1 Critical theory, cultural criticism, and the environment
What is critical theory, and what does it have to do with me?
Critical theory and cultural criticism
Critical theory and the environment
The basic principles of ecocriticism
An ecocritical reading of âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
An ecocritical reading of âA White Heronâ
An ecocritical reading of âSome keep the Sabbath going to Churchâ
Three questions about interpretation most students ask
My interpretation is my opinion, so how can it be wrong?
Do authos deliberately use concepts from critical theories when they write literary works?
How can we interpret a literary work without knowing what the author intended the work to mean?
Why feeling confused can be a good sign
Suggestions for further study
2 Using concepts from reader-response theory to understand our own literary interpretations
Why should we learn about reader-response theory?
Response vehicles
Identification-with-a-character
The familiar character
The familiar plot event
The familiar setting
Response exercise
Identification-with-a-character exercise
Familiar-character exercise
Familiar-plot-event exercise
How our personal responses can help or hinder interpretation
The "symbolic leap"
The difference between representing and endorsing human behavior
Using our personal responses to generate paper topics
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
Reader-response theory and cultural criticism
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
3 Using concepts from New Critical theory to understand literature
Why should we learn about New Critical theory?
Basic concepts
Theme
Formal elements
Unity
Close reading and textual evidence
Interpretation exercises
Appreciating the importance of tradition: Interpreting âEveryday Useâ
Recognizing the presence of death: Interpreting âA Rose for Emilyâ
Understanding the power of alienation: Interpreting âThe Battle Royalâ
Respecting the importance of nonconformity: Interpreting âDonât Explainâ
Responding to the challenge of the unknown: Interpreting âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
The limitations of New Critical theory for cultural criticism
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
4 Using concepts from psychoanalytic theory to understand literature
Why should we learn about psychoanalytic theory?
Basic concepts
The family
Repression and the unconscious
The defenses
Core issues
The meaning of death
The meaning of sexuality
Superego, id, ego
Dream symbolism
Interpretation exercises
Analyzing charactersâ dysfunctional behavior: Interpreting âEveryday Useâ
Exploring a characterâs insanity: Interpreting âA Rose for Emilyâ
Understanding dream images in literature: Interpreting âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
Recognizing a characterâs self-healing: Interpreting âDonât Explainâ
Using psychoanalytic concepts in service of other theories: Interpreting âThe Battle Royalâ
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
Psychoanalytic theory and cultural criticism
A cultural analysis of Pretty Woman from a psychoanalytic perspective
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
5 Using concepts from Marxist theory to understand literature
Why should we learn about Marxist theory?
Basic concepts
Classism
Capitalism
Competition
Commodification
The American Dream
Rugged individualism
Consumerism
The role of religion
Interpretation exercises
Understanding the operations of capitalism: Interpreting âEveryday Useâ
Recognizing the operations of the American Dream: Interpreting âThe Battle Royalâ
Analyzing the operations of classism: InterpretingâA Rose for Emilyâ
Resisting classism: Interpreting âDonât Explainâ
Learning when not to use Marxist concepts: Resisting the temptation to interpret âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
Marxist theory and cultural criticism
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
6 Using concepts from feminist theory to understand literature
Why should we learn about feminist theory?
Basic concepts
Patriarchy
Traditional gender roles
The cult of âtrue womanhoodâ
The objectification of women: âgood girlsâ and âbad girlsâ
Sexism
Everyday sexism
Phallocentrism and phallogocentrism
Intersectionality
White feminism
Multicultural feminism
The four waves of feminism
Interpretation exercises
Rejecting the objectification of women: Interpreting âThe Battle Royalâ
Resisting patriarchal ideology: Interpreting âDonât Explainâ
Recognizing a conflicted attitude toward patriarchy: Interpreting âEveryday Useâ
Analyzing a sexist text: Interpreting âA Rose for Emilyâ
Understanding patriarchyâs psychological oppression of women: Interpreting âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
Feminist theory and cultural criticism
Feminist theory and the environment
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
7 Using concepts from lesbian, gay, and queer theories to understand literature
Why should we learn about lesbian, gay, and queer theories?
Basic concepts
Heteronormativity
Heterosexism and heteropatriarchy
Homophobia and lesbophobia
Bisexual people, monosexism, and biphobia
Nonbinary people
Transgender people and the prefix cis
Transphobia
Queerphobia
Homosocial bonding
The woman-identified woman
Homoerotic imagery
Queer theory
Interpretation exercises
Rejecting lesbian stereotypes: Interpreting âDonât Explainâ
Analyzing homophobia: Interpreting âThe Battle Royalâ
Recognizing the woman-identified woman in a heterosexual text: Interpreting âEveryday Useâ
Using queer theory: Interpreting âA Rose for Emilyâ
Drawing upon context: Interpreting âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
Lesbian, gay, and queer theories and cultural criticism
Queer theory and the environment
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
8 Using concepts from African American theory to understand literature
Why should we learn about African American theory?
Basic concepts
African American culture and the African American literary tradition
Racism
Institutionalized racism (systemic racism)
Environmental racism
Everyday racism (casual racism)
Internalized racism
Intraracial racism (colorism)
White privilege
Double consciousness
Interpretation exercises
Analyzing the overt operations of institutionalized racism: Interpreting âThe Battle Royalâ
Recognizing the âless visibleâ operations of institutionalized racism: Interpreting âDonât Explainâ
Understanding the operations of internalized racism: Interpreting âEveryday Useâ
Exploring the function of black characters in white literature: Interpreting âA Rose for Emilyâ
Learning when not to use African American concepts: Resisting the temptation to interpret âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
African American theory and cultural criticism
African American theory and the environment
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
9 Using concepts from postcolonial theory to understand literature
Why should we learn about postcolonial theory?
Basic concepts
Colonialist ideology
Othering
Subalterns
The dominant culture
The colonial subject
Mimicry
Unhomeliness
Hybridity
Anticolonialist resistance
Interpretation exercises
Understanding colonialist ideology: Interpreting âThe Battle Royalâ
Analyzing the colonial subject: Interpreting âEveryday Useâ
Exploring the influence of cultural stereotypes: Interpreting âA Rose for Emilyâ
Appreciating anticolonialist resistance: Interpreting âDonât Explainâ
Recognizing the othering of nature: Interpreting âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
Food for further thought
Thinking it over
Postcolonial theory and cultural criticism
Postcolonial theory and the environment
Taking the next step
Questions for further practice
Suggestions for further study
10 Holding on to what youâve learned
A shorthand overview of our critical theories
A shorthand overview of our literary interpretation exercises
âEveryday Useâ
âThe Battle Royalâ
âA Rose for Emilyâ
âDonât Explainâ
âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
A shorthand overview of our sample readings
Pretty Woman
Waiting to Exhale
Philadelphia
âOpieâs Girlfriendâ
âThe Brother of the Brideâ
âA White Heronâ
âSome keep the Sabbath going to Churchâ
âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ
âQueer Earthâ
âGreeting from the Moon, the Sacrificial Sideâ
âMapâ
A shorthand overview of the range of perspectives offered by each theory
Reader-response concepts
New Critical concepts
Psychoanalytic concepts
Marxist concepts
Feminist concepts
Lesbian, gay, and queer concepts
African American concepts
Postcolonial concepts
Critical theory and cultural criticism revisited
Television game shows
A situation comedy
Critical theory and the environment revisited
Critical theory and an ethics for a diverse world
Appendix A: âI started Earlyâ"Took my Dogâ (Emily Dickinson, c. 1862)
Appendix B: âA White Heronâ (Sarah Orne Jewett, 1886)
Appendix C: âA Rose for Emilyâ (William Faulkner, 1931)
Appendix D: âThe Battle Royalâ (Ralph Ellison, 1952)
Appendix E: âEveryday Useâ (Alice Walker, 1973)
Appendix F: âDonât Explainâ (Jewelle Gomez, 1987)
Appendix G: Additional literary works for further practice
Index
