Literary criticism is writing that examines analyzes, and interprets , a particular work or an aspect of literature . Literary criticism is often organized around central ideas , the most important ideas about a topic in a text . A central idea can be one of the main ideas of an entire work or a key expressed in a paragraph or section of a text . As you read , write down the centrals idea of the text in the graphic organizer. Also include supporting ideas and important details from the text that help to develop the central ideas . ( What Is The Horror Genre Assignment)