Psychological Criticism

AGENDA:

1. Introduction to Psychological Criticism. We are going to go through this briefly (about 10 minutes), but please, please, please look it over on your own and ask questions if you there is something you need clarified.

http://prezi.com/q5rdbne7engf/psychological-criticism/



HOMEWORK:

Read and annotate "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gillman. Look for the psychological elements we talked about today in the story. We will begin discussion of the story Wednesday and carry it into Thursday, if necessary.

Essential Question:  
WHAT ARE THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL LITERARY CRITICISM AND HOW CAN IT BE APPLIED TO LITERARY TEXTS? 

Mini-Lesson: Prezi presentation about Psychological Criticism (25 minutes):

Freud, Jung and Kohlberg (Moral) (25 minutes)

See previous post of Prezi

1. Discuss the following basic questions to use with Psychological Criticism.

Freudian Criticism (Psychoanalytic):

What can we learn about the psychology, the workings of the mind and behavior from the literary text?  What is its psychological appeal to readers?  What psychological issues does it explore? What might the text reveal about the psychology of the author, or the author’s society, or our society today?  What models of human mind or psychology might help us understand the text better?

Jungian Criticism (Archetypes):

What mythic elements of archetypal patterns—themes, characters,settings, symbols imagery, plots, genres, or versions of the hero’s quest—are employed in this literary work?  What do they contribute to the work as a whole? Does knowledge of these elements add anything to an understanding of the work?  Does the workaddd anything to an understanding of archetypes?  Does the work subvert or deconstruct any archetypes

Kohlberg (Moral):

What appears to be the theme or main moral issue being explored in this literary work?  Has the author offered moral dilemmas in their full complexity?  Does the work demand empathy and the enlargement of readers’ moral imaginations?  Are characters complicated, multidimensional and unstereotyped? Does the text help us understand others more deeply, particularly those with perspectives and backgrounds different than our own?

2. Introduction to the activities for Day 2. Work in their literary groups to apply  the critical lenses/approaches of psychological criticism to their specific novel as they work on their group presentations. (15-20 minutes)

Essential Question:  
WHAT ARE THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL LITERARY CRITICISM AND HOW CAN IT BE APPLIED TO LITERARY TEXTS? 

Guiding Question: How can psychological criticism work as a "lens" or approach to understanding the text your Literary Circle group is presenting next week to the class? What insights can this approach provide in understanding the psychology or motivations of the central character?
Herland, The Awakening, Their Eyes Were Watching God

REVIEW:  Review the Prezi and activities from the previous day (2 minutes)

ACTIVITIES (Interdisciplinary:)  15 minutes preparation, 12 minutes presentation:

Freudian Group:  Create a skit or situation that involves a conflict among the id, ego and super ego.  How does the situation play out?  Which aspect of the personality wins?

Jungian (archetypes) Group: Choose either Harry Potter, Star Wars, or The Hunger Games (or another popular text or movie).. Map out the character archetypes.  Which character represents each archetype (Wise Old Man, Hero/Heroine, Sidekick,  Maiden, Eternal Child, Villain, Great Mother, Shapeshifter, Trickster, etc.)?  Why is that character that archetype?
Examples Hint (use only after discussing with your group):  
http://www.chartgeek.com/jungian-archetypes-2/

Kohlberg (Moral Development) group: Create a moral/ethical dilemma (e.g. Stealing food to feed a starving family; cheating on a test; writing a letter to turn in a runaway slave like Huck Finn, etc.).  Create or imagine a character going through that dilemma.  What would your character do in that dilemma at each stage of moral development?  Why would they react that way in each particular stage?

PRESENTATIONS

CLOSURE (as time permits): Brief discussion of how each group can apply psychological critical approaches to their novel presentation next week.

Literature Circles

AGENDA:

Work in your Literature Circles.Begin discussing your presentation to the class.

Turn in a report about your discussion today.  Report sheets are on my desk in 238.

Feminist Criticism

AGENDA:

We will be beginning our discussion of feminist criticism. While we are going through the basics of feminist criticism, please be taking notes so that you have them for when you write your essay for the Women Writers unit!
          http://prezi.com/lxdkcbmu2rwh/feminist-literary-criticism/


. You will each be given a copy of "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin. Read it silently to yourself and annotate the story. Focus your annotations on:

• Which aspects of feminist criticism you can see in the story. If you were writing a feminist critique of Chopin's story, which approach would you take and what evidence from the text supports your analysis.
• Pay close attention to the end of the story. What do you believe happens at the end of the story? What is your interpretation? What evidence from the text supports your interpretation?

4. After you read the story and annotate it, turn to the person next to you and take 5 minutes to discuss your final interpretations of the story.

5. After 5 minutes, we will pull together for a class discussion about how you were able to view Chopin' story through a feminist lens.

Homework: Make sure you are reading your novel and have your Literature Circle begin to prepare for your presentation to the class.

HOW TO WRITE FEMINIST CRITICISM: CHEAT SHEET

AP Test Prep and Review

http://www.shmoop.com/ap-english-language/topics.html

Day 2 Literarature Circles

AGENDA:

Continue to work in your Literature Circles.  DAY 2.

Go over answers to 19th century packets and tests

Literature Circles--Women Writers

AGENDA:

For Monday and Tuesday, April 11 and 12:

First, finish the essay portion of Huckleberry Finn quiz if you have not already (15 minutes). If you have, begin reading your novel to get a head start on tomorrow's reading assignment.

Form your literature circles.  Go over the handout and group roles.  Create a reading schedule for this week and assign roles. Everybody should try to do each role, so rotate the roles for each day.

Plan for at least 25-30 pages per day for discussion (or use chapters if that works better).

Tomorrow begin Day 1 of Literature Circles and turn in one progress report for each group on a daily basis.  At the end of this project, each of you should be able to turn in a completed packet showing that you prepared and performed the different roles.
 

Quiz on Huckleberry Finn

Quiz on Huckleberry Finn

Select one essay to write

Poet Presentations

AGENDA:

This week we have been finishing poet presentations.

ASSIGNMENTS: 19th century packet multiple choice DUE FRIDAY 4/8

Quiz on Huckleberry Finn 4/8

Study websites like Spark, Bookrags, Gradesavers, Shmoop, etc.

Literary Circles Women Writers (19th and early modern):

Choose books:  Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Their  Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, or The Awakening by Kate Chopin