Feminist Approach
- The feminist approach focuses on female
representation in literature, paying attention
to female points of view, concerns, and value.
3 Underlying Assumptions
1. Society is pervasively patriarchal, male centered
and controlled, and text organized in such a way
as to subordinate women.
2. The concept of gender is socially constructed, not
biologically determined.
3. Patriarchal ideology pervade those writings
which have been considered great works of
literature.
*Ultimately, the feminist approach looks at the
conflicts and hardships faced by women in vary
literary works through a masculine centric ideology
though it can be tied closely to socioeconomic and
racial criticisms.
The feminist approach highlights Discrimination &
Inequality faced by women in literature.
For example, when Anna & Vronsky had their affair
exposed to the public, people didn’t say much about
Vronsky, but they condemned Anna simply because
they believe that it is unbecoming of a woman to
have an affair and it’s normal for a man to have one
Writing a Feminist Critique
1. Carefully read the text
2. Formulate a general question.
3. Reread the work, take notes.
Construct a working thesis that makes a claim
about the work.
1. What does the work mean?
2. So “what” is significant about the work?
3. Why is it important for you to write about this
work? What will readers “learn” from
reading your interpretation?
Reader-response
- Suggests that the role of the reader is essential
to the meaning of a text, for only in the
reading experience does the literary work
come alive.
- The purpose of this criticism is examining,
explaining, and defending your personal
reaction to the text.
- While there is no right or wrong answer in
this criticism, it is important that you
demonstrate an understanding of the reading
and clearly explain and support your
reactions.
- You must assume that the reader is
knowledgeable on the text and must not
summarize the contents of the text in your
criticism.
Example:
I like how the author subtly presented the issue of
corruption through the dialogue between Mr. Lopez
and Mrs. Bana. It was suggestive in way that the
reader clearly understands that there are anomalies in
the way Mr. Lopez runs the district.
Guide Questions:
How does the meaning of a text change as you reread
it?
How do your values alter your perceptions of the text?
How have readers in different time periods or of
different ages interpreted the text?
Which of your personal experiences or memories is
affecting your perceptions of the story?
What was the work’s original intended audience? To
what extend are you similar or different from that
audience?
“Keep in mind that the challenge of a
reader-response criticism is to show how
you connected with the text.”