📚 Topic Summary
Literary criticism involves analyzing literature from various perspectives or lenses. Each lens, or theory, offers a unique way to interpret a text, focusing on different aspects like the author's background, social context, or the reader's response. Common theories include Formalism, Marxism, Feminism, Psychoanalytic Criticism, and Reader-Response Criticism. Understanding these theories allows you to develop deeper insights and construct more compelling arguments about literature.
📝 Part A: Vocabulary
Match the term with its definition:
| Term |
Definition |
| 1. Formalism |
A. Focuses on the economic and social conditions in a text. |
| 2. Marxism |
B. Examines the text based on gender and power dynamics. |
| 3. Feminism |
C. Analyzes the text based on the psychological states of characters and the author. |
| 4. Psychoanalytic Criticism |
D. Centers on the reader's role in constructing meaning from a text. |
| 5. Reader-Response Criticism |
E. Emphasizes close reading and analysis of literary devices within the text itself. |
Answer Key
1-E, 2-A, 3-B, 4-C, 5-D
✍️ Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate term: Formalism, Marxism, Feminism, Psychoanalytic, Reader-Response.
__________ criticism suggests that the meaning of a text is created by the individual who reads it. __________ analyzes the text through the lens of power, oppression, and social class. A __________ critic might look at the role of women in a text and how they are portrayed. Paying close attention to literary devices, a __________ critic will only consider what is on the page. __________ criticism utilizes the theories of Freud and Jung to explore the unconscious desires of characters.
Answer Key
Reader-Response, Marxism, Feminist, Formalism, Psychoanalytic
🤔 Part C: Critical Thinking
Choose a literary theory (Formalism, Marxism, Feminism, Psychoanalytic, or Reader-Response Criticism) and briefly explain how you would apply it to analyze F. Scott Fitzgerald's *The Great Gatsby*.