as they watched a local news report and learned of the late-night decision from the appeals court.

The border city of Brownsville woke this morning to uncertainty about the status of the state migrant arrest law. But it largely remained business as usual: Migrants continued to surrender to Border Patrol officials at the international port of entry, requesting asylum, and others continued arriving at the local shelter.

‘It is scary’: Migrants on Texas border say they fear arrest.

Migrants newly arrived in Texas were already expressing worry on Tuesday over whether they could face arrest by state authorities under the state’s new immigration law.

In the border city of Brownsville, a group of them gathered through the afternoon and evening near the international bridge that connects the city to Mexico. Most had managed to score an appointment with Customs and Border Protection officials through an app, CBP One, meaning they had entered the country legally and were making a plea for asylum through the official channels.

The law had gone into effect briefly on Tuesday, before a federal appeals court effectively blocked it again, and that prompted many of the migrants to look warily at passing police cars.

Richi Silva, 32, a native of Venezuela, said he had read about the law, which allows state authorities to arrest migrants who have entered the country illegally.

“I don’t think that law is fair,” said Mr. Silva, who entered the country legally with his wife and three children after applying for asylum and must still prove their case to a judge. “We go through a lot to get here and to know that we could be stopped and arrested, it is scary. We just got here.”

He said he had seen hundreds of migrants on the other side of the border, waiting to cross.

His wife, Karlina Pagola, carried their youngest child, Reiker Silva, 4, in her arms. “We left our country because we wanted to escape persecution from our governments, and then we get here and learn that the state government is persecuting people like us,” she said. “It took us a lot to get our appointments. We were sure not to cross through the river, because we knew that they wanted to arrest us. But we are still afraid that if local police sees us, they may stop us.”

Eddie Treviño Jr., the county judge in the area, said it was unclear how the law might be enforced. He said the state had not yet provided resources or training.

“We were not expecting this,” Mr. Treviño said. “We are surprised we are here.”

Adrian Cespede, 58, an asylum-seeker from Cuba, was hoping to reach a shelter in Brownsville. It had taken him months to reach the United States, he said. He, too, had proof on his phone that he had a CBP One appointment.

“If they stop me, I’ll show them this,” he said. “I ask them to please not arrest me.”

Years ago, Arizona also defied the federal government over immigration.

The Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday allowing Texas to arrest and deport migrants resonated deeply in Arizona, which passed its own divisive crackdown against illegal immigration more than a decade ago.

Arizona’s effort, which became known as the “show me your papers” law, set off a torrent of fear and anger after it passed in 2010 and jolted the state’s politics in ways that are still reverberating — offering a lesson of what could lie ahead for Texas.

The law required immigrants to carry immigration documents, and empowered police and sheriffs’ agencies to investigate and detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. It made undocumented immigrants fearful to drive or leave their homes. It sparked boycotts and angry protests. A political backlash removed the law’s Republican architect from office. Legal challenges gutted major provisions of the law.

The measure also galvanized a new generation of Latino activists to organize, register voters and run for office, seeding a political movement that has helped to elect Democrats across Arizona and transform a once-reliable Republican state into a purple political battleground.

“It made me realize where I stand in the United States, where my parents stand,” said Valeria Garcia, 21, an undocumented activist who was brought to Arizona from Mexico when she was 4 years old and is now majoring in political science and border studies at Arizona State University. “That was a political awakening.”

Immigration lawyers and immigrant children who grew up under the law, Senate Bill 1070, said it carved pervasive fear and uncertainty into Latino communities across Arizona. Some families hurriedly left the state. Some stopped going to work.

“It really did cause a chilling effect across the state,” said Delia Salvatierra, an immigration lawyer in Phoenix.

The Supreme Court struck down portions of Arizona’s law in a 2012 decision declaring that the federal government, and not states, had the power to set immigration policy. In 2016, voters in Maricopa County ousted Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the hard-line opponent of illegal immigration who had been a strong advocate of a state crackdown.

Now, as the number of illegal border crossings hits record levels, Republicans who control the Arizona State Legislature have again pressed for strict new measures. Earlier this year, they passed the “Arizona Border Invasion Act,” a bill similar to the Texas law that would have allowed local and state authorities to arrest and deport migrants who cross into Arizona illegally. It was vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat.

Some who lived through the earlier law say the scars are still there. Denise Garcia, who was born in Phoenix to parents from Chihuahua, Mexico, was still in elementary school when the law went into effect. She vividly remembers how her family changed up their routines to hide from the authorities and felt scared to leave home. She said several immigrant friends from her neighborhood moved back to Mexico. She said life felt like a blur of fear.

“Are my parents going to be deported?” she said. “Am I going to come home to an empty house?”

Mexico condemns Texas’ law, and says it will not accept deportations from the state.

Mexico will not accept deportations made by Texas “under any circumstances,” the country’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow Texas to arrest migrants who cross into the state without authorization.

The ministry condemned the state law, known as Senate Bill 4 , saying it would separate families, violate the human rights of migrants and generate “hostile environments” for the more than 10 million people of Mexican origin living in Texas.

Mexico’s top diplomat for North America, Roberto Velasco Álvarez, rejected the ruling on the social media on Tuesday, saying that immigration policy was something to be negotiated between federal governments.

The Mexican government has severely criticized the measure since last year, and rejected the idea of local or state agencies, rather than federal authorities, detaining and returning migrants and asylum seekers to Mexican territory.

“Texas has taken a very combative stance,” said Rafael Fernández de Castro, director of the Center for U.S.-Mexican studies at the University of California, San Diego. “It’s only aggravating the problem because you violently close one part of the border, but others are still open.”

A senior Mexican foreign ministry official who was not allowed to speak publicly said that the Supreme Court ruling would not affect existing migration agreements between the two countries.

While Mexico has served as the United States’ immigration enforcer, often discouraging migrants from massing at the border, the country has also publicly pushed for two key policies to address the root causes that force people out of their home countries — such as poverty, violence, inequality and climate change — and expand regular pathways for migration.

Last week, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico said his administration was proposing that the Biden administration give legal status to at least five million undocumented Mexicans living and working in the United States.

He has also called on the United States to suspend sanctions against Venezuela and lift the blockade against Cuba, saying that such measures would reduce migration flows from those countries. And he has called proposals to build walls or close the border as “electoral propaganda.”

“Do you think the Americans and Mexicans will approve of this?” Mr. López Obrador said last month. “Companies cannot stand it. Maybe for a day, but not for a week.”

Mitch Smith

Following Texas’ lead, Iowa passes bill that would allow for state enforcement of illegal immigration.

Iowa lawmakers passed a bill on Tuesday that would make it a crime to enter the state after being deported or denied entry into the United States. The passage puts the Midwestern state on track to join Texas in enforcing immigration outside the federal system.

The Iowa bill, which passed on the same day that the Supreme Court had briefly allowed Texas to enforce a new law empowering police officers to arrest unauthorized migrants, now goes to the desk of Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, who said she planned to sign it.

“President Biden and his administration have failed to enforce our immigration laws and, in doing so, have compromised the sovereignty of our nation and the safety of its people,” Ms. Reynolds said Tuesday evening in a statement. “States have stepped in to secure the border, preventing illegal migrants from entering our country and protecting our citizens.”

Iowa Democrats, who have lost power over the last decade and are vastly outnumbered in the Legislature, mostly opposed the legislation but were powerless to stop it.

“This bill is a political stunt and a false promise that doesn’t contain the needed resources,” State Senator Janice Weiner, a Democrat from the Iowa City area, said when her chamber debated the measure. “It’s a gotcha bill.”

The bill would make it a misdemeanor for someone to enter Iowa if they were previously deported, denied entry to the United States or had left the country while facing a deportation order. In some cases, including if the person had certain prior convictions, the state crime would become a felony. Iowa police officers would not be allowed to make arrests under this legislation at schools, places of worship or health care facilities.

About 6 percent of people in Iowa were born outside the United States.

The bill’s passage showed the enduring political import of immigration among conservatives even in places far from a border. As federal officials have struggled to manage an influx of migrants, several Republican-led states, including Iowa, have sent National Guard troops and law enforcement officers to Texas to support Gov. Greg Abbott’s increasingly assertive approach to policing the border.

Though Texas had already installed border security measures on private land that abuts Mexico, the law making it a state crime to cross the border illegally marked an escalation. The Biden administration has called that law, which until Tuesday had been blocked by the courts, an unconstitutional infringement on federal authority over immigration. The courts have not yet weighed in on the merits of the Texas law, and the Iowa legislation could face its own legal challenge.

Though the Iowa bill is more limited, it signals growing willingness from Republican officials to take on immigration issues that were long the exclusive domain of federal law enforcement. Arizona’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed a bill this year that would have authorized the state police to arrest undocumented immigrants, but it was vetoed by the governor, a Democrat.

Even in Iowa, where the State Capitol is roughly 1,100 miles from the Mexican border and 500 miles from Canada, Republicans framed illegal immigration as an urgent threat to public safety.

“Every state is a border state,” State Senator Jeff Reichman, a Republican from southeast Iowa, said this month. “Iowa is no exception.”

Miriam Jordan

Texas immigration law could undermine asylum rights.

A new state law that would allow Texas to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border without authorization has raised concerns from critics that those seeking protection from persecution in their homelands could be deprived of their right to apply for asylum.

The law, which a federal appeals court put on hold in a late-night ruling on Tuesday, would make it a state crime to cross illegally into Texas from Mexico.

The law allows the state to arrest migrants and order their removal in lieu of a criminal penalty, even those who have reason to fear serious harm if deported and are legally seeking asylum, according to Human Rights Watch.

“National governments are entitled to regulate their borders so long as they comply with international human rights and refugee law,” said Bob Libal, Texas consultant at Human Rights Watch. But expelling legitimate asylum-seekers, he said, “is a recipe for chaos and abuse.”

Anyone who touches U.S. soil is currently eligible to apply for asylum. If people are arrested and deported without being afforded the opportunity to make a claim, legal experts said, the state would be violating international and federal law.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday let the state law go temporarily into effect, but hours later, a federal appeals court effectively blocked it again. The appeals court was scheduled to hold further hearings on the case on Wednesday.

In a dissent to the Supreme Court decision, Justice Sonia Sotomayor expressed concerns about the law’s ramifications for people seeking protection, saying that allowing it to go into effect “frustrates the United States’ efforts and obligations to protect individuals fleeing from persecution or torture.”

She noted that under the Texas law, “state judges may not consider federal asylum applications as a reason to abate state removal proceedings.”

As a result, she wrote, “Texas may remove or incarcerate many noncitizens with valid asylum or withholding claims, in violation of U. S. treaty obligations.”

In order to be granted asylum, people must prove that they would face harm if returned to their home countries on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or their political opinion.

After crossing the border, asylum seekers have one year to file an application with an immigration court. The cases usually take several years to wind their way through the backlogged system.

Some legal experts predicted that people denied the right to request asylum would sue the state for damages if the law was allowed to go into effect.

“It is uncharted territory,” said Margaret Stock, an immigration lawyer who has sued states for constitutional rights violations. “Lawsuits are going to pile up right away.”

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University Writing Program

Lens assignment sequence: love—where, when, how, who.

This assignment sequence as DOCX

Lens Assignment Overview

Smith’s “Managing Men, Marriage, and Modern Love” in Nigeria

During this first unit, we will begin a semester-long discussion about how to read closely and apply that knowledge to other texts. For the primary text of the lens essay we will read anthropologist Daniel Jordan Smith’s chapter “Managing Men, Marriage, and Modern Love: Women’s Perspectives on Intimacy and Male Infidelity in Southeastern Nigeria,” which describes his research among contemporary Nigerians. For the lens texts, please use Ilan Stavans’s interview from the book Love and Language . You are welcome to add James Schultz’s chapter from Courtly Love , “Chivalric Couples: Knights, Ladies, and Marriage.”

Using one or both of these lenses, please make an argument about how behaviors of the Igbo people of Nigeria in Smith’s chapter add to, complicate, or challenge Stavans’s claim that “In general, love is a performance.” (You have the option of choosing one of the following groups of people to focus on: unmarried young women, husbands, or wives.) Your aim is to synthesize your understanding of Stavans’s and/or Schultz’s writings with your interpretation of the Smith chapter in order to construct an argument that you could not have made through close reading alone . You should seek to inform your readers, to open up Smith’s description in new ways for them by exploring in what ways his chapter complicates the Stavans and/or Schultz writings and in what ways their work complicates the Smith chapter. Some questions to consider (remember that a good essay almost always begins with good questions):

• What does love mean and do in Smith’s contexts? Does it evolve, or not?
• Does money affect relationships? How? 
• Does mobility or migration affect relationships? If so, how? 
• What is the role of individual freedom and social conformity in Smith?
• How are pressures different or the same for different social and gender groupings?
• Why did Smith do the research and write the chapter? 

For evidence, you may use any part of the Smith description. Remember that you are making an argument based on Smith’s description and the other aforementioned writings rather than offering your opinion. In other words, you are making an evidence-based, persuasive argument about Stavans’s claim that “In general, love is a performance.” 

Essay length: 6-7 pages 

The first draft of the essay must be submitted electronically to your peers and me no later than 11:55 PM on assigned deadline. Essays must use 1-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font. Please do not enlarge your punctuation—I can tell. Essays must have a title and be double-spaced. Pre-drafts will be submitted in hard copy in class and must be typed and stapled.

Goals of the Essay 

• Open with an engaging introduction that makes your motive clear. Motive, according to Gordon Harvey, is “the intellectual context that you establish for your topic and thesis at the start of your essay, in order to suggest why someone besides your instructor might want to read an essay on this topic or need to hear your particular thesis argued—why your thesis isn’t just obvious to all, why other people might hold other theses that you think are wrong.” So please ask of your thesis, “So what? Why would someone care? What’s unexpected here? How is this interesting?” until you can respond with a satisfying answer. The answer will lead you to your motive. Underline your motive in all drafts and the revision of this paper so it can be quickly identified. 
• Create a dialogue between the texts. Don’t settle for a baseline reading of the points of connection between Smith’s “Managing Men, Marriage, and Modern Love” in Nigeria and the lens. Rather, devise a thesis that identifies how (and how well) Stavans (possibly with Schultz) explains the form and function in the Smith chapter. You will also want to identify a “twist,” a place where your case and the lens don’t match up. This is your opportunity to revise, refine, or even critique the lens—you need not agree with Stavans wholeheartedly, just remember to explain why you disagree and to examine the merits and faults of his argument logically. Essentially, you are being asked to interpret the chapter and reflect on your lens . As always, close readings of specific passages are required to support and/or complicate your argument. 
• Grapple with the lens’s central ideas, rather than taking isolated passages out of  context to support your ideas . Whenever you are called on to bring a critical text into an assignment, your essay will not only be judged on the merit of your original ideas but also on how accurately you represent and make use of the critical text. Even when you disagree with the author, you must explain why you disagree, and that requires you to fully understand the author’s position. When you refer to Stavans, be sure you engage his  main ideas and not a side detail of those ideas. 
• Document quotations using MLA in-text citation method. This citation method requires that you cite your sources parenthetically in the text of your essay (as opposed to using footnotes or endnotes). 

For example: Smith interviewed men while his female assistants interviewed women. This was the best  method, Smith believed, because “people would converse more comfortably about intimate subjects like marriage, sexuality, and infidelity with someone of the same sex” 158).

Pre-Draft 1.1: Close Reading

Your lens essay will use close reading both of the chapter and Stavans (possibly including Schultz). The first step in a close reading is to be sure that you have a clear understanding of the text that you are evaluating. To that end, your first assignment will be to analyze a single paragraph from “Managing Men, Marriage, and Modern Love” that presents evidence that you might use for your essay. In other words, choose any  paragraph that might have some bearing on your argument about how behaviors of the Igbo people of Nigeria in Smith’s chapter add to, complicate, or challenge Stavans’s claim that “In general, love is a performance.” Go sentence by sentence through the paragraph and:  

• Analyze the word choice: why did Smith and the people he talked with choose certain words? What is the effect?
• Look for any repetition in the words or concepts: what purpose does that serve?
• What is the tone? Does this influence the reader? 
• Are there any contradictions? What purpose do these serve? 
• Look at the form: how does Smith quote people’s own words, and when? 

Your analysis should be 1 double-spaced page in length and should quote directly from the paragraph (cite page numbers). 

Pre-Draft 1.2: Mini Lens Analysis 

Lens analysis asks you to put two or more texts in conversation in order to produce a  reading that you couldn’t have made through close reading alone. For this assignment,  first review your notes about the arguments made by Stavans. Second, identify one or two  paragraphs from “Managing Men, Marriage, and Modern Love” that are relevant to  Stavans’s claim. Finally:  

• With the one or two paragraphs, make a mini-argument (two paragraphs) using  Stavans’s argument about love as performance. Be sure to cite at least one piece  of evidence in your analysis.  

This exercise provides an opportunity to practice applying the lens to the primary text,  and you may be able to use your reading for this pre-draft in the final essay. 

Pre-draft 1.3: Outline for Rough Draft 

A comprehensive outline will ensure that your paper has a logical structure and evidence that is  relevant to your argument. Each paragraph should have a separate claim that supports the thesis,  as well as evidence and analysis. In order to organize your paragraphs, you will have to select and  analyze quotations. The argument should develop as the paper unfolds. In other words,  paragraphs should not be interchangeable. The outline should follow the format below: 

I. Introduction 

II. Paragraph #1 (Lens paragraph) 

A. Topic Sentence: This should summarize the main idea of the paragraph: What does  your lens argue? 

B. Evidence: include the quotation and the page numbers for each idea that is relevant to  your paper (you will need 2-3 quotations). 

C. Analysis: briefly explain in your own words what you’ve quoted 

D. Relevance: a brief statement of how the evidence relates to your thesis 

III. Paragraph #2 (Evidence) 

A. Topic Sentence: This should summarize the main idea of the paragraph B. Contextualization: When you cite your evidence, what is happening in the Smith  chapter? 

C. Evidence: include the quotation (use just one quotation)  

D. Analysis: brief statement of how you will close read the evidence 

E. Relevance: a brief statement of how the evidence relates to your thesis   

IV. Paragraph #3 (Evidence) 

A. Topic Sentence: This should summarize the main idea of the paragraph B. Contextualization: When you cite your evidence, what is happening in the Smith chapter? 

C. Evidence: include the quotation (use just one quotation) or describe the moment  you’ll be analyzing if no quotation you’d like to use 

D. Analysis: brief statement of how you will close read the evidence. 

E. Relevance: a brief statement of how the evidence relates to your thesis. 

Etc… for ALL of the body paragraphs. You should have a minimum of 7 body paragraphs. The  remaining four paragraphs should either provide evidence to support your thesis or a counter argument (no more than one counter-argument). Evidence should be organized from weakest to  strongest. 

V: Conclusion—what are the larger implications of your argument? How does the text comment  on a broader theme than just your specific claims?  

Essay 1 Rough Draft Cover Letter

Please write a draft cover letter, addressed to your readers (i.e., “Dear Reader”), in which  you answer the following questions and present any other concerns that you have. This  letter should be typed and should be about three-quarters to a full page long, single spaced. Attach it to the front of your essay. 

• What do you see as your thesis or main idea? How does this thesis engage both  “Managing Men, Marriage, and Modern Love” and the lens and texts? 
• Select your motivating idea from the worksheet distributed in class and report it in  your letter. What is your motive? Underline it in your rough draft. 
• How well do you feel you have represented and engaged with Stavans (and Schultz)?  
• How well do you feel you have performed a close reading of “Managing Men,  Marriage, and Modern Love”? 
• What are the biggest problems you’re having at this point in the writing process?  What have you accomplished most successfully? 
• What’s the number one concern about your essay—thesis, structure, use of evidence,  persuasiveness, style, and so on—that you’d like your reader(s) to focus their comments  on for you? 
• When you revise, what’s the one biggest thing you intend to focus on? How? 

PLEASE ALSO EMAIL YOUR PEERS A GOOGLE DOC. 

Essay 1 Peer Review

Your goal during peer review is to offer the writer constructive comments that will help him or  her revise, literally to “see again,” from a fresh perspective. This is an opportunity to help your  partner become a better writer by pushing for true revision, rather than cosmetic tweaking. As  you carefully read each essay you have been given: 

• Draw a line under awkwardly expressed sentences and phrases whose meanings  are unclear. 
• Write marginal notes to the writer on anything that puzzles you, explaining why. • Label the topic of each paragraph; if you cannot determine the topic, put a  question mark. 

After you have marked it up, read the essay one more time and then write a letter in which you  address the following questions: 

• Thesis and motive : What is the essay’s thesis or controlling idea? How compelling is the  thesis? How arguable is it? What motivating idea from the list distributed in class do you feel the  essay adopts, if any? What is the essay’s motive? Restate these in your own words. Don’t assume  the writer knows what his or her own essay is about! 
• I introduction : Does the essay invite you in with an effective opener? Are context, motive and  thesis clear and effective? What could the writer do to improve the introduction? 
• L ens : Are Stavans’s ideas represented accurately? Are they engaged with in a full and  meaningful way? Are they put in a productive interpretive conversation with Smith’s “Managing  Men, Marriage, and Modern Love,” or are they simply inserted for the sake of the assignment?  Could the lens be removed from the essay without much injury? 
• Case : How well does the essay close-read specific details from “Managing Men, Marriage, and  Modern Love”? Are textual details tagged to the lens’s concepts in laundry list format, or are they  analyzed in a thoughtful, unexpected way (i.e., is this just a baseline reading)? Can you identify a  “twist”? How effectively is it explored? 
• Quotation and Citation : How has the writer incorporated material from their sources into the  flow of the paper? Are all three components of a quotation (lead-in, citation, analysis) present?  How well are quotations explained and analyzed? Any MLA citation mistakes? 
• The writer has asked you one or more questions in their cover letter. What answers do you  have to offer? 

PLEASE BRING YOUR LAPTOP TO THE CLASS AFTER SUBMISSION DEADLINE.

• First-Year Writing
• Writing-Intensive Requirement
• J.V. Cunningham Awards