A critical annotation will specifically include:
Critical/evaluative annotations:
A critical annotation includes value judgments or comments, positive or negative, on the article's effectiveness and may discuss some of the following:
Sample critical annotations from Pierce College Library
“Depicting Mental Illness and Suicide in the Art World – The Spectator.” Accessed October 1, 2017. https://www.spectatornews.com/currents/2017/04/17/depicting-mental-illness-and-suicide-in-the-art-world/.
This article addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the show “13 Reasons Why” in its portrayal of difficult topics like suicide and sexual assault. The show is very graphic in some of its depictions, such as the suicide scene where the protagonist slits her wrists. It also references an editorial by Rachel Sloan from TheMighty, who says that the show perpetuates toxic thoughts and personally took her to a dark place in her experience of mental illness. Quote: “Sloan brings up the unfortunate reality that when art forms such as film and literature try to depict suicide with intentions of bringing awareness, there is an inherent risk those with mental illness will be triggered by such depictions of pain they have personally experienced.” I am very aware of the thin line one must ride when talking about mental illness and I will be cognizant of that as I work on my thesis.
A main focus is that Hollywood frequently romanticizes mental illness and suicide. “13 Reasons Why” seems to be guilty of this, as seen through the reactions of viewers towards the show. Many consumers were more focused on the beauty of the actors, and the tragedy of losing such beauty. The author of this article is appalled by the insensitivity. Quote: “Suicide, self harm, mental illness and sexual assault are not beautiful. They never have been, and they never will be. Loving the girl who can’t love herself is not some ‘Hollywood romantic’ instant. It is difficult. It is painful. It is full of devastation and heartbreak. Coming from someone who has personally dealt with mental illness and self-harm throughout her young adult life, romanticizing pain that has placed undeniable suffering in my life is a slap in the face.” I certainly identify with the opinions of the writer here, and again feel that mental illness is a delicate topic.
The show has some merit. The author recognizes that the awareness brought to mental health is important, and that the show demonstrates that there are many sides to every story. As an artist presenting a thesis on this topic, I hope to de-stigmatize mental illness and show people that it is acceptable to talk about. I do recognize that this article is from a University newspaper and is not the most academic source, however, it highlights an important issue from the perspective of someone experienced with mental illness. It ends rather ambivalently by saying that the representation of mental illness in art could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. This is not a very strong conclusion and leaves something to be desired.