{"id":959,"date":"2020-12-11T12:41:28","date_gmt":"2020-12-11T12:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-jefferson-africanamericanlit\/?post_type=chapter&p=959"},"modified":"2021-04-13T19:43:03","modified_gmt":"2021-04-13T19:43:03","slug":"critical-approaches-to-literature-chart","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-jefferson-africanamericanlit\/chapter\/critical-approaches-to-literature-chart\/","title":{"raw":"Critical Approaches to Literature Chart","rendered":"Critical Approaches to Literature Chart"},"content":{"raw":"

Use the critical approaches discussed in the chart below to help you find an interesting angle from which to approach a text. Each approach is given a brief description (Beliefs)<\/strong>, some guidelines for studying a text (Practices)<\/strong> and prompts to inspire your discussion (Questions)<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Do not simply list and answer the questions for a particular critical approach.<\/strong> Instead, use the questions as a starting place for your actual analysis. The questions are intended to be thought-provoking, not a list to be completed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Approach<\/th>\r\nBeliefs<\/th>\r\nPractices<\/th>\r\nQuestions<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Deconstructive Criticism<\/td>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • \u00a0Meaning is made by binary oppositions (happy\/sad, man\/woman, black\/white); in every binary relationship, one item is favored over the other one<\/li>\r\n \t
  • This favoring of one concept in the binary relationship can be questioned and reversed to open up new ideas and meanings<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Identify the binary oppositions in the text, and determine which items are favored<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. What are the binary oppositions that govern the text?<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. What ideas, concepts, and values are being established by these binaries?<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Cite three different interpretations for the text by flipping a series of three major binaries.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Feminist Criticism<\/td>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • \u00a0Any interpretation of the text is influenced by the reader's own status, which includes gender and attitudes towards gender<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Men and women are different: they write differently, read differently, and write about their reading differently<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Identify the gender of the author and narrator\/main character of the text<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Observe how sexual stereotypes might be reinforced or undermined in the text--specifically, how the text reflects, distorts, or supports the place of women (and men) in society<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. What types of roles do men\/women have in the text? \u00a0Do any stereotypical characterizations of men\/women appear?<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. What are the attitudes toward women held by the male\u00a0characters?<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. What is the author's attitude toward women in society? Explain your reasoning using detailed examples from the text.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Reader-Oriented Criticism<\/td>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • \u00a0The reader's response is what counts. \u00a0We can't know for sure what an author intended, and the text is meaningless unless a reader responds<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Responding to a text is a process. Descriptions of the process are valuable because one person's response may enrich another reader's response<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Focus on how particular details shape readers' expectations and responses<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. \u00a0What did the author intend for you to feel while reading this work, and how did he or she make you feel it?<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. What kind of reader is implied by this text? For example, does it address you as if you are intelligent and well-informed, or as if you are inexperienced and innocent?<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. How is your response shaped by the text? For example, do the actions of a certain character bring you pleasure or displeasure? Why?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Historical Criticism<\/td>\r\n\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • \u00a0Interpretation of a text should be based on an understanding of its context<\/li>\r\n \t
  • The context includes information about the author; when the text was written; where the text was written<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • Research the author's life and relate that information to the text<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Research the author's time and location (the political history, economic history, etc.) and relate that information to the text<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n
\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. How can you connect the author's life to his or her text? Are there common issues, events, concerns?<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Is the author part of a dominant culture, and how does that status affect the work?<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. What events occurred surrounding the original production of the text? How may these events be relevant to the text under investigation?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n ","rendered":"

    Use the critical approaches discussed in the chart below to help you find an interesting angle from which to approach a text. Each approach is given a brief description (Beliefs)<\/strong>, some guidelines for studying a text (Practices)<\/strong> and prompts to inspire your discussion (Questions)<\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Do not simply list and answer the questions for a particular critical approach.<\/strong> Instead, use the questions as a starting place for your actual analysis. The questions are intended to be thought-provoking, not a list to be completed.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Approach<\/th>\nBeliefs<\/th>\nPractices<\/th>\nQuestions<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
    Deconstructive Criticism<\/td>\n\n
      \n
    • \u00a0Meaning is made by binary oppositions (happy\/sad, man\/woman, black\/white); in every binary relationship, one item is favored over the other one<\/li>\n
    • This favoring of one concept in the binary relationship can be questioned and reversed to open up new ideas and meanings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    • Identify the binary oppositions in the text, and determine which items are favored<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    1. What are the binary oppositions that govern the text?<\/li>\n
    2. What ideas, concepts, and values are being established by these binaries?<\/li>\n
    3. Cite three different interpretations for the text by flipping a series of three major binaries.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Feminist Criticism<\/td>\n\n
      \n
    • \u00a0Any interpretation of the text is influenced by the reader’s own status, which includes gender and attitudes towards gender<\/li>\n
    • Men and women are different: they write differently, read differently, and write about their reading differently<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    • Identify the gender of the author and narrator\/main character of the text<\/li>\n
    • Observe how sexual stereotypes might be reinforced or undermined in the text–specifically, how the text reflects, distorts, or supports the place of women (and men) in society<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    1. What types of roles do men\/women have in the text? \u00a0Do any stereotypical characterizations of men\/women appear?<\/li>\n
    2. What are the attitudes toward women held by the male\u00a0characters?<\/li>\n
    3. What is the author’s attitude toward women in society? Explain your reasoning using detailed examples from the text.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Reader-Oriented Criticism<\/td>\n\n
      \n
    • \u00a0The reader’s response is what counts. \u00a0We can’t know for sure what an author intended, and the text is meaningless unless a reader responds<\/li>\n
    • Responding to a text is a process. Descriptions of the process are valuable because one person’s response may enrich another reader’s response<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    • Focus on how particular details shape readers’ expectations and responses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    1. \u00a0What did the author intend for you to feel while reading this work, and how did he or she make you feel it?<\/li>\n
    2. What kind of reader is implied by this text? For example, does it address you as if you are intelligent and well-informed, or as if you are inexperienced and innocent?<\/li>\n
    3. How is your response shaped by the text? For example, do the actions of a certain character bring you pleasure or displeasure? Why?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Historical Criticism<\/td>\n\n
      \n
    • \u00a0Interpretation of a text should be based on an understanding of its context<\/li>\n
    • The context includes information about the author; when the text was written; where the text was written<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    • Research the author’s life and relate that information to the text<\/li>\n
    • Research the author’s time and location (the political history, economic history, etc.) and relate that information to the text<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
      \n
    1. How can you connect the author’s life to his or her text? Are there common issues, events, concerns?<\/li>\n
    2. Is the author part of a dominant culture, and how does that status affect the work?<\/li>\n
    3. What events occurred surrounding the original production of the text? How may these events be relevant to the text under investigation?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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