“Show Me the Money!”
I love Marxist critical theory. There, I said it. I love it. I love the way Marxist theory allows me to review the text in the context of class and status. I love being able to look at texts from a position that questions the intentions of the author, attempts to recognize the influences of society, and embraces the social constructions inherent in our understanding of text. Appleman points out how Marxist critical theory allows the teacher to widen the viewpoint of the student. In discussing a typical crowd of AP English students, she says “They’re basically good people, motivated learners, and engaged students, but they hardly ever think beyond the boundaries of their own comfortable world” (Appleman, 2000, p. 63). I am especially fond of the way Marxist critical theory tracks back to the idea of “who benefits?” when analyzing texts. This sort of critical thinking is useful for teaching students to be critical about information they are presented; Marxist literary theory can be used to recognize the embedded power, class, ideology, and resistance messages present in classroom texts (Appleman, 2000, p. 62). No matter what we read, it has been touched in some way by these issues. Writers do not exist in a vacuum; they assimilate information and it comes out in what they write. Sometimes it is overt, such as Sinclair’s socialist message in The Jungle, but frequently the influences on a writer are quite subtle and require careful reading to parse out hidden meanings…
I am pleased with my Marxist lens. It allows me to analyze the class issues that are so prevalent in our literary canon. How can we look at books like The Grapes of Wrath or The Great Gatsby without considering class and social status? I use Marxist critical theory in my class, if for no other reason than to provide a solid jumping off point for discussion. The students don’t have to agree with my interpretations; often they don’t even get to hear them. The questions prompt discussion, which prompt more questions, in an ever-deepening spiral into the meaning of the text. Which is, truly, a good thing. So I say “Yay, Marxist critical theory!”
—Ludlow
March 23rd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I love that you love Marxist literary theory. After reading Appleman’s chapter, I may become a lover of Marxist literary theory myself. The critical lens that accompanies this theory really does offer a lot to the reader and his or her understanding of society and social classes. I think that this understanding is very important. How can readers avoid evaluating and considering class and social status when reading certain texts?
Furthermore, I have no doubt that considering class and social status will prompt excellent discussions. High school students are old enough to form opinion and, thus, should have a lot to offer when it comes to discussions based on Marxist literary theory.