Final Post

This class has taught me much about the different theories for literature and even movies. I did start out with some knowledge of a few theories from Persuasive Strategies, this class went in more depth with them.
Marxism has always been my favorite, but probably because it's been the easiest to understand, however Psychoanalytic has always been interesting with the desire factor.
The theory that surprised me most was the Feminist theory. What I had previously thought about the theory was the stereotypes. But as I learned more about the theory, I agreed with it more, and now I feel very strongly about it. I think that literature needs to be picked apart using theories to determine what's actually going on behind the words.
Also, going back to the first article we read in the class about reading deep into literature or not, the class just proved that we should and ought to because there can never be just one meaning.

Feminist Criticism on Mantissa

I will do a feminist critique on Mantissa, specifically on section two, more specifically on page 58. The woman is clearly being posed in the man’s mind as thing, just a beautiful thing to look at. The woman continues to tell the man to stop looking at her breasts, and that she “will not be turned into a brainless female body at your beck and call at every perverted whim” and “I am something real.” Not only is the woman trying to break free from the stereotypes of being an object at service for a man.

ten

I will start off by saying that I must admit, I thought of feminism to be just as Dr. Krouse described in her book and in the first paragraph. However, as a female, and an aspiring writing, and potential (probable) wife and mother, and current girlfriend, I do not want to be tied down to these ideals of a nurturing, “at-your-service”, yes woman. Granted, I still want to be beautiful, I love make up and being blond, I also want to be respected.
I also think that it is important especially as a twenty year old female to be able to say that, no, I do not like kids, that I support abortion, but I still have the ability to change these thoughts as I get older.
But as I write and learn, I think it is necessary to know where this all came from. It is important to think of theses factors when reading texts. So rather than attacking males, or the stereotypes that try to drag us down, we should embrace what it means to be female and how far we’ve really come.

nine

First off, Ashley Shelden’s explanation of Lacan was very helpful and interesting. I think Lacanian psychoanalysis says a lot about the real world in which we live as well. People all over the world are constantly seeking true meaning of life, which for thousands of years, have turned to religion for the answer.
Christianity, for example, offers Jesus Christ as the meaning behind everything from science to emotions, until it comes to sexuality. Just like in Lacan explains, sexuality becomes a void when searching to fulfill desires. The church directs its followers away from sex until “marriage” to only “procreate”.
Christianity allows its followers to identify with Jesus with the “word of the Lord” written in the Bible. Lacan says that language is synonymous with desire. People have this desire to seek meaning, hope and to ease fears, and in return they have these words that the Lord apparently once spoke.
Yet, once when human nature and sexual drives come into the question, the religion suppresses these desires in order to stay pure and innocent.
So with both Lacanian psychoanalysis and Christianity, there are still questions that go unanswered and holes that don't get filled.