1. Feminist Criticism

2. Understanding Feminist Criticism
Developed on the premise that Western society = patriarchal
Patriarchy-a social system headed and directed by males
Patriarchal systems are androcentric
Attitudes, practices, or social organizations that are based on the assumption that men are the model of being

3. What to Look for in a Text
Misogyny: negative attitudes towards women-not taking women seriously, not respecting women
Is the full range of what it means to be a woman explored, or are the women in simplistic?
Need to look for oppressive stereotyping of women

4. Look for… Look stereotypical or cliché portrayals
Male writers have too long stereotyped women as the “angel in the house” (the one who lives to take care of her husband) and the “madwoman in the attic” (the woman who chooses to not be the angel)
Binary roles: rational/irrational, active/passive, objective/subjective, intellectual/emotional

5. Look for… Physical images: are they used to define the women?
Objectification is natural-we look at others and they look at us-we respond with indifference or pleasure
Problem is with abusive objectification that reduces someone/women to little or nothing except their status as an object

6. Look for … How power is divided/shared
Power can be in making decisions, spending money
Job opportunities
Educational opportunities

7. The text… Doesn’t always have to be about female victimization
You can identify a text as feminist for many reasons
Motherhood roles can be feminist-it depends on the depth and choice, the experience of the females in the text

8. Reading Like a Feminist
Females should not reverse their role
Everyone needs to recognize there is an alternative perspective
Men should try to experience the narrative through the lens of the opposite gender
All readers should try to connect

9. Possible theses: The novel is/is not feminist bc it:
Does/does not objectify female characters
Does/does not present female characters in submissive roles
Balance of power lies with men/women
Female characters are/are not 1 dimensional, are/not clichés, stereotypical, etc.