Lecture notes for Jonathan C

1. Reading & Analysis
General aims for this session:
1.To learn how to analyse a critical/academic
text, including:
• Understanding of the overall
argument
• Awareness of the types of language
used, and their effects
1.To learn how to test the claims of an author
in terms of:
• Internal consistency
• Against an external object
Jackson Pollock, Full Fathom Five, 1947

2. Jackson Pollock, Autumn Rhythm, 1950
Specific tasks:
• In small groups: read and analyse
• As a whole group: read and analyse Clement
another piece of writing about Pollock.
Greenberg’s 1952 review, paying particular
attention to argument and language.
• Come to an understanding of how
• Produce a paraphrase of Greenberg’s review different writers construct the painter
and his work.

3. The basics of analysis:
1.Argument
At its most basic an argument
consists of a claim and a
conclusion.
A claim is a proposition about the
world.
A conclusion draws an inference
from this.
‘Pollock is a great painter,
therefore his paintings are
interesting.’
You can spot a claim by looking
for words like ‘is’ and ‘are’.
You can spot a conclusion by
looking for words like ‘therefore’
and ‘because’.
Jackson Pollock, Eyes in the Heat, 1946

4. 2. Evidence
Most arguments also require
some evidence to support the
claim and conclusion.
Evidence is generally a
statement of fact.
‘Greenberg says Pollock is a
great painter, therefore his
paintings are interesting.’
Evidence provides a reason for
believing the author’s claims.
Evidence is often the
difference between opinion
and argument.
Jackson Pollock, Reflection of the Big
Dipper, 1947

5. Jackson Pollock, Mural, 1943
3. Language
This includes all kinds of things, such as:
• Tone – is it authoritative or conversational? Is it matter-of-fact or poetic?
• Vocabulary – is it specialised? Does it use jargon?
• Sentence structure – short and punchy or long, complex sentences?
• Metaphor – are metaphors used or avoided?
Skilful language can be very persuasive, even when the argument is weak.

6. Jackson Pollock, Number 14, 1951
4. Testing an argument
1.Internally 2. Externally
Are the elements of the argument logically Do the claims accurately reflect the object?
related to one another? Are there important parts of the object that
Does the conclusion follow necessarily? are not reflected in the text?

7. Pollock’s 3 styles (according to Greenberg):
1. Semi-
figurative
(Guardians of the
Secret, 1943)
2. Abstract
(Cathedral,
1947)
3. semi-figurative
(Portrait and a Dream, 1953)

8. Working in small groups:
Who wrote it, and when?
What is the writer’s position on
Jackson Pollock?
Is it a strong or a weak argument?
(give reasons)
What evidence does the writer give?
Jackson Pollock, Number 7, 1952