1. Literary Analysis & Criticism

2. A text begins with an author The author creates the text with ideas, personality, experiences, literary identity, a message, etc... I know the meaning...

3. TEXT The author leaves the TEXT for readers to explore The TEXT provides: a Stimulus a Blueprint Language Cues/Clues Critical input the Author’s ideas meaning text Can/does meaning exist in the text? Is there one meaning waiting for discovery? Meaning

4. READER The READER encounters the text Readers bring their... Personality Language Culture Values Family structure Experiences Education Gender to the text. What does this mean? Clearly, this means the economic system is collapsing! The meaning is that the poor can overcome oppression!

5. Readers in general have the same question: What does this What does this [poem, story, novel] mean? mean?

6. Meaning Meaning = Text + Reader Wait! How can any interpretation be correct? What if the reader has the wrong meaning?

7. Reader-Response Criticism Text<-------------------------------  Meaning<------------------------  Reader the reader and text interact Meaning can only exist when the reader and text interact. The text alone does not have meaning. his/her own meaning Each reader constructs his/her own meaning for a text. All interpretations are valid textual evidenceHowever, a few RULES apply... All interpretations are valid as long as the reader can provide textual evidence for support. However, a few RULES apply...

8. RULES RULES of Reader Response Criticism Rule #1: Do not ADD Rule #1: Do not ADD anything to the text. Rule #2: Do not IGNORE Rule #2: Do not IGNORE parts of the text. Rule #3: Do not CHANGE Rule #3: Do not CHANGE parts of the text. and as long as readers can provide textual evidence,then any interpretation can be “valid” or “correct.” As long as readers do not manipulate the text to “fit” a contrived interpretation, and as long as readers can provide textual evidence, then any interpretation can be “valid” or “correct.”

9. Rule #1: Do not ADD Rule #1: Do not ADD anything to the text. Let’s say that you like happy endings. you feel that one can find the positive in any situation. You want each story to end harmoniously, and you feel that one can find the positive in any situation. If you interpret the ending of “Cinderella” as a statement about how gay marriage should be tolerated, since everyone cannot marry a prince, and the wicked stepsisters should become lesbians, are you breaking one of the reader response rules? is your interpretation valid? or is your interpretation valid?

10. YES... you are breaking one of the reader response rules. Nothing in the text points to gay marriage, lesbians, or societal tolerance of homosexuality. ADDING To say that the prince’s rejection is the catalyst for the stepsisters’ exploration of lesbianism and ultimately gay marriage is ADDING to the text.NO... your interpretation is not valid. Regardless of how much you want to see the wicked stepsisters as lesbians, the wicked stepsisters as lesbians, you cannot ADD WHAT IS NOT THERE to the text in order to fit what you want to see. You also cannot support a far- fetched thesis statement by adding your own ideas to the story. You must use only what is in the text.

11. Rule #2: Do not IGNORE Rule #2: Do not IGNORE parts of the text. Using the same “Cinderella” example, suppose you say: #1: #1: The ending of “Cinderella” clearly demonstrates how beauty, rather than intelligence or wealth, is the most valued asset in romantic relationships. -OR- #2: #2: “The ending of “Cinderella” shows how a woman can manipulate a man into marriage through the façade of beauty and wealth.” valid interpretation? Would either one be a valid interpretation?

12. #1: #1: This interpretation shows promise, as Cinderella has little more than her appearance to offer the prince. It does not break the rules of reader-response. #2: #2: This interpretation does point to Cinderella’s beauty as her sole asset upon meeting the prince; however, saying that Cinderella is manipulative may be adding to the story. Most of the text would point to a more innocent Cinderella, one who merely wanted to experience the fancy party her step-sisters enjoyed.

13. Reader-Response is one type of Literary Criticism that helps readers make sense of the text.

14. What is Literary Criticism? Literary Criticism is a term applied since the seventeenth century to the scientific investigation of literary documents regarding origin, text, composition, and/or history.

15. What purpose does literary criticism serve? Literary criticism attempts to serve the following purposes: to readers who may not fully understand the textExplain a work and its underlying principles to readers who may not fully understand the text Interpret worksInterpret works to readers who might otherwise fail to understand or appreciate them foundations of “good literature”Discover and apply principles that describe the foundations of “good literature” Justify imaginative literatureJustify imaginative literature in a world that finds its value questionable standards of evaluationJudge works by clearly defined standards of evaluation literature is interpretedDemonstrate how specific factors such as culture, politics, gender, popular ideologies, history, psychology, author’s life (among others) affect how the literature is interpreted

16. Besides Reader Response, what other types of literary criticism can be applied to texts?

17. Formalist / or “New” Criticism The formalist critic would approach the text by: the words in the textClosely reading the words in the text the text onlyExamining the text only, not allowing any influences outside the text influence interpretation traditional literary conventionsApplying traditional literary conventions of plot, character, setting, point of view etc...

18. Feminist Criticism A Feminist Critic would approach the text by assuming : patriarchy  that all literature reflects or promotes patriarchy outsiders or inferiors  that the text reflects society’s view of women as outsiders or inferiors in terms of their place with men sociologically underrepresented  that women are sociologically underrepresented Feminist critics may argue that gender determines everything, or just the opposite: that all gender differences are imposed by society, and gender determines nothing.

19. Feminist Criticism (cont’d) male power and privilege.reinforces the idea that literature is a profound element in the maintenance of male power and privilege. new perspective on literatureprovides a new perspective on literature and the canon from the point of view of an oppressed, excluded minority expanded the canonhas expanded the canon to include many previously excluded women authors and challenged and politicized criteria for evaluating literary merit.

20. Marxist Criticism Marxist literary critics explore ways in which the text reveals: economic issueseconomic issues plight of working classplight of working class capitalist controlcapitalist control ideological oppression of a dominant economic class over subordinate () classesideological oppression of a dominant economic (wealthy) class over subordinate (poorer) classes

21. Historical Criticism Historical critics believe it is necessary to know about the political, economical, and sociological context of the stories in order to truly understand the meaning.  They examine actual historical setting context.  Historical critics see works as the reflection of the characters' life and times.

22. Psychoanalytic Criticism Psychological critics view works through the lens of psychology. workings of the human mind applied to characters often Freudian psychological motivations of characters do not diagnose, but make predictions based upon patterns of psychology

23. Authorial Criticism Authorial critics see works as the reflection of the author's life and times (or of the characters' life and times). They believe it is necessary to know about the author and the political, economical, and sociological context of his times in order to truly understand his works. Authorial critics study the biography of the author and...  Relate author’s life to the text for meaning  Examine the author’s acquaintances, friends, and relatives for character origins  Examine the author’s environment for setting origins  Attempt to determine what facts from the author’s life appear in the text

24. In summary... Literary criticism attempts to explain and evaluate literature. Critics attempt to create meaning by examining many factors. In this class, we will be practicing Reader-Response criticism. Reader-Response criticismMeaningconversation between reader and text Reader-Response criticism = Meaning is created via a conversation between reader and text. (No meaning without both elements.) No adding, ignoring, or changing the text. Other forms of Literary Criticism include:  Formalist/New Criticism  Feminist Criticism  Marxist Criticism  Historical Criticism  Psychoanalytic Criticism  Authorial Criticism For more information: The Internet Public Library (IPL) Online Literary Criticism Guide http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/guide.html

25. Remember that texts can have more than one meaning. End of presentation.