going through the steps of writing a simple critical lens essay for my ESL NYS Transitional ELA class.

1. Writing a Critical Lens Essay
NYS ELA Regents

2. What it looks like:

3. Intro Sentence 1: Use the quote exactly as it is
J. W. von Goethe once said
“No two persons regard the
world in exactly the same
way…”

4. Intro Sentence 2: Write what the quote
means
Goethe is telling
us that different
people will view
the same
situation in
different ways.
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two
persons regard the world in exactly the
same way.”

5. Intro Sentence 3: Write whether you agree or
disagree with the meaning of the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two
persons regard the world in exactly the
same way.” Goethe is telling us that
different people will view the same
situation in different ways.
I agree with J.W.
von Goethe’s
statement.

6. Intro Sentence 4: Write the titles, authors, and genres
of the stories you are going to use to support your
statement
Amy Tan’s short story
“Two Kinds” and “The
Bet” by Anton Chekhov
both provide evidence
that agrees with this
quotation.
J.W. von Goethe once said “no
two persons regard the world in exactly
the same way.” Goethe is telling us that
different people will view the same
situation in different ways. I agree with
J.W. von Goethe’s statement.

7. Intro Sentence 5: write that literary elements
convey the meaning of the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said
“no two persons regard the world
in exactly the same way.” Goethe is
telling us that different people will
view the same situation in different
ways. I agree with J.W. von
Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s
short story “Two Kinds” and “The
Bet” by Anton Chekhov both
provide evidence that agrees with
this quotation.
Both authors use
literary elements to
convey the meaning
of this quotation.

8. Body 1 Sentence 1: write the topic sentence including
the literary elements the writer from the 1st work uses
to show the meaning of the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said
“no two persons regard the world
in exactly the same way.” Goethe is
telling us that different people will
view the same situation in different
ways. I agree with J.W. von
Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s
short story “Two Kinds” and “The
Bet” by Anton Chekhov both
provide evidence that agrees with
this quotation. Both authors use
literary elements to convey the
meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy
Tan uses conflict and
characterization to
demonstrate that
different people view
the same situation in
different ways.

9. Body 1 Sentence 2/3: 1st literary element and
its connection to the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no
two persons regard the world in exactly
the same way.” Goethe is telling us that
different people will view the same
situation in different ways. I agree with
J.W. von Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s
short story “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by
Anton Chekhov both provide evidence
that agrees with this quotation. Both
authors use literary elements to convey
the meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses
conflict and characterization to
demonstrate that different people view
the same situation in different ways.
The character vs. character conflict
between Jing-Mei and her mother
comes from the fact that they have
different views on the importance of
self-improvement. The mother
believes Jing-Mei should always try to
be the best at everything, while Jing-
Mei feels that her mother should just
accept her the way she is.

10. Body 1 Sentence 4: Give an example of the 2nd literary
element and how it expresses the meaning of the
quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two
persons regard the world in exactly the same way.”
Goethe is telling us that different people will view
the same situation in different ways. I agree with
J.W. von Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s short story
“Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton Chekhov both
provide evidence that agrees with this quotation.
Both authors use literary elements to convey the
meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and
characterization to demonstrate that different
people view the same situation in different ways.
The character vs. character conflict between Jing-
Mei and her mother comes from the fact that they
have different views on the importance of self-
improvement. The mother believes Jing-Mei should
always try to be the best at everything, while Jing-
Mei feels that her mother should just accept her the
way she is.
Tan uses characterization to show
how the characters’ personalities
reflect these beliefs. Jing-Mei
becomes angrier and more
rebellious with every new failure to
become a prodigy, while her mother
stays optimistic that Jing-Mei could
succeed if she would try hard
enough.

11. Body 1 Sentence 5: Summarize literary
elements used to support the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons
regard the world in exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling
us that different people will view the same situation in
different ways. I agree with J.W. von Goethe’s statement.
Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton
Chekhov both provide evidence that agrees with this
quotation. Both authors use literary elements to convey the
meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and
characterization to demonstrate that different people view
the same situation in different ways. The character vs.
character conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother comes
from the fact that they have different views on the
importance of self-improvement. The mother believes Jing-
Mei should always try to be the best at everything, while
Jing-Mei feels that her mother should just accept her the
way she is. Tan uses characterization to show how the
characters’ personalities reflect these beliefs. Jing-Mei
becomes angrier and more rebellious with every new failure
to become a prodigy, while her mother stays optimistic that
Jing-Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough.
The conflict and
characterization in “Two
Kinds” both serve to
show how the characters
have different views
about the same issue.

12. Body 2 Sentence 1: write a topic sentence about
the literary elements author 2 uses to prove the
meaning of the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons
regard the world in exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling
us that different people will view the same situation in
different ways. I agree with J.W. von Goethe’s statement.
Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton
Chekhov both provide evidence that agrees with this
quotation. Both authors use literary elements to convey the
meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and
characterization to demonstrate that different people view
the same situation in different ways. The character vs.
character conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother comes
from the fact that they have different views on the
importance of self-improvement. The mother believes Jing-
Mei should always try to be the best at everything, while
Jing-Mei feels that her mother should just accept her the
way she is. Tan uses characterization to show how the
characters’ personalities reflect these beliefs. Jing-Mei
becomes angrier and more rebellious with every new failure
to become a prodigy, while her mother stays optimistic that
Jing-Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The
conflict and characterization in “Two Kinds” both serve to
show how the characters have different views about the
same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s
use of conflict and
irony in “The Bet”
supports the idea of
this quotation as
well.

13. Body 2 Sentence 2: 1st literary element
example and connection to the quote
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons regard
the world in exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling us that
different people will view the same situation in different ways. I
agree with J.W. von Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s short story
“Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton Chekhov both provide
evidence that agrees with this quotation. Both authors use
literary elements to convey the meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and
characterization to demonstrate that different people view the
same situation in different ways. The character vs. character
conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother comes from the fact
that they have different views on the importance of self-
improvement. The mother believes Jing-Mei should always try to
be the best at everything, while Jing-Mei feels that her mother
should just accept her the way she is. Tan uses characterization
to show how the characters’ personalities reflect these beliefs.
Jing-Mei becomes angrier and more rebellious with every new
failure to become a prodigy, while her mother stays optimistic
that Jing-Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The
conflict and characterization in “Two Kinds” both serve to show
how the characters have different views about the same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony in “The
Bet” supports the idea of this quotation as well.
First, The doctor and the
lawyer take opposite
sides of an argument
about the death penalty,
in a character vs.
character conflict that
clearly shows their
different views on the
same situation.

14. Body 2 Sentence 3/4: 2nd literary element
and connection to quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons regard
the world in exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling us that
different people will view the same situation in different ways. I
agree with J.W. von Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s short story
“Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton Chekhov both provide
evidence that agrees with this quotation. Both authors use
literary elements to convey the meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and
characterization to demonstrate that different people view the
same situation in different ways. The character vs. character
conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother comes from the fact
that they have different views on the importance of self-
improvement. The mother believes Jing-Mei should always try to
be the best at everything, while Jing-Mei feels that her mother
should just accept her the way she is. Tan uses characterization
to show how the characters’ personalities reflect these beliefs.
Jing-Mei becomes angrier and more rebellious with every new
failure to become a prodigy, while her mother stays optimistic
that Jing-Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The
conflict and characterization in “Two Kinds” both serve to show
how the characters have different views about the same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony in “The
Bet” supports the idea of this quotation as well. First, The doctor
and the lawyer take opposite sides of an argument about the
death penalty, in a character vs. character conflict that clearly
shows their different views on the same situation.
Then, Chekhov uses situational irony
to show how the characters have
different views on the topic of money.
The banker thinks money is so
important that he is willing to kill the
lawyer for $2 million, only to find out
that the lawyer doesn’t care about
the money at all, and plans to give it
up.

15. Body 2 Sentence 5: summary sentence of
literary elements
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons regard the
world in exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling us that different
people will view the same situation in different ways. I agree with J.W.
von Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” and “The
Bet” by Anton Chekhov both provide evidence that agrees with this
quotation. Both authors use literary elements to convey the meaning of
this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and characterization
to demonstrate that different people view the same situation in
different ways. The character vs. character conflict between Jing-Mei
and her mother comes from the fact that they have different views on
the importance of self-improvement. The mother believes Jing-Mei
should always try to be the best at everything, while Jing-Mei feels that
her mother should just accept her the way she is. Tan uses
characterization to show how the characters’ personalities reflect these
beliefs. Jing-Mei becomes angrier and more rebellious with every new
failure to become a prodigy, while her mother stays optimistic that Jing-
Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The conflict and
characterization in “Two Kinds” both serve to show how the characters
have different views about the same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony in “The Bet”
supports the idea of this quotation as well. First, The doctor and the
lawyer take opposite sides of an argument about the death penalty, in a
character vs. character conflict that clearly shows their different views
on the same situation. Then, Chekhov uses situational irony to show how
the characters have different views on the topic of money. The banker
thinks money is so important that he is willing to kill the lawyer for $2
million, only to find out that the lawyer doesn’t care about the money
at all, and plans to give it up.
Chekhov’s use of conflict
and irony certainly
convey the idea that
different people will
view the same situation
in completely different
ways.

16. Conclusion Sentence 1: restate the thesis (4th
sentence of the introduction)
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons regard the
world in exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling us that different
people will view the same situation in different ways. I agree with J.W.
von Goethe’s statement. Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” and “The
Bet” by Anton Chekhov both provide evidence that agrees with this
quotation. Both authors use literary elements to convey the meaning
of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and characterization
to demonstrate that different people view the same situation in
different ways. The character vs. character conflict between Jing-Mei
and her mother comes from the fact that they have different views on
the importance of self-improvement. The mother believes Jing-Mei
should always try to be the best at everything, while Jing-Mei feels
that her mother should just accept her the way she is. Tan uses
characterization to show how the characters’ personalities reflect
these beliefs. Jing-Mei becomes angrier and more rebellious with every
new failure to become a prodigy, while her mother stays optimistic
that Jing-Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The conflict
and characterization in “Two Kinds” both serve to show how the
characters have different views about the same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony in “The Bet”
supports the idea of this quotation as well. First, The doctor and the
lawyer take opposite sides of an argument about the death penalty, in
a character vs. character conflict that clearly shows their different
views on the same situation. Then, Chekhov uses situational irony to
show how the characters have different views on the topic of money.
The banker thinks money is so important that he is willing to kill the
lawyer for $2 million, only to find out that the lawyer doesn’t care
about the money at all, and plans to give it up. Chekhov’s use of
conflict and irony certainly convey the idea that different people will
view the same situation in completely different ways.
The short stories “Two
Kinds” and “The Bet” by
Amy Tan and Anton Chekhov
demonstrate the truth that
different people can view
the same situation in
different ways, by using the
literary elements mentioned
above.

17. Conclusion Sentence 2: Restate your opinion
about the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons regard the world in
exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling us that different people will view
the same situation in different ways. I agree with J.W. von Goethe’s
statement. Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton
Chekhov both provide evidence that agrees with this quotation. Both authors
use literary elements to convey the meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and characterization to
demonstrate that different people view the same situation in different ways.
The character vs. character conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother comes
from the fact that they have different views on the importance of self-
improvement. The mother believes Jing-Mei should always try to be the best
at everything, while Jing-Mei feels that her mother should just accept her the
way she is. Tan uses characterization to show how the characters’
personalities reflect these beliefs. Jing-Mei becomes angrier and more
rebellious with every new failure to become a prodigy, while her mother stays
optimistic that Jing-Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The
conflict and characterization in “Two Kinds” both serve to show how the
characters have different views about the same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony in “The Bet” supports
the idea of this quotation as well. First, The doctor and the lawyer take
opposite sides of an argument about the death penalty, in a character vs.
character conflict that clearly shows their different views on the same
situation. Then, Chekhov uses situational irony to show how the characters
have different views on the topic of money. The banker thinks money is so
important that he is willing to kill the lawyer for $2 million, only to find out
that the lawyer doesn’t care about the money at all, and plans to give it up.
Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony certainly convey the idea that different
people will view the same situation in completely different ways.
The short stories “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Amy Tan and
Anton Chekhov demonstrate the truth that different people can view the
same situation in different ways, by using the literary elements mentioned
above.
I agree with Goethe’s
belief that “no two
persons regard the
world in exactly the
same way.”

18. Conflict Sentence 3: Restate the literary elements
used to help convey the meaning of the quotation
J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons regard the world in
exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling us that different people will view the
same situation in different ways. I agree with J.W. von Goethe’s statement.
Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton Chekhov both
provide evidence that agrees with this quotation. Both authors use literary
elements to convey the meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and characterization to
demonstrate that different people view the same situation in different ways.
The character vs. character conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother comes
from the fact that they have different views on the importance of self-
improvement. The mother believes Jing-Mei should always try to be the best at
everything, while Jing-Mei feels that her mother should just accept her the way
she is. Tan uses characterization to show how the characters’ personalities
reflect these beliefs. Jing-Mei becomes angrier and more rebellious with every
new failure to become a prodigy, while her mother stays optimistic that Jing-
Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The conflict and
characterization in “Two Kinds” both serve to show how the characters have
different views about the same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony in “The Bet” supports
the idea of this quotation as well. First, The doctor and the lawyer take
opposite sides of an argument about the death penalty, in a character vs.
character conflict that clearly shows their different views on the same
situation. Then, Chekhov uses situational irony to show how the characters
have different views on the topic of money. The banker thinks money is so
important that he is willing to kill the lawyer for $2 million, only to find out
that the lawyer doesn’t care about the money at all, and plans to give it up.
Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony certainly convey the idea that different
people will view the same situation in completely different ways.
The short stories “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Amy Tan and
Anton Chekhov demonstrate the truth that different people can view the same
situation in different ways, by using the literary elements mentioned above. I
agree with Goethe’s belief that “no two persons regard the world in exactly the
same way.”
The examples of conflict,
characterization, and
irony given above show
that Amy Tan and Anton
Chekhov also agree with
J.W. von Goethe.

19. J.W. von Goethe once said “no two persons regard the world in exactly the same way.” Goethe is telling us
that different people will view the same situation in different ways. I agree with J.W. von Goethe’s statement.
Amy Tan’s short story “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Anton Chekhov both provide evidence that agrees with
this quotation. Both authors use literary elements to convey the meaning of this quotation.
In “Two Kinds” Amy Tan uses conflict and characterization to demonstrate that different people view the
same situation in different ways. The character vs. character conflict between Jing-Mei and her mother comes
from the fact that they have different views on the importance of self-improvement. The mother believes Jing-
Mei should always try to be the best at everything, while Jing-Mei feels that her mother should just accept her
the way she is. Tan uses characterization to show how the characters’ personalities reflect these beliefs. Jing-
Mei becomes angrier and more rebellious with every new failure to become a prodigy, while her mother stays
optimistic that Jing-Mei could succeed if she would try hard enough. The conflict and characterization in “Two
Kinds” both serve to show how the characters have different views about the same issue.
Anton Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony in “The Bet” supports the idea of this quotation as well. First,
The doctor and the lawyer take opposite sides of an argument about the death penalty, in a character vs.
character conflict that clearly shows their different views on the same situation. Then, Chekhov uses
situational irony to show how the characters have different views on the topic of money. The banker thinks
money is so important that he is willing to kill the lawyer for $2 million, only to find out that the lawyer
doesn’t care about the money at all, and plans to give it up. Chekhov’s use of conflict and irony certainly
convey the idea that different people will view the same situation in completely different ways.
The short stories “Two Kinds” and “The Bet” by Amy Tan and Anton Chekhov demonstrate the truth that
different people can view the same situation in different ways, by using the literary elements mentioned
above. I agree with Goethe’s belief that “no two persons regard the world in exactly the same way.” The
examples of conflict, characterization, and irony given above show that Amy Tan and Anton Chekhov also agree
with J.W. von Goethe.