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Commentary Essay Guide

If you are a high school, college, or university student, you might have to write a commentary essay sooner or later. And whatever the subject may be, it’s better to be sure to provide substantial content and analyze the written discourse thoroughly. A commentary is quite good for completing that task.  

There are several ways of writing a commentary, and we will examine all of the major ones. Depending on the subject and the requirements, you might write your commentary in the form of a separate paper with its own characteristics (usually assigned and explained by your tutor), a literary analysis, and data commentary.

Plus, a commentary can be part of any complete essay. If you are assigned a specific type, you are free to jump to it directly. If not, make sure to read the whole article and learn more about every kind of commentary essay.

Essay definition – read our general article to learn more about essays.

What Is a Commentary Essay? (As a Separate Paper)

A commentary essay is a written piece that provides an opinion on a particular subject. This type of essay is usually written in response to another piece , such as a blog post, article, or book passage. In a commentary essay, the writer will typically offer their own take on the situation, using evidence and examples to support their claims.

A commentary essay as a separate assignment is widely used among academic institutions. Such a paper aims to make students enable and use their critical thinking, analyze a subject, and provide an individual commentary essay.

For instance, the Purdue University Fort Wayne course ENG W131 relies on a commentary essay as a distinct type because it simply helps the reader understand the topic more in-depth and provides a strong stance regarding the given subject. It would be reasonable to point out the most notable attributes of this commentary essay and what professors of the Purdue University course require to pass the program.

The commentary essay’s primary goal is to help the audience understand the topic better. Many subjects may be quite unclear to an ordinary reader—meaning many points can be misunderstood. Students write commentary essays to evaluate various concepts and analyze the subject in a broader scope. 

Audience and Genre

The writer’s primary audience should be interested in the issue and have some connections with it. In other words, if you are to discuss innovations in the business sector, your audience may comprise business owners.

A commentary essay speaks for itself. The genre is a commentary—however, an official one.

Language and Style

Almost every paper has to be written according to academic rules, i.e., by following formal language and avoiding slang and personal pronouns. A commentary essay, however, allows you to include the first-person pronoun “I” to present your point of view.

Make your work coherent by providing effective transitions between the essay’s paragraphs and minding the word choice .

Like any academic paper, a commentary essay must contain an introduction with a thesis statement , a body part, and a conclusion. A word count might vary, but it is usually four to six pages long, double-spaced, typed with Times New Roman, with a title page and scholarly sources formatted in APA style.

Note: To learn more about essay format and structure, read our dedicated guide – How to Format an Essay .

Make sure to add one academic article or any other authoritative source per page. If your commentary essay has three pages, you need to find three up-to-date scholarly or any other competent materials. Such shreds of evidence support your arguments and thus make your work more trustworthy. 

The following are some brief tips to help you succeed in writing a commentary essay:

• Create a strong and clear thesis that will outline your paper’s main points.
• Make sure to give your audience food for thought or something that will urge them to act or try making sense of the topic.
• Treat the readers as co-thinkers and demonstrate your position with reason, regardless of whether your perspective on the subject and theirs coincide.
• Don’t be too objective or neutral but try to show your viewpoint, whatever it is.

Literary Commentary Writing and Analysis

Many students might think that commentary and analysis are two different things. They ask what the difference is since teachers can talk about commentary and analysis and use these terms interchangeably. The truth is, these are basically the same words in the context of essay writing. In simple terms, a commentary requires a person to analyze a certain block of text and explain their understanding to the audience.

As we already know, a commentary essay can be written in various ways. A commentary essay can examine different subjects and areas, which is hard to say about literary analysis. Literary commentary writing focuses on literature and sometimes news. Moreover, it follows the two most used methods: “This shows that” and “LET.” 

“This Shows That” Approach

To be brief but precise, this method makes students read between the lines and provide a complete understanding of the given text. However, although this method is relatively simple (but very effective), students tend to make mistakes when using it. Instead of going into the content, they remain about water. As a result, students don’t analyze the chosen section but simply paraphrase it. Let’s take a look at two examples:

A weak approach: In Essay On Criticism by Alexander Pope , the author states that “Those RULES of old discover’d, not devis’d; Are Nature still, but Nature Methodiz’d. Nature, like Liberty, is but restrain’d By the same Laws which first herself ordain’d.” The author says that only Nature sets the rules of our universe and can alter them.

A stronger approach: In Essay On Criticism by Alexander Pope , the author states that “Those RULES of old discover’d, not devis’d; Are Nature still, but Nature Methodiz’d. Nature, like Liberty, is but restrain’d By the same Laws which first herself ordain’d.” This shows that Nature dictates its own rules that no one can alter but her. Moreover, such rules are tightly connected with criticism during Classicism. The author wanted to emphasize that often such criticism was hostile to poetry, which was then called “criticism for the sake of criticism.”

“LET” Approach

This approach stands for “Literary Elements and Techniques,” which helps determine components used within the section and explains how such techniques correlate with the thesis statement. As a matter of fact, these elements are point of view, conflict, plot, character, style, and setting . 

Analyzed quote : “It is much easier to make good men wise, than to make bad men good.”

Thesis statement : Henry Fielding used digressions and extensive descriptions to show how a single event can be depicted, extended, and mocked.

Commentary : In this example, the narrator uses digressions to change the topic and provide something completely different, which, however, as the author states, is very important to know beforehand. By men , the author demonstrates the entire humanity and its development, false values, and shallow life. The quote works to show that every piece of text can mock every life aspect, and it wholly relates to the thesis statement.

Note: To learn more about academic analytical writing, check our comprehensive article – How to Write an Analytical Essay .  

What Are Commentaries in an Essay?

Commentaries in an essay can be written in different ways. Depending on an essay’s type you have to analyze, you can use several kinds of commentaries to interpret the body paragraphs’ evidence . These comments ultimately allow you to build a full-fledged paper and are essential in most essays. 

Each body paragraph in essays usually has a set structure, which looks something like this:

• Topic sentence (with your claim or argument)
• Supporting evidence, examples, quotes, etc.
• Your commentaries analyzing the previous part
• Concluding sentence with a transition to the next part

There are five different ways of writing a commentary (analysis) in an essay. Each of them requires thorough analysis to identify which type is the most pertinent to use. Comments can be composed in the form of:

• Opinion: When you analyze a piece and provide your take about it.
• Interpretation: When you explain a concept that is hard to understand.
• Character and Subject’s Feelings: When you depict the person’s emotional state.
• Personal Reaction: When you present your personal stance on the topic.
• Evaluation: When you evaluate a section and provide your critical judgment.

Now, each type is unique and has to be used within the relevant context. Suffice to say, you can’t use a character’s and subject’s feelings when analyzing statistics or a biology essay. How to identify which type is the most pertinent to the essay? Let’s find out.

Opinion Type

This one simply means to walk through the piece, comprehend it, and give the audience a short thought on the subject. The “what and why” method is the best way to provide sound analysis. Topics may be different, but argumentative essays with pieces of evidence are the prevalent paper type.

An exemplary statement might be: Considering a slow increase in vaccinated people, it will take over 70 years to vaccinate all the globe’s population.

When sticking to the “what and why” method, you want to show what your opinion is and why it is important.

So, the answer might follow this way: The statement demonstrated very slow progress in vaccinating people. If we want to get back to the pre-covid times sooner than 70 years from now, we have to speed up the vaccination process to grant people safety and hope.

Interpretation Type 

This type would suit argumentative essays with evidence-based statistics and numbers. Likewise, the “what and why” strategy would be the best for this and succeeding types.

The example of the body paragraph’s main thought can be: Researchers empirically identified that of 100,000 participants, 80,000 started feeling better after strenuous workouts.

Your commentary: The research indicates that the vast majority of participants made use of intense exercises. However beneficial it may be, there are still a substantial number of people who didn’t feel any improvement, and some even started feeling worse. 

Character’s or Subject’s Feelings

This type is applicable when providing commentaries on different descriptive or narrative essays.

For instance, the subject matter may well be related to some biographies and reflections, such as Sylvia Evans, observing her poor mental state, had to give up higher education and merge with solitude for the rest of her life.

Then, your commentary can be: Sylvia faces disastrous feelings at a young age, resulting in her university expulsion. Consequently, she has to leave everything and become alone, which can be even more perilous for her and people who share similar feelings. 

Personal Reaction

Here, you can touch on topics that can somehow relate to you. Issues you cover might be various and relate to the expository , narrative , or descriptive essays . An excellent example can be the topic of ethnic discrimination.

For instance: People don’t accept individuals of various backgrounds, sticking to the ideas of a polygamous nation and excluding others from their group.

The following may be your response: It is unacceptable to observe such pseudo-notions and see how people from different countries are perceived. Such an attitude spawns hatred, isolation, and even violence from both groups. 

Assessment 

This type relies on authoritative papers, credible statements, law, and other widely known rules.

For example, Owners whose private property is trespassed can use firearms and fend off the intruders.

Your evaluation can be as follows: Although this might be unnecessary, people are prone to defending their territory in any possible way. In fact, they are protected by the law and constitution that allow them to use firearms to protect their possessions. 

Data Commentary

Last but not least, the data commentary. Data commentary analyzes and discusses various data. In many fields, especially in engineering, it is critical to be able to make a point or develop an argument based on data.

The data can be presented as a table, graph, chart, or diagram; it can be your own data (e.g., gathered via a survey) or data from other sources, such as research papers and third-party surveys.

In data commentaries, one of the essential points is showing your position. And one of the main mistakes is to simply describe the data without providing your own point of view or any interpretation. However, here’s where another danger often arises. When drawing a conclusion based on data, make sure that conclusion is well-supported and that your claim is reasonable.

You can regulate the strength of your claim by using different verbs based on the strength of your stance. For example, if your stance is strong, you can say “caused,” indicating that one thing is definitely the reason something else happened. But if you want to make it less asserting, you can word it like “might have contributed to.”

All in all, here are the elements your data commentary can consist of:

• Summary : You need to write a study’s synopsis and provide critical pieces of information the reader should know about.
• Graph or Chart : To help the reader understand the numbers better and be able to compare them easily, you can include diagrams, charts, or other visual representations of data.
• Conclusion : When writing a conclusion, not only do you help the reader remember key points, but you also provide your viewpoint.
• Bibliography : You might need to create a reference page listing the sources you used when composing the data commentary.

Data Commentary Example (image)

Here’s an example of a data commentary with a good explanation, transitions, and a strong conclusion.

Key Takeaways and Tips

With the abundance of types a commentary essay has, it comes as no surprise that students often get overwhelmed when professors assign them to write this paper. Still, the assignment is manageable, especially if you are aware that a commentary essay can be written in the form of:

• Separate essay
• Literary analysis
• Data commentary
• Evidence interpretation

Each of them is unique and has characteristics that students need to be familiar with before writing. 

Once you define which type of commentary essay you need, you might find the following tips useful:

• Commentary is analysis, but not every analysis is commentary.
• Try color-coding when writing an essay to highlight its parts with different colors to see if your paper is balanced and well-structured. Read more about essay elements in our guide on how to write a standard essay .
• Always remember that in a commentary, your opinion and interpretation matter the most.
• In a literary commentary, avoid using first-person pronouns (I, me, my, we, us, our).
• Don’t simply summarize the quote, data, or evidence but draw logical conclusions and present your perspective.

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When You Write

From Summary to Insight: A Guide to Writing Commentary Essays with Depth

Writing an essay can be daunting, let alone if you’re also providing commentary on it. But the reward of a job well done is worth the effort when you’re finished!

It has been noted that essays with thoughtful commentaries have a higher chance of being accepted for publication. So I’m here to help make it clear that essay writers need to understand the power of commentary and how to incorporate it into their work.

In this article, I’ll share my experience as a writer and provide insight on how to make your voice heard in an essay by using effective commentary. By following my advice, you’ll be able to craft a piece that stands out from the crowd and makes your thoughts shine through!

What Is Commentary In An Essay?

Over the course of your writing, you may have heard of the term ‘commentary’ in relation to essay writing. But what does it mean?

Simply put, commentary is analysis. It’s when you take a text and try to identify the deeper implications at play. In literary texts this could be symbolism, metaphors or dual meanings; with non-fiction texts it could include examining how an author makes use of evidence and arguments to support their position.

Writing a commentary essay requires close reading skills and the ability to interpret a wide range of information. It also requires you to think critically about how ideas are connected and draw conclusions about why certain elements are included in the text.

Commentary is an essential part of any essay because it allows your reader – who may not be as familiar with the text as you – to understand why you have drawn certain conclusions based on your interpretation.

It’s like giving them a guided tour through your thoughts and ideas so they can explore what makes your argument unique and interesting. Commentary also enables you to make connections between different aspects of the text that might not be obvious on first glance, helping bring out its significance even further.

By using commentary effectively, you can write an engaging essay that really gets your point across clearly.

The Significance Of Commentary In Essay Writing

Writing commentary in an essay can be a powerful tool for communicating ideas and arguments. It is essential to engage in critical thinking, interpretation, and analysis when writing commentary. Writing effective commentary requires the ability to construct a well-developed argument that supports the main point of the essay.

Here are 4 key elements of effective commentary:

• A clear thesis statement
• Relevant evidence that supports the argument
• Interpretation and analysis of the evidence
• A conclusion that summarizes the argument

Commentaries should be written with an engaging style that encourages readers to think critically about the topic at hand. Good literary commentary should be accessible, yet thought-provoking; it should both inform and entertain the audience. Additionally, it should challenge preconceived notions about a subject and provide an insightful perspective on why something matters or how it affects our lives.

In order to write effectively, one must first understand their audience and what they hope to communicate through their words. With this knowledge in mind, one can craft a compelling commentary that offers fresh insight into any given topic.

Transitioning seamlessly into the next section…

Key Elements Of Effective Commentary

Like the rising sun that signals a new day, effective commentary can offer a fresh perspective to an essay. With the right words and emphasis, it can engage readers in an entirely new way and bring them closer to understanding your argument.

Like a shimmering beacon of light, it has the power to grab their attention and draw them into your ideas.

Commentary does more than just summarize facts or provide background information – it also evaluates, interprets, and analyses information.

It’s an opportunity for you to delve into the heart of what you’re writing about, offering insight into its significance and exploring potential implications. By taking this approach, you can evaluate the importance of each point and develop your thesis with greater clarity.

Through thoughtful commentary, you can make connections between ideas that your readers may not have previously considered and help them reach their own conclusions about your argument.

Strategies For Writing Potent Commentary In Essays

Writing potent commentary in essays is essential to making a successful argument and gaining the reader’s interest. Here are four strategies that can help you write a good essay commentary:

Develop a strong thesis statement

A thesis statement serves as the core of your essay, and it should be explicit, engaging and supportable by evidence. It should also be concise so that readers can understand your main message immediately.

Understand the topic better

Spend some time researching the topic before you start writing to ensure you have a thorough understanding of it. This will give your commentary more depth and clarity.

Body And Paragraphs Organized

Make sure your body paragraphs are organized logically and clearly explain how your points relate to the overall theme or argument of your essay.

Each paragraph should have a single purpose, and make sure that all sentences within each paragraph work together to support that purpose.

Use literary analysis

When writing your commentary you can draw on elements like tone, imagery, diction, and syntax to make your argument more persuasive and compelling for readers. This will also help them better understand what you’re trying to communicate in your essay.

By incorporating these strategies into your essay writing process, you can create powerful commentary that effectively supports your argument and engages readers with meaningful insight into the text or topic at hand. With these tips in mind, let’s look at how to use quotations and examples in commentary to further enrich our arguments!

The Use Of Quotations And Examples In Commentary

Now that we’ve discussed strategies for writing powerful commentary in essays, let’s explore the use of quotations and examples when constructing these sentences.

Quotations and examples are essential for making strong commentary sentences that support an argument or analysis. When used correctly, they can be a great way to illustrate a point and add interest and texture to your argument.

When including a quotation in your commentary, it is important to make sure it is properly attributed. You should include both the author’s name and the source from which the quote was taken. This not only strengthens your argument by adding credibility, but it also shows you have done your research.

Examples are also effective for proving a point or introducing a new concept. They help to break up longer paragraphs, explain difficult concepts in more detail, and provide evidence or substantiation for an idea or opinion. When using examples in commentary sentences, it is important that they are relevant to the topic at hand and accurately represent what you are attempting to say in your essay.

With this information in mind, let’s move on to examining types of commentary in essays; comprehending the contrasts.

Types Of Commentary In Essays: Comprehending The Contrasts

As a student writing a commentary essay, it is important to understand the differences between analyzing, summarizing, and evaluating. To help comprehend these contrasts, let’s take a look at four main points:

1.      Analyzing – Looking closely at something and breaking it down into smaller parts to better understand it.

2.      Summarizing – Taking the information from a larger group of data and boiling it down into its key elements.

3.      Relating – Exploring how two or more ideas are connected and how they affect each other.

4.      Evaluating – Examining different aspects of an issue or argument and determining its worth or value by expressing an opinion about it.

Using these four points as a framework for writing your commentary essays can help you to be more effective in your analysis, summary and evaluation of any given topic.

Furthermore, this knowledge will also serve you well when crafting strategies for writing literary essays that contain thoughtful commentary elements.

With this in mind, let us now turn our attention to creating such strategies…

Strategies For Writing Commentary In Literary Essays

Having discussed the differences between types of commentary, let’s now turn to strategies for writing effective commentary in literary essays.

When it comes to providing commentary, it is important to understand that you are making a statement about something; whether it be an interpretation or opinion, you need to make a clear statement.

You should also comment on any phrases or passages that have stood out and explain why they are significant.

It is also important to identify the underlying message of the text. This means going beyond surface-level analysis and delving into the deeper meaning of the work.

To do this, think about what is not being said as much as what is being said.

Make sure your comments add depth to your analysis and provide new insights for your readers.

Finally, take care when constructing your sentences so that your points come across clearly and convincingly.

Writing Commentary For Convincing Essays

I’m sure you’re excited to finally get started on writing your commentary for a convincing essay! It can be intimidating to write about something without knowing what type of essay you’re working on. But if you take the time to read through the assignment and passage, you’ll have a much better idea of what you need to write.

When it comes to writing your commentary, try not to worry too much about “sounding smart” or “having all the right answers.” Instead, focus on writing like yourself—in your own voice, with your own ideas. The more authentic and engaging your writing is, the more persuasive it will be to readers.

So don’t be afraid to express yourself—you may just surprise yourself with how creative and interesting your thoughts can be! With that said, let’s move on to creating commentary that supports your thesis statement.

Creating Commentary That Supports Your Thesis Statement

As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. Looking back now, it’s clear that writing an effective commentary for a convincing essay requires some finesse and insight.

When starting to write, it’s important to have a good understanding of the topic you are discussing and to provide enough context for your audience to understand what you are discussing. Additionally, it helps to have an understanding of opposing viewpoints before you start writing so that you can avoid falling into common traps.

To create commentary that supports your thesis statement effectively, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

1.      Make sure your argument is sound and won’t be easily refuted by an opposing point of view.

2.      Avoid introducing new evidence or topics in your commentary; instead focus on the evidence already presented in the essay body.

3.      Take the time to help explain why certain evidence matters and why readers should care about it.

The goal of commentary is not just to express an opinion but also provide meaningful analysis that will help prove or disprove a point of view. By being mindful of these considerations when writing, it is possible to create effective commentary that will help readers better understand your argument and its implications.

Common Mistakes To Avoid In Commentary Writing

I think one of the biggest mistakes I can make when writing a commentary essay is to overgeneralize my points. It’s important to provide specific examples and evidence to back up my opinion and avoid making sweeping conclusions.

Additionally, when writing a commentary essay, it’s also easy to forget to include evidence to support my argument. Making sure to include evidence will make my piece of writing much more convincing and credible.

Avoiding Overgeneralization

When writing a commentary essay, it’s important to avoid overgeneralizing your topic.

Sure, it may be tempting to make sweeping statements about the issue at hand, but this won’t do justice to your argument.

Instead, try to focus on concrete evidence and facts that back up your opinion.

For example, include statistics or subjective accounts from experts in the field.

This will ensure that you don’t come off as too biased or uninformed in your commentary.

By avoiding overgeneralization and being specific in your evidence, you can present a much more convincing argument and captivate readers with innovation.

Remember: always strive for accuracy when building an argument!

Lack Of Evidence

When it comes to commentary writing, one of the biggest mistakes people make is not having enough evidence to back up their argument. Without any supporting evidence, your argument can easily be dismissed as biased and uninformed.

This is especially true when discussing contentious topics like politics or religion. It’s important to remember that you’re usually assigned a commentary essay for a reason—so make sure you have enough facts and figures to give your readers an informed opinion. Otherwise, you may struggle to convince them of your point of view.

To make sure your argument stands out from the crowd, research extensively and use concrete evidence whenever possible. This will show that you’ve put in the effort and will help ensure a more innovative outcome for your audience.

Tips For Revising And Editing Commentary

Revising and editing your commentary is an important step in writing an essay. It helps to ensure that you are conveying the most accurate and persuasive message.

To do this, it’s important to read through your writing again and summarize any points that you noticed while reading. This will allow you to make sure that each point is clear and concise. As students need to be able to write effectively, it is also important to pay close attention to the language used throughout the essay.

Looking for words that could be replaced with more precise ones or focusing on certain aspects of literature can help bring life to a paper.

It is also essential to check for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other errors before submitting the essay. Making sure all of these elements are correct can help enhance the paper’s overall quality.

Additionally, as you review your work, look for any areas where clarification may be necessary. Taking a second look at what you wrote will help ensure that the reader fully understands all of your points and implications.

By following these tips when revising and editing commentary in an essay, readers can gain a clearer understanding of the author’s intended message.

Examples Of Strong And Poor Commentary In Essays

A necessary part of writing an essay is the commentary. It’s the all-important part that allows for a deeper understanding of what is being written and allows the reader to get a fuller picture of the writer’s thoughts.

Unfortunately, not everyone understands the need to understand commentary. Many writers think they can simply paraphrase their sources without paying attention to how they are using irony or antithesis, missing out on valuable opportunities to add depth and complexity to their work.

Commentary should be used to engage readers in a way that speaks directly to their subconscious desire for innovation. It should be written in a personal tone of voice with contractions and an engaging style that will grab readers’ attention and make them want more.

If done correctly, it can bring new life and insight into an essay, allowing it to stand out from the rest.

Paragraph Construction With Commentary

In this section, I’m going to be talking about paragraph construction with commentary. As part of writing an essay, it is important to think about how you are going to use literary elements and techniques to convey your main idea or argument. I was always taught by my instructor that the way you structure your paragraphs can really make a difference in how effective your message is.

So, let’s take a look at some tips for constructing well-crafted paragraphs that provide an engaging commentary.

First of all, try not to write too long of a sentence as this can lead to confusion for the reader.

Secondly, make sure that each paragraph has one clear point that ties back into the main argument or idea you are trying to convey in your essay.

Finally, use transition words and phrases as needed throughout the essay so that readers can easily follow along with your discussion.

All these steps help ensure that readers understand and appreciate what you have written in your essay. With these tips in mind, let’s move on to discussing transition words and phrases for commentary.

Transition Words And Phrases For Commentary

In the world of higher education, commentary is a powerful tool that can bring literature to life in a way that no other piece can. It’s almost magical how one can take an otherwise mundane poem and turn it into something extraordinary with just a few words. Commentary has the ability to transform isolation into coherence in ways that are simply astounding!

Here is a 4-point list for successful commentary:

1.      Read the text multiple times before writing any comments.

2.      Take notes on what stands out most to you.

3.      Use concrete examples from the text to better illustrate your points.

4.      Be sure to engage with your audience in a way that encourages them to think more deeply about the subject matter at hand.

Commentary is an invaluable skill for anyone looking to make their mark on a piece of literature, so use it wisely and always strive for excellence! With this knowledge, we can now move on to exploring how to write a conclusion with commentary – do’s and don’ts included!

Writing A Conclusion With Commentary: Do’s And Don’ts

Now that you know the transition words and phrases for commentary, it’s time to learn how to write a conclusion with commentary. It can seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.

One of the most important things to remember is not to rely too heavily on your homework. Spending too much time memorizing facts and figures won’t help you in the long run when it comes to showcasing your opinion. Therefore, try to focus on critical thinking skills instead of wasting time studying for hours on end.

While two sentences are usually enough for a conclusion, make sure that each one packs a punch and is full of insight and analysis. Hone your skills by getting feedback from others so you can refine your writing and develop a style that resonates with any reader.

This can help ensure that your concluding remarks leave an impactful impression on those who read them.

Overall, effective commentary is essential for producing a successful essay.

Writing commentary allows you to demonstrate your understanding and personal thoughts on the topic and can really amplify your argument.

By incorporating examples, quotations, and other evidence into your commentary, you are able to bring life to your writing in a manner that will make it stand out from the crowd.

As an age-old proverb says, “A picture paints a thousand words”; similarly, strong commentary paints an even grander picture of your argument.

With these tips in mind, I look forward to seeing you all write some truly standout essays!

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What Is a Commentary in an Essay | Writing Guide & Examples

• Icon Calendar 28 August 2024
• Icon Page 5612 words
• Icon Clock 26 min read

When people need to express their thoughts or ideas about something, they need guidelines on how to write a commentary essay. This article begins by defining what is a commentary essay, its meaning, and outlining its basic structure. Some insights students can learn are that introductions should have hooks, background information, and thesis statements. Body paragraphs of a commentary essay should have topic sentences; evidence, mainly quotes; comments after the evidence; and transitions. The conclusion part should restate the thesis and summarize the main ideas. This guideline also gives a sample outline template, possible topics, and a practical example of a commentary essay. Lastly, the article teaches students 10 dos and 10 don’ts and 20 tips for writing a high-standard commentary essay.

How to Write an Outstanding Commentary Essay & Examples

Reading is an academic exercise that develops a person’s mental faculties of intellect, memory, reason, intuition, perception, and imagination. These faculties develop when people utilize what they have acquired through reading to write different types of essays , including reports and research papers. Therefore, reading and writing are related because they both induce intellectual development. This guideline on how to write a commentary in an essay teaches students and anyone passionate about writing how to create a good argumentative position that meets the quality standards for intellectual discourse and publication. The guideline also offers vital insights, including the definition of what is a commentary essay, its basic essay structure, different types, possible essay topics, 10 dos and 10 don’ts, and 20 tips for producing a high-standard essay. Therefore, reading this guideline is beneficial to students and others who may, from time to time, write a commentary in an essay to communicate ideas to specific audiences.

Definition of What Is a Commentary in an Essay and Its Meaning

From a definition, a commentary is a descriptive account of an event, an expression of opinions about a political, economic, social, or cultural issue, or elucidating a point or topic of public interest. From this perspective, a commentary essay is a document that students write to express opinions about an issue or topic through a descriptive expression and explanation of ideas. In this respect, a commentary essay differs from other types of papers, including an argumentative essay, a personal narrative, a cause and effect essay, compare and contrast essay, or a problem and solution essay, as well as a report and a research paper, because it means expressing the writer’s perspective concerning an issue or topic. Commentaries are products of a critical analysis of societal problems across political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. When writing a commentary essay, students should analyze and interpret the source under discussion, such as a text, film, article, video, advertisement, event, object, subject, book, poem, speech, presentation, literary work, novel, sculpture, or image, among others, using a basic sandwich rule: giving a commentary after each quote or citation.

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Basic Structure of a Commentary Essay

Like other texts, a commentary paper has a basic essay structure that dictates how writers should organize their content. This structure has three components: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction is where writers introduce their assigned topics using a hook, context, and an argumentative thesis statement. Although this type of commentary essay is not an argumentative essay, an argumentative thesis indicates the writer’s perspective on the issue, which can be contentious in the eyes of readers. The body of a commentary essay is where authors construct a defense of their perspective through body paragraphs; each body paragraph should have a topic sentence that establishes a claim; supporting evidence, like quotes, data, or examples; a commentary that analyzes and explains information cited in an essay; and a concluding sentence with a transition to create a logical connection to the next paragraph. In turn, the conclusion restates the thesis and makes a final remark.

5 Main Types of Commentary

Because a commentary in an essay expresses the writer’s perspective about an issue, idea, or topic, it is evident in the body section of a commentary essay, where people describe their perspectives every time they provide evidence. In this respect, there are different types of commentary. The first one is an opinion essay where writers analyze evidence, such as a quote, text, or image, and state their stands with their critics. The second type of a commentary essay is an interpretation, where authors explain a complex concept to enhance the reader’s understanding. The third type is character or subject’s feelings, where students depict the emotional state of the person they have described in a commentary sentence. The fourth type of commentary essay is a personal reaction, where people communicate their stances on an issue, while the fifth type is an evaluation, where writers evaluate a section and gives a critical judgment.

Alternative Commentary Types and Examples

Besides the types of commentary above, students may write alternative commentary types when their essay is part of a bigger writing project, such as a systematic exposition of an idea, theme, or topic. Students must know the unique features of each type, including when to use it, what to focus on, and how to organize a commentary essay’s content.

1️⃣ Close, Direct Analysis of Passages

An example of an alternative commentary is a close, direct analysis of robust passages from the source, such as an article, film, poem, literary work, book, or novel. In this respect, they are standard in bigger writing projects, like expositions or being part of a critic’s work. Students adopt this type of commentary when they have to read a passage in a text or pick a speech in a movie and write a film analysis essay that expresses the writer’s perspective on the central issues, ideas, or concepts. The following example of a commentary essay demonstrates a close, direct examination of the first stanza of the poem “Night Wind” by Christopher Dewdney:

Tonight the wind blows through

all the worlds I have known and

through all the lives I have led.

The wind blows in the trees,

deeper into each.

The wind blows forever,

strains like something

endlessly departing.

Restless, impatient,

it races without burden.

Example of a Commentary on Celebration of Nature in the First Stanza of Christopher Dewdney’s Poem “Night Wind”

Christopher Dewdney’s 1984 poem “Night Wind” celebrates nature by depicting the night wind as a permanent, free expression of nature. The poet describes the wind on a particular night in the first stanza. By using a first-person perspective in the first three lines, Dewdney depicts himself as an observer. This writing style expresses a personal dialogue in which the poet directly relates his senses, experiences, and impressions. Dewdney opens the poem with the words: “Tonight the wind blows through / all the worlds I have known and / through all the lives I have led.” In this passage, the author expresses to the reader how the unity of the wind in whatever time or place leaves a lasting impression on him. Ideally, he views the wind as an omnipresent force but also regards it as very transient and fleeting. The words “endlessly departing” indicate to the reader the sense that the wind encompasses the entire continuum of the poet’s existence. Nonetheless, it is always in a rush to be at another location. The reader gets the impression that wind is a celebration of nature when Dewdney mentions its interactions with nature: “The wind blows in the trees, deeper into each.” This statement induces an imagination of trees fighting against a pervasive wind. The poet ends the stanza by personifying the wind, and he assigns it human qualities of restlessness, impatience, and playfulness. In this respect, the first stanza uses the wind as a reason to celebrate nature.

2️⃣ Commentary Annotations

Annotations are another type of alternative commentary where writers use a short claim on a source, like a text, film, or image. This kind of commentary essay also looks like an annotated bibliography. Typically, writers adopt annotations when they need to explain complex words, phrases, or concepts to readers; give a historical or cultural context of the topic; support or challenge the author’s arguments in an essay; expose literary devices, like contrast, irony, or sarcasm, or rhetorical devices, like ethos, pathos, and logos; provide a personal interpretation of the text under analysis. Therefore, annotations aim to enhance the reader’s understanding of a short passage from a source. Below are three examples of annotations of complex content in writing a commentary essay for Christopher Dewdney’s Poem “Night Wind.”

3 Examples of a Commentary With Annotations

➖ “The night wind is an empire / in exodus, a deliverance / beside the dark shape of trees.”

This statement is in lines 13-15 of Dewdney’s poem, where the poet alludes to a biblical concept, exodus, to express the wind’s freedom. By stating that the wind is “… in exodus, a deliverance…,” Dewdney makes the reader compare the wind to the incident in the book of Exodus in the Bible where Moses leads the children of Israel, God’s chosen people, to Canaan, the promised land, after freeing a life of bondage in Egypt. In this respect, lines 13-15 confirm that the wind is free and expresses nature’s freedom.

➖ “The wind takes / me in its giddy rush and / gathers me into a storm of longing, / rising on wings of darkness.”

In this statement in lines 18-21, the phrase “wings of darkness” emphasizes the wind’s freedom and mystery. The poet contextualizes the wind as an unpredictable force that can take a person anywhere .

➖ “Along oceans and rivers, / the gale’s mysterious, unspoken imperative / is a joyous delirium with / nothing at its end.”

This passage in lines 36-39 expresses Dewdney’s excitement in not knowing where the wind may take him. It suggests that it does not matter where the wind takes him because he is truly free. In essence, the statement makes the reader imagine the wind as a mystery because it can take one anywhere, emphasizing the theme of freedom.

3️⃣ Data Commentary

Data commentary is another type of alternative essay commentary where writers summarize a study by analyzing critical information that helps readers have a sneak peek of the project. The features students should incorporate in a commentary essay include visual illustrations, like charts, diagrams, graphs, and tables, to capture statistical data, allowing readers to compare them easily. In this respect, data commentary reflects the results section of a research paper because that is where scholars use visual illustrations to report statistical data. Another feature is a conclusion summarizing a commentary essay by reiterating the key points and expressing the writer’s final remark, meaning the main perspective on the topic. Lastly, people must provide a reference page listing credible sources they consulted to write data commentaries, such as reports and research articles. Below is an example of data commentary.

Example of Data Commentary

Table 3 shows respondents’ responses to statements about the barriers to exercise prescription for people with mental illness. Those who agreed that patients’ mental health denies them the opportunity to exercise was 58%, while those who agreed that obtaining an injury during exercise is a concern was 45%. There was an overwhelming response by 87% of the respondents who agreed that exercise is beneficial and were interested in prescribing it for patients with mental health problems. However, only 13% agreed that prescribing exercise falls outside their job description. Nonetheless, 16% stated that they did not know how to prescribe exercise for the population. Overall, 71% approved that exercise professionals are best suited to prescribe exercise for people in the population.

Possible Uses of Block Quotations for Writing a Good Commentary Essay

When writing a commentary essay, students can use block quotations to organize comments. However, this feature is suitable mainly for extensive passages. In a simple definition, a block quote is a text that captures direct quotations longer than 40 words, which the writer offsets from the main text and does not include quotation marks. The text appears on a new line with a 0.5 inches indentation or five to seven spaces. Using single space for a block quote is standard, even in an essay requiring double spacing. Hence, students must know how to format block quotes in APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian referencing styles when writing a commentary essay.

📕 APA Format

There are two ways in which students can write block quotes in the APA style when organizing their commentary essays.

I. The first block captures the author’s name before the quote:

In their tabulation of results, Vancampfort et al. (2019) showed:

Almost 75% of the respondents indicated that they would “definitely” attend further training for exercise prescriptions for people with mental illness, in particular, related to how to assess patients and how to motivate them towards an active lifestyle. More than seventy percent of the participants also reported that exercise to people with mental illness is actually best delivered by an exercise professional, although only one respondent referred patients to such an exercise professional (p. 2178).

“[Your comments on a block quote starts here]”

II. Alternatively, a block quote can have the author’s surname at the end:

According to the findings:

Almost 75% of the respondents indicated that they would “definitely” attend further training for exercise prescriptions for people with mental illness, in particular, related to how to assess patients and how to motivate them towards an active lifestyle. More than seventy percent of the participants also reported that exercise to people with mental illness is actually best delivered by an exercise professional, although only one respondent referred patients to such an exercise professional (Vancampfort et al., 2019, p. 2178).

📕 MLA Format

Similarly, the MLA style has two ways of formatting a block quote when organizing commentary essays.

I. Having the surname of the author preceding a block quote in an essay:

The results by Vancampfort et al. indicate:

Almost 75% of the respondents indicated that they would “definitely” attend further training for exercise prescriptions for people with mental illness, in particular, related to how to assess patients and how to motivate them towards an active lifestyle. More than seventy percent of the participants also reported that exercise to people with mental illness is actually best delivered by an exercise professional, although only one respondent referred patients to such an exercise professional (2178).

II. Having the author’s surname at the end of the quote:

Almost 75% of the respondents indicated that they would “definitely” attend further training for exercise prescriptions for people with mental illness, in particular, related to how to assess patients and how to motivate them towards an active lifestyle. More than seventy percent of the participants also reported that exercise to people with mental illness is actually best delivered by an exercise professional, although only one respondent referred patients to such an exercise professional (Vancampfort et al. 2178).

📕 Harvard Format

The Harvard style also has two ways of formatting a block quote when organizing commentary essays.

I. Indicating the author’s surname before a block quote in an essay:

In their findings, Vancampfort et al. (2019) established that:

II. Citing the author’s surname at the end of a block quote:

Almost 75% of the respondents indicated that they would “definitely” attend further training for exercise prescriptions for people with mental illness, in particular, related to how to assess patients and how to motivate them towards an active lifestyle. More than seventy percent of the participants also reported that exercise to people with mental illness is actually best delivered by an exercise professional, although only one respondent referred patients to such an exercise professional (Vancampfort et al. 2019, p. 2178).

📕 Chicago/Turabian Format

The Chicago/Turabian style also has two ways of formatting a block quote when organizing commentary essays.

I. Mentioning the author’s surname before a block quote in an essay:

According to Vancampfort et al.:

Almost 75% of the respondents indicated that they would “definitely” attend further training for exercise prescriptions for people with mental illness, in particular, related to how to assess patients and how to motivate them towards an active lifestyle. More than seventy percent of the participants also reported that exercise to people with mental illness is actually best delivered by an exercise professional, although only one respondent referred patients to such an exercise professional (this passage must be formatted as a footnote). 1

II. Showing the author’s surname in a footnote:

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Key Features of Formatting Block Quotes When Writing a Commentary Essay

Looking at the examples of writing a commentary in an essay above, there are some similarities and differences in formatting block quotes. APA and Harvard are similar because they show the research article’s publication year and the page number of the information the writer cites in their commentary essay. The main difference is the arrangement of these details, including the place of putting comas. On the other hand, the MLA and Chicago/Turabian styles are similar in that they do not show the research article’s publication year. The main difference is that the Chicago/Turabian style uses footnotes to show the author(s) and all the bibliography details at the commentary essay’s end. The MLA style shows only the author’s surname and the page number in the text. In turn, people begin writing their commentaries in the following line after a block quote as a standard paragraph in all the formats.

Easy Sample Topics for Writing a Great Commentary Essay

Students should choose easy essay topics when writing a commentary essay to avoid complicating their tasks. Ideally, a specific topic should indicate a particular source document one is commenting on, such as a text, film, or image. The standard practice is that instructors define essay topics or commemorative speech topics students should write about. However, people can choose other themes they are comfortable with if such instructions do not exist for writing a commentary essay. The best approach to choosing an easy topic is to engage with course content and read widely to generate and incubate ideas. When the time for writing a commentary essay comes, one finds it easy to construct arguments fitting the task. The following are possible commentary essay topics because they suggest analyzing and examining a source from the writer’s perspective.

• In Memory of Amelia Earhart: Sky’s Fearless Lady
• The Central Themes in Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”
• “The Great Gatsby” Through Contemporary Lens
• The Rhetorical Stance in Jessica Grose’s “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier”
• The Message in Robert Frost’s Poem “The Road Not Taken”
• Maya Angelou’s Magic in “And Still I Rise”
• Demystifying Mental Disorders Through the Film “Black Swan (2010)”
• The Essence of Margaret Atwood’s “Negotiating With the Dead: A Writer on Writing”

Sample Outline Template for Writing a Commentary Essay

• Title of a commentary essay must be precise to an assigned topic.
• Title must be short, clear, and easily understandable.
• Title must be interesting, catchy, and with relevant keywords.

I. Introduction Section of a Commentary Essay

• Essay introduction must have a hook that interests readers enough to grab their attention and stirs a curiosity to continue reading.
• Introduction must refer to a specific source (text, film, or image) and its author(s).
• Introduction must summarize an assigned source that includes the main characters (if any), themes, or concepts.
• Introduction must have a clear thesis statement that states the writer’s claim.

II. Body Section of a Commentary Essay

Body paragraphs (at least three):

• Each body paragraph of a commentary essay must have a topic sentence that emphasizes a single idea central to the main claim in the thesis statement that the writer will defend in the paragraph.
• Each body paragraph must include evidence from a source under analysis, such as a quote, indicating the character responsible and the context.
• Each body paragraph must give a commentary about the evidence through relevant analysis, linking the information to the idea at the beginning of the paragraph and the claim in the thesis.
• Each body paragraph must end with a closing statement and a bridge sentence to facilitate a logical flow to the next paragraph or section.

III. Conclusion Section of a Commentary Essay

Sum up a commentary essay by:

• Restating the thesis.
• Emphasizing the main ideas of a commentary essay.
• Giving a final remark that confirms the importance of the essay topic.

Example of a Commentary Essay

Commentary Essay’s Title: The Rhetorical Stance in Jessica Grose’s “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier”

I. Example of an Introduction of a Commentary Essay

A woman never rests, not with society constantly demanding her value at every turn. This idea is the message in Jessica Grose’s famous article, “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier.” The author argues that cleaning remains a feature of women’s value in society, despite men’s growing involvement in childcare and cooking. The article also opens with personal accounts and convincing facts, suggesting its credibility as a source of information about the dynamics confronting American women. In her article, Grose communicates her message effectively by adopting a rhetorical stance characterized by emotional appeals.

II. Example of Body Paragraphs of a Commentary Essay

A. commentary on the main idea of the article.

Grose opens the article with a personal story of her and her husband cleaning their house after Hurricane Sandy forced them indoors. She uses the uneven distribution of the cleaning task in her marriage to point out the larger feminist issue of who between a husband and wife should do the job. The article gives three reasons why men shy away from the cleaning task, including the fact that it is women who receive praise for a clean house, the media focuses on men’s growing involvement in childcare and cooking, and it is not fun. According to Grose, even distribution of the cleaning task can happen by creating a task chart that shows who does what on the basis of skill and ability and adopting cleaning gadgets to make cleaning more fun.

Throughout the article, Grose uses sources to appeal to the readers’ ethos and build her argument. Some of the sources she uses to achieve these goals include a study by sociologists Judith Treas and Tsui-o Tai and an article by Matthew Krehbiel, North America Fabric Care Brand Manager for P&G. Citing these sources helps the author to build her credibility in the eyes of readers.

Regarding appeals to logos, Grose mentions statistics and interesting facts that help to enhance the logical progression of ideas central to her argument. To emphasize the uneven distribution of the cleaning task, she says, “My husband and I both work…I do the dishes nine times out of ten, and he barely knows how the washer and dryer work.” Such facts confirm and support the idea that women do more household chores than men. She also cites statistics, showing “55 percent of mothers working full-time in America do some housework daily compared to 18 percent of fathers.” In this respect, the article is factual about the uneven distribution of household chores that disadvantages women. As a result, the personal details and statistics from credible sources help Grose to impress upon the reader how society uses the domestic environment to subjugate women.

The article appeals to the readers’ pathos in the beginning and middle sections, where Grose uses emotionally-charged words and phrases to induce the audience’s sympathy. For example, Grose laments that, while she “was eight months pregnant,” her husband experienced the complexity of fighting “a massively pregnant person.” These words evoke an image in the readers’ mind that portrays women as vulnerable in the domestic space because of natural factors, like high emotions and pregnancy. Indeed, readers may feel sympathetic to Grose and the women who generally live in this social context. Moreover, using words and phrases, like ‘argued,’ ‘sucks,’ ‘be shunned,’ ‘be judged,’ and ‘headachey,’ evokes readers’ negative feelings about cleaning. As such, they are more drawn to sympathize with men and view men as selfish.

III. Example of a Conclusion of a Commentary Essay

Grose takes a rhetorical stand throughout the article to persuade her audience of the unfair distribution of cleaning labor in the domestic space. By referencing credible sources, citing statistics and interesting facts, and portraying women as adversely disadvantaged, Grose effectively appeals to the readers’ ethos, logos, and pathos. This rhetorical stand is critical in communicating how society remains unfair to women in the domestic space despite men’s growing involvement in some household chores like childcare and cooking.

4 Easy Steps for Writing a Commentary Essay

Writing a commentary essay is a technical process that requires students to grasp essential details. For example, these details reflect 4 writing steps: preparation, stage setup, writing a first draft, and wrap-up. Typically, each step’s details of writing a commentary essay reflect the wisdom writers should exhibit when creating any scholarly text.

Step 1: Preparation

Preparation is the first step of writing a commentary essay. As the name suggests, it is when writers take time to create a favorable environment to write their papers. The first task is identifying a single source, where students should select good sources they can analyze easily, including poems, novels, or films. The second task is to create a topic, where students must write short topics that communicate a precise message of a commentary essay.

Step 2: Stage Setup

Setting the stage is the second step of writing a commentary essay. The first task is to read, watch, or examine an assigned source to identify key themes and ideas. The second activity is to research reliable sources that help to generate ideas that align with these themes and concepts. The next task is to create a clear essay outline emphasizing the introduction, body, and conclusion with all the essential details.

Step 3: Writing a First Draft of a Commentary Essay

Writing a first draft is the third step in creating a commentary essay, and the focus is generating a paper that can be used for further editing and improvement. As such, students should organize their ideas into text, emphasizing the claim in the thesis statement, ideas in the topic sentences, evidence (quotes), and transitions in the body paragraphs. Students should also ensure the conclusion restates the thesis, summarizes the main ideas of a commentary essay, and gives a final remark about their commentaries, focusing on an assigned source and topic.

Step 4: Wrap-Up

The wrap-up is the last step in writing a commentary essay. The main focus is transforming a first draft into a final text by eliminating all mistakes and flaws. Typically, students should revise all sections that do not make sense to a central claim or those that affect the paper’s logical progression. They should also edit a commentary essay by adding or deleting words and phrases and eliminating grammatical mistakes, missing punctuation, formatting errors, and incorrect citations.

20 Tips for Writing a Commentary Essay

Looking at the information in the preceding sections, writing a great commentary essay is a complex task that requires students to demonstrate knowledge of what it takes to create a quality paper. Some of the tips for writing a commentary essay include identifying a single source, which can be a text, film, or image; noting the source’s basic information, like the author, title, and publication date; identifying the central themes in the source; writing an introduction that emphasizes the source’s basic information; creating a thesis that communicates a claim about the source; adopting the unique structure as above; beginning paragraphs with a topic sentence; incorporating quotes from the source into body paragraphs; commenting on the quotes and their significance; and concluding a commentary essay with a summary that makes a final remark about a single source and topic.

10 things to do when writing a commentary essay include:

• identifying a source for writing a commentary essay;
• reading, watching, or analyzing an assigned source carefully and closely;
• outlining critical details, like themes, ideas, and literary devices;
• writing an introduction with a hook and an argumentative thesis statement;
• providing body paragraphs with topic sentences, concluding sentences, quotes, commentary, and transitions;
• maintaining a formal tone in a commentary essay;
• using the applicable format (APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian) correctly;
• presenting an introduction that summarizes a commentary essay;
• avoiding grammatical mistakes;
• proofreading a final version of a commentary essay.

10 things not to do include:

• failing to document the source’s essential details, like the author’s name and surname;
• concentrating on the introduction more than the body;
• not incorporating quotes in body paragraphs;
• focusing on too many ideas in a commentary essay;
• not defending the claim in the thesis;
• ignoring a unique outline of a commentary essay;
• writing with too many grammatical mistakes;
• using different formatting styles (APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago/Turabian);
• not implementing transitions in body paragraphs;
• creating a commentary essay without a logical flow of ideas and thoughts.

Summing Up on How to Write a Perfect Commentary Essay

• Choose a single source that is simple to analyze.
• Create a clear thesis that emphasizes the focus of a commentary essay, such as a claim.
• Identify passages or themes in an assigned source that help to build an argumentative claim.
• Use an introduction paragraph for its purpose: to introduce a specific topic. As such, it should be short and precise.
• Use a body section for its purpose: to analyze a particular source and defend a central claim comprehensively. Therefore, it should be long and have quotes as evidence.
• Use a conclusion part to summarize a commentary essay, and it should be concise. More importantly, it should leave readers with a lasting impression of a defined source and topic.

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Commentary Essay Example, Writing Guide, and Tips

Introduction

Welcome to The Knowledge Nest, your go-to resource for all things related to commentary essay writing. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of crafting an impactful commentary essay, providing useful examples and valuable tips to help you enhance your writing skills.

What is a Commentary Essay?

A commentary essay is a type of academic writing that aims to analyze and provide an in-depth interpretation of a particular text or topic. It offers a critical examination and evaluation of the subject matter, exploring various perspectives and providing evidence-based arguments to support the author's viewpoint.

Why Write a Commentary Essay?

Writing a commentary essay allows you to develop critical thinking skills, enhance your analytical abilities, and strengthen your written communication. It provides a platform to express your ideas and opinions, engage with different viewpoints, and present a well-rounded analysis of the chosen subject matter.

Key Components of a Commentary Essay

1. Introduction: Begin your essay with a captivating introduction that presents the topic and provides context for the reader.

2. Thesis Statement: Craft a clear and concise thesis statement that outlines your main argument or perspective.

3. Body Paragraphs: Develop your analysis in well-structured body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific point or theme. Use relevant evidence, examples, and expert opinions to support your claims.

4. Counterarguments: Address potential counterarguments or alternative viewpoints and offer thoughtful rebuttals to strengthen your position.

5. Conclusion: Summarize the main points of your essay and reiterate your thesis statement, leaving the reader with a lasting impression.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Commentary Essay

Step 1: choose a relevant topic.

Select a topic that aligns with your interests and falls within the scope of your assignment or academic requirements. Consider the relevance and significance of the subject matter to engage your readers.

Step 2: Conduct Extensive Research

Gather information from credible sources such as academic journals, books, reputable websites, and scholarly articles. Engage with different perspectives and take diligent notes to support your analysis.

Step 3: Outline Your Essay

Create a clear and well-structured outline that outlines the main points, arguments, and supporting evidence you will present in your essay. A well-organized outline ensures a cohesive and logical flow of ideas.

Step 4: Craft an Engaging Introduction

In your introduction, provide a brief overview of the topic and its significance. Hook the reader's attention with an intriguing opening sentence or a thought-provoking question.

Step 5: Develop Your Arguments in the Body Paragraphs

Divide your essay into distinct body paragraphs, each focusing on a specific point or theme. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that establishes the main idea, and support it with relevant evidence, examples, and analysis.

Step 6: Address Counterarguments

Acknowledge alternative viewpoints and counterarguments to demonstrate your awareness of different perspectives. Articulate thoughtful rebuttals that strengthen your arguments and distinguish your viewpoint.

Step 7: Conclude with Impact

In your conclusion, summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis statement. Leave the reader with a compelling closing thought or call-to-action that invites further reflection or discussion on the topic.

Commentary Essay Example

To provide you with a better understanding, let's consider an example of a commentary essay on the topic of climate change:

Introduction:

Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing global issues of our time. This commentary essay aims to analyze the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to address this environmental crisis.

Body Paragraph 1: The Causes of Climate Change

The first body paragraph delves into the primary causes of climate change, such as greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and industrialization. It explores how human activities have contributed to the accelerated pace of global warming.

Body Paragraph 2: The Impacts of Climate Change

In the second body paragraph, we examine the far-reaching impacts of climate change on ecosystems, weather patterns, and human livelihoods. We explore the devastating consequences of rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the loss of biodiversity.

Body Paragraph 3: Potential Solutions to Climate Change

The third body paragraph focuses on potential solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It explores renewable energy sources, sustainable agricultural practices, and international collaboration as key strategies to combat this global crisis.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the commentary essay emphasizes the urgent need for collective action to address climate change. By understanding its causes, impacts, and potential solutions, we can work towards a sustainable future for generations to come.

Writing a commentary essay enables you to dive deep into a specific topic, critically analyze it, and articulate your thoughts effectively. By following our comprehensive guide and utilizing the provided tips, you will be well-equipped to create impactful commentary essays and improve your writing skills.

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How to Write a Commentary Essay: Example, Tips, and Techniques for Success

Crafting a compelling commentary essay can seem daunting, but with the right approach, anyone can master it. A commentary essay goes beyond summarizing a text; it delves into analysis, interpretation, and personal insights, making it a powerful tool for expressing nuanced perspectives.

Understanding the structure and purpose of a commentary essay is crucial. It allows writers to effectively convey their thoughts while engaging the reader. This article will explore a prime example of a commentary essay, breaking down its components to illustrate how each part contributes to a cohesive and persuasive argument.

Understanding Commentary Essays

Commentary essays dig deeper than mere summarization. They analyze, interpret, and provide personal insights into a text, elucidating its deeper meaning.

What Is a Commentary Essay?

A commentary essay offers more than a summary; it involves analysis and personal insights. Core aspects include identifying key themes, interpreting underlying meanings, and connecting these insights to broader contexts.

• Analytical Depth : Commentary essays analyze texts critically, exploring themes, symbols, and motifs.
• Personal Insight : Writers provide individual perspectives, offering unique interpretations and reflections.
• Textual Evidence : These essays include quotes and references to bolster arguments.
• Clear Structure : Effective commentary essays follow an organized structure, typically an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Purposeful Writing : The goal is to engage readers in a thoughtful discussion about the text.

Crafting a Successful Commentary Essay

A successful commentary essay requires a deep understanding of the text and the ability to provide insightful analysis. It combines critical thinking with a structured approach to present compelling arguments.

Selecting the Right Topic

Choosing the right topic is crucial for a successful commentary essay. Select a text that offers rich material for analysis. Opt for works with complex themes, diverse characters, or intricate plots. Avoid overly simplistic or unclear texts, as they might not provide enough content for insightful commentary. Consider topics that resonate with contemporary issues to enhance relevance and reader engagement.

Structuring Your Essay

A well-structured essay enhances readability and ensures that arguments are cohesive. Follow a clear framework:

• Introduction : Introduce the text and its author. Provide a brief overview of the key themes or issues. Present the thesis statement, outlining the main argument or perspective.
• Body Paragraphs : Divide the body into multiple paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the text. Begin with a topic sentence, offer analysis and interpretation, and back up claims with textual evidence. For example, one paragraph might analyze character development, while another could explore thematic elements.
• Conclusion : Summarize the main points discussed. Restate the thesis in light of the analysis provided. Offer final insights or reflections on the text’s broader implications.

By selecting an engaging topic and structuring the essay effectively, writers can craft compelling commentary essays that engage and inform readers.

Analyzing Commentary Essay Examples

Examining commentary essay examples can provide critical insights into successful writing techniques. By dissecting examples, one can understand the techniques and styles used, as well as the development of arguments.

Example Analysis: Technique and Style

Technique and style significantly impact the effectiveness of a commentary essay. Authors often use vivid language, varied sentence structures, and precise vocabulary to engage readers. For instance, in a commentary essay analyzing “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the writer might use descriptive language and dynamic sentences to highlight the emotional intensity of key scenes. Additionally, maintaining a formal yet accessible tone ensures clarity and reader engagement. Use of literary devices, such as metaphor and symbolism, often enrich the analysis. These techniques allow authors to deepen their examination of the text’s themes and convey nuanced interpretations.

Example Analysis: Argument Development

Developing coherent arguments is essential in commentary essays. Successful examples often begin with a strong thesis statement that encapsulates the main argument. In analyzing “1984”, an effective commentary essay might center around the thesis that the novel portrays dystopian society’s dehumanizing effects. Subsequent paragraphs should break down this thesis into sub-arguments, each supported by specific evidence from the text. For instance, references to specific passages can illustrate how Orwell’s depiction of surveillance supports the argument. Logical progression and clear connections between points help reinforce the overall argument, making the essay more persuasive and impactful.

By studying these aspects in commentary essay examples, writers can enhance their own analytical skills and improve their essay quality.

Writing Tips for Commentary Essays

Writing a compelling commentary essay involves several key elements. Implementing these strategies ensures a well-structured, insightful piece.

Developing a Strong Thesis

A thesis statement serves as the backbone of a commentary essay. Start with a clear, concise thesis that encapsulates the essay’s main argument. Ensure the thesis addresses the essay prompt directly, offering a unique perspective. For example, in an essay on “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a strong thesis might assert that Harper Lee’s portrayal of social justice remains relevant today. Structure subsequent paragraphs to provide evidence supporting this central claim.

Incorporating Effective Evidence

Support arguments with robust evidence to enhance credibility. Use a mix of direct quotes, paraphrasing, and summarizing to present data clearly. Choose sources like books, academic journals, and reputable websites. For example, citing a passage from “1984” where Orwell describes the oppressive regime strengthens arguments about totalitarianism. Integrate evidence smoothly into paragraphs, ensuring relevance to the thesis. Explicitly explain how each piece of evidence bolsters the main argument for maximum impact.

Mastering the art of writing commentary essays requires dedication to understanding the subject matter and presenting well-structured arguments. By selecting complex themes and maintaining a clear structure, writers can offer richer analysis. Examining examples helps in honing writing techniques and styles. Developing a strong thesis and incorporating credible evidence through quotes and paraphrasing are essential for crafting compelling essays. These strategies ensure a confident and insightful commentary that resonates with readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a commentary essay.

A commentary essay involves providing personal opinions and insights on a specific topic. It emphasizes deep understanding, analysis, and structured arguments to convey a comprehensive perspective.

How do I choose a topic for a commentary essay?

Select a complex theme that allows for richer analysis. It should be something you are passionate about and can explore in-depth with a unique perspective.

What is the importance of a thesis statement in a commentary essay?

A strong thesis statement is crucial as it directly addresses the essay prompt and guides the essay’s direction. It serves as the foundation for developing coherent arguments.

How should I structure my commentary essay?

A commentary essay should have a clear structure: an introduction with a strong thesis, body paragraphs with supporting evidence, and a conclusion that reinforces your main points.

What techniques can I use to enhance my commentary essay?

Use vivid language, varied sentence structures, and ensure coherent argument development. Incorporating direct quotes, paraphrasing, and summarizing from reputable sources can also strengthen your arguments.

Why is it beneficial to examine commentary essay examples?

Examining commentary essay examples can help you understand different writing techniques, styles, and how to develop arguments effectively. It’s a practical way to learn and improve your writing skills.

How can I incorporate evidence effectively in my essay?

Use a mix of direct quotes, paraphrasing, and summarizing from reputable sources. This mix enhances credibility and supports your arguments more convincingly.

What should I include in the conclusion of my commentary essay?

Your conclusion should reinforce your main points, restate your thesis in light of the evidence presented, and provide a final insight or call to action to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

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School of Modern Languages and Cultures

Writing a literary commentary: guidelines, what is a commentary.

• First and foremost, a literary commentary is NOT an essay. The passage in front of you is not, therefore, an invitation to write a general essay about the work from which it has been taken.
• A commentary is an analysis of the given passage, its function and its characteristics. It should examine the key themes and stylistic devices of the passage, showing how the language works to convey (or at times undermine) its content.
• A commentary should relate the passage to the rest of the work (novel, collection of poems, etc.), but remain focused in the main on the details of the passage itself.
• Make sure that your commentary covers the whole passage. For instance, if you are given a poem with five stanzas, you should try to say something about each stanza.
• Use line numbers (in both poetry and prose) in your commentary, rather than wasting time by quoting at length.
• When you do quote, make sure that your comments don't simply repeat what the quotation already says: 'In the line "Il pleut dehors", the poet tells us that it is raining outside ...'
• Avoid verbosity or inaccurate terminology. Clarity and precision are top priorities, and polysyllabic words do not improve a commentary.
• Don't use words like 'effective', 'atmospheric', or 'beautiful' unless you are also explaining what the effect, atmosphere or beauty of the passage are, and how they are achieved. 

How should I write my commentary?

There are no fixed rules for writing a commentary, but a general structure will be suggested. You should always PLAN your commentary before you start writing it, following these guidelines where appropriate.

1 Introduction

• Put the passage into context , and summarise its arguments briefly (in a few sentences): do not spend too much time discussing matters outside of the passage.
• You should assume that your reader has read the work from which the passage has been taken.
• You may want to point out the passage's most important thematic and structural aspects in your introduction.
• Introduce the main themes and structural aspects of the passage.
• What kind of passage is it (description/dialogue/free indirect speech), and what is its function (in the rest of the work)?
• What is its overall structure (repetitious/circuIar/leitmotifs/develops to a climax)?
• What is the narrative point of view (first-person/third-person/omniscient or not)?
• What are the register (high/low) and tone (comic/surreal) of the passage?

3 Detailed Analysis

This is the most substantial part of the commentary. It should not be simple description or paraphrase, but an analysis of how the language of the passage functions. The following are aspects of the text that you should look for:

• Sentence structure
• Tense usage
• Word order (balance or lack thereof, harmony, repetition, parallels)
• Figurative language (imagery, metaphors, similes, symbolism, allegory, personification, myth, antithesis, irony, paradox)
• Characterisation (or lack thereof)
• Narrative technique/point of view (first/third person, limited point of view, stream of consciousness)
• Punctuation
• Alliteration, assonance, rhyme (poetry and prose)

Remember that no text is likely to have instances of all of these elements, and that it is best to concentrate on those that are most relevant to the passage in question. Also, you should avoid simply commenting on the appearance of a particular technique: make sure you say why this is worth noticing. Ideally, your comments should cohere to explain how the various linguistic devices combine to produce the overall effect intended by the author.

4 Conclusion

• Summarise your findings, drawing together the different aspects of the text that you have discussed in your commentary.
• Assess briefly the achievements and significance of the passage, both in itself and in relation to the work from which it is taken.

  Some useful aids to commentary-writing  

• Nurse, P. (ed.), The Art of Criticism: Essays in French Literary Analysis (Edinburgh, 1969) (sample commentaries of French literary texts)  
• Biard, J. D., Lexique pour I 'explication de texte (Exeter, 1980)  
• Benac, H., Vocabulaire de la dissertation (Paris, 1949)

  (Binac and Biard provide lists of technical terms used in close analysis of a literary text in French, and give explanations and examples of usage)  

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Elements of an Essay: Writing Commentary

For several weeks now, we have been identifying the essential elements of essays and learning how to incorporate these effectively and successfully. We have discussed that the thesis statement is the glue that holds the entire paper together, the body paragraphs are the meat where the majority of your argument will be found, and last week we looked at how the details are the key to unlocking your argument .  Today we are going to take a look at the other extremely important factor in writing a well-thought out essay.  It is needed for every single detail that you write.  It is the commentary.

Commentary Definition

When you write commentary, you are explaining to your reader how the details relate to the thesis statement. Commentary does not contain facts.  Instead, they help explain why the details are relevant to the topic.

Writing Commentary

You are going to need at least two sentences of commentary for every detail sentence.  A good rule of thumb is that your commentary should be twice as long as your details.  Otherwise, your paper is just full of facts.  We want to know how YOU think these facts prove your point and what YOU think they mean.

Here are a few different methods for writing commentary:

1) Opinion: this is where you write your belief, subjective judgment or way of thinking about a detail .

2) Interpretation: your explanation of something that is not clear.

3) Character and Subject’s Feelings: when you describe what the character or subject of the detail is feeling (ideal for literary analysis papers)

4) Personal Reaction: your personal emotions about the detail.

5) Evaluations: your objective judgment of a detail.

Commentary is the Treasure

Your commentary is the treasure that makes your paper shine.  It should always strengthen and extend the details. This is your chance to show us what you’ve got.  It is where you can impress us with your analysis and interpretation skills.

“What and Why” Method

You may be thinking, “Analysis and interpretation skills?  What if I don’t possess those skills?”  Well breathe easy, because interpretation is really just a fancy word for “what,” while analysis simply means “why”.

So if you are struggling to write your commentary try using the “what and why” method.  First, tell the reader WHAT your detail is talking about by defining or explaining.  Next, let your reader know WHY this detail is relevant to your thesis statement.

Starting Commentary Sentences

If you are struggling to start your commentary, consider beginning your commentary in one of the following ways:

“This shows that…”

 “This is important because…”

Obviously, you cannot start every sentence you write like that since this would be redundant.  However, even if you do not write these phrases at the beginning of all of your sentences, it is helpful even just to think these phrases in order to guide your commentary in the right direction.

Applying Commentary Techniques

Now that we have discussed the different options for writing commentary, and the method for doing  so, let’s put them together and see what is looks like.

Commentary Type: Opinion using the “what and why” method

Topic: education

Detail: According to the 2013 National Assessment of Education Progress Reading test, 80% of students score below grade level in reading.

Commentary: Your commentary for this detail will answer the following questions: (1) “WHAT is my opinion?” and (2) “WHY is my opinion relevant to my thesis statement?”

(1)  A statistic like this shows the poor state of the education.  (2) If we are to help students become successful adults, we need to change the way we are educating our children.

Commentary Type: Interpretation using the “what and why” method

Topic: benefits of college

Detail: First of all, of 2,350,000 college students enrolling per year, only 1,750,000 will graduate.

Commentary: Your commentary for this detail will answer the following questions: (1) “WHAT is my interpretation?” and (2) “WHY is my interpretation relevant to my thesis statement?”

(1) This shows that the high demand placed on students during their college years is too much stress for many.  (2) However rigorous it may be though, the pressure and expectations are reflective of a future career and help prepare young adults for these challenges.

Commentary Type: Character or Subject Feelings using the “what and why” method

Topic: cost of higher education

Detail:  For example, Benjamin Davis, a recent college graduate with a degree in Business, struggled for many years to find a job because of the recent unemployment struggles in America

Commentary: Your commentary for this detail will answer the following questions: (1) “WHAT is the subject’s feelings?” and (2) “WHY is subjects feelings relevant to my thesis statement?”

(1) He, like most, experiences extreme frustration at spending a great deal of time and money obtaining his degree, but feeling like he has very little advantage over others without a degree when finding a job. (2) As a result, many who find themselves in a similar situation are left wondering if higher education is worth the high cost.

Commentary Type: Personal Reaction using the “what and why” method

Topic: bullying

Detail: Also,  a bully might speak cruelly in order to intimidate, steal a student’s belongings, or intentionally exclude one from a group .

Commentary: Your commentary for this detail will answer the following questions: (1) “WHAT is my personal reaction?” and (2) “WHY is my personal reaction relevant to my thesis statement?”

(1) It is extremely upsetting to know that most children undergo this type of treatment at school. (2) It is hurtful, isolating, and can have long-lasting psychological damage on those students who experience bullying often.

Commentary Type: Evaluation using the “what and why” method

Topic: bears

Detail: Naturally, a bear, when threatened, will rise up from the ground, growl loudly, and begin charging at a speed of up to 35 mph.

Commentary: Your commentary for this detail will answer the following questions: (1) “WHAT is my evaluation?” and (2) “WHY is my evaluation relevant to my thesis statement?”

(1) Although this is a frightening experience, it is not entirely the bear’s fault. (2) In fact, most of the time when a bear attacks a person, it is the result of a person not understanding that when going out into the woods, he or she is entering a bear’s environment; forgetting to be respectful and cautious can cause the bear to react thusly.

When To Use Commentary Types

Depending on your assignment, choose the types of commentary that best fits your argument.  Use of a variety of different types of commentary to write a well-argued paper.

Go back and look at step two of writing details from last week’s blog.  Look at the commentary you wrote and update it to fit into the “what and why” method using some of the above types of commentary.  If you did not do that step last week, go ahead and use the worksheet found here.

We hope this helped you when writing commentary.  If you still need help, call Oxford Tutoring for support or to schedule a writing tutoring session.

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5.1 Developing commentary throughout paragraphs

2 min read • june 18, 2024

Hayley Potter

What is commentary?

Commentary is your own interpretation of a passage. What ideas does this passage put in your mind? What does it remind you of? What did you find interesting? This is all commentary. 

Commentary proves how the evidence in your essay proves your amazing thesis . Evidence is super duper important, but what is critical to your RA essay is commentary. Without commentary your essay lacks personality and lacks your line of reasoning (check out guide 5.0). Evidence answers the what? And commentary answers the how and why. All critical to your RA essay. 

Commentary depends on the rhetorical situation . The  rhetorical situation: the writer or speaker , the audience, the context, the exigence (unit 4), the purpose , and the argument . You need the rhetorical situation because this is what your commentary is on. 

Awesome RA verbs for your essay:

**Make your claim on the rhetorical choice the author is making, then add your own commentary. **

Awesome commentary words: 

• Suggests Commentary is best when you know the right questions to ask. This is where those amazing analyzing skills come out to play. Use them well and be a detective to figure out what the questions are. This will help you create commentary about the rhetoric you are analyzing. 

Some Commentary Starters!

Author The author reveals/shows/presents/emphasizes/suggests... The author wants the reader to understand...

Character/Conflict The character makes this decision/says this quote because... At this point in the story, the character is realizing... When the character makes this choice we see that... In making this choice the story changes in this way...

The point of this conversation is... This passage/quote is effective beause This event in the novel shows/proves/explains… Because of this… This quote/passage adds to the reader’s appreciation of the story/poem because...

Analysis This reveals... This shows... This demonstrates...

Key Terms to Review ( 8 )

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Full How-to Guide for an Exceptional Commentary Essay

If you’ve arrived on this page, you probably have a commentary essay due. It can seem like a daunting task, but fear not, as it’s not as complicated as it might seem. We’re used to providing commentary in our day-to-day life, be it about a piece of news or gossip you’ve just heard, a sports event, or even an update from a family member, so your task is only to take that habit and put it into a more formal form of commentary in writing. So, whether you are struggling to pick the right topic or just need some tips on how to go about developing your writing skills, our informative guide will help you with any and all of the points!

What is a Commentary in Writing: Unlocking the Mystery

Let’s get the most important definition out of the way, that is what does commentary mean in writing.

It’s a genre of writing that analyzes and interprets ideas, trends, and events to find different meanings and patterns in them. When writing commentary, you shouldn’t simply do a general overview, but find a way for your reader to make sense of the topic you are covering. You should also try to find a unique viewpoint on things, so your reader can discover the causes and consequences of a specific issue you are covering and in turn make their own judgments about them.

What is a Commentary Essay in a Nutshell

A simple commentary essay definition is that it’s a paper where you provide your opinion on a specific subject. It can be done as a response to another piece of writing like a book, article, or blog post, or you can choose an issue you want to cover and do a commentary essay about it. It goes without saying that you will need to do your research, no matter the topic of your paper, and provide your own take on the situation, using solid evidence and example to support your point. That is exactly why professors love to assign this task to their students, as commentary writing is a great way to show your critical thinking skills, as well as your ability to analyze a subject and provide a unique take on it.

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Commentary Essay Format: Covering the Basics

The commentary essay structure follows the standard formula of the introduction that includes your thesis statement, main body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. Depending on your word count, you might have more than one body paragraph, plus you’ll need to decide how big they are and how deep you can delve into the subject. Another pretty standard rule is that you need to have at least one respectable source for each page of your commentary essay. With the basics out of the way, here are some tips to get you started on your commentary in an essay writing:

• Dedicate some time to come up with your thesis statement, so it’s catchy and clear at the same time, while also covering all of the arguments you’ll be making in the main body paragraphs.
• Delve deep into your subject and offer your reader some food for thought, so that after reading your paper they still want to think about your points and maybe even act on some of them.
• Try to engage your reader in a conversation and demonstrate your point of view in a way that they can be open to it, even if their opinion on the subject differs from yours.
• Don’t be shy and state your opinion clearly without trying to be too neutral or objective about the subject.

Commentary Essay Outline and How to Fill it Out

Now that you have a general idea of what your commentary essay should be about and look like, let’s delve into more specific steps of filling out your commentary paper outline:

• Title.  It should be as short as possible, catchy, and relevant to your topic.
• Introduction .
• Hook sentence. Make sure to grab your reader’s attention right away.
• Author, title, main characters, summary. That’s in case you are doing a commentary essay based on a text. If you are covering an issue, a brief summary of its history and significant points should be there as well.
• Thesis statement. Help your reader to understand the direction of your essay.
• Main body paragraph(s).
• Topic sentence. It should illustrate how you are going to support your thesis.
• A quote. Depending on the material you are covering it should be from the text you are covering or a reliable source related to the topic you will be discussing.
• Analysis from the quote. Show how it supports your thesis.
• Closing sentence. It should wrap up the paragraph nicely, and for the first and second body paragraphs, provide a transition to the next one.
• Concluding paragraph.  Here you should summarize your main paragraphs, tie that to your thesis statement, possibly extend your argument and reiterate why the topic of your essay is important.

How to Write a Commentary Essay: Tips for Perfection

We’ve covered what a standard commentary essay should look like, but what about how to write a good commentary? Well, we’ve got your back even there!

There is one piece of advice that merits be mentioned outside of the list below. It’s that the driving point of the commentary essay is your unique take on the text or the issue you are covering. Your ideas make the backbone of your paper, so take extra care to formulate them clearly. When conveying your ideas, concentrate on the main thing you want to get across to your reader. Don’t expect them to understand your take from hints, be clear and concise in what you want to say. Now let’s check those steps you’ll need to take for a perfect commentary essay!

• Make sure that you understand the prompt.  You have to thoroughly get the question or topic of your essay. If you are not sure what’s being asked of you, ask your professor.
• Do some brainstorming.  Try to come up with different topics for your essay and different angles you can explore in the main body paragraphs. Make sure to jot down any idea you have, no matter how small or fragmented it is. When you’ve picked the main topic or angle, start fleshing it out with examples.
• Come up with a thesis statement.  It will guide your essay from the introduction to the conclusion, so make sure it’s solid. A clear and specific thesis statement is especially important in a commentary essay, as it will tell your reader what kind of take to expect from your paper.
• Get to the research.  Even if you are familiar with your subject, you still need reliable sources to help you support the points you’ll argue in your essay. Plus, it’s always better to delve into the subject even deeper to better understand it, so you can produce a coherent and well-informed paper.
• Flesh out your outline.  Once you have a good idea of the direction you want your essay to go in, start adding to the outline template mentioned above.
• Edit, proofread, and ask for feedback.  When you finish your final draft, let it sit for a day, if possible, and then reread it to eliminate any mistakes you might have made. Alternatively, ask your friends to read the essay for you and give you feedback on it.

40 Engaging Commentary Topics to Choose From

Choosing the right topic is detrimental to the quality of your commentary essay. Not only it will influence how productive your research and writing process will be, but it will also provide a level of engagement your professor will definitely pick up on when reading your paper. Look through the list of commentary paper topics our writers have put together and see if you find the one you’ve been looking for!

• Accuracy of understanding other people’s feelings.
• Novel approaches to public administration in developing countries.
• The role a leader exerts on a crowd.
• Factors that contribute to interpersonal attraction.
• The role of image in compensating for possible physical unattractiveness.
• Factors that influence successful socialization.
• Social stereotypes based on ethnicity or age.
• The role of the modern family as an institution.
• The concept of personal influence and its significance.
• The main sources of social conflict in modern society.
• The role of socialization in different genders.
• The main factors of social inequality today.
• The effectiveness of social conflict management and resolution.
• How to organize social processes for optimal outcomes.
• The role of moral and ethical standards in modern public office.
• Sociology of modern youth.
• The social role of college students in modern society.
• Understanding suicide as a form of deviant behavior.
• Subcultures as a means of interpersonal and intercultural communication.
• The relationship and impact of TV in modern society.
• The position of the US in the global community.
• Major areas of innovation in real estate management and development.
• Unemployment: causes, forms, and regulation methods.
• Government role in supporting innovation.
• Innovative governance: objectives, functions, and principles.
• Perception of significance when selecting people who matter.
• Competitiveness as a measure of business performance.
• Classifying cryptocurrency enterprises in modern times.
• Novel organizational models for innovative enterprises.
• Methods for generating new business ideas.
• Process of developing an effective business plan.
• Methods for evaluating the efficiency of innovations.
• Discounting as a method of evaluating business efficiency.
• Financial support for cryptocurrency projects.
• Creating an effective business plan structure.
• The intellectual property market and its operation.
• Comparing venture business in the USA and EU.
• Innovation marketing: key considerations.
• The significance of the intellectual property in modern entrepreneurship.
• Managing the creation and utilization of new cryptocurrency.

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How to Write a Literary Commentary

Last Updated: February 23, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 707,346 times.

A literary commentary is a detailed analysis of a passage of text, focusing specifically on the text itself. It should not be confused with a literary analysis essay, as it does not need a thesis statement or a general discussion of the book as a whole. Instead, the literary commentary should only analyze and reflect on a specific passage. To write a literary commentary, start by reading the text and creating an outline. Then, dive right into a detailed discussion of the text. Make sure you polish the literary commentary for style, grammar, and spelling before handing it in so it is at its best.

Literary Commentary Help

Starting the Literary Commentary

• Make sure you have a hard copy of the passage so you can mark it up as you read it. Jot down any initial thoughts or questions you may have about the text as you read it several times.

• You should also look for words that are repeated in the text, as this means they are likely important. Notice if the same word is used in a different context in the passage and highlight each mention of the word.

• Introduction section: Identify the text
• Body section: Discuss the main features of the text
• Conclusion section: Summarize your thoughts on the text

Writing the Literary Commentary

• For example, you may note, “Published in 1966, Seamus Heaney’s ‘Blackberry-Picking’ is a poem that appears in his poetry collection, Death of a Naturalist .”
• If the text is from a larger work, do not write about the overall plot of the larger work. You should also not include details from the author’s biography or the historical period when the text was written, unless it feels relevant to the passage.

• For example, in Seamus Heaney's poem, "Blackberry-Picking,” the subject is two people picking a large quantity of blackberries. [2] X Research source
• The themes of the poem could be nature, hunger, and decay or rot.
• The poem begins with a dedication to “Philip Hobsbaum,” which means he could be the intended audience of the poem, the “you” addressed in the poem.

• The genre and form of the text will also help you determine the structure of the text. For example, Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry-Picking” takes the form of a poem and fits in the genre of poetry. It uses a familiar poetic structure, such as short lines of text and is broken into two stanzas.

• For example, in Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry-Picking,” the speaker uses the first person voice. The speaker then addresses a “you” in the text, indicating there are two characters in the poem.

• For example, in Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry-Picking,” the tone in the first stanza is nostalgic and light. The tone then shifts in the second stanza to be more serious and dark.

• For example, if you are discussing Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry-Picking,” you may look at a simile like “You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet/Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it.” Or you may discuss imagery like “a rat-grey fungus” or “fruit fermented.”
• You can find a complete list of literary devices in literature online. [5] X Research source

• For example, if you are discussing themes of decay in Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry-Picking,” you may quote a line like “I always felt like crying./It wasn't fair/That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.”

• For example, you may end your literary commentary on Seamus Heaney's "Blackberry-Picking” by noting how the poem fits into the poetry collection and reflects common themes in Heaney’s work.

Polishing the Literary Commentary

• You can also read the commentary aloud to someone else to get their feedback. Ask a peer, a friend, or a family member to listen to you read the commentary and then ask for their feedback.

• You can go through the commentary and write down “introduction” or “discussion of text” next to the relevant paragraphs in the commentary. Doing this will ensure you cover all the necessary information in the commentary.

• If you are using a computer to write the literary commentary, you can use the spellcheck option in the computer program. However, you should not rely on spellcheck only to go through your work. Make sure you also do a close review of the commentary for any errors before you hand it in.

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• ↑ https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/modernlanguages/intranet/undergraduate/skills/commesswriting/commentarywriting/
• ↑ https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50981/blackberry-picking
• ↑ http://literary-devices.com/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-aloud/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

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To write a literary commentary, begin by closely reading the text at least twice while paying attention to the content and structure. While commentaries do not need a thesis statement, you should identify the title, author, and genre in your introduction. In your body paragraphs, discuss the text’s subject, themes, and audience while pointing out any literary devices, like metaphors or symbols, that you notice. Use quotes to illustrate your points and conclude with a summary of your thoughts on the text. For advice about how to read and annotate your text from our Writer reviewer, scroll down. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Role of Commentary in Rhetorical Analysis

Call it what you will—analysis, evaluation, commentary—this piece of rhetorical analysis is OPINION. Evidence is FACT, and commentary is OPINION. (When I’m training students to recognize the difference between the two, we use color coding. You can read more about how I do that here. )

Where students get tripped up is in misunderstanding the actual role of commentary; perhaps they see it as filler or some kind of semi-important text that is loosely associated with nearby evidence. If the latter is the case, they’re in the ballpark, so let’s get those writers into an actual seat. For the purpose of this post, we’ll talk specifically about rhetorical analysis since so many teachers begin with that skill set.

Commentary’s Jobs in Rhetorical Analysis

Job #1: make connections.

I made this super short video to explain visually what you’ll read below.

WHAT IS COMMENTARY? VIDEO (TWO MINUTES)

Analysis—what we’re calling commentary—is the student’s opinion about the way evidence proves the truth of a topic sentence, which defends the truth of the controlling thesis statement. Here’s how the connecting works. A rhetorical analysis essay has a thesis, which is a controlling idea. All ideas within the essay defend this one. If an idea does not defend this one, it has to go. I call that trimming the fat.

On the front lines of the defense of that thesis are the topic sentences. For a timed essay, we’re probably looking at two or three of those. Each of those topic sentences is a debatable idea that must also be defended. What defends each topic sentence is evidence, factual information taken from the text. Evidence defends the topic sentence, which defends the thesis. Here we go: The job of commentary is to tie the evidence to the topic sentence. This is where the student offers OPINION about how the factual evidence illustrates the truth of the topic sentence.

By connecting the evidence to the topic sentence and the topic sentence to the thesis, the commentary defends the thesis. This chain of defense is the way I wrap my mind around line of reasoning.

Done well, it’s beautiful. Done poorly, it looks like A LOT what we see in student essays.

J ob #2: Illustrate Critical Thinking

Commentary separates the men from boys, the wheat from the chaff, the analogies from the metaphors. Every writing rubric I’ve ever seen rewards it heavily.

On the AP Language Question 2 rubric, take a look at this wording for the column that awards all four points for evidence and commentary:

EVIDENCE: Provides specific evidence to support all claims in a line of reasoning. AND COMMENTARY: Consistently explains how the evidence supports a line of reasoning.  AND Explains how multiple rhetorical choices in the passage contribute to the writer’s argument, purpose, or message.

That’s THIS illustration! There are only four points to be had on this rubric, and FOUR of them are awarded to the process I described in that short little video above.

A student who creates that defense chain consistently with depth could even earn the sophistication point. That’s five out of six. Without a defensible thesis, that student could never have earned the four points for evidence and commentary because there was nothing to defend. That’s six out of six.

Translation: A student who understands the defense chain of a topic sentence being defended by topic sentences that are supported by evidence with connecting commentary is in the five-six range because that student’s maturity of thought is on full display to a reader.

What Commentary’s Role is NOT

Commentary’s job is not to provide proof from the text, either through direct quotations, paraphrasing, summarizing, or repetition of the actual evidence. When training students to write strong commentary, I suggest that we put off sentence combining; have students differentiate evidence from commentary through color coding so that both you and they can see that each piece of evidence has a tendon, a connector that ties the evidence to the topic sentence.

Once kids know what commentary is and isn’t–and all their English teachers communicate so they’re all using the same terminology–they can produce insightful, connected analysis.

Be on the lookout for more rhetorical analysis tips in your inbox. not on my email list you can join here, and i’ll send you a commentary anchor chart..

I’m a recovering high school English teacher and curriculum specialist with a passion for helping teachers leave school at school. I create engaging, rigorous curriculum resources for secondary ELA professionals, and I facilitate workshops to help those teachers implement the materials effectively.

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• A Research Guide
• Writing Guide
• Assignment Writing

How to Write a Commentary Essay

What is a literary commentary, steps to prepare for a commentary, steps to write the commentary, it takes a broad thinking and analysis, it should be critical yet with a respectful tone, prepare before writing, outline the main points.

Useful information: Check research paper outline example and learn how to write it.

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Identifying the basic information

Mention about the theme, subject, and audience, observe the structure and genre of the content, identify how the text is presented, understand the tone, look for the literary devices that deepen the meaning, take the quotes included in the text, wrapping up your commentary with a summary, make your commentary presentable, ask for the feedback.

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Composition Writing Studio

Argumentative essay/commentary.

From the University of Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/05/):

The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic, collect, generate, and evaluate evidence, and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner.

Argumentative essay assignments generally call for extensive research of literature or previously published material. Argumentative assignments may also require empirical research where the student collects data through interviews, surveys, observations, or experiments. Detailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to understand different points of view regarding the topic so that s/he may choose a position and support it with the evidence collected during research. Regardless of the amount or type of research involved, argumentative essays must establish a clear thesis and follow sound reasoning.

• Argument Essays: Getting Started
• Developing Paragraphs
• Finding Academic Journals
• Logical Fallacies
• Research Writing

General Resources:

• Argument :   UNC Chapel Hill Writing Center's online handout in argument.
• Types of Argument
• Writing Arguments: An Overview :  Comprehensive guide from Colorado State University's Writing Studio
• Sample Argument Essays
• Prompts for Argument Essays :  301 ideas from the New York Times
• Argument :  Main page for several argument sources from Oregon State University
• Using Rhetorical Strategies for Persuasion

Rhetorical Appeals (Logos, Pathos, Ethos)

• Examples of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos :  Numerous examples of each appeal from YourDictionary
• The Rhetorical Situation :  Purdue OWL's discussion of Aristotle's three appeals and use of telos and kairos
• Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Advertising :  YouTube video
• Ethos, Pathos, Logos:   YouTube video

Toulmin Argument

• Toulmin Method :  An extensive online guide from Colorado State University on using the Toulmin method of argumentation
• Toulmin Method of Analyzing Arguments :  PowerPoint that defines and offers examples for Toulmin method
• Definition of the Toulmin Method :  Adaptation of a chapter on Toulmin's approach to argument
• Toulmin Argument (Aims of Argument) :  YouTube video

Rogerian Argument

• Rogerian Argument :  Information on definition and format of argument
• Rogerian Argument Example :  YouTube Video
• Rogerian Argument :  YouTube Video

Counter Arguments/Perspectives

• Counter Argument :  Overview provided by Harvard College
• Writing Counter Argument Paragraphs :  YouTube video
• Rhetorical Fallacies

Metacommentary: Definition and Examples

Viktoriya Sus (MA)

Viktoriya Sus is an academic writer specializing mainly in economics and business from Ukraine. She holds a Master’s degree in International Business from Lviv National University and has more than 6 years of experience writing for different clients. Viktoriya is passionate about researching the latest trends in economics and business. However, she also loves to explore different topics such as psychology, philosophy, and more.

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This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.

Metacommentary is a type of metacommunication that provides insightful feedback on the language, syntax, and other components in an existing text. Essentially, it is self-analyzing – taking a closer look at a text’s own composition to get to the heart of meaning.

Metacommentary is a type of self-reflection in which the author or speaker examines and comments on their own language and the language and structure of others.

Examples of metacommentary include direct statements about the text, rhetorical questions about the text, and comparisons between texts.

For example, a direct statement might be:

• “This sentence is confusing because of the syntax” or
• “This sentence could have been better structured”

A rhetorical question might be:

• “Are these two ideas connected?” or
• “Is this sentence necessary?” 

And a comparison might be:

• “This is similar to the way X author structures their sentences” or
• “This sentence is similar to the way Y author structures their sentences.” 

Metacommentary is an indispensable guide for readers to better comprehend the sources and evidence presented.

Metacommentary Definition

Metacommentary is a type of discourse that reflects on an existing text’s language, structure, and message to generate insight , clarity, and deeper understanding. 

It is a form of self-reflection that allows the audience to draw connections between different texts and conclude based on the available evidence. 

According to Copland and colleagues (2016), metacommentary is “comments about language” (p. 201).

Hurley (2019) believes that:

“…metacommentary presses pause on the reasoning as a way to explain the claims more patiently and clearly” (p. 77).

Metacommentary not only offers communicators a way to provide transparency but also allows audiences to recognize the speaker’s sincerity.

By utilizing metacommentary, they can openly disclose their purpose as they communicate with others.

Besides, Dolby (2010) writes that, in simple terms, metacommentary is a “commentary about commentary” (p. 51).

Graf and Birkenstein (2018) suggest that the metacommentary’s purpose is similar to a Greek Chorus – it takes an outside viewpoint of the action, elucidating its progress for the audience so they don’t become lost in their journey.

So, a metacommentary is an essential tool for communicators that provides insight and guidance to their readers. It helps the audience understand and interpret texts, both in the academic world and in day-to-day life. 

Metacommentary Examples

• Direct Statements : “By this point in the essay, I have established five evidence facts.” Through such direct statement, readers gain insights into the writer’s organizational approach and mental journey.
• Rhetorical Questions : “Does this sentence make sense in the context of the argument?” By posing thought-provoking questions, authors can prompt readers to evaluate and analyze the text more deeply.
• Comparisons : “This sentence contains similar syntax to an earlier statement I made.” Through the clever use of metacommentary, communicators can distinctly highlight the parallels and distinctions between their assertions.
• Clarifications : “To clarify, I am suggesting that…” By offering clarifications, authors can help their audience become more aware of the intended gist behind an argument. If a statement is confounding, metacommentary may be used to make it understandable for readers.
• Analyses : “This sentence has a particular rhetorical effect on the audience.” This type of metacommentary helps readers think about the implications of an argument and how different people may interpret it. So, it allows the author to provide further insight into their idea.
• Justifications : “I believe this sentence is necessary for the structure of my argument.” By writing with justification, communicators can support their decisions and provide evidence to support their claims.
• Critique : “This sentence could have been better worded.” Such metacommentary helps readers recognize the weaknesses of an argument and allows them to think critically about its structure.
• Summaries : “To summarize, I have established three points.” With such a summary, communicators can remind their readers of the critical points in an argument.
• Reflections : “This sentence reflects my opinion on the issue.” By reflecting on their own arguments, communicators can make it easier for readers to identify the author’s point of view.
• Refutations : “I disagree with this statement and have provided evidence to the contrary.” By incorporating metacommentary into their discourse, authors can demonstrate to their readers that they have thoughtfully considered alternate perspectives and provided sound evidence in rebuttal .

Origins of Metacommentary

Fredric Jameson, an American cultural critic, first offered the concept of metacommentary when comparing alternative interpretive methodologies.

He postulates that the metacommentary exemplifies a model analogous to Sigmund Freud’s notion of the nexus between symptom and hidden concept (except for his libido theory) (Jameson, 1971).

In specific contexts, lived experience is manipulated and censored to be included in a text. Consequently, thoughts and ideas deemed inappropriate are often distorted to fit the context of the narrative—or else they must be omitted altogether.

So, according to Freud’s hypothesis on dream interpretation, dreams are chaotic and symbolic representations of our unconscious feelings developed to bypass suppression (Jameson, 1971).

Consequently, comprehending a text necessitates grasping the censorship process articulated by Jameson.

Readers must reconstitute its initial context to further understand why the text had to be distorted in such an approach. Explaining this is necessary for a complete comprehension of what’s been written (Jameson, 1971).

The iconic Hays Code had a tremendous impact on Hollywood, requiring filmmakers to get creative when depicting sex.

A classic example of this is the infamous smoking-in-bed scene that followed the first kiss; it became a universally recognized symbol for sex—even though no explicit act was actually shown!

As Jameson’s oeuvre progressed, he began using the term dialectical criticism to characterize his analytic methods rather than metacommentary. It does not merely look at the text itself but also contemplates its context and implications (Tally et al., 2014).

In essence, metacommentary is one way to understand the implications of a text by exploring its context. Communicators who use metacommentary can make their arguments understandable and accessible to readers. 

Related: Metacognitive Theory

Metacommentary vs. Commentary

A metacommentary and commentary diverge in their purviews on the most fundamental level. While both of these forms of criticism investigate a text’s content, metacommentary generally delves deeper into its context and any implications it may have.

Commentary dives deep into the text, seeking to understand meaning from within. On the other hand, metacommentary takes a step back and reflects on what implications can be derived from an external perspective. 

By looking at these two as separate practices, people gain insight into understanding the context of literature more holistically (Graff & Birkenstein, 2018).

Metacommentary isn’t just about the words on a page – it’s about exploring why those words were chosen and how they will impact readers. It’s a big-picture perspective that can offer meaningful insight into any discussed issue.

Commentary typically analyzes an argument’s structure and quality, while metacommentary evaluates a text’s implications. 

Additionally, metacommentary is often more personal than commentary, as it usually incorporates the author’s reflections and opinions (Graff & Birkenstein, 2018).

Importantly, metacommentary does not replace commentary but instead serves to enhance it. By incorporating both forms of critique, communicators can provide readers with a more comprehensive and persuasive argument.

Importance of Metacommentary

While some may perceive metacommentary as a superfluous endeavor, i t enables communicators to explore the broader implications of a text and its censorship to represent their messages more accurately. 

Here are a few of the significant benefits associated with metacommentary:

1. It Helps Develop Any Point Further

Metacommentary offers an opportunity to explain ideas more comprehensively. It’s an effective tool for expanding on a point and offering additional insight into any argument.

For example, by incorporating metacommentary, an author can effectively make a case for their argument more convincing (Copland et al., 2016). 

By writing, “This example of censorship is indicative of a much larger issue,” the author can explain why this issue matters and how it affects individuals beyond the text itself.

2. It Increases the Persuasiveness of Any Argument 

By looking at a text’s implications, the metacommentary hones in on why a particular issue is essential to readers. It provides an opportunity to explain why a point matters and how it connects to readers’ lives. 

By utilizing metacommentary, communicators can bolster their arguments and ensure readers comprehend why a particular issue is important.

3. It Enhances Reader Engagement 

Metacommentary can also create an engaging experience for readers. For example, authors can share personal reflections to make their points more meaningful and relatable. 

So, writing “This problem is personal to me, as I have experienced it firsthand” can make a text more resonant for readers and encourage them to be more invested in the argument.

4. It Builds Credibility 

Incorporating reflections and opinions into an argument or discussion adds to the credibility of communicators. 

In addition, it demonstrates that authors have done the necessary research and are willing to share their personal perspectives on an issue with readers (Graff & Birkenstein, 2018).

For instance, when an author has firsthand experience on the issue they’re discussing, they can leverage this to their advantage by sharing it and emphasizing how it fortifies their argument. 

With such personal accounts involved in a topic of discussion, readers will find themselves more persuaded and thus build trust with the communicator.

See Also: Credibility Examples

Metacommentary means looking at the bigger picture when analyzing any text. It requires an in-depth analysis of a text’s implications and offers readers additional insight into why any argument or discussion matters.

In simple terms, metacommentary is a commentary with an added reflection layer. As a result, it is a powerful tool for communicators to utilize to make their points more convincing and engaging for readers.

Moreover, metacommentary has several advantages for communicators, including helping to develop a point further, increasing the persuasiveness of any argument, enhancing reader engagement, and building credibility. 

Overall, metacommentary is a valuable resource for improving the effectiveness of any communication.

By utilizing it, communicators can ensure that readers are thoroughly informed on any text and create an engaging and persuasive experience. 

Copland, F., Shaw, S., & Shnell, J. (2016).  Linguistic ethnography: Interdisciplinary explorations . Springer.

Dolby, S. K. (2010).  Self-help books: Why Americans keep reading them . University of Illinois Press.

Graff, G., & Birkenstein, C. (2018).  “They say/I say”: The moves that matter in academic writing  (5th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.

Hurley, G. F. (2019).  The playbook of persuasive reasoning . Vernon Press.

Jameson, F. (1971). Metacommentary.  PMLA ,  86 (1), 9. https://doi.org/10.2307/460996

Tally, R. T. (2014). Fredric Jameson: The project of dialectical criticism. In E. Leslie & M. Wayne (Eds.),  JSTOR . Pluto Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt183p5xw

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Definition of commentary

• play-by-play

Examples of commentary in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commentary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

see comment entry 1

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Dictionary Entries Near commentary

commentariat

Cite this Entry

“Commentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commentary. Accessed 1 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of commentary, more from merriam-webster on commentary.

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English Studies

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Metacommentary: A Research Term

Metacommentary is a literary device characterized by self-reflective comments or observations within a narrative, where the author or narrator steps outside the story to provide insights, reflections, or commentary on the unfolding events, characters, or the storytelling process itself.

Metacommentary: Etymology, Literal and Conceptual Meanings

Table of Contents

Etymology/Term:

The term “metacommentary” derives from the combination of two components: “meta,” meaning beyond or transcending, and “commentary,” referring to explanatory remarks or observations. In literature, metacommentary encompasses self-referential comments made within a narrative that reflect on the storytelling process, guiding readers to interpret or question elements within the text.

Literal Meaning:

• Self-Reflective Remarks: Metacommentary involves explicit commentary or reflections within the narrative that draw attention to the act of storytelling or the elements of the story.
• Authorial Intrusion: Authors may directly address the reader, providing insights into their intentions, choices, or thoughts about the narrative.
• Narrative Reflections: Characters may engage in metacommentary by discussing the events, structure, or themes of the story within the narrative itself.

Conceptual Meaning:

• Enhancing Interpretation: Metacommentary deepens the reader’s understanding by offering additional perspectives, interpretations, or insights into the narrative.
• Questioning Narrativity: It prompts readers to question the nature of storytelling, inviting them to consider the constructed nature of narratives and the role of the author.
• Reader Engagement: Metacommentary can engage readers in a more interactive reading experience, breaking down the traditional boundaries between author and audience.
• Layered Storytelling: It adds layers to the narrative, creating a meta-textual dimension that enriches the overall literary experience.

The combination of its literal and conceptual meanings makes metacommentary a versatile device used by authors to enrich their narratives and engage readers in a reflective exploration of the storytelling process.

Metacommentary: Definition as a Literary Device

Metacommentary is a literary device characterized by self-reflective comments or observations within a narrative, where the author or narrator steps outside the story to provide insights, reflections, or commentary on the unfolding events, characters, or the storytelling process itself. This technique serves to engage readers in a deeper understanding of the text by offering explicit guidance, interpretations, or reflections that transcend the immediate narrative content. Metacommentary often invites readers to reflect on the constructed nature of storytelling, fostering a more interactive and thought-provoking reading experience.

Metacommentary: Examples in Everyday Life

These types of metacommentary showcase the diversity of ways in which authors employ self-reflective elements to enhance the narrative and engage readers in a more interactive and thoughtful reading experience.

Metacommentary in Literature: Examples

• Cervantes includes a prologue in which he discusses the act of writing and the challenges of creating a compelling story. This metacommentary sets the tone for the novel’s exploration of fiction and reality.
• Calvino’s novel is a self-aware exploration of reading and storytelling. The author directly addresses the reader, discussing the nature of novels and the expectations readers bring to a book.
• Nabokov’s novel is presented as a poem written by a character, with a commentary by another character. The commentary serves as a metacommentary, offering conflicting perspectives on the poem and its meaning.
• Vonnegut uses metacommentary to discuss his own experiences as a soldier in World War II and the challenges of writing about traumatic events. This adds a layer of personal reflection to the novel.
• This experimental novel incorporates metacommentary through footnotes, different fonts, and visual elements. The narrator frequently reflects on the process of writing and the impact of the story on the reader.
• Fitzgerald’s use of Nick Carraway as a narrator who reflects on his own role in the story provides a subtle form of metacommentary, as Nick comments on the events and characters around him.
• Chaucer’s characters often engage in metacommentary, discussing the nature of storytelling and the intentions behind their tales during the pilgrimage.
• Wallace employs footnotes and endnotes extensively to provide additional commentary and insights, creating a complex metacommentary layer that adds depth to the narrative.
• Atwood uses a framing device where the main narrative is presented as a historical document with a subsequent academic discussion, allowing for metacommentary on the society depicted.

Metacommentary: Main Elements and Examples in Critiques

These elements and examples illustrate how metacommentary is analyzed in literary critiques, showcasing its role in enhancing the reader’s experience and providing additional layers of meaning within a text.

Metacommentary in Literature: Relevance in Literary Theories

• Metacommentary engages readers in an active role, prompting them to respond to the author’s reflections and interpretations.
• The reader’s understanding is shaped not only by the narrative but also by the author’s explicit comments, influencing the overall reading experience.
• Metacommentary can be seen as a structural element, a layer that adds complexity to the overall narrative framework.
• Structuralist analysis may explore how metacommentary shapes the organization and interpretation of the text.
• Postmodern literary works often embrace metacommentary, challenging traditional notions of authorship, narrative stability, and reader expectations.
• The self-awareness of metacommentary aligns with postmodern concerns about the constructed nature of narratives and the blurring of fiction and reality.
• Metacommentary may be examined for gendered perspectives, considering how authors reflect on or challenge traditional gender roles within their narratives.
• Feminist critics may explore how metacommentary intersects with issues of power, agency, and representation.
• Metacommentary may provide insights into the author’s subconscious, revealing hidden desires, conflicts, or personal reflections.
• Psychoanalytic analysis may delve into the psychological dimensions of metacommentary and its impact on the narrative.
• In postcolonial literature, metacommentary may be explored for its reflections on cultural identity, colonial history, and the act of storytelling as a form of resistance.
• Postcolonial theorists may examine how metacommentary intersects with issues of language, representation, and cultural agency.
• Metacommentary can be examined as part of the text’s internal dynamics, analyzing how it contributes to the overall meaning and coherence of the literary work.
• New Critics may explore the interplay between metacommentary and other textual elements to uncover hidden layers of significance.
• Deconstructionist analysis may focus on the instability of meaning within metacommentary, questioning how these self-reflective elements contribute to the text’s openness to multiple interpretations.
• The deconstructionist lens may emphasize the play of language and the subversion of conventional literary norms within metacommentary.
• Metacommentary may be examined for its reflections on societal structures, power dynamics, and class relations within the narrative.
• Marxist critics may explore how metacommentary engages with or challenges dominant ideologies and social norms.
• Metacommentary is relevant to cultural studies as it reflects the author’s engagement with cultural discourses, norms, and values.
• Cultural studies may explore how metacommentary contributes to the negotiation and representation of cultural identities within literature.

Metacommentary in Literature: Relevant Terms

Metacommentary in Literature: Suggested Readings

• Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale . Houghton Mifflin, 1985.
• Calvino, Italo. If on a winter’s night a traveler . Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979.
• Cervantes, Miguel de. Don Quixote . Publisher, 1605.
• Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales . Publisher, 14th century.
• Danielewski, Mark Z. House of Leaves . Pantheon, 2000.
• Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction . Wiley, 1983.
• Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby . Scribner, 1925.
• Nabokov, Vladimir. Pale Fire . Publisher, 1962.
• Richter, David H. The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends . Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007.
• Tyson, Lois. Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide . Routledge, 2006.
• Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five . Delacorte Press, 1969.
• Wallace, David Foster. Infinite Jest . Little, Brown and Company, 1996.

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a commentary on the Bible; news followed by a commentary.

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The dropout rate is a sad commentary on our school system.

Commentaries written by Roman lawyers give us information on how their courts functioned.

/ ˌkɒmənˈtɛərɪəl; -trɪ; ˈkɒməntərɪ /

• an explanatory series of notes or comments
• a spoken accompaniment to a broadcast, film, etc, esp of a sporting event
• an explanatory essay or treatise on a text

the commentaries of Caesar

Derived Forms

• commentarial , adjective

Other Words From

• com·men·tar·i·al [ kom-, uh, n-, tair, -ee-, uh, l ] , adjective
• super·commen·tary noun plural supercommentaries

Word History and Origins

Origin of commentary 1

Example Sentences

After all, they’ve already been critiquing and reshaping Harry Potter into a better version of itself for decades, through fanfiction and other fan commentary.

Though there was a small percentage of negative commentary, Da Brat says they both felt tremendous love, and “most of my close-knit family and friends knew already.”

As people struggled to process the horror in the immediate aftermath, Michael Bang Petersen, a Danish political scientist at Aarhus University, weighed in on Twitter with some counter-intuitive commentary.

Throughout, she packs her commentary on feminism and race with ample references to pop culture.

While you might be tempted to tag the person, or screenshot the image and put some commentary on your Instagram to get that addictive stream of likes, don’t.

In the ten pages of commentary, if anyone felt differently they were in the clear minority.

The CIA Publication Review Board has required that the following statement be included with this commentary.

It is a joy to watch Shafer seamlessly work incisive commentary on contemporary life into a fast-paced spine-chiller.

Its reporting and commentary on politics, society, and arts and letters have nurtured a broad liberal spirit in our national life.

She says she uses rap as a way to start a conversations about art, identity, and social commentary.

Considering the uncertainty in which we are left by both text and commentary, the best we can do is to adore without disputing.

He likens the walls to the page of a book, in which the glose, or commentary, was often written in the margin.

The commentary is not very helpful, and discusses collateral questions rather than the dream itself.

We should like to see a Biblical Commentary from his pen; it, would be immortal on account of its straightforwardnsss and oddity.

Yet he was a guide of no mean order, who made up for the poverty of what he had to show by a copious, imaginative commentary.

Related Words

• description
• explanation
• observation