for biocultural literary criticism Analytic Concepts for biocultural literary criticism

Four Levels of Analysis in a Biocultural Critique  

Human nature

Human nature Specific cultures

Human nature Specific cultures Individual artists

Human nature Specific cultures Individual artists Particular works of

Human nature

Human nature Motives, Passions = Human life history

Human nature

Human nature

Human nature Specific cultures

Human nature Specific cultures

Human nature Specific cultures

Human nature Specific cultures

Human nature Specific cultures

Human nature Specific cultures

Human nature Specific cultures Individual artists

Human nature Specific cultures Individual artists

Human nature Specific cultures Individual artists Particular works of

Human nature Specific cultures Individual artists

Human nature Specific cultures Individual artists Particular works of

Let’s look more closely into that inner circle— the particular work of literary art.

in any interpretive analysis of fictional narrative. Here are the units of analysis in any interpretive analysis of fictional narrative.

You—the reader

You—the reader The Meaning and Effect of the Story

The Meaning and Effect of the Story You—the reader The Meaning and Effect of the Story Depicted action

The Meaning and Effect of the Story You—the reader The Meaning and Effect of the Story Depicted action Actual and implied author

The Meaning and Effect of the Story You—the reader The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Depicted action Actual and implied author

Formal organization of the narrative You—the reader The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Depicted action Actual and implied author Formal organization of the narrative

The Meaning and Effect of the Story

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Depicted action:

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied author: Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author:

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied author: Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author: persona, stance, point of view

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers: Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author: persona, stance, point of view

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers: knowledge, values, responses Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author: persona, stance, point of view

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers: knowledge, values, responses Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author: persona, stance, point of view Formal organization of the narrative:

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers: knowledge, values, responses Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author: persona, stance, point of view Formal organization of the narrative: manner of narration epistolary, omniscient narrator, participant narrator, free indirect discourse, stream of consciousness, etc.

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers: knowledge, values, responses Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author: persona, stance, point of view Formal organization of the narrative: manner of narration epistolary, omniscient narrator, participant narrator, free indirect discourse, stream of consciousness, etc. Narrative structure scene and summary, exposition and description, pacing, temporal sequencing, etc.

The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers: knowledge, values, responses Depicted action: characters, setting, and plot Actual and implied author: persona, stance, point of view Formal organization of the narrative: manner of narration epistolary, omniscient narrator, participant narrator, free indirect discourse, stream of consciousness, etc. Narrative structure scene and summary, exposition and description, pacing, temporal sequencing, etc. Style word choice, syntax, rhetorical rhythm, sentence and paragraph structure, figures of speech, imagery, symbols, etc.

Those are the parts of the story you interpret.

What about you, the interpreter?

Formal organization of the narrative You—the reader The Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Depicted action Actual and implied author Formal organization of the narrative

You—the reader The Meaning and Effect of the Story

You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all

You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Your stance, identity, point of view:

You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Your stance, identity, point of view: Your attitudes, beliefs, feelings, tastes, needs, interests

You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Your stance, identity, point of view: Your attitudes, beliefs, feelings, tastes, needs, interests Your general knowledge

You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Your stance, identity, point of view: Your attitudes, beliefs, feelings, tastes, needs, interests Your general knowledge Your specific scholarly knowledge relevant to this text

You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Your stance, identity, point of view: Your attitudes, beliefs, feelings, tastes, needs, interests Your general knowledge Your specific scholarly knowledge relevant to this text Your theoretical ideas about literature

Your theoretical ideas about literature

Your theoretical ideas about literature Traditional humanism (pluralist theory subordinated to common knowledge) Your theoretical ideas about literature

Your theoretical ideas about literature Traditional humanism (pluralist theory subordinated to common knowledge) Economics and sociology (Marxism, Foucauldian cultural theory) Your theoretical ideas about literature

Your theoretical ideas about literature Traditional humanism (pluralist theory subordinated to common knowledge) Economics and sociology (Marxism, Foucauldian cultural theory) Speculative psychology (Freudianism, Jungian archetypalism) Your theoretical ideas about literature

Your theoretical ideas about literature Traditional humanism (pluralist theory subordinated to common knowledge) Economics and sociology (Marxism, Foucauldian cultural theory) Speculative psychology (Freudianism, Jungian archetypalism) Gender theory (feminism, queer theory) Your theoretical ideas about literature

Your theoretical ideas about literature Traditional humanism (pluralist theory subordinated to common knowledge) Economics and sociology (Marxism, Foucauldian cultural theory) Speculative psychology (Freudianism, Jungian archetypalism) Gender theory (feminism, queer theory) Linguistic theory (deconstruction, speech-act theory) Your theoretical ideas about literature

Your theoretical ideas about literature Traditional humanism (pluralist theory subordinated to common knowledge) Economics and sociology (Marxism, Foucauldian cultural theory) Speculative psychology (Freudianism, Jungian archetypalism) Gender theory (feminism, queer theory) Linguistic theory (deconstruction, speech-act theory) Biology (literary Darwinism) Your theoretical ideas about literature

Biology (literary Darwinism)

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology encompasses the subject areas of the other theories:

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology encompasses the subject areas of the other theories: socioeconomics,

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology encompasses the subject areas of the other theories: socioeconomics, psychology,

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology encompasses the subject areas of the other theories: socioeconomics, psychology, gender,

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology encompasses the subject areas of the other theories: socioeconomics, psychology, gender, and language.

Biology (literary Darwinism)

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology is comprehensive,

Biology (literary Darwinism) but it is not pluralistic. Evolutionary biology is comprehensive, but it is not pluralistic.

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology is comprehensive, but it is not pluralistic. It is a scientific paradigm.

Biology (literary Darwinism) Evolutionary biology is comprehensive, but it is not pluralistic. It is a scientific paradigm. It replaces obsolete speculative theories and puts knowledge about their subject areas on a sound scientific footing.

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot The formal organization of the narrative

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot The formal organization of the narrative

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot The formal organization of the narrative

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

For a biocultural critic, the depicted action, the implied author, the organization of the narrative, and the responses of readers are all located in a biocultural context. Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

Human nature and culture Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

Individual artist and particular work of art Human nature and culture Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human universals: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms The formal organization of the narrative

To illustrate these categories, I’ll fill them in with terms from Yu Hua’s novel To Live.

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers Biocultural Complex Human nature: motives, emotions, personality traits, social dynamics The implied author The depicted behaviors: characters, setting, and plot A specific cultural context: social organization, religion, myths, ideologies, artistic traditions, conventional forms Functional structure of the parts

Biocultural Literary Criticism You—the reader, the critic, the person who makes sense of it all Meaning and Effect of the Story Actual and implied readers of To Live Biocultural Complex Human nature Yu Hua The life of Xu Fugui China in the Maoist period Narrative structure of To Live

Thanks for your Attention.