blog 9

Marx

Engels

For the Graveyard Book we see instances where there are multiple theoretical approaches used. One approach that I identified was the Marxian Literary Theory, two major players in this theory are Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. In this Marxist theory Karl Marx talks about inequality in the classes (bourgeoisie and proletarian). In the Journal of Aesthetic Education Vol. 22. No. 2, Published by the University of Illinois Press, by C. David Lisman, he stated that Karl Marx argued that "circumstances make men just as men make circumstances" and that Georg Lukcas in his book Realism in our Times, and who is a Marxist Literary theorists "theorizes that the Western modern literary tradition itself can be seen as mediated by capitalism. He maintains that the modernist tradition has adopted the view that humans are essentially solitary. Modernist characters are a historical beings confined within the limits of their own experience and thrown into the world without any sense of personal history". The statement means that because of the way a person grows up they maybe consider somebody as being in the upper or lower class.

In the Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman we see different classes; an example is the Ghouls and the Ghosts or the people in the graveyard. When Gaiman refers to the Ghouls in the book he refers to them in a degrading and disgusting manner (rats the size of children pg.75). Marxism is also identified where we see that the Man Jack works for persons in high power as they met in an expensive room (Washington Room pg.166) at a hotel and was stating the what good deed they had done for the poor or less fortunate.

Also in Marx Literary Criticism as stated by Terry Eagleton focuses on not only class or sociology but it also aims to explain the form, style and meanings of a literary piece.

some questions are:

1. What differences can i identify between the different classes in the book?

2.How is Marxism formed in the book and how does it affects the characters?

3.How is social class viewed in the different chapters?

4. what class conflict do u see between the Ghouls and the Gosts?

5. How are the "Jacks of All Trades" potrayed as opposed to others?

Blog 8

For the next research paper are suppose to analyze Th Graveyard Book using a literary theory. The three critical approached that i found interesting and that applied to the book are Marxism, Adolesence psychology and Structuralism. i am intrested in there three approaches because they apply grealt to the assignment.

The major players for Marxism are Karl Marx and Fredrick Engles. In this theory the founder Karl Marx saw conflict in the society as well as between countries where the was inequalitly between the classes (upper and lower class). the upper class was said to use their wealth and power to exploit the poorer or lower class. we see where this relate to the book as the bad persons were the ones who were wealthy.

The major players in Structuralism are Ferdinand de Saussure, Michel Foucault adn Jacques Lacan. They believed that society has interrelated parts that work together so that there can be stability in a society, in this case in the book we see the good and the bad.

Another criticism is Adolescense psychology which is apart of psychoanalysis theory which is developed by Sigmund Freud. this applies to the book as we see the transition of Nobady Owens out of chidlhood into adolesence.

blog 7

Everywhere in the world you go at one point men were seen as the strong breadwinner of the family who pursued the woman he wanted, on the other hand the women are seen as the ones who take care of the family does the cleaning and make sure her husband is happy. However over the years that has changed and women are now "stepping up to the plat" and are moving away from that stereotpye.

The book Midsummer Night's Dream is mainly about the relationships between men and women as it can be seen through the couples "Theseus and Hippolyta, Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena, and Oberon and Titania" There was also a relationship between Bottom and Titania. Shakespeare grew up in the Victorian period and was influenced by it as during that time men were considered to be superior to women and were given more oppertunities just as in Midsummer Night's Dream.

It is seen as stereotypical where the male characters are portrayed as superior or put in superior positions such as ,Oberon who is king of the fairies and the woods, Theseus Duke of Athens, Lysander and Demetrius who are both wealthy and Egeus who is Hermia's father who thinks he own Hermia as he states that "as she is mine, I may dispose of her". Majority of the actors are also males. We also see some characters go against the so called restrictions of there sex, one such character is Helena where she is the one pursuing Demetrius which is not something women normally do as they are the one's that are pursued.An example is both Hermia and Hippolyta as Hermia is being pursued by both Lysander and Demetrus an Hypolyta was pursued by Theseus.

Also we see where Helena has had sex with Demetrius even though they are not married as opposed to Hermia who waiting on getting married before she has sex. Hermia is following the stereotype of marriage before sex while Helena is moving away from that stereotypical view.