1. Marxist Literary Criticism Does not support Marxist communism or socialism. This is simply a way of reading and interpreting art. Think of this as a lens to look through & see better.

2. What Marxist critics do: (1) Make a division between the overt (manifest or surface) and covert (latent or hidden) content of a literary work (2) Relate the context of a work to the social-class status of the author (3) Explain the nature of a whole literary genre in terms of the social period which produced it

3. What Marxist critics do: (4) Relate the literary work to the social assumptions of the time in which it is consumed (or read) (5) Look for symbols that create or reveal an individual versus exploitive system theme oppressive culture theme individual as dehumanized, mechanized, roboticized, zombiefiedonly serving the larger cause; only producing for greater good theme

4. Examples of Exhibits with which to use the Marxist Lens Antz animated film Robots animated film Surrogates film Eagle Eye film One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest novel Monsters, Inc. animated film Across the Universe film Louis Althusser

5. Marxist Approach Systems are good to/for individuals who are good to/for that systems. Individuality is permitted, as long as it doesnt succeed in taking down the system. Systems: school, family, capitalism, church, sports team, band BVHS Band 2009: Work. Rest. Play.

6. Youve been trained in this already: