Reading & Analysis

General aims for this session:

1.To learn how to analyse a critical/academic text, including:

• Understanding of the overall argument

• Awareness of the types of language used, and their effects

1.To learn how to test the claims of an author in terms of:

• Internal consistency• Against an external object

Jackson Pollock, Full Fathom Five, 1947

Specific tasks:• As a whole group: read and analyse Clement

Greenberg’s 1952 review, paying particular attention to argument and language.

• Produce a paraphrase of Greenberg’s review

Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm, 1950

• In small groups: read and analyse another piece of writing about Pollock.

• Come to an understanding of how different writers construct the painter and his work.

The basics of analysis:

1.ArgumentAt its most basic an argument consists of a claim and a conclusion. A claim is a proposition about the world.A conclusion draws an inference from this.

‘Pollock is a great painter, therefore his paintings are interesting.’

You can spot a claim by looking for words like ‘is’ and ‘are’.

You can spot a conclusion by looking for words like ‘therefore’ and ‘because’.

Jackson Pollock, Eyes in the Heat, 1946

2. Evidence

Most arguments also require some evidence to support the claim and conclusion.

Evidence is generally a statement of fact.

‘Greenberg says Pollock is a great painter, therefore his paintings are interesting.’

Evidence provides a reason for believing the author’s claims.

Evidence is often the difference between opinion and argument.

Jackson Pollock, Reflection of the Big Dipper, 1947

3. Language

This includes all kinds of things, such as:• Tone – is it authoritative or conversational? Is it matter-of-fact or poetic?• Vocabulary – is it specialised? Does it use jargon?• Sentence structure – short and punchy or long, complex sentences?• Metaphor – are metaphors used or avoided?

Skilful language can be very persuasive, even when the argument is weak.

Jackson Pollock, Mural, 1943

4. Testing an argument

1.InternallyAre the elements of the argument logically related to one another?Does the conclusion follow necessarily?

2. ExternallyDo the claims accurately reflect the object?Are there important parts of the object that are not reflected in the text?

Jackson Pollock, Number 14, 1951

Pollock’s 3 styles (according to Greenberg):

1. Semi- figurative(Guardians of the Secret, 1943)

2. Abstract(Cathedral,

1947)

3. semi-figurative(Portrait and a Dream, 1953)

Working in small groups:

Who wrote it, and when?

What is the writer’s position on Jackson Pollock?

Is it a strong or a weak argument? (give reasons)

What evidence does the writer give?

Jackson Pollock, Number 7, 1952