Today's Lesson - Planning And Deadlines

You deadline for MARXISM is Jan 12th

Today use the Marxist lens questions to plan your response and identify key quotations


Questions for Analysis  - use to guide annotation

• Is there an outright rejection of socialism in the work?

• Does the text raise fundamental criticism about the emptiness of life in bourgeoisie society?

• In portraying society, what approximation of totality does the author achieve? What is emphasized, what is ignored? Why?

• How well is the fate of the individual linked organically to the nature of societal forces?

• At what points are actions or solutions to problems forced or unreal?

• Are the characters from all social levels equally well sketched?

• What are the values of each class in the work?

• What is valued most? Sacrifice? Assent? Resistance? Individuality?

• How clearly do narratives of disillusionment and defeat indicate that bourgeoisie values—competition, acquisitiveness, chauvinism—are incompatible with human happiness?

• Does the protagonist defend or defect from the dominant values of society? Are those values in ascendancy or decay?



Questions Raised By the Marxist Literary Lens - use to structure response

— How does the author’s social and economic class show through the work?

— Does the work support the economic and social status quo, or does it advocate change?

— What role does the class system play in the work?

— What role does class play in the work?

— What is the author’s analysis of class relations?

— Do characters overcome oppression? What’s the impact of this?

— What does the work say about oppression; or are social conflicts ignored or blamed elsewhere?

— Does the work propose some form of utopian vision as a solution to the problems encountered in the work?

— In what ways does the work serve as propaganda?

— Does the literature reflect the author’s own class or analysis of class relations?