Four Critical Theories
-Feminist
-Marxist
-Formalist/New Criticism
-Psychoanalytic
Terms : Hide Images
| 1148981313 | Feminist | Gender and Gender Roles: cultural definitions of what is feminine and what is masculine Hysteria: usually attributed to women, a psychological disorder of being over-emotional or extremely irrational Objectify: treat women as objects to be acquired, kept, and/or disgarded Sex: biologically male or female | 1 | |
| 1148981314 | Feminist | Misogyny: hatred toward women Marginalize: treat women as insignificant Sexism: promoting the belief that women are innately inferior Biological essentialism: based on biological differences between the sexes, women are inferior Patriarchy: elevating men by promoting traditional gender roles | 2 | |
| 1148981315 | Formalist/New Criticism | Requires close reading No need for outside information such as historical or cultural context or biographical background of the author No need for the reader's response to the text Focuses on the analysis of literary elements used by the author; just analyze the text itself Pro: timelessness of literature Con: ignores context; oversimplifies | 3 | |
| 1148981316 | Formalist/New Criticism | Irony Paradox Ambiguity Tension Figurative Language Images Symbol | 4 | |
| 1148981317 | Formalist/New Criticism | Narrator Setting Simile Metaphor Context Theme | 5 | |
| 1148981318 | Marxist | Based on theories of Karl Marx (1818-1883) Human behavior is dictated by socio-economic forces The few with economic dominance control the many in every aspect of life Ideology keeps the few in power | 6 | |
| 1148981319 | Marxist | Alienated labor: disconnect between workers and the few with wealth and/or power Commodification: assignment of marketable value to something not considered a product Imperialism: unequal economic, cultural and territorial relationship based on subordination & domination Exchange value: other things something may be exchanged for Sign-exchange value: status a thing creates Use value: satisfies a "want" | 7 | |
| 1148981320 | Marxist | Bourgeoisie: upper class Proletariat: working class Ideology: belief system Repressive ideology: belief system that holds down certain groups Classism: marginalizing a different class of people False consciousness: material and institutional processes in capitalist society that deceive the proletariat | 8 | |
| 1148981321 | Psychoanalytic | Steeped in Freudian theory (1856-1939) See individuals as having a psychological history Pattern of resulting behaviors is usually due to the unconscious Repetition of destructive behavior reflects psychological difficulties that have not been identified and/or resolved | 9 | |
| 1148981322 | Psychoanalytic | The Unconscious Storehouse of painful experiences/emotions we avoid for fear of being overwhelmed Unaware, we are driven by desires, fears, needs, and conflicts Fear, guilt, unresolved conflicts Family: oedipal conflict; sibling rivalry | 10 | |
| 1148981323 | Psychoanalytic Defenses | Defenses (mechanisms by which we hold back repressed feelings, desires, or memories to avoid facing what we feel we can't handle) Selective perception Selective memory/Repression Denial: refusing to admit an issue exists Avoidance: staying busy or avoiding situations that may stir up certain feelings Displacement: taking out one's anger on someone else (usually one who can't hurt us) Projection: attributing one's issues to someone else to avoid owning up to them | 11 | |
| 1148981324 | Psychoanalytic Anxiety | Anxiety (results when Defenses break down) Fear of intimacy Fear of abandonment Low self-esteem Fear of betrayal Gender confusion | 12 | |
| 1148981325 | Psychoanalytic Death Drive | Freud's theory of death as a biological drive that everyone has Psychological & physical self-destruction Death is the ultimate abandonment Death = Guilt Fear of intimacy (to avoid abandonment) Insulation from the world Fascination with death in the media = projection of own fears and problems | 13 |
