Unit 4: Week 1 Further and Independent Reading Critical Anthology

A2: Unit 4 Further and Independent Reading Year 12 into Year 13 Objectives: To identify key approaches to literature

What does A2 ‘Look like?’ Unit 3: The Gothic Section A – Examination of The Gothic in Wuthering Heights / Frankenstein Section B – Examination of The Gothic across three texts: Wuthering Heights / Frankenstein The Bloody Chamber Dr Faustus Unit 4: Further and Independent Reading Part A – Comparative Essay Part B – Critical Readings

What is the Critical Anthology? The purpose of the pre-released pack of critical material is to introduce you to some different ways in which the study of Literature can be approached. Once you have studied the material you will then apply some of it to a text or texts of your choice.

The Critical Anthology Sections The sections we will be looking at for study from September 2012 are: – Section A – Political Readings (Marxism and Feminism) – Section B – The Meaning of Metaphor – Section C - Beauty and value in Literature

So, what do we mean by critical approaches?

Multiple Readings A Marxist Reading A Race/post-colonial Reading A Feminist Reading A Psychoanalytic Reading The reader Response The Great Tradition Reading A Genre Reading A Structuralist Reading Aesthetics - Beauty and Value A Metaphorical Reading

Getting started: A Critical Reading of… rch?q=the+three+little+pigs&doci d= &mid=37F A850E0B5A2C3C344C37FA850E0 B5A2C3C344C&view=detail&FOR M=VIRE3

The Three Little Pigs: Which approach? ? AND ? - The Feminist reading ? AND ?- A Marxist reading ? AND ? - Aesthetics ? AND ?- A Psychoanalytical reading ? AND ? - A Race/Postcolonial reading ? AND ?- A Metaphorical reading

Unit 4: Further and Independent Reading Critical Anthology

The Delights of Literary Criticism! Literary Critic Marine Biologist Each of a specimen before him Each wishes to have a close a working knowledge of his specimen as may be required This is achieved by close examination of the specimen’s properties

Critical Approaches can be applied to everything! Even the humble orange… Gender theory asks: What possibilities are available to a woman who eats this orange? To a man? Social class theory asks: Who owns the orange? Who gets to eat it? Postcolonialism asks: Who doesn’t own the orange? Who took the orange away? Structuralism asks: How are the orange peel and the flesh differentiated into composite parts of the orange?

Picture Books Please bring in a PICTURE BOOK next lesson! Organise yourselves into groups of 6 Each member of the group must select a reading to be an expert in Each group must agree on a picture book to analyse Read through the text as a group (select a teacher to read) Make notes on each of the six possible readings - discuss and support each other with reaching conclusions

Critical Reading Exchange! A Feminist reading A Marxist reading Aesthetics – Beauty and Value A Metaphorical reading A Psychoanalytical reading A Race/Postcolonial reading

The Feminist Reading I believe that ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’ are ideas constructed by our culture and it is important to be aware of this when reading texts from periods and cultures different to our own. I prefer to read literature written by women which explores women’s experience of the world. I am interested in how women are represented in texts written by men, and how these texts display the power relations between the sexes.

A Marxist Reading I read literature to understand the class struggle at various times and in various places, and to explore the causes of conflict between the privileged and the working class. I think it is important to relate a text to the social context of its author and the historical contexts in which it was written and is read.

Aesthetics - Beauty and Value To what extent are the ideas in the text complex and thus challenge the reader? To what extent is ‘literary’ language used in the text? To what extent is the subject matter serious, moral and philosophical giving the reader insights into fundamental ideas?

A Psychoanalytical Reading You want to discover what is unconscious in the text. You look beyond the superficial meaning to see what has been glossed over or repressed and look for emotional conflict

A Race/Post colonial Reading The literature I prefer to read is often outside the white Anglo-Saxon tradition. I began by being interested in texts which explore the black struggle against injustice and oppression. I am aware of negative portrayals of black people, and their absence generally in white literature. I am interested in the way colonial countries and people are represented in texts by western writers.

A Metaphorical Reading You are concern with how a text works on a metaphorical level. You look for symbols within the text and believe firmly that most texts can be read on a metaphorical or symbolic level. Some texts can be clearly identified as allegorical and you are keen to find a variety of meanings within a text.

Margaret Atwood – ‘You Fit Into Me’ You Fit Into Me, like a hook into an eye a fish-hook an open eye. Yes! That’s it… – A title – An author’s name – 15 words – An accentuated gap Let’s examine them closely…

Different types of readings Feminist Reading You realise that the literary tradition was created overwhelmingly by men. You focus on what the text shows about the power struggle between men and women Structuralism You are interested in literature as a system of codes rooted in culture that build a world rather than just describe it. You look at how the text is constructed, what the text doesn’t say as well as what it does and focus on the patterns in a text Metaphorical Reading You are concern with how a text works on a metaphorical level. You look for symbols within the text and believe firmly that most texts can be read on a metaphorical or symbolic level. Some texts can be clearly identified as allegorical and you are keen to find a variety of meanings within a text. A Psychoanalytical Reading You want to discover what is unconscious in the text. You look beyond the superficial meaning to see what has been glossed over or repressed and look for emotional conflict

Plenary: Critical Positions Which position interests you the most and why? Which position least interests and why?