Historicism and Cultural Studies/Post Colonial Theory

9-19-2013

Goals• Content Goal: Students will gain a better

understanding of historical and post colonial criticism and theory through discussion and various activities.

• Language Goal: Students will learn what each school of theory is, as well as become acquainted with the terms that apply to them.

• Social Goal: Students will begin to make personal connections to the theory and see how they can use it in their everyday lives, while completing each part of the lesson and participating throughout.

Free Write•How may the time period in which a story is

written influence the content, themes, symbols, etc. of that said story?

•Should the time period influence our reading of the story? Why or why not?

•How does the culture represented in the story (or the culture of the author) change the way that we read a story?

•Should the culture represented in the story influence our reading of the story? Why or why not?

Historicism and Cultural Studies

•reconnects a work with the time period in which it was produced

•identifies the work with the cultural and political movements of the time

•New historicists do not believe that we can look at history objectively, but rather that we interpret events as products of our time and culture (our reading of history depends more on perspective, rather than merely the facts)

Free Write, Pt. 2•How might the power structures of colonialism

and imperialism impact the way that we read a story?

•How are authors and the characters that they create influenced by Western culture? Are there conflicts that arise between assimilating and staying true to their own culture?

•What is problematic about a literary canon that is predominately Western influenced (American/European)? (think back to the danger of having the single story)

Post Colonial• concerned with literature produced by colonial

powers and works produced by those who were/are colonized

• looks at issues of power, economics, politics, religion, and culture and how these elements work in relation to colonial hegemony (western colonizers controlling the colonized).

• questions the role of the western literary canon and western history as dominant forms of knowledge making. The terms "first-world," "second world," "third world" and "fourth world" nations are critiqued by post-colonial critics because they reinforce the dominant positions of western cultures

Post Colonial Theory Via The Lion King

•Complete a post colonial reading/watching/analysis of The Lion King.

•What are possible examples of colonial oppression?

•Are their certain species in power over others?

•Add your brief analysis to the free write that you completed earlier.

9/11 Perspectives•Remember that part of historicism deals with the

idea that our understanding of history depends more on perspective, rather than merely the facts.

•As you listen to the various accounts of what happened to individuals on 9/11, add to your free write how history has been remembered or recorded differently (basically, if we only had this persons account of what happened on this day, what would this history books say? And why is it important to think of perspective because of this?)

Historicism and Cultural Studies Via “I, Too, Sing

America”I, Too, Sing America.

I am the darker brother.They send me to eat in the kitchenWhen company comes,But I laugh,And eat well,And grow strong.

Tomorrow,I'll be at the tableWhen company comes.Nobody'll dareSay to me,"Eat in the kitchen,"Then.

Besides, They'll see how beautiful I amAnd be ashamed--I, too, am America.

Langston Hughes 1945

• Complete a historical/cultural reading of Hughes’ poem

• How does the text connect to the time period in which it was written?

• What political/social movements might we connect to the text?

• If this story was written in modern day, how might we still connect it to the time period in which it was produced?

• Add your brief analysis to your free write

Homework

•Review the theory handout for tomorrow•Reread “Minutes of Glory” and “The

Mutants” for tomorrow with these theories in mind

•Come up with a discussion question (much like the ones that I have you today) that relates to the theory in each▫Need to have a question for each short

story