Literary Lenses

1. Literary Lenses Approaches to literature beyond basic understanding of plot and theme

2. Structuralism Derived from concepts developed from Linguist Ferdinand De Saussure (1916) Language is not made up of words, but signs. A sign changes, depending upon what the majority of the culture using the language dictates. Each sign is a unit, with two functions1) the spoken sound – acoustic function – this is the signifier 2) what someone imagines when they hear or read the word – the signified

3. Structuralism “…a sign could not possibly have one universally accepted meaning because there are too many languages in the world. Instead, what a sign means is based on its usage inside the culture that speaks the language. This theory of signs is called semiotics, a way of making meaning that occurs when we read the signs of a culture.” Quotation from Interpreting Young Adult Literature: Literary Theory In The Secondary Classroom by John Noell Moore. Printed in 1997: Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH.

4. Structuralism Binary Opposites and Truth There is no fixed “truth” in structuralism. Instead, individual cultures define and support concepts of truth, which may or may overlap with other cultures. Within a culture, signs such as truth only exist when they have a binary opposite. A code is developed from these opposites. For example: nature vs. civilization male vs. female evil (black hat) vs. good (white hat)

5. Structuralism in Hamlet? Using the Structuralist Lens, list the binary opposites found in Hamlet. For example: mad vs. sane

6. Deconstructionism Derived from philosopher Jacques Derrida’s theories (1966) Language is a system based on differences (like Structuralism) But there is a paradox because opposites cannot exist without each other…each helps define the other Using “the free play of meaning” the meaning of good and evil can be reversed So text “can be read as saying something quite different from what it appears to be saying” Consider “what is not in the text, what is outside the text, what is not said”

7. Deconstructionism “Deconstruction is not synonymous with ‘destruction’, however. It is in fact much closer to the original meaning of the word ‘analysis’ itself, which etymologically means ‘to undo’ – a virtual synonym for ‘to de-construct.’ …If anything is destroyed in a deconstructive reading, it is not the text, but the claim to unequivocal domination of one mode of signifying over another. A deconstructive reading is a reading which analyzes the specificity of a texts’ critical difference from itself.” Quotation by Barbara Johnson, The Critical Difference. Printed in 1981, from A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory, editedby J.A. Cuddon. Printed in 1991: Blackwell, London.

8. Deconstructionism in Fifth Business? Using the Deconstructive Lens: Discuss how heroic Dunstan can be if he chooses to be passive as the ‘fifth business’. Discuss how ‘passive’ Dunstan is really in the text.

9. Feminist Theory Developed in 1960’s at various American Universities Literature reflects and is a product of our society’s attitudes towards gender roles Because our society is ‘patriarchal’ and ‘heterosexual’ our concepts of ‘gender’ are affected i.e. men = power, authority, rational and women = weak, submissive, objects, emotional Texts are analyzed based on those positions of power Patriarchal ideology part of the Canon of Literature so: there is a lack of female heroes, works are addressed to male readers, women readers have to assume male values and ways of perceiving, feeling, and acting All readers can apply feminist lens

10. Feminist Theory “Feminist criticism is a political act whose aim is not simply to interpret the world but to change it by changing the consciousness of those who read and their relation to what they read…[The first act of a feminist critic is] to become a resisting rather than an assenting reader and, by this refusal to assent, to begin the process of exorcizing the male mind that has been implanted in us” Quotation by Judith Fetterly from Glossary of Literary Theory, editedby Greig E. Henderson and Christopher Brown

11. Feminist Reading of Hamlet and Fifth Business? What roles were assigned to the female characters in these two texts? How and why did the female characters succeed/fail? Were stereotypes reinforced or contradicted?

12. Marxist Theory Based on the political and economic theories of Karl Marx (1818-83) and Frederick Engles (1820-95) from The Communist Manifesto They were focused on economic, political, philosophical issues – theory adapted later to literature Key ideas for Marxism include: History shows that economic and political conditions determine social conditions Rise of capitalism (complex modes of production) led to social hardships Need to analyze how society functions in a state of change

13. Marxist Theory Literature reflects and is a product of our society’s attitudes towards economic and class Texts have been used to support/legitimize the power of the ruling class (promote an ideology) Must question if a text is an accurate representation of the social reality Texts analyzed in terms of where the power/money lies (bourgeois, white collar, working class etc…) Looks for the tensions between classes (dominant and repressed) as basic economic organization changes

14. Marxist Theory in Fifth Business? What social levels are represented in the text? What values, qualities, attitudes are associated with each level? Who has the power and what is that power based upon? Who does not have the power? What happens as a result of differences in power? With what social class is Robertson Davies associated? Does this influence his representation of the characters?

15. Post-Modernism Refers to changes which have and are taking place in literature, art, music, architecture, philosophy etc… since 1940s or 1950s Still in flux…who knows when its influence will end Aspects include: Non-traditional structures in literature (i.e. unfinished endings, including a variety of texts) Rejecting authority of the Canon of Literature (i.e. untrustworthy narrators/perspectives, anti-heroes) Rejecting signification (i.e. codes of Structuralism)

16. Modernism versus Post-Modernism

17. Modernism versus Post-Modernism

18. Modernism versus Post-Modernism – reduced 

19. Post-Modernism in Fifth Business? How trustworthy is our narrator? Are there any non-traditional aspects to the structure of the text? What hierarchies or traditional views are challenged? Are there any aspects that do not fit the ‘hero quest’?

20. Seeing Clearly? • University courses that focus on lenses include the realms of English, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Critical Theory, and Cultural Studies • Wear your lenses in high school and university to impress, attract, intimidate or irritate others !

21. Bibliography Abele, Chris et al. “1993 HYPERTEXT DATABASE: MARXIST CRITICISM”. English 60A Contemporary Critical Theory.http://www.lawrence.edu/dept/english/courses/60A/marxist.html#marxlit Cuddon, J.A. ed. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. Great Britain: Penguin Group, 1999. Glebe H.S. English Teachers. Literary Lenses. Professional Development Workshop. February 13, 2010. Henderson Greig E. and Christopher Brown. Glossary of Literary Theory. University of Toronto. University of Toronto English Library. March 31, 1997. http://www.library.utoronto.ca/utel/glossary/headerindex.html Irvine, Martin. “The Modern and the Postmodern: Contrasting Tendencies”. Approaches to Po-Mo. Georgetown University. 2004- 2009. http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/theory/pomo.html Jacques Derrida. Stanford Presidential Lectures in the Humanities and Arts. http://prelectur.stanford.edu/lecturers/derrida/deconstruction.html Meister, Kristen. Literary Theories: A Sampling of Lenses. Como Park Senior High School. St. Paul, MN. 2007. http://www.como.stpaul.k12.mn.us/Lit_Theory.html Siegel, Dr. Kristi. Introduction to Modern Literary Theory. Mount Mary College.http://www.kristisiegel.com/theory.htm Steward, Dr. Julie. “5 Literary Theories You’ve Never Understood (Until Now)”. Mental Floss Magazine. March-April 2005 edition. http://www.mentalfloss.com/magazine/issues/?issue=0402 Tuffiash, Scott. http://old.avonworth.k12.pa.us/stuffiash/Lists/Courses/Attachments/2/Literary%20Lenses.ppt