Foreword

You're in the Louvre, roaming from room to room, gallery to gallery, as you admire the artwork. You scrutinize each piece, carefully looking them over, as you think to yourself,what was the artist thinking when he painted this piece? Why did Delacroix decide to personify Liberty as a woman, and why did he choose to use such dark colors for the people in the background?

But how would you know to ask these questions?

You're in the Münchner Künstlerhaus, where the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra is performing Johannes Sebastian Bach's St Matthew Passion. As you listen to the choir sing out their praises, just as Herr Bach intended, you ask yourself, why did Bach choose the Gospel of Matthew as the foundation for this Passion? What sort of special qualities did Bach want to express that he saw were reflected in the Gospel of Matthew, rather than any of the other four Gospels? What was his intention in writing this piece?

But again, what sort of person does it take to ask these questions?

Writing is an act of creation. In that sense, it is much like painting or composition, as in the examples that Bach and Delacroix embody. Writers choose their words like an artist chooses colors and brushes, like a composer chooses a key and a time signature, or like a sculptor chooses his material and design. Few writers one would consider "good" at their craft choose their words without careful thought, and it is truly the mark of a good writer that she can express her thoughts perfectly—if such a thing were possible!—through her words. But to make such a judgment, one must know how to write.

And so, what is the sort of person that can ask himself why Delacroix made his artistic decisions? Why did Delacroix choose this or that color? Why is this patch bright and its surroundings dark? Who can ask herself why Bach chose the Gospel of Matthew as his inspiration, and what sort of emotions or passions Bach wanted to express? In both cases, the people who are self-aware enough to ask these questions are those who are familiar with the work to such an extent that they can question not only themselves but also the work. They are familiar with the acts of creation implicit in interpreting and creating each piece of art or each piece of music.

And so, this book will be a guide for you to interpret and understand what sort of creation is necessary in understanding writing. Through understanding how other writers create their works, you will understand how best to respond to their acts of creation, evaluate it with a discerning eye like any critic worth his snobby attitude.

One more thing—this book is labeled "New SAT Essay". But do not think that this book's contents will be solely for your preparations for the New SAT.Writing is a skill necessary to any career you might choose, whether you are writing situation reports for your superior, making advertisements for your small business, or compiling a news article for publication in the local newspaper. And so, I hope that you learn through the contents of this book how to express yourself and your thoughts through writing. Only then can you walk through the Louvre and question the great masters— what were you thinking?

So what does it take to ask questions of Bach or Delacroix? What sort of qualifications does it take to critique great art, no matter what form it takes?

But with that said,let's refocus on the idea of critique. I don't think it's overblown or exaggerated or what have you to call literature a form of art. It is created with intention, and it can convey a particular aesthetic point or sense of beauty. But the question that remains for students of literature—and SAT essay writers—is: what makes us qualified to evaluate and critique works of art? What allows us to judge works of literature and other texts from a critical perspective, and in so doing not only achieve a high mark on the SAT essay, but also form the foundation of skills that will certainly be useful later in our lives?

What makes a critic a critic?

And what sort of expertise do they have that the average person does not?

If this is too high-minded for you, don't worry too much. This is merely an introduction. We'll get down to business as soon as you flip to the next page. But for now, put on some thinking music.

And so we begin.