Directions
Use the following guidelines to help you write your critical response essay.
Please read all of these instructions very carefully before you begin writing your essay.
Make sure you understand what is required for each part of this essay (Introduction,
Body, and Conclusion) before you begin writing. It is a good idea to make notes for each
section or to create a short outline to help organize your thoughts.
Please follow these steps when completing the Critical Response Essay in Unit 4.
1. Reading
Read the stories “A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury and “Nethergrave” by
Gloria Skurzynski very carefully, making sure you have a thorough understanding
of each. This may mean reading both stories more than once.
2. Reflect
Think of the literary elements in each story such as plot, setting, characterization,
dialogue, point of view, tone, and especially theme. Also, consider how both
stories fit into the genre (category) of science fiction.
3. Thesis Statement
Your essay will begin with an introduction. This will include a thesis statement
that says which of the stories you think is the best and WHY you feel this way. An
example of a thesis statement would be as follows:
“Ray Bradbury’s story “A Sound of Thunder” is a stronger work of science
fiction than Gloria Skurzynski’s “Nethergrave” because it involves time
travel, has better characterization, and its theme reveals how even the
smallest act can have an impact on the future of mankind.”
(This is an example of a thesis statement. Please do NOT use this in your
essay.)
Remember, your thesis statement should be clear and valid. This means your
thesis is easy to understand and that you will be able to prove it through the
explanations you provide in the body of your paper. Your introduction will also
briefly state the main points you will cover throughout your essay.
4. Body
The body of your paper should be divided into three paragraphs. Each
paragraph will fit in with the claims you made in your thesis statement. You will
use examples from both stories to provide support.
Paragraph 1 – Discuss how each of these stories fit into the genre of
science fiction. What elements or events in EACH story make it science
fiction? This can include the story’s setting, types of technology used,
events from the plot of the story, etc. Make sure you mention elements
from BOTH stories as you will be comparing and contrasting.
Paragraph 2 – Next, choose ONE literary element (characterization,
point of view, tone, etc.) and explain how the authors use this literary
element in each story. Do not choose theme for this section as you will
use this in your third body paragraph. Which story do you think uses this
element more effectively and WHY do you think this? Only use ONE
literary element and apply this to both stories. For example, you would
talk about Tone in “A Sound of Thunder” and Tone in “Nethergrave.” You
are comparing and contrasting the two stories and will apply the same
literary element to each.
Paragraph 3 – In your last body paragraph, you will discuss the themes
found in each story. Remember, the theme is the message the author
wishes to convey. It is what he or she wants you to learn or to take away
from the story. What are the themes of “A Sound of Thunder” and
“Nethergrave?” Which theme do you think is more effective and WHY?
You will compare/contrast ONE theme from EACH story.
5. Conclusion
In the conclusion of your paper, you will restate your thesis from the
introduction. Restating the thesis means that you will say it in a different way. Do
not simply copy and paste the thesis statement from your introduction. You will
elaborate on your opinion as to which story you think is better and why you feel
this way. Also in your conclusion, you will briefly sum up the major points of your
paper, highlighting what you feel is most important.
Note: When writing Critical Response Essays, always use present tense, even if
the story is written in past tense. For example, in your essay you would say, “Eckles
steps off the path on his way back to the time capsule” rather than “Eckles stepped
off the path on his way back to the time capsule.” Use the present tense of verbs
when referring to the events in the stories.
Explanation:
