1. Twentieth Century Literature Major Critical Approaches

2. Questions to consider What is literature? What is literature? What do we get out of literature? What do we get out of literature?

3. Critical Theory Definition Critical theory is what we bring to literature, and, in turn, what we get out of it. Critical theory is what we bring to literature, and, in turn, what we get out of it. Two major types Two major types –Historical/Biographical –Expressive Realism

4. Historicism Basically, we have been doing this all year Basically, we have been doing this all year Considers the literary work in the facts of the historical period. Considers the literary work in the facts of the historical period.

5. New Historicism Much the same as Historicism with one difference: Much the same as Historicism with one difference: –New Historicism finds meaning by looking at a text within the framework of the prevailing ideas and assumptions of its historical era.

6. Psychoanalytic Freudian Freudian Looks at a text as the subconscious expressions of the author. Looks at a text as the subconscious expressions of the author.

7. Feminist Looks at literature by exposing how a work reflects masculine ideology. Looks at literature by exposing how a work reflects masculine ideology. They have noticed that women and men tend to communicate differently: men directed towards solutions, women towards connecting. They have noticed that women and men tend to communicate differently: men directed towards solutions, women towards connecting.

8. Marxist Literature reflects a class struggle and materialism Literature reflects a class struggle and materialism Questions to ask: Questions to ask: –What role does class play in the work; what is the author's analysis of class relations? –How do characters overcome oppression? –In what ways does the work serve as propaganda for the status quo; or does it try to undermine it? –What does the work say about oppression; or are social conflicts ignored or blamed elsewhere? –Does the work propose some form of utopian vision as a solution to the problems encountered in the work?

9. Desiree’s Baby What lens(es) can we look at this story though? What lens(es) can we look at this story though? Historianism? Historianism? New Historianism? New Historianism? Psychoanalytic? Psychoanalytic? Feminist? Feminist? Marxist? Marxist? quadroon: Person descended from one black grandparent and three white grandparents. quadroon: Person descended from one black grandparent and three white grandparents. Look for foreshadowing Look for foreshadowing