Agenda:

 Mini-Lesson: Literary Criticism

Learning Targets:

 Today you will understand 4 theories

of literary criticism, in order to write
a literary analysis essay that focuses
on one of the lenses.

4 Theories: New Criticism, New

Historicism, Post-colonial and Gender
Criticism
LITERARY CRITICISM:
How to Read Literature Like a Professor
What happens when you put on a pair of
sunglasses?
 Literary Criticism (Lit Crit) Defined

A well-developed
and informed
evaluation and/or
analysis of a work
of literature based
on literary theory.
 Literary Criticism & Sunglasses??
 Numerous ways to look
at the SAME text
 Different color glasses=
Different literary lenses
 Four types of Lit

Criticism…. apply to
your Novel
 New Criticism
 Literary criticism most
often used in schools.
 Examine text & focus on
words, symbols, and
literary devices.
 EQ: What is the theme of
the novel? How do the
literary devices used help
support/enhance that
theme?
 Postcolonial
 disrupt and challenge unbalanced power
structures that position whites/ Western
peoples as being…
- civilized
- more “advanced” than the “Others”
(a.k.a. non-white, colonized peoples).
EQ: How does the novel challenge
stereotypes of “the other”? What is
revealed about the loss of personal and
cultural identity?
 New Historicism/Cultural Studies
Focus on historical background
of novel
- Examines book’s politics,
societal issues in relation to
characters’actions & themes
EQ: What does the novel
reveal about the author and
his/her world? In what historical
context did the author write the
book?
 Gender Criticism
 Portrayal of women and
men in literature: roles,
expectations, relationships
 Societal views: women’s
roles vs. men’s roles
 EQ: What does this novel
convey about gender
roles & expectations?
What do these portrayals
reveal about gendered
power structures?
 Review of Literary Criticism
Theories/Lenses
 1. After reviewing the following literary lenses:
New Criticism, New Historicism, Post-colonial and
Gender Criticism, write two characteristic traits
found within each lens.
 2. Explain which lens you will focus in on for
your literary analysis essay. (3-5 sentences)