12 Questions
What does Marxism embody according to the text?
A set of social, economic, and political ideas
What is the main consequence of the division of labor according to Karl Marx?
Social inequality
What do social classes refer to?
Division of people based on wealth, power, and prestige
Which two main social classes are mentioned in the text?
Proletariat and bourgeoisie
What does the Marxist literary criticism approach focus on?
The struggle between different social classes
In applying Marxism to critique a literary work, what is the main aspect that needs to be identified?
Presence of upper class and working class
What does a moralist critic focus on when analyzing social classes in a literary work?
The actions and qualities of the social classes
In the context of Titanic, who were allowed to board the lifeboats when the ship hit the iceberg?
Only the upper-class passengers
What does highlighting conflicts between different social classes in a literary work help to emphasize?
The disparities and disagreements between social classes
According to Marxist Criticism, what is important for uncovering the author's underlying message about social inequality?
Identifying if the author agrees or disagrees with the social issue presented
What can be inferred about the author's message when a character shows disapproval of social class?
The author disapproves of social class distinctions
Why is it important for a Marxist critic to investigate the purpose of an author in writing a story?
To identify the underlying reason for writing about social issues
Study Notes
Marxist Approach to Literary Criticism
- Marxism is a cultural theory developed by Karl Marx that embodies a set of social, economic, and political ideas to interpret and change the world.
- According to Marx, social inequality is a consequence of the division of labor, leading to class society.
Social Inequality and Classes
- Social classes refer to the division of people based on wealth, power, and prestige.
- There are two main social classes: the upper class/ruling class (bourgeoisie) and the proletariat or working class.
Marxist Literary Criticism
- The Marxist approach focuses on the struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in a literary work.
- Nine important details to apply in Marxist literary criticism:
- Identify the presence of the upper class and working class in a literary work.
- Focus on the actions and qualities of the social classes.
- Examine how the author highlights social issues in the work.
- Analyze actions or dialogue that show conflict or disagreement between people from different social classes.
- Note how the literary work fixes or addresses social problems.
- Uncover the author's underlying message about social inequality.
- Search for the author's purpose in writing the story through interviews and articles.
- Study the author's background and context in writing the work.
- Consider the historical and cultural context in which the work was written.
Explore the Marxist cultural theory developed by Karl Marx, which focuses on social, economic, and political ideas to interpret and change the world. Learn about social inequality and the concepts of class society through a literary criticism lens.
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