Using Critical Theory: How to Read and Write About Literature

Cover
Using Critical Theory: How to read and write about literature
Copyright
Contents
Preface for instructors
Acknowledgments
Permissions
Chapter 1 Critical theory and you
	What does critical theory have to do with me?
	What will I learn about critical theory from this book?
	Critical theory and cultural criticism
	Three questions about interpretation most students ask
		My interpretation is my opinion, so how can it be wrong?
		Do authors deliberately use concepts from critical theories when they write literary works?
		How can we interpret a literary work without knowing what the author intended the work to mean?
	Why feeling confused can be a good sign
Chapter 2 Using concepts from reader-response theory to understand our own literary interpretations
	Why should we learn about reader-response theory?
	Response vehicles
		Personal identification
		The familiar character
		The familiar plot event
		The familiar setting
	Response exercises
		Personal-identification exercise
		Familiar-character exercise
		Familiar-plot-event exercise
		Familiar-setting exercise
	How our personal responses can help or hinder interpretation
		The “symbolic leap”
		The difference between representing and endorsing human behavior
	Using our personal responses to generate paper topics
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		Reader-response theory and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Exercises for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 3 Using concepts from New Critical theory to understand literature
	Why should we learn about New Critical theory?
	Basic concepts
		Theme
		Formal elements
		Unity
		Close reading and textual evidence
	Interpretation exercises
		Appreciating the importance of tradition: Interpreting “Everyday Use”
		Recognizing the presence of death: Interpreting “A Rose for Emily”
		Understanding the power of alienation: Interpreting “The Battle Royal”
		Respecting the importance of nonconformity: Interpreting “Don’t Explain”
		Responding to the challenge of the unknown: Interpreting “I started Early-Took my Dog”
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		New Critical theory and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Questions for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 4 Using concepts from psychoanalytic theory to understand literature
	Why should we learn about psychoanalytic theory?
	Basic concepts
		The family
		Repression and the unconscious
		The defenses
		Core issues
		Dream symbolism
	Interpretation exercises
		Analyzing characters’ dysfunctional behavior: Interpreting “Everyday Use”
		Exploring a character’s insanity: Interpreting “A Rose for Emily”
		Understanding dream images in literature: Interpreting “I started Early-Took my Dog”
		Recognizing a character’s self-healing: Interpreting “Don’t Explain”
		Using psychoanalytic concepts in service of other theories: Interpreting “The Battle Royal”
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		Psychoanalytic theory and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Questions for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 5 Using concepts from Marxist theory to understand literature
	Why should we learn about Marxist theory?
	Basic concepts
		Classism
		Capitalism
		Capitalist ideologies
		The role of religion
	Interpretation exercises
		Understanding the operations of capitalism: Interpreting “Everyday use”
		Recognizing the operations of the American Dream: Interpreting “The Battle Royal”
		Analyzing the operations of classism: Interpreting “A Rose for Emily”
		Resisting classism: Interpreting “Don’t Explain”
		Learning when not to use Marxist concepts: Resisting the temptation to interpret “I started Early-Took my Dog”
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		Marxist theory and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Questions for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 6 Using concepts from feminist theory to understand literature
	Why should we learn about feminist theory?
	Basic concepts
		Patriarchy
		Traditional gender roles
		The objectification of women
		Sexism
		The “cult of ‘true womanhood’”
	Interpretation exercises
		Rejecting the objectification of women: Interpreting “The Battle Royal”
		Resisting patriarchal ideology: Interpreting “Don’t Explain”
		Recognizing a conflicted attitude toward patriarchy: Interpreting “Everyday Use”
		Analyzing a sexist text: Interpreting “A Rose for Emily”
		Understanding patriarchy’s psychological oppression of women: Interpreting “I started Early-Took my Dog”
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		Feminist theory and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Questions for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 7 Using concepts from lesbian, gay, and queer theories to understand literature
	Why should we learn about lesbian, gay, and queer theories?
	Basic concepts
		Heterosexism
		Homophobia
		Homosocial activities
		The woman-identified woman
		Homoerotic imagery
		Queer theory
	Interpretation exercises
		Rejecting lesbian stereotypes: Interpreting “Don’t Explain”
		Analyzing homophobia: Interpreting “The Battle Royal”
		Recognizing the woman-identified woman in a heterosexual text: Interpreting “Everyday Use”
		Using queer theory: Interpreting “A Rose for Emily”
		Drawing upon context: Interpreting “I started Early—Took my Dog”
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		Lesbian, gay, and queer theories and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Questions for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 8 Using concepts from African American theory to understand literature
	Why should we learn about African American theory?
	Basic concepts
		African American culture and literature
		Racism
		Forms of racism
		Double consciousness
	Interpretation exercises
		Analyzing the overt operations of institutionalized racism: Interpreting “The Battle Royal”
		Recognizing the “less visible” operations of institutionalized racism: Interpreting \"Don\'t Explain\"
		Understanding the operations of internalized racism: Interpreting “Everyday Use”
		Exploring the function of black characters in white literature: Interpreting “A Rose for Emily”
		Learning when not to use African American concepts: Resisting the temptation to interpret “I started Early-Took my Dog”
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		African American theory and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Questions for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 9 Using concepts from postcolonial theory to understand literature
	Why should we learn about postcolonial theory?
	Basic concepts
		Colonialist ideology
		The colonial subject
		Anticolonialist resistance
	Interpretation exercises
		Understanding colonialist ideology: Interpreting “The Battle Royal”
		Analyzing the colonial subject: Interpreting “Everyday Use”
		Exploring the influence of cultural categories: Interpreting “A Rose for Emily”
		Appreciating anticolonialist resistance: Interpreting “Don’t Explain”
		Recognizing the othering of nature: Interpreting “I started Early-Took my Dog”
	Food for further thought
		Thinking it over
		Postcolonial theory and cultural criticism
	Taking the next step
		Questions for further practice
		Suggestions for further reading
Chapter 10 Holding on to what you’ve learned
	A shorthand overview of our eight critical theories
	A shorthand overview of our literary interpretation exercises
		“Everyday Use”
		“The Battle Royal”
		“A Rose for Emily”
		“Don’t Explain”
		“I started Early—Took my Dog”
	A shorthand overview of the range of perspectives offered by each theory
	Critical theory and cultural criticism revisited
	Critical theory and an ethics for a diverse world
Appendices
	Appendix A: “I started Early—Took my Dog” (Emily Dickinson, c. 1862)
	Appendix B: “A Rose for Emily” (William Faulkner, 1931)
	Appendix C: “The Battle Royal” (Ralph Ellison, 1952)
	Appendix D: “Everyday Use” (Alice Walker, 1973)
	Appendix E: “Don’t Explain” (Jewelle Gomez, 1987)
	Appendix F: Additional literary works for further practice
Index