How to Read with Critical Theory

The Hangout Archive
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It’s been a while, hasn’t it? It feels nice to get back to writing and chatting with y’all.

But today, I’m gonna teach you guys how to read through a critical lens. What does that mean? you say.

Reading Through a Critical Lens!

To read through a critical lens is essentially to read through a different perspective other than your own. It helps you see the world differently and literature, too. You’re analyzing the text through a whole new view, and various themes, symbols and motifs will appear throughout the text.

The different criticisms include:

  • Feminist - focuses on patriarchy and the social, economic, psychological and educational oppression of women throughout time.
  • Psychoanalytical - the method of reading through a Freudian psychological perspective. Focuses on complexity and why the character(s) act(s) the way they are. The text is also focused on the author rather than the actual characters.
  • Marxist - about social and political affairs. Marxist theory sees the author’s work as a “reflection of the times”— meaning the social hierarchy.
  • New Historicist - this expands on the history behind the text and how they’re connected.
tag(s)

@Duckling

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Interesting :eyes::sparkles: I sometimes analyze texts that way unintentionally :sweat_smile::joy::eyes:
So what’s your favourite of these? :smiley_cat::eyes::sparkles:

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I have proofread a few things recently and it’s so hard to not just get sucked into the story and be able to look out for the little mistakes :sweat_smile:

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Probably feminist theory. I genuinely enjoyed doing that one in class

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huh?

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Is proofreading the same kind of thing as reading in a different perspective?

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Not really

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You can write using critical theory too! Essays and reports, especially.

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Critical-bump.

@ShanniiWrites, what’s your opinion on this?

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Bump

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I can do this if I don’t really like the story. I can’t if I am actually intrigued by the story

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You can do it both ways!

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