Carefully review the information in Module 3 about the four critical theories and choose the theory, or lens, that best “fits” your chosen text. Consider how the literary devices or themes in your text are best interpreted when viewed through this critical lens. It is important to select a lens and theme that align with supporting elements and devices you find in the text. This alignment will assist in the creation of an effective thesis.
Critical Theories
Reader-Response Theory
Formalism/New Criticism
Ethnic and Cultural Studies
Feminist Criticism and Gender/Sexuality Studies
Use the following list of questions to help you to think critically about the relationship between the critical theory, theme, and devices and compose your response:
Describe how you “see” the lens in the text. (What specific aspects of the theory are evident in your close reading of the text?)
How is the lens conveyed in the text? (What devices are at work to “show” this lens to the audience?
Why is this specific lens important to the text as a whole? (What seems to be the intent of the author/director in promoting this particular view?)
Be sure to provide evidence (passages from the play, script, or film) to support your answers. Not including textual evidence, your response should be at least 100 words (10-11 sentences).
Part 2
Using the discussion from above, compose a working thesis statement for the Unit 4 Essay. The thesis should identify a critical theory that can be used to discuss the text. For example, Using a Feminist lens, Juliet’s monologues in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet illustrate the desire to have autonomy and individual identity separate from social dictates, specifically through Juliet’s diction and body language. Please format your working thesis statement in BOLD.
Part 3
With your working thesis from Part 2 in mind, conduct a search for a scholarly source that supports your reading of the text. Be sure the source you select meets the requirements of an academic/scholarly source, as discussed in Unit 3, and supports your thesis statement. Provide the MLA citation for the source and a brief summary of the source (three to four sentences) and discuss how the source might be useful to your composition in at least 50 words (five to six sentences).
Part 4
Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts. For your responses, offer constructive feedback, specifically pertaining to the working thesis. Consider yourself the reader of the essay: Is the argument clear? Are the essential elements (theme, theory, devices, etc.) present? Are you, as a reader, clear on what to expect from the paper? Your responses should be considerate and constructive in nature, in lengths of no fewer than 40 words (approximately four to five sentences) per reply.
