Marxism and the Anthology

Lesson Objective/s• To explore the anthology’s perspective of Marxist critical thinking.

Outcomes:• To have read ‘The Politics of Class’ and discussed your views on this mode (pardon

the pun) of thinking.• To have read the general section of Marxist criticism and to discuss your views

regarding this type of criticism.• To have read the ‘What Marxist Critics Do’ section and apply the five modes to texts

you may have read.

Lesson Objective/s• To explore the anthology’s perspective of Marxist critical thinking.

Outcomes:• To have read ‘The Politics of Class’ and discuss your views on this mode (pardon the pun) of

thinking.

Key points for discussion:

• Why doesn’t Marxism see books and poems as ‘autonomous’ products from ‘free minds’?• What does this phrase mean: ‘It is not the consciousness of men that determines their

existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness’?• What do you think of the McDonalds' example and what ‘certain politicians’ might say

about it?• Do you believe that our culture (religion, education, arts) only exist because of the way

our economy has evolved? If so can you see it changing in the future?• Can we really believe that all thought is ‘subservient’ to the material conditions in which

it develops?

Lesson Objective/s• To explore the anthology’s perspective of Marxist critical thinking.

Outcomes:To have read the general section of Marxist criticism and to discuss your views regarding this type of criticism.

Key points for discussion:

• What seemingly ironic picture does the first paragraph point out? Would Marx see it as ironic?

• What argument do the two critics put forward in terms of how texts implicitly show how the economic superstructure exists in what we read?

• What do you think about what they say?

Lesson Objective/s• To explore the anthology’s perspective of Marxist critical thinking.

Outcomes:

1) Number one suggests that all conflicts in texts are someway linked to either ‘class struggle’ or the transition between economic epochs. Can we apply this perspective to the texts we have studied in AS?

2) Number two focuses on the author and suggests that his/her social class is unaware of what they are revealing about social class and the conflicts that occur. AS?

3) Number three focuses on entire genres that appear in certain economic epochs. It cites ‘The Rise of the Novel’ during the affluent late Victorian period. Can you think of any more recent genres that might fall into this category?

4) Number four is similar to three and could be inextricably linked – this focuses on what we ‘consume’ at a particular time. Current ideas?

5) Number five argues that entire forms and structures of texts are conditioned by the economic structure of society. Any ideas here?

To have read the ‘What Marxist Critics Do’ section and apply the five modes to texts you may have read.