Critiquing a Literary Selection Based on Structuralist/Formalist, Moralist, and Marxist

Approaches

Is it possible to criticize a literary selection without being too judgmental?

Yes! It is possible with the help of literary approaches. Basically, these literary approaches act as
different lenses critics used to view and talk not only about literature but also about arts and culture. In
this module, you need to be a literary critic. You are tasked to explain and to reach a critical
understanding of what literary texts mean in terms of their content, appeal to society, and influence of
economic status. Study the table below as you compare and contrast Structuralist/Formalist, Moralist,
and Marxist approaches. The story of “The Necklace” will be used for critiquing. Specific examples taken
from the story are provided for each approaches.
Approaches Proponent/s: Definition:
Ferdinand de Saussure ►Formalism does not require any
=father of Structuralism whose research. It emphasizes the value of
ideas on structure in language literature apart from its context.
has laid the foundation the ►All critical approaches must begin here.
Structuralist/ progress of the linguistic ►Basically, it focuses on the elements of
Formalist sciences a story, symbolism, figurative language,
and structure.
Roman Jakobson = the bridge
between Russian Formalism
and structuralism
Plato =if art does not teach ►Moralism is most useful when
morality and ethics, then it is considering themes of works. It doesn’t
damaging to its audience view literature as an “art” apart from
moral implications.
Moralist Aristotle =elements such as ►It recognizes that literature can affect
language, character, plot, readers and that the message of a work
thought, song, rhythm, and is important.
diction influence audience’s ►It asserts that the purpose of literature
katharsis in the work is to teach morality and to instill values.
Karl Marx = postulates that the ►Marxism focuses on how power,
struggle between social classes money, and politics play its role in literary
(the bourgeoisie or capitalists texts and literary societies.
and the proletariat or workers) ►It focuses the ways on which
Marxist defines the dominant/majority groups take advantage
economic relations in a of those deemed as subordinate/minority.
capitalist economy and will ►It implies the ways in which people are
inevitably lead to alienated from one another because of
revolutionary communism. power, money, and politics.

Approaches Critical Questions Examples:

➢ Who is narrating or telling (Analysis from “The Necklace”)
what happens in the work? ►Symbolism: the necklace as deception;
➢ What is the plot? How is the and the
plot related to its structure? necklace as an illusion of wealth.
►The characters are very well-
➢ Who are the major and minor
represented, Monsieur Loisel (whom
characters, what do they
Structuralist/ Mathilde was married to…both from a
represent, and how do they
Formalist family of clerks), Mathilde (who longs to
relate to one another?
mingle with high society), Madame
➢ What is the setting? How is Forestier (whom Mathilde envies so
the setting related to what we much)
know of the characters
and their actions? To what
extent is the setting symbolic?
➢ What kind of language does
 the author use to describe,
narrate, explain,or otherwise
create the world of the literary
work?
 More specifically, what
images, similes, metaphors,
symbols appear in the work?
➢ What enduring truth is (Analysis from “The Necklace”)
revealed in the theme of this Good morals:
work? ►Mathilde took responsibility over
➢ How are the actions of the replacing the lost jewelry.
protagonist rewarded and the ►Mathilde became a stronger woman
actions of the antagonist after all her struggles, as consequences
Moralist
punished? on losing the necklace.
►Mr. Loisel provided money so Mathilde
➢ What is the relationship of
will be able to buy a new dress, even
each part of the work to the
though he is saving it for himself.
work as a whole? How are the
►Symbolism: The elegant ball dress
parts related to one another?
symbolizes the wealthy lifestyle Mathilde
is dreaming of; in contrast to, the modest
clothes she wears in ordinary life.
➢ Who are powerful in the (Analysis from “The Necklace”)
text and who are powerless? ►Mathilde believes that wealth may give
➢ What is the economic status her satisfaction in life. She also believed
of the characters? it was an ill-fate for her being born to a
 What happens to them family of clerk despite her beauty.
because of this status? ►Mathilde worries she will be humiliated
by looking poor among other women who
➢ How do they fare against
are rich.
economic and political odds?
➢ What other conditions
stemming from their class does
Marxist
the writer emphasize? (e.g.,
poor education, poor nutrition,
poor health care, inadequate
opportunity)
➢ To what extent does the
work fail by overlooking the
economic, social and political
implications of its material?
In what other ways does
economic determinism affect
the work? How should readers
consider the story in today’s
modern economic setting
(nationally, globally,
etc.)

Just remember these are just a few of the many approaches you can use to analyze a piece of
literature. These approaches will help you appreciate literature even more by allowing you to perceive
the text in different perspectives.
Critiquing a Literary Selection Based on Feminist, Historical, and Reader-Response Approaches

How do you analyze a literary text? Is it possible for a student like you to critique a literary selection?
Definitely! Even though you are a student, you can still think critically when reading a text by applying some
literary approaches. In this module, you will be informed with the similarities and differences among the
Feminist, Historical, and Reader-response approach.
The table below consists of different information about the three approaches.
Approaches Proponent/s: Definition:
• Simone de Beauvoir, • This kind of literary criticism is against
most philosophers agree that patriarchy and sexism.
Beauvoir’s greatest contribution • This approach concerns and wants to
to philosophy is her revolutionary tell the readers through writing and
magnum reading
opus, The Second Sex. that both men and women have equal
Feminist
At the time The Second Sex was rights.
written, very little serious philosophy • It always starts by critiquing a
on women from a feminist patriarchal culture and is against the
perspective had been done. economic, political, social, and
psychological oppression of women.
• This approach wants to reveal and
expose misogyny in writing about
women.
• This approach is also known as the
Biographical approach.
• The historical approach sees a literary
work mainly as a reflection of its
author’s life and times or the life and
Historical times of the characters in the work.
• It is best understood when a reader is
familiar with the author’s life and the
historical and social circumstances of
his time.
• Norman Holland, the • This approach gives emphasis on
Marston-Milbauer Eminent Scholar how religious, cultural, and social
in English values affect readings.
• He has over a long career, • This focuses that reader’s reaction to
explored how the human mind a literary text is important in interpreting
relates to literature. the
Reader-response context and gist of a writing.
• The role of the reader is important in
order to get the meaning of a text and
they
could bring the text to life.
• This approach aims to defend,
examine and explain the reader’s
personal reaction to a text.
• There should be a great connection
between the reader and the text in
order to fully understand a writing.

Approaches Critical Questions Examples:

• To what extent does the • Title of the text: Summer Solstice
representation of women (and • Author: Nick Joaquin
men) in the work reflect the place • Theme of the story:
and time in which the WOMAN EMPOWERMENT
work was written? • Character and Symbolism: Doña
• How are the relationships Lupeng is the main character in the
 Feminist between men and women or those story.
between members of the She symbolizes the voice of women to
same sex presented in the work? empower the society. She symbolizes
•What roles do men and women have also have equal rights
women assume and perform with men. Doña Lupeng’s character
and with what consequences? wants to
•Does the author present the work tell the readers that women were not
from within a predominantly male or born to be submissive and that women
female have the
sensibility? power to lead in everything.
•How do the facts of the author’s life
relate to the presentation of men
and women in the work?
• When was the work written? • Title of the text: The Adventures of
• When was it published? Huckleberry Finn
• How was it received by the • Author: Mark Twain
critics and public and why? • Theme of the story: Racism
• What does the work’s and Slavery
reception reveal about the • Character and Symbolism:
standards of taste and value Huckleberry “Huck” Finn symbolizes a
during the time it was boy who comes
published and reviewed? from the lowest levels of the white
• What social attitudes and society. Huck represents what anyone
cultural practices related to the is capable of becoming: a thinking,
action of the word were feeling human being rather than a mere
prevalent during the time the cog in the machine of society.
Historical work was written and published?
• What kinds of power
relationships does the word
describe, reflect, or embody?
• How do the power
relationships reflected in the
literary work manifest themselves in
the cultural
practices and social institutions
prevalent during the time the work
was written and published?
• To what extent can we
understand the past as it is
reflected in the literary work?
• To what extent does the work
reflect differences from the
ideas and values of its time?
• How does the interaction of text and reader • (Title of the text: Adam and Eve)
create meaning?
• What does a phrase-byphrase analysis of a
• Story from the Bible
short literary text, or a key portion of a longer • Theme: Following
text, tell us about the reading experience God’s commandments
restructured by (built into) that
text?
• Character and Symbolism:
• Do the sounds/shapes of the words as they ► Adam and Eve symbolize the very
Reader-response
appear on the page or how they are spoken by first human beings who have ever
the reader enhance or change the meaning of
the word/work?
existed. They are also the very first
• How might we interpret a literary text to show ones who commit sin against God’s
that the reader's response is, or is analogous to, commandments
the topic of the story?
• What does the body of criticism published
about a literary text suggest about the critics
who interpreted that text and/or about reading
experience produced by that
text?