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Contemporary critical perspectives
Of Mice and men Contemporary critical perspectives
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The naturalist style John Steinbeck
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Avoids Written style Emphasizes poetic features imagery
figurative language explanations details sociological conditions objectivity
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Conflict Examines tension amongst social classes Exploitation of power
Microcosms of society Shines light on larger societal issues
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Documentation Document of a specific trade or occupation
Setting is usually limited to one, less-than ideal place Detailed look at brutal aspects of life Self-preservation Basic human needs Data and research driven more textbook than literature
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Narrator Objective observer Characters are placed in specific plots
Observed as they cope with fate
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OF MICE AND MEN FORM
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nOVELLA Play/Novel Novel and Drama Chapters = Episodes
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Chapter form One Scene/Setting each Opens with description
Characters enter and exit (with what seems like stage directions) Extended dialogue Easily converted to the stage Circular plot structure
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Basic tenants Simple language Tightly-knit dialogue Limited characters
Focused Any symbolism and foreshadowing point to an inevitable ending
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Formalist Theory
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How something is said instead of what is said
Background Developed early 20th century Popular until 1970’s Focus on Form How something is said instead of what is said
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Beliefs Literary work is a separate entity No paraphrase
Not linked to an author’s life Not linked to the culture of the work No paraphrase No reader reaction
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Concentrations Formalists look at Recurrences Repetitions
Relationships Motifs Diction Punctuation Syntax Everything functions as a small part of a larger whole
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Three areas of study Form, diction and unity
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Form Cadence Repetition Recurrences Relationships How words sound
Stresses importance Events or themes repeated for importance Connections between characters. Every character has a reason for being, reader’s must discover it
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Diction Denotation Connotation Etymology Dictionary definition
Implied meaning (context) Study of a word’s evolution. Why use THAT word?
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Diction Cont. Allusions Ambiguity Symbol
Links to other works (less formalist than others, reaches beyond the text) Open ended phrase with multiple meanings (lack of form IS a form) Concrete word or image to represent abstract
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What has happened, what is happening and what might happen.
UNITY One symbol, image, figure of speech, etc. throughout a work that serves as a thread to connect one instance with every other occurrence. What has happened, what is happening and what might happen.
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Tension – Drives the plot
IRONY PARADOX The opposite of what is expected The existence of two contradictory truths Ex: I AM A LIAR.
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essential QUESTIONS Does the work fit the mold of a particular form, or is it unique? In what manner is the story told? Is there closure? Is there any sound that keeps recurring throughout the work? What is it? What does it mean? How does it affect the work? What would a diagram of the plot look like? Any paradoxes? Unfamiliar words? Look them up
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FOCUS OF STUDY Examine the use of symbols in the novel and how they contribute to characterization Examine Of Mice and Men as a novella rather than a play Examine how the setting in the novel highlights the action and mood
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Marxist
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Whoever owns the factories owns the culture
Background Karl Marx – German Philosopher who wrote The Communist Manifesto Society should move towards communal ownership of production Elimination of social classes Whoever owns the factories owns the culture
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Beliefs Whoever owns the means of production in a society cultivates and owns the culture Literature is a reflection of culture Culture can be affected by literature Literature can instigate revolution Oppression exists in our subconscious: there is an inherent pecking order in any group of people
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Four Areas of study
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Economic Power Those who own the means of production dictate what the society is. Two classes of people: Bourgeoisie – the people with the means of production and wealth Proletariat – the people who operate the means of production and are controlled by the bourgeoisie Bourgeoisie can manipulate politics, government, education, art, and media Capitalism is bad because it makes people want things, so they shop for commodification (wanting things not for usefulness but for their social value) Commodification is used to keep the proletariat down. When the proletariat buy something to show social status, the bourgeoisie buy or create something newer or better to increase the struggle.
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Materialism versus spirituality
Society is not based on ideals or values, but things. The material world shows us reality. People are never destroyed by spiritual failure, only material failure
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Class conflict In any Capitalist society, there will be strife between social and economic classes. Owners and workers have different ideas about the division of the wealth generated, ultimately owners make the decisions. Bourgeoisie make the system seem logical and the proletariat have pride in their stations and become trapped. Marx called on the proletariat to reject the social structure and create their own values and establish new terms.
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Art, literature, ideologies
Art and literature are vehicles for the bourgeoisie to instill their value system on the proletariat. Works of art and literature are enjoyable to experience, so the audience is unaware of being swayed, which is dangerous. Bourgeoisie control the artistic output because they fund it. Any artist who wishes to criticize the bourgeoisie must do so in a subtle way (satire, irony, etc.)
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Essential questions Who are the powerful in the text? Who are the powerless? Who receives the most attention? Is there a class conflict and struggle? Do the powerful in the text suppress the powerless? How? Is the text itself a product of the society in which it was created? How do you know? After reading this text, do you notice any system of oppression that you have accepted? If so, what system?
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Focus of study Examine OMAM as a social commentary on the political system during the Depression Examine the characters of OMAM and how they serve to represent different social groups during the Depression Examine conflict and its purpose in the novel Examine of OMAM functions to inform its audience of the plight of migrant workers
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New Historicism
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New Historicism denies this possibility for two reasons.
Background Common trend to compare how a culture is portrayed to who it actually IS/WAS. New Historicism denies this possibility for two reasons.
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1. Truth Truth of a foreign or past control can never be established or seen as unchangeable Losers of history have no audience Dominated cultures lose their history Nazi Story? Iraqi Story? This histories often contradict the mainstream and are ignored.
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2. Text participation Text reflects the culture (in both the setting and the culture of publication) but also participates in the culture Literature and culture are born of one another Texts raise awareness that shape the ever changing landscape of culture.
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Main Points of study Recognition of cultures previously dominated by others History as a subjective narrative The reader is comparing the past to the present Acknowledging the truth of a point of view, not claiming the truth of an event or time period
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Questions “Is this based on a true story?”
Don’t Ask: Ask: “Is this based on a true story?” “Are any of the characters based on real people?” “Does this represent the time period?” “What view of the culture does the text offer?” “How does this text shape the understanding of the culture?”
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