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This lesson introduces the concept of literary lenses and explains how theoretical frameworks change our interpretation of a text.
Imagine looking at a single painting through night-vision goggles, then a thermal camera, and finally a microscope. The painting hasn't changed, but your understanding of its reality has. What if you could do the same with every story you read?
Most people read for plot, character, or emotional resonance—this is casual reading. However, Literary Theory is the systematic study of the nature of literature and the methods for analyzing it. Think of theory as a lens. Just as a literal lens can magnify or filter light, a literary lens allows us to focus on specific aspects of a text while ignoring others. By applying a lens, we move from asking 'What happened?' to 'How is meaning being constructed?' and 'Whose interests are being served?' This transition is essential for Grade 12 analysis, as it moves beyond the surface level to uncover the ideological underpinnings of a work.
Quick Check
What is the primary difference between casual reading and literary theory?
Answer
Casual reading focuses on plot and enjoyment, while literary theory is a systematic method used to uncover how a text constructs meaning.
No single interpretation of a text is 'complete.' A text is polysemic, meaning it has multiple layers of meaning simultaneously. For example, a Marxist lens might examine the socio-economic status of characters and the struggle for power between classes. Conversely, a Feminist lens would look at how the text reinforces or challenges patriarchal norms. By using multiple perspectives, we avoid the 'single story' trap. We recognize that meaning is not a fixed object hidden inside the book like a prize; rather, meaning is a transaction between the reader, the text, and the cultural context.
1. Marxist Lens: Focuses on Cinderella’s transition from the working class (servant) to the ruling class (royalty) and how labor is depicted. 2. Feminist Lens: Focuses on the 'damsel in distress' trope and the idea that a woman's value is tied to her domesticity and physical beauty. 3. Psychoanalytic Lens: Focuses on the 'wicked' stepmother as a projection of Cinderella's own repressed anxieties regarding her biological mother.
Quick Check
If a critic is analyzing the power dynamics between a wealthy landlord and a poor tenant in a novel, which lens are they likely using?
Answer
A Marxist lens.
1. 1900 (Biographical): 'How did Shakespeare's grief over his son Hamnet influence the writing of Hamlet?' 2. 1950 (New Criticism): 'How do the metaphors of rot and decay in the dialogue create a unified theme of corruption?' 3. 2024 (Post-Colonial): 'How does the play reflect the burgeoning British imperialism of the Elizabethan era?'
Which movement argued that a text should be treated as a 'closed system' without looking at the author's life?
If a text is described as 'polysemic,' what does that mean?
Literary theory suggests that the author's intent is the only 'correct' way to interpret a story.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to recall the three variables in the 'Meaning' equation () and explain what each stands for.
Practice Activity
Pick a recent news article and try to 'read' it through a Marxist lens (focusing on money/power) and then a Feminist lens (focusing on gender roles). Notice how your focus shifts.