LiteraryCriticism:QuestionsforaVarietyofApproaches

I.FormalisticApproach:Thisapproachfocusesonform.Theanalysisstressesitemslike
symbols,images,andstructureandhowonepartoftheworkrelatestoothersandtothe
whole.

A. Howistheworksstructureunified?
B. Howdovariouselementsoftheworkreinforceitsmeaning?
C. Whatrecurringpatterns(repeatedorrelatedwords,images,etc.)canyoufind?Whatis
theeffectofthesepatternsormotifs?
D. Howdoesrepetitionreinforcethetheme(s)?
E. Howdoesthewritersdictionrevealorreflecttheworksmeaning?
F. Whatistheeffectoftheplot,andwhatpartsspecificallyproducethateffect?
G. Whatfiguresofspeechareused?(metaphors,similes,etc.)
H. Notethewritersuseofparadox,irony,symbol,plot,characterization,andstyleof
narration.Whateffectsareproduced?Doanyoftheserelatetooneanotherortothe
theme?
I. Istherearelationshipbetweenthebeginningandtheendofthestory?
J. Whattoneandmoodarecreatedatvariouspartsofthework?
K. Howdoestheauthorcreatetoneandmood?Whatrelationshipistherebetweentone
andmoodandtheeffectofthestory?
L. Howdothevariouselementsinteracttocreateaunifiedwhole?

II.PhilosophicalApproach:Thisapproachfocusesonthemes,viewoftheworld,moral
statements,authorsphilosophy,etc.

A. Whatviewoflifedoesthestorypresent?Whichcharacterbestarticulatesthis
viewpoint?
B. Accordingtothisworksviewoflife,whatismankindsrelationshiptoGod?Tothe
universe?
C. Whatmoralstatement,ifany,doesthisstorymake?Isitexplicitorimplicit?
D. Whatistheauthorsattitudetowardhisworld?Towardfate?TowardGod?
E. Whatistheauthorsconceptionofgoodandevil?
F. Whatdoestheworksayaboutthenatureofgoodorevil?
G. Whatdoestheworksayabouthumannature?

III.BiographicalApproach:Focusesonconnectionofworktoauthorspersonalexperiences.

A. Whataspectsoftheauthorspersonallifearerelevanttothisstory?
B. Whichoftheauthorsstatedbeliefsarereflectedinthework?
C. Doesthewriterchallengeorsupportthevaluesofhercontemporaries?
D. Whatseemtobetheauthorsmajorconcerns?Dotheyreflectanyofthewriters
personalexperiences?
E. Doanyoftheeventsinthestorycorrespondtoeventsexperiencedbytheauthor?
F. Doanyofthecharactersinthestorycorrespondtorealpeople?


IV.HistoricalApproach:Thisapproachfocusesonconnectionofworktothehistoricalperiodin
whichitwaswritten;literaryhistoriansattempttoconnectthehistoricalbackgroundofthe
worktospecificaspectsofthework.

A. Howdoesitreflectthetimeinwhichitwaswritten?
B. Howaccuratelydoesthestorydepictthetimeinwhichitisset?
C. Whatliteraryorhistoricalinfluenceshelpedtoshapetheformandcontentofthework?
D. Howdoesthestoryreflecttheattitudesandbeliefsofthetimeinwhichitwaswritten
orset?(Considerbeliefsandattitudesrelatedtorace,religion,politics,gender,society,
philosophy,etc.)
E. Whatotherliteraryworksmayhaveinfluencedthewriter?
F. Whathistoricaleventsormovementsmighthaveinfluencedthiswriter?
G. Howwouldcharactersandeventsinthisstoryhavebeenviewedbythewriters
contemporaries?
H. Doesthestoryrevealorcontradicttheprevailingvaluesofthetimeinwhichitwas
written?Doesitprovideanopposingviewoftheperiodsprevailingvalues?
I. Howimportantisitthehistoricalcontext(theworksandthereaders)tointerpreting
thework?

V.PsychologicalApproach:Thisapproachfocusesonthepsychologyofcharacters.

A. Whatforcesaremotivatingthecharacters?
B. Whichbehaviorsofthecharactersareconsciousones?
C. Whichareunconscious?
D. Whatconsciousorunconsciousconflictsexistbetweenthecharacters?
E. Giventheirbackgrounds,howplausibleisthecharactersbehavior?
F. ArethetheoriesofFreudorotherpsychologistsapplicabletothiswork?Towhat
degree?
G. Doanyofthecharacterscorrespondtothepartsofthetripartiteself?(Id,ego,
superego)
H. Whatrolesdopsychologicaldisordersanddreamsplayinthisstory?
I. Arethecharactersrecognizablepsychologicaltypes?
J. Howmightapsychologicalapproachaccountfordifferentresponsesinfemaleandmale
readers?
K. Howdoestheworkreflectthewriterspersonalpsychology?
L. Whatdothecharactersemotionsandbehaviorsrevealabouttheirpsychological
states?
M. Howdoestheworkreflecttheunconsciousdimensionsofthewritersmind?
N. Howdoesthereadersownpsychologyaffecthisresponsetothework?

VI.SociologicalApproach:Thisapproachfocusesonmansrelationshiptoothersinsociety,
politics,religion,andbusiness.

A. Whatistherelationshipbetweenthecharactersandtheirsociety?

B. Doesthestoryaddresssocietalissues,suchasrace,gender,andclass?
C. Howdosocialforcesshapethepowerrelationshipsbetweengroupsorclassesofpeople
inthestory?Whohasthepower,andwhodoesnt?Why?
D. HowdoesthestoryreflecttheGreatAmericanDream?
E. Howdoesthestoryreflecturban,rural,orsuburbanvalues?
F. Whatdoestheworksayabouteconomicorsocialpower?Whohasitandwhodoesnt?
AnyMarxistleaningsevident?
G. Doesthestoryaddressissuesofeconomicexploitation?Whatroledoesmoneyplay?
H. Howdoeconomicconditionsdeterminethedirectionofthecharacterslives?
I. Doestheworkchallengeoraffirmthesocialorderitdepicts?
J. Cantheprotagonistsstrugglebeseenassymbolicofalargerclassstruggle?Howdoes
themicrocosm(smallworld)ofthestoryreflectthemacrocosm(largeworld)ofthe
societyinwhichitwascomposed?
K. Doanyofthecharacterscorrespondtotypesofgovernment,suchasadictatorship,
democracy,communism,socialism,fascism,etc.?Whatattitudestowardthesepolitical
structures/systemsareexpressedinthework?

VII.ArchetypalApproach:Thisapproachfocusesonconnectionstootherliterature,
mythological/biblicalallusions,archetypalimages,symbols,characters,themes.

A. Howdoesthisstoryresembleotherstoriesinplot,character,setting,orsymbolism?
B. Whatuniversalexperiencesaredepicted?
C. Arepatternssuggested?Areseasonsusedtosuggestapatternorcycle?
D. Doestheprotagonistundergoanykindoftransformation,suchasmovementfrom
innocencetoexperience,thatseemsarchetypal?
E. Arethenamessignificant?
F. IsthereaChristlikefigureinthework?
G. Doesthewriteralludetobiblicalormythologicalliterature?Forwhatpurpose?
H. Whataspectsoftheworkcreatedeepuniversalresponsestoit?
I. Howdoestheworkreflectthehopes,fears,andexpectationsofentirecultures(for
example,
A. theancientGreeks)?
J. Howdomythsattempttoexplaintheunexplainable:originofman?Purposeand
destinyof
B. humanbeings?
K. Whatcommonhumanconcernsarerevealedinthestory?
L. Howdostoriesfromoneculturecorrespondtothoseofanother?(Forexample,
creationmyths,floodmyths,etc.)
M. Howdoesthestoryreflecttheexperiencesofdeathandrebirth?
N. Whatarchetypaleventsoccurinthestory?(Quest?Initiation?Scapegoating?Descents
intotheunderworld?Ascentsintoheaven?)
O. Whatarchetypalimagesoccur?(Water,risingsun,settingsun,symboliccolors)
P. Whatarchetypalcharactersappearinthestory?(MotherEarth?FemmeFatal?Wiseold
man?
C. Wanderer?)

Q. Whatarchetypalsettingsappear?(Garden?Desert?)
R. Howandwhyarethesearchetypesembodiedinthework?

VIII.FeministCriticism:Thisapproachexaminesimagesofwomenandconceptsofthe
feminineinmythandliterature;usesthepsychological,archetypal,andsociological
approaches;oftenfocusesonfemalecharacterswhohavebeenneglectedinpreviouscriticism.
Feministcriticsattempttocorrectorsupplementwhattheyregardasapredominantlymale
dominatedcriticalperspective.

A. Howarewomenslivesportrayedinthework?
B. Istheformandcontentoftheworkinfluencedbythewritersgender?
C. Howdomaleandfemalecharactersrelatetooneanother?Aretheserelationships
sourcesofconflict?Aretheseconflictsresolved?
D. Doestheworkchallengeoraffirmtraditionalviewsofwomen?
E. Howdotheimagesofwomeninthestoryreflectpatriarchalsocialforcesthathave
impeded
A. womenseffortstoachievefullequalitywithmen?
F. Whatmaritalexpectationsareimposedonthecharacters?Whateffectdothese
expectations
B. have?
G. Whatbehavioralexpectationsareimposedonthecharacters?Whateffectdothese
expectationshave?
H. Ifafemalecharacterweremale,howwouldthestorybedifferent(andviceversa)?
I. Howdoesthemaritalstatusofacharacteraffectherdecisionsorhappiness?

From:http://dulaneyhs.bcps.org/researchguide

MontclairStateUniversity;FirstYearWritingProgram;Moss2010