1. Historical Criticism Lense
Ashley Echols and Michelle Paige

2. Historical Criticism
Definition (Brittanica): when historical evidence or based on the context in which a work was written, including facts about the author’s life and the historical and social circumstances of the time
Typically deals with authors criticizing their surroundings at the time through literature and text (reaching other audiences)
Calling for a change regarding surroundings

3. Origins of Historical Criticism
17th century but became more popular over the years
The first seen in protestant reformation ideology (biblical studies)
Based on philosophical and theological interpretation
Trying to reach different audiences
Indirect criticism
Origins of Historical Criticism

4. Pros and Cons of Historical Criticism Lense
Demands close reading of the text (better understand)
Helps reader understand the time era that the piece was written in
Viewpoint of the oppressed or third party
Allow the author the point out the faults of a society (lowkey scale)
Cons
Need further knowledge about the time era and knowledge about the author
Fails to recognize other developments occurring during that same time period
Can cause controversy

5. Examples of Historical Criticism
1999 by Prince
Imagine by John Lennon

6. https://youtu.be/qPhOZzsi_6Q

7. How the Sneetches reflect this lense
The star-bellied sneetches discriminated against the plain-bellied sneetches
They believed their stars or lack of stars reflected their worth
Using money to remove the things that made them different (trying to buy their way out -> reference to social classes)
Realizing in the end that sneetches are sneetches (no matter if they had stars or not)

8. Intention of the Book
Written in 1961, during WWII to teach children how discrimination worked
Addressing how discrimination was directed towards basic qualities (race, religion, ethnicity)
Ted Geisel’s (Dr. Seuss) family was originally from Germany (immigrants)
Discriminated against during WWI and WWII
Wanted to prove everyone would be capable of getting along if they could overlook the minor things that made them different
Written certain way on purpose
Designed to be seen through this lense
Cannot alter meaning of text