The Marxist Critic

1. Considers literature as a ________________________________________________________________________________________________________. Explores the way _______________ ____________________ are intentionally or unintentionally hallengedin a literary workreflected or c The Marxist Critic

2. Examines __________________________ ____________________________________. Sees the class status and ideologies of the author as impinging on the work (the work is very much a product of its context) Examines the social and economic world of the text and author

3. According to Marxist scholars, literature reflects the social institutions out of which it emerges and is itself a social institution with a particular ideological function. • ____________________________________ ______________________________________ • in turn, the text itself helps to continue the values, beliefs and social roles of the culture (+/-)

4. In a Capitalistsociety, Marxist critics argue, texts reflect class struggle and materialism. The Marxist critic, then, carefully reads a text and examines issues of power and money.

5. Marxist literary theories tend to focus on the representation of class conflict as well as the reinforcement of class distinctions through the medium of literature. Marxist theorist often champion authors sympathetic to the working classes and authors whose work challenges economic equalities found in capitalist societies

6. What class structures or ideologies are reflected in the work? Does it seem intentional or unintentional? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________? Is the story of the socially or economically disenfranchised told? Or is the story of the socially or economically told? Questions a Marxist Would Explore

7. Are the disenfranchised diminished? Are the elite valued more than the disenfranchised? ___________________________________________________________________________? Is the author a member of the social and economic privileged? Is the author a member of the socially or economically underprivileged?

8. What kinds of power (social, economic, sexual, physical, etc.) are evident in the text? What is the social order? • Who has power in the text? How do they maintain and/or gain power? • How do power relationships operate in the text? Who gains and loses in the relationships?

9. What, if anything, causes power to change hands? • What ideologies (values, beliefs, social roles) are evident in the text? • Do characters recognize the oppressive social order/ideologies? • _____________________________________?

10. In what ways does the work serve as propaganda for the status quo (keep society the same); or does it try to undermine it? • What does the work say about oppression; or are social conflicts ignored or blamed on others? • What social/economic forces affect the author's writing?

11. Marxist criticism is _______________________ _______________________________________________________________________________. Also, this approach appeals too a broad spectrum of people and is very good at exploring political and personal relationships. Strengths

12. Marxist criticism's _____________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________. Drawbacks

13. ________________ – the working class (average Joe/Josephine __________________– the upper class, wealthy (the 1%) Terms

14. Itsy bitsy spider… Alienation…