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The Bell Jar:
by Sylvia Plath
During-reading
Strategy: Critical Lenses
The class will split into two groups who
will each choose one critical lens from a list of a few.
I will include a brief description of the theory, who
invented it if applicable, and some questions a person
might ask as they read to gain evidence for that
particular theory. Each group will then develop a
simple thesis or prediction about the text, and then
they will read their homework with that thesis and
critical lens in mind, marking important passages.
The next day the groups will get together and choose the
best passages and evidence to support their reading.
We will then run a very informal debate, and the two
sides will argue for their thesis. The purpose of
this assignment is to get them to see how one text can
be interpreted in different ways, and the same section
of the text or even the same passages might be used to
make different cases. In addition, the activity
will give them a chance to practice thesis writing,
which is a very important skill for the college-bound or
for anyone who enjoys good arguments.
Examples of a few critical lenses:
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Reader Response.
This lens is intended to get at a reader's
personal reaction to the literature. When
we read something, we are actively filtering the
information through our own experiences and
opinions, so a book would be read very
differently by a homeless person instead of a
middle class high school student. Do the
characters remind you of anyone? Does the
situation seem familiar, shocking, or
interesting? How does it make you feel?
What is the mood or tone of the story?
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Gender Theory. Reading
something through a gender lens means looking at
the portrayals of men and women in the story.
A reader often tries to determine what the
author's attitude towards men or women is.
What language does the author use to describe
men or women? Who has the power in the
story? Who acts of their own free will and
who seems to be controlled by others (even if
they seem to act on their own)? Are men
and women portrayed in a positive or negative
light? |
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Marxist Theory.
This theory grew out of early Communist
philosophy (Karl Marx is considered the father
of communism) which analyzed the power structure
of society. Reading a book through this
lens means looking at who is in control.
What is the race or class (Socio-Economic
Status) of the main characters? What
social groups are in the story, and in what
roles? What is the author's attitude of
the classes, and how do they show this without
stating it (could be language, mannerisms, etc.)
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Click the link below to see a formal
lesson plan introducing this activity. The
document is available in either Adobe Acrobat or
Microsoft Word formats.
Critical
Lenses Lesson Plan
or [MS
Word]
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Literacy
Philosophy
