Worksheet: Critiquing An Expressionist Artwork (Middle School Level)

Edvard Munch “The Scream”

Edvard Munch expressed all of his feelings and memories in his art – even the scary ones. Like a nightmare, everything in this picture is frightening. Eyes staring and mouth wide open, the person looks shocked as he covers his ears. Can you imagine what he is hearing and seeing? In the distance, two mysterious men seem to follow him. Look into the background. The person is surrounded by blackness against a spooky red-orange sky. Wavy lines swirl all around. It is as if you can hear a loud scream echoing through the picture.

Munch got his idea for The Scream one evening as he was walking on a road along the water. He felt tired and ill. The sun was setting and the sky was bright red. Later, the artist wrote in his diary, “I felt as though a scream went through nature … I painted this picture … the colours were screaming.” Munch did not explain exactly why the person is screaming. He left it up to us to create our own scary story.

  • How does this person feel? How can you tell?
  • What does his face show? What is unusual about it? Notice the way his hands are covering his ears. Why do you think that is? What do you notice about his body?
  • Who is this? What is he doing?
  • Look closely, can you find two other people in this scene? What are they doing there? Who are they?
  • Where is this? How would you describe this place?
  • What do you notice about the sky? What time of day or night is it? Notice all the swirling lines in the picture. What do they show?
  • Look at the colours. What mood do they show.
  • The artist, Munch, used exaggeration to show how the person feels. What in the picture looks exaggerated or unreal?
  • The name of the painting is The Scream. What in the picture tells us the person is screaming? What is he screaming about? Why is he so frightened or surprised.

Writing tasks
  • What do you think will happen next? Write a story about the man in the picture.
  • What frightens you? What makes you happy or sad or angry?



Edvard Munch, The Scream, Woodblock print, 1893,
83.5 x 66cm

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