Literary Criticism Day 8 (Full Honors) - Art for Politic's Sake - Marxist Theory
"Art is always and everywhere the secret confession, and at the same time the immortal movement of its time. " Karl Marx
In this pentultimate lesson for our Literary Criticism Unit we take a look at Marxist Literary Theory. By now it should be obvious that in the brief time, and with the background that the students have - the best we can do is a quick survey, often an over-simplification of very complex ideas. At the same time, it gives students a different perspective and allows them to flex their intellectual literary muscles in ways they may not have a chance to up to this point. Today's Literary School is Marxism - the reading were small (a page of theory summary, a page of an abridged article on a Marxist Interpretation of Twelfth Night. After having been told there is no such thing as intention (Author Intentionality) and if there was - any meaning would "fall apart" (Deconstruction), today's theory says that there most certainly is - or at least should be - an intent. And that intent should be toward advancing a proletariat state. In other words - there should be no art "for art's sake". Instead, its purpose should be the betterment of mankind.
Lesson Overview - Literary Criticism Day 8 - Art for Art's Sake - Marxist Literary Criticism
The Readings for today (students have read these FOR today on their own time)
As I mentioned in the introduction - the readings for today are short - a page of summary of what Marxism is, and more specifically what is in relation to Art. There is also a one page abridgement of an article by Aleksandr Smirnov: "A Marxist Interpretation of Twelfth Night".
What's Done in Class
The Quiz
As soon as the students arrive I hand them a quiz so that they can get started on it right away - and then get into their groups. After the first day students start arriving very early to get the quiz done - to maximize the time they have in class to work on the lesson. These quizzes are particularly hard to write (especially this one). See my page on quizzes. Because I don't want to ask "understanding" questions - and because Literary Criticism is so intellectually challenging - it presents a special difficulty in asking questions that thread the needle between having done the reading - and understanding what it means. As soon as students turn in the quiz - you'll want to start grading.
Grade or skim the quizzes as soon as you can (it helps that students will turn them in as they get them done). No student should join a group who hasn't done the reading. Not as punishment - but to try and attempt this work without the reading done is counterproductive. You will also check that the students are up-to-date in their journals as well.
Group Work (see the actual Group Work for those questions)
Students who have done the reading (and they should know who they are - by this time of year it is rare to have to pull a student out of the group after seeing a failing quiz) are then allowed to get into a group. Because this unit is so intense - I have seen students change out of their normal group and find one (especially after the first few days) that is intense and focused. While the students get started, you should quickly go from group to group to make sure that each student is up to date - if they're not they should be taken out of the group and allowed to get caught up on their own. They want to get the Group Work done - done well - and have time to start on their Solo Work. Unlike my usual Group Work - this time everyone writes. They will be putting all of this in a binder which the teacher will check and give a grade to (with Group Work being one part of that grade). The silver-lining in this is that for once (Group Work wise) the students do not have to agree to their answers for the Group Work - they can discuss the question then put down whatever they believe to correct - and completely in their own words.
What's Done at Home
If they have any time left after the Group Work, they may get started on the homework segment of this lesson (beginning with the Solo Work).
Solo Work (see the actual Solo Work for those questions)
After finishing the Group Work - or at home, they need to do the Solo Work. Far fewer questions (and less in depth) - these questions are designed to build upon what they did as a group - only by themselves - giving the students confidence and a deeper (and different understanding) of this school of Literary Criticism.
Questions for Today
(labelled as Questions for Tomorrow in their binders as it is the very first entry in the next day's Literary Criticism Entry). See the actual Questions for Today for that content.
Two or three very short questions, that should be done BEFORE the next day's reading - to give them some ideas to be percolating in their brain - based on what we've already done in class this year - that will pertain to their reading for the next day.
The Next Day's Reading
Their final homework is to do the reading for the next day. By now (this time in the school year) they should be proficient note-takers. This is especially important with something as challenging as Literary Criticism where note taking is, for most students (and myself for that matter) the only possible path to having understanding of the reading. Their grade for their journals will include a component based on the notes that they take.
Reading for Day 8: Literary Criticism Day 9 - For their final day (excluding the movie) of Literary Criticism - there is no reading homework. However, in order to prepare for Day 9 on the Theories of Stephen Booth they are asked to do the following: Find your favorite passage from Macbeth or Twelfth Night (10 lines or more). Paraphrase (don’t simply reword) each line – write your paraphrase next to the original (use 2 columns).After you are done, closely examine each line and note as many changes as you can between the original and the paraphrased lines. Also look for connections between words and lines in the original and the paraphrased (be thorough). Put this as your Day 7 Questions for Today.
Note - the Day numbers may be a little off what we are using on this site as "Shooting an Elephant" and watching the film didn't count as days when I taught this in the classroom.
Today's Reading - Literary Criticism Day 8 - Marxist Literary Theory
REMEMBER - THE ORDER THAT THESE READINGS ARE DONE IN - IS VERY IMPORTANT. It's important to read about the theory before reading the article.
Literary Criticism Day 8 Handouts: Deconstructionist Literary Criticism
See the description above - this is a two-sided handout with the Group Work, Solo Work, and that are related to today's school of Literary Criticism and the Questions for Today that are related to the next day's school of Literary Criticism.
The Most Recent Quiz
See above for more on the how and why (and difficulty of writing quizzes related to Literary Criticism). IMPORTANT: For today only - given the importance of them all finding about Asa Carter together - and wanting them to hear each other's opinions, I allow students who didn't read or finish their journal entries to stay in a group. Today only. This quiz is also very short - two questions and an Extra Credit so they can get right to work.
Though the readings are long - the quizzes only count for 100 points - for two reasons. One - if they don't pass the quiz they usually aren't allowed to get into a group - that is incentive enough to read. More points is given to their notes on the reading and all the writing that they are doing about what they've read than the quizzes - and I continually stress to the students that getting a bad quiz grade will not sink their Literary Criticism grade.
Remote Teaching
I did not do Literary Criticism the year we were remote - but really there is no reason not to - with the greatest challenge is having students work in online groups - but by this time of year, they should be accustomed to it.
Students are instructed to put this rubric on the first page of their Literary Criticism Binders. There are two check-ins - two grades for this unit - both of them unannounced - so students should be up to date at all times. In addition to being a rubric - it breaks down in great detail - exactly what is expected of them - including how many questions (or readings) there are for each part of each day's entries: Readings for that Day (notes are graded), Questions for Today, Group Work Questions, and Solo Work.
Because you don't want to deprive students of their Journals during this unit - I usually do the first check-in (Grading) while they are watching the first part of Exit Through the Gift Shop - I will only collect as many as I can get graded during that time - and will grade the rest the next day - during the class period - asking them to take out the work and readings that they need for that class. The second check-in is not so rushed and I usually collect the binders after the Final Exam to grade them.
NOTE: I always gave students a chance to revise their binders (journals) if they did it BEFORE the final. I told them that I would change the grade they got for Check-In #1 (the only checkin that I offered this) to an average of their original grade with what they would have gotten with the revised journal. In other words, if they got a 50 on the first check-in - and then they revised it, gave it to me (before the final on Literary Criticism) - and the new assessment of their Journal lands them what would have been a 90 - I will change the recorded grade for that check-in to a 70.
Intellectually, this lesson is the most important that we will do all year. There may be classes that grab more students in deeply and affecting ways - but without a doubt, the ideas of Stephen Booth will ask students to think deeply and to reject so much of what they've been taught in the English Classroom - from kindergarten onward. I like to think that all of my unit on Literary Criticism leads up this moment. All of my class up to this point in the school year (as well as what is to follow) is predicated on the words of Professor Booth. Put in its most simple terms - it is the words that make Great Literature, great. Not the stories, not the themes, not its "message". It is the words - the words that are chosen and how those words are arranged. Of course - we need that gripping story too - we need tales that address the lives of our students. The lesson is done as close to a lecture as I ever do in this class - complete with a very interactive Power Point, a short video, and sound effects.
WHAT CAME BEFORE:
Day 7 - Literary Criticism - Deconstructionism - It all Falls Apart
Thoughts on the Lesson
When I had to cut down the number of days of this Unit - it was this Lesson that got jettisoned. And that's a shame. In today's world of artist being evaluated for their lives and hidden meanings that may be present in their work - I think it's important to consider that idea taken to its extreme. Should any art exist that doesn't progress a given political movement or can art be allowed to just be "art" for its own sake.