Transcript Feminist Literary Criticism - Mr. Christensen's Lesson Plans

Does Hermione Granger get the credit she deserves?
Feminist Literary Criticism
Sandra Gilbert
bell hooks
This does not make one a “femiNazi.” Think of this as a lens to
look through & see better—more
deeply & analytically.
What Feminist critics do:




(1) Rethink the canon—the accepted “greats” of alltime—to include women authors, poets, directors,
actors
(2) Examine representations of women in literature and
film by male and female authors & moviemakers
(3) Challenge representations of women as “Other”, as
“lack”, as part of “nature” (whereas, men are part of
“culture” and better than “natural” or “emotional”)
(4) Raise the question of whether men and women are
“essentially” different because of biology, or are socially
constructed as different (subjugating women as “worse”
than men in the important ways)
I choose books that young men will like;
won’t the gals read anything already?


Do girls like Barbies naturally or because we
buy Barbies for them and tell them to like the
dolls?
Do boys like footballs naturally?



Are boys more competitive naturally, having been
“hard-wired” to compete for centuries—for
women, food, respect, status, rank?
24:1 ratio in Applied English 12
9:1 ratio in Saturday School; prisons?
Feminist criticism on Cuckoo’s Nest

Women in CN are either de-masculating castrators:







Nurse Ratched
Nurse Pillbow
Vera Harding
Billy’s mom
Night supervisor nurse
Chief’s mom
or pleasure-providers:

Candy & Sandy

The Japanese nurse on the
Disturbed ward is the only
redeemable woman in the
novel.
Feminist criticism on Cuckoo’s Nest
What is Kesey saying about women
through/with his women characters?
Thursday in class: scholarlynx.ning.com

Become an aware
Marxist literary critic:




How does Kesey’s social
status & lifestyle influence
his writing?
How does your social status
& lifestyle influence your
reading/interpretation?
What systems are good for
you, for the characters?
What systems are
bad/exploitive for you, for
the characters?

Become an aware
Feminist literary critic:




What are your problems
with this novel?
What female qualities are
shown as weak, bad,
pathetic, negative?
What masculine qualities
are shown as strong,
good, powerful, positive?
How does your gender
affect your
reading/interpretation?
A Feminist critic, such as myself, would analyze Juno.
These pictures depict her as: confident, powerful, equal,
firm, at peace, dauntless, self-sufficient, co-owning, secure,
judged but able to withstand, even bolder than her “man”
A Feminist critic would analyze Twilight. These pictures
depict her as: insecure, submissive, dependent, reliant,
protected, main but lesser, sustained by, accessory, strong
because of, empowered by, obedient, even slavish
What women want—







Immortality
Different/unique
Romance
Wealth
Super physical powers
Protection
Being fought over
(werewolf vs. vampire
fight over Bella)