Literary Criticism

Lenses for Examining Literature

What is Literary Criticism?Schools of literary criticism are like sunglasses Schools of literary criticism are like sunglasses specially designed for driving. specially designed for driving.

Driving glasses make red and green particularly Driving glasses make red and green particularly bright to the wearer. bright to the wearer.

Different theories make particular aspects of a Different theories make particular aspects of a piece of writing more obvious or crucial to the piece of writing more obvious or crucial to the analyst. analyst.

Why learn this?

Looking at a novel, story, or poem through a Looking at a novel, story, or poem through a particular lens helps us to notice things we wouldn’t particular lens helps us to notice things we wouldn’t otherwise.otherwise.

Some schools of thought are more relevant to a Some schools of thought are more relevant to a given work than others. given work than others.

Discussions about relevant approaches to literature Discussions about relevant approaches to literature are excellent practice in critical thinking.are excellent practice in critical thinking.

So, what have we been doing so far?

We have used the New Critical approach thus far. We have used the New Critical approach thus far.

The New Critical approach suggests breaking down a The New Critical approach suggests breaking down a work in terms of themes, symbols, and characterization work in terms of themes, symbols, and characterization internally, seeking to attach meaning to literary internally, seeking to attach meaning to literary elementselements..

We have also approached literature study from the historic, We have also approached literature study from the historic, archetypal, and multicultural lenses. More on this later…archetypal, and multicultural lenses. More on this later…

What other “lenses” are there?

FeministFeminist

MarxistMarxist

MulticulturalMulticultural

PsychoanalyticPsychoanalytic

Reader-ResponseReader-Response

HistoricalHistorical

OthersOthers

FormalismFormalism

EnvironmentalismEnvironmentalism

Feminist Criticism

A feminist critic sees cultural and economic A feminist critic sees cultural and economic disabilities in a patriarchal society that have disabilities in a patriarchal society that have hindered or prevented women from realizing hindered or prevented women from realizing their creative possibilities their creative possibilities

Feminist critics see males as the dominant force, Feminist critics see males as the dominant force, with women relegated to the role of defining with women relegated to the role of defining objects for men. objects for men.

Assumptions ofFeminist Criticism

1. Our civilization is pervasively patriarchal.1. Our civilization is pervasively patriarchal.

2. Concepts of gender are cultural constructs 2. Concepts of gender are cultural constructs affected affected by patriarchal biases.by patriarchal biases.

3. The patriarchal ideology pervades those writings 3. The patriarchal ideology pervades those writings that that have been considered great literature. Those have been considered great literature. Those writings:writings:

-lack autonomous female role models-lack autonomous female role models-are implicitly addressed to male readers-are implicitly addressed to male readers-leave woman readers as outsiders-leave woman readers as outsiders

So, if I ask you to apply feminist criticism…

Examine the patterns of thought and behavior Examine the patterns of thought and behavior in male-female relationships.in male-female relationships.

Seek to identify values put forth about men Seek to identify values put forth about men and women’s roles.and women’s roles.

Look at the role of enfranchisement and power Look at the role of enfranchisement and power in relations between the sexesin relations between the sexes. .

Feminism and Current Works

In In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StoneHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hermione , Hermione is initially depicted as unattractive, both physically is initially depicted as unattractive, both physically and socially. Would a smart young and socially. Would a smart young wizardwizard get the get the same treatment? Why is the most evil instructor at same treatment? Why is the most evil instructor at Hogwarts a woman (Professor Umbridge)?Hogwarts a woman (Professor Umbridge)?

In In The Hunger GamesThe Hunger Games, although Katniss is very , although Katniss is very strong, her mother’s weakness after her father’s strong, her mother’s weakness after her father’s death brings the family to poverty. Although strong, death brings the family to poverty. Although strong, she would initially be described as masculine (a she would initially be described as masculine (a good hunter, a risk-taker) and struggles to be good hunter, a risk-taker) and struggles to be feminine (she is afraid to twirl in a dress).feminine (she is afraid to twirl in a dress).

Marxist Criticism AssumptionsHuman history is Human history is determined by determined by the changing mode of its the changing mode of its material production--its material production--its basic economic organizationbasic economic organization..

Historical Historical changes in the fundamental mode of production changes in the fundamental mode of production effect effect essential changes essential changes in the power relations of social classesin the power relations of social classes, which , which carry on a conflict for economic, political, and social advantage.carry on a conflict for economic, political, and social advantage. A Marxist critic typically explains the literature in any era by A Marxist critic typically explains the literature in any era by revealing the economic, class, and ideological determinants of revealing the economic, class, and ideological determinants of the way an author writes, and he/ she examines the relationshipthe way an author writes, and he/ she examines the relationshipof the text to the social reality of the time and place. of the text to the social reality of the time and place.

So if I ask you to apply Marxist criticism…

Ask yourself: Who has the power and money Ask yourself: Who has the power and money in the piece of literature?in the piece of literature?

Ask yourself: Who lacks these assets?Ask yourself: Who lacks these assets?

Ask yourself: Why is that?Ask yourself: Why is that?

Ask yourself: What is the effect?Ask yourself: What is the effect?

Marxism in Current Works

The premise of The premise of The Hunger GamesThe Hunger Games is based on is based on power concentrated in the hands of a wealthy power concentrated in the hands of a wealthy minority who manipulate a poor majority minority who manipulate a poor majority through fear.through fear.

In In Harry PotterHarry Potter, the Weasleys’ lack of wealth , the Weasleys’ lack of wealth (versus, say, the Malfoy family) is a recurrent (versus, say, the Malfoy family) is a recurrent topic. The distinction between Pureblood and topic. The distinction between Pureblood and Muggle-born (Muggle-born (““MudbloodMudblood””) wizards is another ) wizards is another source of conflict.source of conflict.

Psychoanalytic Criticism

Psychoanalytic criticism deals with a work of Psychoanalytic criticism deals with a work of literature primarily as an expression of the literature primarily as an expression of the personality, state of mind, feelings, and personality, state of mind, feelings, and desires of its author. desires of its author.

The assumption of psychoanalytic critics is The assumption of psychoanalytic critics is that a work of literature is correlated with its that a work of literature is correlated with its author’s life and mental traits. author’s life and mental traits.

Terminology of Psychoanalytical CriticismFreud Freud

IDID

EGOEGO

SUPEREGOSUPEREGO

Oedipus & Electra ComplexOedipus & Electra Complex

How to apply psychoanalytical criticism:

Learn a little bit about the author, then look Learn a little bit about the author, then look for potential links between the work of fiction for potential links between the work of fiction and important elements of the author’s life.and important elements of the author’s life.

Identify symbols of key assumptions.Identify symbols of key assumptions.

Identify what issues the author seems to be Identify what issues the author seems to be “working out” in the text.“working out” in the text.

Some examples:

Shakespeare had a son, Hamnet, who died Shakespeare had a son, Hamnet, who died as a child. This tragedy caused as a child. This tragedy caused Shakespeare immense grief, even rage. Shakespeare immense grief, even rage. These emotions are expressed very clearly These emotions are expressed very clearly in his play in his play HamletHamlet..

Harper Lee calls Harper Lee calls To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird a a ““simple love story.simple love story.”” She had a father who She had a father who was a lawyer in the South.was a lawyer in the South.

Back to Hogwarts…

J.K. Rowling was a single mother dependent J.K. Rowling was a single mother dependent on social welfare. Most of her on social welfare. Most of her ““hero, or hero, or sympathetic characters are of a status that sympathetic characters are of a status that causes them to be looked down upon.causes them to be looked down upon.

Harry: orphanHarry: orphan

Ron & Ginny: poor familyRon & Ginny: poor family

Hermione: Muggle-bornHermione: Muggle-born

Hagrid: half-giantHagrid: half-giant

Historical Criticism

Using this theory requires that you apply to a Using this theory requires that you apply to a text specific historical information about the text specific historical information about the time time during which an author wroteduring which an author wrote. .

History, in this case, refers to the social, History, in this case, refers to the social, political, economic, cultural, and/or intellectual political, economic, cultural, and/or intellectual climate of the timeclimate of the time. .

How to apply historical criticism:

Determine the year, or span of years, in which Determine the year, or span of years, in which a work was completed.a work was completed.

Research major events, issues, and concerns Research major events, issues, and concerns of that time; then, look for links to the themes, of that time; then, look for links to the themes, symbols, events, and characters of the work symbols, events, and characters of the work at hand.at hand.

Examples

The play The play The CrucibleThe Crucible is set in Puritan New is set in Puritan New England and revolves around the Salem witch England and revolves around the Salem witch trials. Arthur Miller wrote it in the 1950s and trials. Arthur Miller wrote it in the 1950s and many of the events and themes reflect his many of the events and themes reflect his disgust with the Communist disgust with the Communist ““witch huntswitch hunts”” he he observed.observed.

Many authors of the World War I era, including Many authors of the World War I era, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, were deeply affected by the F. Scott Fitzgerald, were deeply affected by the ““war to end all wars,war to end all wars,”” and therefore their and therefore their characters embody a sense of loss, depression, characters embody a sense of loss, depression, and disconnection.and disconnection.

Harry Potter Works With Everything

J. K. Rowling used the J. K. Rowling used the Harry PotterHarry Potter series to convey series to convey her thoughts on important contemporary social her thoughts on important contemporary social issues, including class divisions (issues, including class divisions (Chamber of Chamber of SecretsSecrets), the prison system (), the prison system (Prisoner of AzkabanPrisoner of Azkaban), ), and the British education system (and the British education system (Order of the Order of the PhoenixPhoenix).).

Reader-Response Theory

Suggests that literature does not, on its own, Suggests that literature does not, on its own, have any substantial meaning.have any substantial meaning.

Rather, meaning derives from the interaction Rather, meaning derives from the interaction between the individual reader and the text.between the individual reader and the text.

If I ask you to use reader-response analysis…

Identify key features of the text.Identify key features of the text.

Identify your essential characteristics or Identify your essential characteristics or beliefs.beliefs.

Look for ways they cross, connect, contradict, Look for ways they cross, connect, contradict, or relate to each other in interesting ways.or relate to each other in interesting ways.

The Phantom Tollbooth & Me

This novel is about a boy who is This novel is about a boy who is always bored or who tires of any always bored or who tires of any activity very easily.activity very easily.

Milo is very independent and has Milo is very independent and has no obvious parental oversight.no obvious parental oversight.

The novel contains a tremendous The novel contains a tremendous amount of melodrama; for amount of melodrama; for example, Milo ventures to a land example, Milo ventures to a land where Rhyme and Reason have where Rhyme and Reason have been banished…literally. They are been banished…literally. They are two girls who Milo must free from two girls who Milo must free from a sky prison. a sky prison. ““

CHAOS LURKS.CHAOS LURKS.

The novel relies heavily on The novel relies heavily on wordplay, searching for meaning, wordplay, searching for meaning, and wit. and wit.

As a child, I was very bored in As a child, I was very bored in school. I was much happier reading school. I was much happier reading or in unstructured environments.or in unstructured environments.

My parents were very supportive, My parents were very supportive, but I couldn’t always talk with them but I couldn’t always talk with them about certain topics, and I couldn’t about certain topics, and I couldn’t always have the autonomy I always have the autonomy I wanted. Milo’s independence wanted. Milo’s independence appealed to me. appealed to me.

As a high school teacher, encounter As a high school teacher, encounter unpredictable situations daily.unpredictable situations daily.

I love words of all kinds. I also love I love words of all kinds. I also love learning.learning.

Assumptions of Multiculturalism

Race is biological, but culture is environmental.

• Literature can reinforce prejudices.

• Multicultural critics want us to learn about other cultures correctly. They believe that:1. every human being deserves to be treated with integrity.

2. educators should teach about multi-cultural authors.

3. stories that are truthful about other cultures are celebrated

4. stories that have stereotypes or prejudices are identified/

challenged

If I ask you to use multicultural analysis….1. Find all of the cultures in the literature,

especially minority cultures.

2. Try to see how each culture is portrayed in the text.

3. Comment on stereotypical language and assumptions found in the text.

Examples

• John Steinbeck’s novels challenge stereotypical John Steinbeck’s novels challenge stereotypical beliefs about and the treatment of African beliefs about and the treatment of African Americans in mid-century America. For example, Americans in mid-century America. For example, he portrays the black farm hand, Crooks, in a he portrays the black farm hand, Crooks, in a sympathetic light. sympathetic light.

• Sandra Cisneros depicts the firm bond of Latino Sandra Cisneros depicts the firm bond of Latino families in families in A House on Mango StreetA House on Mango Street. Cisneros . Cisneros provides a rare glimpse of the both minority provides a rare glimpse of the both minority culture and minority experience. culture and minority experience.

Source Info

This presentation was adapted almost entirely This presentation was adapted almost entirely from:from:

•Mrs. Fidler’s Literary Criticism PowerPointMrs. Fidler’s Literary Criticism PowerPoint

•Burlington Area School DistrictBurlington Area School District

•Burlington, WisconsinBurlington, Wisconsin