What’s Theory Got To Do What’s Theory Got To Do With It?With It?

How Perspective Can Change How Perspective Can Change Your Reading and the Way You Your Reading and the Way You

See Your World!!!See Your World!!!

““My Papa’s Waltz”My Papa’s Waltz”

The whiskey on your breathThe whiskey on your breath

could make a small boy dizzycould make a small boy dizzy

But I hung on like deathBut I hung on like death

Such waltzing was not easySuch waltzing was not easy

We romped until the pansWe romped until the pans

Slid from the kitchen shelfSlid from the kitchen shelf

My mother’s countenanceMy mother’s countenance

Could not unfrown itselfCould not unfrown itself..

The hand that held one wristThe hand that held one wrist

Was battered on one knuckleWas battered on one knuckle

At every step you missedAt every step you missed

My right ear scraped a My right ear scraped a buckle.buckle.

You beat time on my headYou beat time on my head

With a palm caked hard by With a palm caked hard by dirtdirt

Then waltzed me off to bedThen waltzed me off to bed

Still clinging to your shirt.Still clinging to your shirt.

~Theodore Roethke~Theodore Roethke

What What DoDo You Think? You Think? How many of you believe that any text is written How many of you believe that any text is written

with one purpose, and that purpose is hidden or with one purpose, and that purpose is hidden or explained by the author of the text?explained by the author of the text?

How many of you believe that your personal How many of you believe that your personal experiences determine how you read and interpret experiences determine how you read and interpret your world.your world.

Do you believe that we (the reader) will never be Do you believe that we (the reader) will never be able to know the true meaning or intent of any able to know the true meaning or intent of any text?text?

Or do you believe that the author and you are Or do you believe that the author and you are influenced by the world that you live in? Does influenced by the world that you live in? Does race, gender or social class influence your race, gender or social class influence your reading? Does it influence the author?reading? Does it influence the author?

Is there more than one way to read a text and/or Is there more than one way to read a text and/or your world?your world?

What Is Lit. Theory?What Is Lit. Theory?

Literary theory is the Literary theory is the scientific study of scientific study of literature, poetry, literature, poetry, authors, and language.authors, and language.

Theory attempts to Theory attempts to highlight the highlight the significance of significance of perspective in writing perspective in writing and reading. and reading.

It is the reason why we It is the reason why we revisit “great” authors revisit “great” authors like: Thoreau, like: Thoreau, Emerson, Irving, Poe….Emerson, Irving, Poe….

Literary Theory assists Literary Theory assists the reader in the reader in recognizing the recognizing the importance of importance of language, gender, language, gender, race, socio-economic, race, socio-economic, political and personal political and personal experience in experience in interpreting texts. interpreting texts.

It attempts to awaken It attempts to awaken the reader to multiple the reader to multiple stories within one text. stories within one text.

How Can Perspective How Can Perspective ReallyReally Change My Interpretation of Change My Interpretation of

Texts?Texts? When you begin to read critically, you will When you begin to read critically, you will

see that there are multiple stories within see that there are multiple stories within any text that you read. any text that you read.

Your education thus far has probably Your education thus far has probably taught you to use your experience or to taught you to use your experience or to wait for the teacher to tell you what the wait for the teacher to tell you what the text is saying. However, with theory you text is saying. However, with theory you will never need to rely on one method or will never need to rely on one method or person to inform your readings. person to inform your readings.

Let’s look at a story that you are all Let’s look at a story that you are all familiar with: familiar with: The Three Little PigsThe Three Little Pigs

What’s What’s The Three Little Pigs The Three Little Pigs have to do with American Lit?have to do with American Lit?

What is the point of reading this What is the point of reading this seemingly childish book?seemingly childish book?

The reasons:The reasons:Meaning is constructedMeaning is constructedMeaning can change based on who is Meaning can change based on who is

doing the telling and/or the readingdoing the telling and/or the readingIf something so simple can have multiple If something so simple can have multiple

readings, imagine what stories such as readings, imagine what stories such as Huck Finn, To Kill A Mockingbird…Huck Finn, To Kill A Mockingbird…might might yield?yield?

How Many Types of Theories Are How Many Types of Theories Are There?There?

There are about a dozen literary theories; There are about a dozen literary theories; however, a final number count is changing however, a final number count is changing as our society, culture, and world continue as our society, culture, and world continue to change. to change.

The most common theories are: The most common theories are: Archetypal, Feminist, Marxist, New Archetypal, Feminist, Marxist, New Criticism, Psychological and Criticism, Psychological and Psychoanalytical, Reader-Response, Psychoanalytical, Reader-Response, Deconstruction, Structuralism, and Deconstruction, Structuralism, and Historical Criticism. Historical Criticism.

Let’s Get PoliticalLet’s Get Political Karl Marx(1818-1883) and Karl Marx(1818-1883) and

Friedrich Engels most Friedrich Engels most commonly associated with commonly associated with Communism. Communism.

Marxism became the Marxism became the foundation for Communist foundation for Communist theory.theory.

Although popular in his Although popular in his lifetime, Marxism lifetime, Marxism resonated with the Russian resonated with the Russian Revolution in the early Revolution in the early 1900’s. 1900’s.

The foundational belief The foundational belief system that made it system that made it possible for leaders such possible for leaders such as Lenin, Mussolini, and as Lenin, Mussolini, and Hitler to come to power. Hitler to come to power.

What is Marxism?What is Marxism?

Marxist critics base their theory and practice on Marxist critics base their theory and practice on the following economic and cultural theoretical the following economic and cultural theoretical claims:claims: History, humanity and its institutions are based on History, humanity and its institutions are based on

economic organization. economic organization. Economic changes equal changes in how a government Economic changes equal changes in how a government

and its people function. People are in a continual and its people function. People are in a continual struggle for economic, political, and social advantage. struggle for economic, political, and social advantage.

Human consciousness is constituted by ideology, which Human consciousness is constituted by ideology, which is the set of values, beliefs, thinking and feeling that is the set of values, beliefs, thinking and feeling that guide how we perceive and explain reality. guide how we perceive and explain reality.

Our ideologies reinforce our economic and social class.Our ideologies reinforce our economic and social class.

Why Marxism?Why Marxism?

Marxism remains one of the most Marxism remains one of the most influential philosophical and literary influential philosophical and literary theories of modern time. theories of modern time.

Our way of life is determined by the Our way of life is determined by the economic system that we inhabit.economic system that we inhabit.

You can not separate yourself from the You can not separate yourself from the economic “machine” that you are a part economic “machine” that you are a part of. of.

The theory also glorifies and examines the The theory also glorifies and examines the plight of the “worker” or common man. plight of the “worker” or common man.

What’s Gender Got To Do With What’s Gender Got To Do With It?It?

Feminist TheoryFeminist Theory Feminist critics look to see how male Feminist critics look to see how male

dominated cultural and economic institutions dominated cultural and economic institutions have alienated women, giving them the have alienated women, giving them the “other” status in our society.“other” status in our society.

Feminist critics hold these traits in common:Feminist critics hold these traits in common: Our civilization is patriarchal Our civilization is patriarchal Gender is socially/culturally constructed by Gender is socially/culturally constructed by

patriarchal biases in our civilizationpatriarchal biases in our civilization Patriarchal ideologies are represented in “great” Patriarchal ideologies are represented in “great”

literatureliterature Authentic female characters, voices and Authentic female characters, voices and

experiences are left out of literature. Most experiences are left out of literature. Most literature is written by men towards male literature is written by men towards male audiences. audiences.

Why Feminist Theory?Why Feminist Theory?

Feminist theory asks us to examine Feminist theory asks us to examine not only how we view women, but not only how we view women, but how men and women interact with how men and women interact with each other in literature. each other in literature.

Understanding feminist perspectives Understanding feminist perspectives will help you to see not only will help you to see not only literature, but advertising, music literature, but advertising, music videos, television, feature films, videos, television, feature films, school, relationships, and the school, relationships, and the workplace different. workplace different.

A Raisin In The SunA Raisin In The Sun

Our reading of Lorraine Hansberry’s Our reading of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the SunA Raisin in the Sun will be influenced will be influenced by both Marxism and Feminist by both Marxism and Feminist literary theory. We will be reading literary theory. We will be reading this play through those perspectives. this play through those perspectives.