...LITERARY CRITICISM 1. Moral / Philosophical Approach - Critics believe that the larger purpose of literature is to teach morality and to probe philosophical issues. - Many poets have strong ethical or religious convictions, but the moralist critic usually has a broader interest. Literature has a humanizing or civilizing mission, and the critic values work which furthers that end: promotes tolerance, social justice, sensitivity to individual wishes and talents, etc. 2. Topical/Historical/Biographical - Critics see works as the reflection of an author's life and times (or of the characters' life and times). They believe it is necessary to know about the author and the political, economical, and sociological context of his times in order to truly understand his works. - Poems are placed in their historical context — to explain not only their allusions and particular use of words, but the conventions and expectations of the times. The approach may be evaluative (i.e. the critic may suggest ways of responding to the poem once the perspective is corrected), or may simply use it as historical data. - a poem may be used to illuminate the writer's psychology, or as biographic data. No less than the correspondence, remembered conversations, choice of reading matter, the poem is analyzed for relevance to its author. 3. New Critical Formalist - A formalistic approach to literature, once called New Criticism, involves a close reading of the text. Formalistic critics believe that...
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...last fifty years, not only in our society, but also in literary criticism. Although the terrain Feminism traverses can hardly be narrowed down to one single definition, the exploration of the genre can, at times, be the most intriguing feature of the criticism itself. While feminism has undoubtedly changed the way women and gender roles are considered in society today, it has also had an impact on the way that I, too, read literature, look at American culture, and view the world. Walter Ong suggests that “‘literature’ itself is the product of—or completely wound up and ‘imbricated’ in—the social contexts out of which it grows” (CLC 461). The social contexts that exist in our society have not only affected our societal systems themselves, but also have changed the way we view our class systems, gender roles, and sexual choices. Viewing society from a Marxist perspective can also help us decipher the unspoken rules that govern us. “Not only do Marxist critics want criticism to be constantly aware of history—both present and past history—in reading and literature, they also demand that the criticism become more overtly political or… ‘politically informed,’ so that it attempts, as Marx said, not simply to interpret but to change the world” (CLC 462). This intent is similar to that of the feminist genre in that both camps are seeking to change the way we understand the world and to eventually change the world itself. Feminism and Marxism are further intertwined if you consider...
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...experienced by the individual who: * Holds 2+ contradictory beliefs, ideas, of values simultaneously * Is confronted by new info that conflicts with existing BIV Is/ought dilemma: us aging -> the world as we wish to be OR the world as it actually is HISTORICAL LENS/NEW HISTORICAL LENS Historical criticism -> insisted we need to know a literary piece, that we need to know authors bio, social background, ideas during that time, cultural milieu (environment) New historicism New Historicism: seeks to find meaning in a text by considering the work within framework of prevailing ideas/assumptions of its era. *All about paying close attention to historical context of literary works (e.g: poems, novels, plays) GOALS: 1) Study how a work of literature reflects its historical/sociocultural context 2) Understand how literary works comments on and relates to its context Therefore, approach is interdisciplinary Example of this lens: Always by Erasure MARXIST LENS (Karl Heinrich Marx + Friedrich Engles) * A form of critique for interrogating all societies and their texts in terms of certain specific issues like race, class, and the attitudes shared within a given culture (see terms) * Marxist critique may begin such an analysis by showing how an authors text reflects his/her ideology thru an examination of the fictional worlds characters, settings, society, or any other aspect of text leads a look into: 1.Authors social class 2.Its effect upon the authors...
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...Application of Marxism on The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald Marxist literary critics tend to look for tensions and contradictions within literary works. This is appropriate because Marxism was originally formulated to analyze just such tensions and contradictions within society. Marxist literary critics also see literature as intimately linked to social power, and thus their analysis of literature is linked to larger social questions. Since Marxism is a belief system which can be used to analyze society at the grandest or most detailed level, Marxist literary criticism is ultimately part of a much larger effort to uncover the inner workings of society 1. Title of the Book – The Great Gatsby: Gatsby became rich because, most probably Cody – the owner of the yatch, left him money but at the same time he is was committed to earning money at an early stage in his life. And the adjective Great added to the word noun, accounts for Fitzgerald reason why a man could be called a great that is he struggled hard to achieve the love of his life by trying to raise his stature. The word “Great” is added to emphasize the fact that he rose from rags to riches, and this fact should be respected and valued. Nick: “I suppose he'd had the name ready for a long time, even then. His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people--his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all. The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception...
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...The Marxist Criticism literary lens describes a scenario in literature where one group of people in society is more powerful than another. The wealthy community is usually in control of the lower class citizens and this results in the lower class people living under oppression. Native Son by Richard Wright is a fictional novel set in the 1930s in Chicago that depicts the harsh realities for African American due to oppression from the wealthy upper class white community. Bigger Thomas, a typical African American male, is the protagonist, yet the oppression that confronts him leads to his death by the end of the novel. Marxist Criticism conveys a warning against racial segregation in Native Son because the impoverished African American community...
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...(2006) journal which is titled Asian Mail-Order brides, the threat of global capitalism, and the Rescue of the U.S. Nation-State. Christine So’s work focuses on Asian American Culture and economics. She has published in The Journal of Asian American Studies, Feminist Studies and MELUS . Christine So also has a book called, Economic Citizens: A Narrative of Asian American Visibility (So, 2007). She presents on similar topics such as “Race, Migration, and Representation”, “Asian Values: Asian American Literature as Cultural Capital on the Global Era.” and “The Politics of Nationalism and Transnationalism in Contemporary Asian American Literature.” This image is taken from an article published...
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...crusades. Aladdin, and many other famous works are gathered in a book full of these stories called, “The Thousand Nights and One Night.” Since this work is so old, and incorporated into such a vast book, no one can pinpoint exactly when and who wrote it. A couple pieces of information are for certain though. As far back as history is documented, the Islamic culture has had an extremely harsh class system. The struggle of classes in Islamic culture was most likely the reason for the writing of Aladdin, and the passing on of its lessons as well. Aladdin is more than just a children’s fairytale, as it is an informative work that depicts the struggle and persecution of the lower classes in Islamic society, especially when view through a Marxist literary lens. The tale begins by introducing a boy named Aladdin as a thief. In literary works, a thief is normally not portrayed as a hero unless the stealing is done for the common good of the proletariat, like Robin Hood (Carpenter, Prichard). In contrast, Aladdin steals due to his lack of economical assets because of his class standing, and thus, for the good of only himself. Only due to the title of the piece, and events that occur a little later in the piece, can we assume that he is in fact the hero of the story. For the introduction of the tale, though, he seems as though a lowly thief, who is an outcast in society, disliked by members of the community. Aladdin does eventually end up in a jail, which is the unlikely place where the reader...
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...He immersed himself in philosophy and literature during his postsecondary studies. Throughout his education, he was intrigued by the idea of justice and used it as tool in his written work, often taking the idea of justice to the logical extreme. He believed in adopting a harsh, merciless lens when looking at life to truly see it with clarity. “The Visit” depicts the corruption that can be found even in fundamental institutions of society like the Church, the education system and the justice system. Durrenmatt expressed his realistic attitude towards society and did not display idealistic traits in his writing as he felt idealism was a deterrent in unveiling the truth. His grandfather was also a supporter of Communist values which led the portrayal of Marxist beliefs in “The Visit”. This is clearly seen when Guellen is depicted as a town where all the townspeople are equal although poverty runs rampant. This balance is disturbed when Claire Zachanassian returns to her...
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...This essay intends to identify and explain the basis of the critical political economy approach to media analysis. This task will be achieved by first delivering a brief historical overview of this scholarly discipline. Additionally, and by way of a thorough inquiry of the pertinent literature, this paper will highlight the critical boundaries of this Marxist social theory. Moreover, this essay will contend that in an attempt to overcome these perceived limitations, contemporary proponents of the critical political economy of the media have in fact adopted a conciliatory position with the cultural studies approach. Indeed, this paper will deliver an understanding of the emergence of critical theory in social analysis. Consequently, through...
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...Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism Introduction A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. These different lenses allow critics to consider works of art based on certain assumptions within that school of theory. The different lenses also allow critics to focus on particular aspects of a work they consider important. For example, if a critic is working with certain Marxist theories, s/he might focus on how the characters in a story interact based on their economic situation. If a critic is working with post-colonial theories, s/he might consider the same story but look at how characters from colonial powers (Britain, France, and even America) treat characters from, say, Africa or the Caribbean. Hopefully, after reading through and working with the resources in this area of the OWL, literary theory will become a little easier to understand and use. Disclaimer Please note that the schools of literary criticism and their explanations included here are by no means the only ways of distinguishing these separate areas of theory. Indeed, many critics use tools from two or more schools in their work. Some would define differently or greatly expand the (very) general statements given here. Our explanations are meant only as starting places for your own investigation into literary theory. We encourage you to use the list of scholars and works provided for each...
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...ASSIGNMENT MODERNIST SHORT STORY Submitted By: Steffy Johnson 11/PELA/026 INTRODUCTION Modernist literature is the literary expression of the tendencies of Modernism, especially High modernism. Modernistic art and literature normally revolved around the idea of individualism, mistrust of institutions mainly government and religion, and the disbelief of any absolute truths. Modernism as a literary movement reached its height in Europe between 1900 and the middle 1920s. Modernist literature addressed to aesthetic problems and can be viewed largely in terms of its formal, stylistic and semantic movement away from Romanticism, examining subject matter that is traditionally mundane. It often features a marked pessimism, a clear rejection of the optimism apparent in Victorian literature. It attempted to move from the bonds of Realist literature and to introduce concepts such as disjointed timelines. Modernism as a literary movement is seen, in large part, as a reaction to the emergence of city life as a central force in society. Furthermore, an early attention to the object as freestanding became in later Modernism a preoccupation with form. Modernist writers were more acutely conscious of the objectivity of their surroundings. The most prominent modernist authors are: T. S. Eliot, W. B. Yeats, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, D. H. Lawrence, E. M. Forster, Ernest Hemingway, Joseph Conrad, Franz Kafka, Knut Hamsun, Gertrude Stein, Mikhail Bulgakov, MarcelProust, John Steinbeck...
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...critical theory today critical theory today A Us e r - F r i e n d l y G u i d e S E C O N D E D I T I O N L O I S T Y S O N New York London Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business Routledge Taylor & Francis Group 270 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 Routledge Taylor & Francis Group 2 Park Square Milton Park, Abingdon Oxon OX14 4RN © 2006 by Lois Tyson Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business Printed in the United States of America on acid‑free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 International Standard Book Number‑10: 0‑415‑97410‑0 (Softcover) 0‑415‑97409‑7 (Hardcover) International Standard Book Number‑13: 978‑0‑415‑97410‑3 (Softcover) 978‑0‑415‑97409‑7 (Hardcover) No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data Tyson, Lois, 1950‑ Critical theory today : a user‑friendly guide / Lois Tyson.‑‑ 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0‑415‑97409‑7 (hb) ‑‑ ISBN 0‑415‑97410‑0 (pb) 1. Criticism...
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...Kapitel 1 Normative (prescriptive) accounting theory Inte baserad på empiriska tester (som positive teorier är) utan de är baserade på vad researcher tror ska eller borde inträffa vid särskilda omständigheter. Teorier som föreskriver (prescribe) istället för förklarar (describe) särskilda handlingar kallas för normativa teorier eftersom att dom baseras på normer som researchern som lägger fram teorierna har. T.ex. säger hur vi ska ta till oss och använda redovisningsmetoder. Kapitel 2 Theories of regulation Public interest theory There is the public interest theory of regulation which propose that regulation be introduces to protect the public. It assumes that the regulatory body (usually government) is a neutral arbiter of the public interest and does not let its own self-interest impact on its rule-making processes. “The regulator does its best to regulate so as to maximize social welfare. Consequently, regulation is thought of as a trade-off between the costs of regulation and its social benefits in the form of improved operations of markets”. Regulation put in place to benefit society as a whole rather than vested interests. Regulatory body considered to represent interests of the society in which it operates, rather than private interests of the regulators. Assumes that government is a neutral arbiter. Criticisms of public interest theory Critics question assumptions that economic markets operate inefficiently if unregulated. Question the assumption...
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...Women in development (WID)[edit] Theoretical approach The term “women and development” was originally coined by a Washington-based network of female development professionals in the early 1970s[3] who sought to put in question the trickle down theories of development by contesting that modernization had identical impact on men and women.[4] The Women in Development movement (WID) gained momentum in the 1970s, driven by the resurgence of women's movement in northern countries, whereby liberal feminists were striving for equal rights and labour opportunities in the United States.[5] Liberal feminism, postulating that women's disadvantages in society may be eliminated by breaking down stereotyped customary expectations of women by offering better education to women and introducing equal opportunity programmes,[6] had a notable influence on the formulation of the WID approaches, whereby little attention was given to men and to power relations between genders.[5] The translation of the 1970s feminist movements and their repeated calls for employment opportunities in the development agenda meant that particular attention was given to the productive labour of women, leaving aside reproductive concerns and social welfare.[5] Yet this focus was part of the approach pushed forward by advocates of the WID movement, reacting to the general policy environment maintained by early colonial authorities and post-war development authorities, wherein inadequate reference to the work undertook by...
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...Mid-Term Case Study Analysis Introduction According to Ann Cunliffe, Organization Theory “wasn’t recognized as a discipline until the 1960s” (Cunliffe, 2008, pp. 8). Currently however, Organization Theory is a common concept and has to be practiced every day by managers. For that reason, managers and administrators must be aware of the competitive advantage that derives from the thorough knowledge of organizational theories. Organizational literature offers a broad amount of tools that can help managers in their decision making processes. Even though theories are not rules, they are based on observation and data collection over the years, and are accepted among scholars (Vibert and Hurst, 2003). Consequently, learning the theories that scholars have written in the past (and in the present) help managers to create a portfolio of frameworks to solve the problems they might face in their organizations. Moreover, managers who excel the practice of organizational theories become more critical individuals; improve effectiveness within their organizations and develop the ability to predict organizational behavior. Based on the above, this paper pretends to put into practice the theories and concepts learned so far in the academic course Organization Theory. Accordingly, this script summarizes the practical analysis of the case presented in Jermier’s work “When the Sleeper Wakes”: A Short Story Extending Themes in Radical Organization Theory (Jermier, 1985). This critical analysis...
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