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Gisela Ortiz

Carson McCullers: Marxism - 0 views

www.woonsockethigh.org/faculty/rnordin/themember/Literary Criticism.htm

Marxism Racism Critique Carson McCullers

shared by Gisela Ortiz on 25 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • Hunter portrays oppressed classes of the South, such as blacks and women, describes the "fascist" ideology in which they live, and uses Marxist ideas about religion as a central theme.
    • Gisela Ortiz
      Gisela Ortiz on 25 Jan 11
       
      Carson McCullers uses the same theme in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter as in The Member of the Weddding; oppression in the South, racism, etc.
  • For Karl Marx, literature and art are products of an artist's labor that show oppressed people a picture of where they stand in their society. A work should "describe the real mutual relations, break down conventional illusions about them . . . but not offer any definite solution . . ." (Eagleton 46) . McCullers' novel exposes the ideology of the South in the 1930s as one in which blacks, textile workers, and women are oppressed. It portrays their individual struggles without offering a solution to them.
    • Gisela Ortiz
      Gisela Ortiz on 25 Jan 11
       
      Like in The Member of the Wedding, McCullers mixes in a variety of racist ideas and the belief of "equality" and uses irony to contradict these themes. She shows how oppressed the blacks are, but she keeps them in the struggle and she shows their hardships throughout her novels.
  • He mentions Jesus as an important historical figure, but then devotes the rest of his time to speaking of Karl Marx, whom he describes in religious terms.
    • Gisela Ortiz
      Gisela Ortiz on 25 Jan 11
       
      In The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Singer is represented as a Jesus-figure. This is so, because the deaf-mute man is always there to "listen" to everybody's stories, hardships, etc.
  • ...4 more annotations...
  • Jake calls it "The strangled South. The wasted South. The slavish south" ( Hunter 254).
  • She argues that the book includes social and religious issues together because McCullers offers both white and black Christ figures. Champion writes that the black Christ is persecuted more severely than the white Christ, but the significant point is that they are both crucified: "Spirituality, loneliness and human isolation "crucify" all members of society" (Champion 52).
    • Gisela Ortiz
      Gisela Ortiz on 25 Jan 11
       
      Christ figures:black and white. States that even though these two "Christ's" are of different racial entities, they are both judged the same in the ending, "crucifixion" (being alone in life, isolation, etc). Not real death, but both live miserable lives.
  • McCullers states that the main theme of the book is "man's revolt against his own inner isolation and his urge to express himself as fully as is possible" (Smith 124).
  • Marxism in Carson McCullers' "Strangled South"
    • Gisela Ortiz
      Gisela Ortiz on 25 Jan 11
       
      Argument: Call states that in McCullers novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, use Marxist ideas and the theme of racial equality. Not only does she state that Carson uses oppression in blacks, but she never gives them an opportunity to end their struggle. She writes about it. Call also argues that she saw Singer as a Christ figure "with a different context" as in there was a black and a white "Christ". Of course, the black one is prosecuted more than the white one is, but they both live miserable and lonely lives.Evidence: "Hunter portrays oppressed classes of the South, such as blacks and women, describes the "fascist" ideology in which they live, and uses Marxist ideas about religion as a central theme.""...the black Christ is persecuted more severely than the white Christ, but the significant point is that they are both crucified: "Spirituality, loneliness and human isolation "crucify" all members of society."Thoughts: "For Karl Marx, literature and art are products of an artist's labor that show oppressed people a picture of where they stand in their society. A work should "describe the real mutual relations, break down conventional illusions about them . . . but not offer any definite solution . . ." (Eagleton 46) . McCullers' novel exposes the ideology of the South in the 1930s as one in which blacks, textile workers, and women are oppressed. It portrays their individual struggles without offering a solution to them."Call shows many viewpoints that showcase her argument that McCullers uses marxism in her novels. Even though Call uses many examples in portraying her argument, she uses mostly what other critics have said about this book and not much of her own voice. This feels as if it's more of an accumulation of many critiques put into one. Now that I have read this critique, however, I can see the different uses of Marxism in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.
Shelli Smoll

Literary Analysis #3 Tortilla Flat - 0 views

www.suite101.com/...flat-by-john-steinbeck-a326164

shared by Shelli Smoll on 24 Jan 11 - No Cached
  • Shelli Smoll on 24 Jan 11
     
    Argument: Though John Steinbeck claimed to have written his book with sympathy toward the paisanos he had known and lived with his portrayal of the Spaniard characters in the novel "Tortilla Flat" unintentional came off as racist. Evidence: "They hold no jobs, drink wine excessively, and live in houses that were gifted in a will." "Upon publication of the novel, he was surprised to find out that many people thought his characters were bums - lovable and eccentric, but bums nonetheless." "Life at the two houses basically revolves around procuring free wine, and trying to get money without working." "Reading the novel today, it's hard not to draw the same conclusion, that the paisanos of Steinbeck's novel are down-and-outs, living in a capitalist society but yet powerless to create a better future for themselves." Reflection: The author, Chris Saliba, made an effective argument on the racial stereotypes presented in Steinbeck's novel. He organizes his ideas in a reader friendly layout making his analysis simple to follow. He could improve the critique by including quotes from the book to support the racism claim of the novel. Overall, Saliba created a worthy argument however could have gone more in depth with his proposal instead of going with the bare minimum and skimming the surface.
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