Unit 1 - Literary Criticism (Marxism) Flashcards
What is the concept of dialectical materialism
- Means of production control society’s intuition and beliefs
- People who control the means of production, control society
Marxism is not designed as a method of literary analysis, rather……..
……an application to literature that reflects ideologies at it’s time period
What is Reflectionism
Idea that text in any given time period will reflect the society it was written in (However sometimes the opposite occurs and art influences society)
What are the proletariat
The working class, the poor, work in order to make the bourgeoisie more wealthy
What are the bourgeoisie
The owners, the rich, own property and control the means of production
What is interpellation
The idea that the proletariat are manipulated to accept the ideology of the bourgeoisie
Marxist theory sates that…..
……Society is dictated by its economic state and “forces of production
What are material circumstances
Economic conditions that control society
What is a historical situation
The atmosphere created by material circumstances
What is capitalism
The base (means of production) are owned by individuals or private corporations to produce goods and services to the public
What is the superstructure
The idea that everyone is divided into proletariat and bourgeoisie
Marx argued that people maintain their control by……
……Manipulating politics, education, media, arts, and entertainment
Marx hoped that……..
……The proletariat would eventually realize the unbalanced role of the bourgeoisie and start a rebelion
What is commodification
Valuing material items for their ability to impress others (sign value), not for their utility
Conspicuous consumption
Extreme focus on acquiring material things
