Strategies for reading
Critical Theory Strategies for reading What is Critical Theory?
Different ways of looking at text (think new lenses) None is more right than another Some stories can be viewed through many perspectives even at the same time! Multiple perspectives allow us to see texts in new light and think about them in different ways Formalist Criticism Formal elements of a work language, structure, and tone How do the parts connect to the whole Modern Formalists New Critics Just the facts maam Poetry lends itself nicely to this lens Formalist critics read separate from the authors state of mind how is it said? Use intrinsic analysis of plot, character, diction, irony, syntax, symbol to understand the shape of the text and how it contributes to meaning. Poetry lends itself to this because one can look at every word, grammatical choice, and each line/sentence and discuss the impact on the whole. Doing this with an entire novel becomes cumbersome. Our Lit Device assignment follows this model to some extent. Biographical Criticism
Authors background aids in enriching themes, ideas, topics, etc. developed in a text May not always reflect the authors life, but it may give clarity or add richness to our reading of it Hemingway is prime example of this his fiction is arguable largely biographical. New Critics would not think author bio is essential to understanding the text on its own we cannot know what the author thinks, so why bother? Psychoanalytic Criticism
Sigmund Freud psychoanalytic theory (unconscious mind) Id basic desires (repressed) Superego morals, codes, guilt Ego the arbitrator (how far should I go?) Oedipus/Electra Complex competition with the father/mother (respectively) to take their place. Uncover a characters subconscious choices Uncover the authors unconscious meaning behind a text (or the readers) Oedipus the King by Sophocles Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother due to fateful events Electra plots to kill her mother to avenge her father Freuds theories have been debunked so-to-speak, but his influence on psychology and human behavior are paramount. Thus, literary critics still refer to this interpretation of texts as it helps us to understand character more deeply. Carl Jung goes with Archetypal the idea that we interpret the world through symbols Historical Criticism Four main types Literary History Marxist
New Historicist Cultural There are many ways to look at a text from a historical lens. These four types are similar in that they take a historical or social view, but they are nuanced in the ways in which they go about it. Literary History Examine the life and times of the society in which it was written Look for social currents/trends Examine multiple perspectives of people during this time on this topic Marxist Proletariat vs. Bourgeoisie Struggles with: Culture Race Class
Power Radical reform in 1930s Karl Marx believed power was in the hands of decision makers those were the people with money. Marxist critics focus on social themes rather than parts of the text. Proletariat = working man Bourgeoisie = the upper class New Historicist History read in a modern context
Examine all facets of history economical, sociological, anthropological, political For example: the term for hysteria is defined differently now (clinically) than it was in the early 1920s. Thus, reading what this word meant in that time would give us a better understanding of an authors use of it. Combination of many elements of history of the time in which the work was written to provide a deeper understanding of the text. Cultural Popular cultural influences
A combination of new historicism, psychology, gender, and deconstructionism Looks at comics, TV shows, commercials, radio shows, etc. This is more popular cultural study; using the culture of the time to understand the texts references and choices made by the author. Essentially nothing is left out any form of communication of the time/culture is useful from this perspective. Gender Criticism Focus on how men and women are socially constructed in text Includes: Gay/Lesbian Criticism Feminist Criticism This one gets a bad rap because it can be seen in a light that is isolating or accusatory. This is not its intent! Your sex is defined by your anatomy Your gender is defined by the standards of society ~ therefore, gender criticism seeks to explore these constructs and question them as they appear in text. Feminism Places literature in a social context
Looks at the representation of women through what has been a traditionally male-dominated society A broad range of disciplines aids in this perspective since our society is constructed through a history of typically male power, this lens seeks to find ways of thinking about female (and male) representations in works. Gay and Lesbian Focuses on how homosexuals are represented in text
Looks at how sexuality and gender are constructed in society Archetypal Criticism Archetypal critiques examine the hopes, fears, and expectations of cultures Look for common human concerns in text Archetypes universal symbols that embody the basic human experience People seek to make sense of their lives think JGC so they find meaning through sexuality, birth, death, seasons, etc. Look for underlying recurring patterns in literature How to Read Literature Like a Professor! Think of the heroic cycle with this one. Reader Response Criticism
Focuses on, you guessed it, the reader Bring our own assumptions and expectations to a work so what do we see? No single definitive reading of a work because each reader brings his/her own perspectives and experiences with him/her. Deconstructionist Criticism
Literary works do not yield fixed, single meanings Language is too easily interpreted in various ways therefore no right answer can be found Find the ways to destabilize meanings Basically, how can I prove that interpretation to be incorrect or misinterpreted, but also arrive at understanding in a new way? Focus on gaps and incongruities in a text This is the devils advocate perspective Careful with this one (and all) because the goal is always to arrive at deeper meaning not simply debunking! The Story of an Hour Recall Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour (pg 12 in Bedford) Fill in the chart for each of the different perspectives regarding this story how can each lens be applied to this text? The Critical Strategies for Reading chapter in Bedford (page 2091) can also help deepen your understanding of these perspectives. Lets Practice Cinderella the Western Disney version
Pair up with a partner You will be assigned a critical lens Think of Cinderella with your assigned lens what comes into focus as you consider the text through this lens? In a far away, long ago kingdom, Cinderella is living happily with her mother and father until her mother dies. Cinderella's father remarries a cold, cruel woman who has two daughters, Drizella and Anastasia. When the father dies, Cinderella's wicked stepmother turns her into a virtual servant in her own house. Meanwhile, across town in the castle, the King determines that his son the Prince should find a suitable bride and provide him with a required number of grandchildren. So the King invites every eligible maiden in the kingdom to a fancy dress ball, where his son will be able to choose his bride. Cinderella has no suitable party dress for a ball, but her friends the mice and the birds lend a hand in making her one, a dress the evil stepsisters immediately tear apart on the evening of the ball. At this point, enter the Fairy Godmother, who changes Cinderellas pumpkin into a coach and provides her with a gown to attend the ball. After meeting the prince (at this point Cinderella is not aware it is him) and dancing all night, she loses track of time and races out of the ball as the clock strikes twelve and the magic spell breaks. Her glass slipper leads the duke on a hunt to find her, and with the help of her mice friends, she is able to try on her slipper and prove she is the girl with whom the prince danced. They get married and live happily ever after. Application You will be in two large groups
Each group will be given a story: Green Eggs and Ham or Where the Wild Things Are You will choose one person to read the story aloud to the group Then, you will develop a poster that charts at least FOUR critical lenses that can be applied to this story (use yesterdays format as a model) You will present this poster to the class and teach the critical theories using your text. The Story of an Hour Choose a partner (must be pairs)
Choose a lens (first come, first served) Go through the story carefully, and analyze the story through this lens You will soon be in large groups Seminaring about the text and the lens you used to analyze it. The Story of an Hour Who are the characters? What are their relationships? Do any characters have symbolic representation names, features, quotes, etc.? What is the major conflict and what type is it? How does the author illuminate this problem? How do literary elements (figurative language, irony, imagery, symbols) develop the message? What is the theme that emerges in this text based on your responses to the questions above? Are these reinforced or altered when looking through the various lenses? Which lens is most appropriate to apply to this text? Why? (Each lens should share) The Story of an Hour On a piece of paper, respond to the following prompt: Using a theme your group developed for The Story of an Hour, write a thesis and a core paragraph that argues this theme is present, and support it using at least ONE literary element. Use quotes to prove the element is present and functions as you claim. The Story of an Hour For many people, marriage proves a societal requirement, which cages both partners. This idea is explored in Kate Chopins text The Story of an Hour. Chopin illuminates the epiphanous awakening that people discover when released from an unrecognized entrapment. She brings the reader to this realization through her use of imagery. Chopin subtly weaves imagery throughout the text to demonstrate Mrs. Mallards new feeling of freedom. She begins, bringing the reader to this realization before Mrs. Mallard, as she indicates in the text, There stood facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion (paragraph 4). While Mrs. Mallard is clearly still reeling from the news of her husbands death, Chopin directs our attention to the open window, which allows for descriptive detail, but it also symbolizes the approaching freedom Louise will soon come to recognize.