Marxist Criticism An Introduction

Marxist Critics Apply the economic/social principles and ideas of Karl Marx to literature. Believe that society is based on a dialectic (or conflict) between employers (who own capital) and employees (who sell their labor). The ruling class and workers struggle for economic power. Believe that the values of capitalism, such as the primacy of profit and consumerism, infuse all aspects of our society.

Marxist Critics See the individual as a product of society’s value system (The individual is constructed by class and society.) Emphasize the role of class and labor as they analyze texts.

Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Society The beliefs, attitudes, and values of a society form an ideological base which influences the superstructure of a society, its laws, politics, religion, education, art, literature, film, urban development, etc. The ideological base influences the economic base of society, the way the society produces materials, the economic organization of a group: capitalism, socialism, barter and trade.

Base and Superstructure Base Ideology: system of beliefs, attitudes, and values (material conditions – Capitalism) Superstructure laws, politics, religion, education, art, philosophy, and ethics

Capitalism Capitalism is the ideological base of the United States and much of Western culture. Discussion: What are the values and beliefs of capitalism?

Exploitation One tenet of capitalism is exploitation. Discussion: How might employers exploit their employees?

Exploitation Employees/owners make money (or profit) by paying employee/workers less than the value of their production. For example, an employee makes 100 mechanical pencils an hour that are worth $1 a piece on the market, but rather than pay the employee $100/hour, the employer pays the employee $6.75/hour for a profit of $93.25 (minus fixed costs, such as raw materials, and taxes).

The Jungle (1909)

Exploitation continued... Profit: driving force of capitalism; private investment and control of profit; money left over after fixed costs and labor costs; many make product (and earn wage); only one makes profit (net proceeds) Profit loss: Market saturation, lower demand for product, raise in fixed costs, raise in labor costs, a change in supply and demand can all “eat into” the profit.

To further increase profits Employers exploit their employees by Speeding up work Lowering wages Creating dangerous working conditions Not allowing labor a voice (unions) Laying off/downsizing workforce Providing shorter breaks Driving workers with hard labor

Exploitation leads to Alienation Alienation: a withdrawing or separation of a person or a person's affections from an object or position of former attachment

Employees feel alienated... From product: soul not in it; not sure what product is; no sense of “ownership” or pride in work From self: drug addiction; insanity; lower self-esteem; loss of identity; just a number From others: other employees; employers; family From time: 9-5; watch the clock; no rest or relax; clock in and out

Marxist critics may also analyze... Marginalization of lower classes (placed at edge of society socially, economically, and politically) Violence between the classes Dehumanization of the lower classes How all the above is tied to race, racism, sexism, etc. How these ideas influence politics, religion

How to... Look for evidence of how the values of capitalism influence the characters and society are represented in a text. Analyze the conflict between labor and capital. Analyze representations of wealth/poverty. Focus on working conditions of workers as represented in a text. Analyze exploitation of worker as represented in a text. Note instances of alienation in a film. Note the marginalization of lower classes.

Key Terms Capitalism: the economic ideological base which values private ownership and profit for individuals Labor: employees, workers Capital: employers, owners, major investors Base: beliefs, attitudes, and values of a society Superstructure: laws, politics, education... which reflect the base Exploitation: the difference between the value of production and what a worker is paid by the owner Alienation: the results of capitalism on the worker; the separation between the worker and others due to exploitation on the job. Marginalization: placing lower classes and people of color on edges of society socially, economically, and politically

Resources Fish, Tom. Marxist Criticism. The Literary Criticism Web. Cumberland College. 23 June Apr < college.edu/acad/english/ litcritweb/theory/marxism.htm>. Giannetti, Louis. Understanding the Movies. 11 th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, Henderson, Greig and Christopher Brown. “Marxist Criticism.” Glossary of Literary Theory. U of Toronto. 31 Mar Apr < html>. Lynn, Steven. Texts and Contexts. New York: HaperCollins, Prince, Stephen. Movies and Meaning. 2 nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001.