Socialist Feminist Criticism - 1164 Words

Socialist Feminist Criticism: You Dropped the Bomb on Me, Baby Feminism and gender studies have been described as having the ability to challenge literary and culture theory to confront the difficult task of assimilating the findings of an expanding sphere of inquiry (Contemporary Literary Criticism 567). This area of study has taken center stage during the last fifty years, not only in our society, but also in literary criticism. Although the terrain Feminism traverses can hardly be narrowed down to one single definition, the exploration of the genre can, at times, be the most intriguing feature of the criticism itself. While feminism has undoubtedly changed the way women and gender roles are considered in society today, it has†¦show more content†¦This definition of feminism situates sex and gender alongside the subjects of focus of the Marxist theory, even going as far as to intertwine the two. While I, myself, have been trying to determine how much I agree with the points that each individual theory makes, I have found that Soc ialist Feminist Criticism has had the greatest impact on my writing, reading, and understanding of the world. It has been noted that in literature the languages of class, race, and gender are fused. This, throughout history, and in our society specifically, is true. Every role that is developed in literature is not natural or self-evident butÂ… is always articulated within a system or relationshipsÂ… predicated upon exclusions of gender, race, and class (CLC 592). Every character is described within a system of a culture that is based on stereotypes, specific gender roles, and societal issues. Cora Kaplan makes her most significant point when she suggests that We must redefine the psyche as a structure, not as a content, so that we can move toward a fuller understanding of how social divisions and the inscription of gender are mutually secured and given meaning. Through that analysis we can work towards change (Kaplan 609). An understanding of the issues that Socialist Feminist criticism tackles can help a reader determine why the literature they areShow MoreRelatedFeminism1121 Words   |  5 PagesThe movement organized around this belief. Feminism Feminist Theory is an outgrowth of the general movement to empower women worldwide. Feminism can be defined as a recognition and critique of male supremacy combined with efforts to change it. Feminism The goals of feminism are: To demonstrate the importance of women To reveal that historically women have been subordinate to men To bring about gender equity. Feminism Simply put: Feminists fight for the equality of women and argue that womenRead MoreFeminism And The Second Wave Feminism1516 Words   |  7 PagesThere was a strong and invigorated feminists’ movement in America from 1960s into the 1980s which was later spread into Europe and parts of Asia. Compare to first-wave feminism in which advocates sought for women suffrage, this feminist movement, which had a broader and deeper influence, focused on dealing with issues which hindered legal sexual equality, rights to reproduce as well as family roles. This feminism movement is named the Second-wave feminism. It was politically powerful and influentialRead MoreFeminist Theory1345 Words   |  6 PagesFeminist Theory Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, or philosophical discourse, it aims to understand the nature of gender inequality. It examines womens social roles and lived experience, and feminist politics in a variety of fields, such as anthropology and sociology, communication, psychoanalysis, economics, literary criticism, education, and philosophy. While generally providing a critique of social relations, much of feminist theory also focuses on analyzing genderRead MoreComparing and Contrasting Liberal, Socialist, and Radical Feminism2052 Words   |  9 PagesComparing and Contrasting Liberal, Socialist, and Radical Feminism In today’s society it is nearly impossible to go a day without being subjected to some form of media that does not marginalize women. The media takes a myriad of forms that include but are not limited to televisions, phones, and the radio and it is no surprise that the media has a huge impact on society. Most of the time the media is heralded as a pivotal source of news and entertainment however, many look down on the media givingRead MoreFeminist Geography1667 Words   |  7 PagesFeminist Geography Since its conception, geography has been involved in the development of races and genders, mapping the boundaries that separate and exclude the world of privilege from the other. The imposing eyes that facilitated this domination have recently been challenged to quash their perpetuation of racial difference, and although existing more obscurely, to challenge the sexist legacy remaining in geography. â€Å"As part of geography, feminist approaches within ourRead MorePolitical Feminism and its Misrepresentation1163 Words   |  5 Pages The word â€Å"feminist† has caused turmoil wherever it is uttered. It has gained a negative connotation, and is often mistaken with misandry. While these claims may be true for a minimal number of feminists, the truth is that in order to get an accurate representation on what feminists actually believe one would have to go to the source. The two main problems with that, are that first of all, it is â€Å"not rigidly structured or led by a single figure or group†, and most importantly there is not justRead MoreThe Feminist Literary Criticism : Women s Struggle Against Evil And Masculine Forces Essay1671 Words   |  7 Pagesliterature, the feminist literary criticism has become one of the core concepts. The feminist literary criticism of today is the direct product of the women’s moment of the 1960’s. Even Before t he women’s moment, the thought and action of feminism possess in the classical traditional books. They had diagnosed the problem of women’s inequality and tried for solutions through their writings. These books include Virginia Woolf’s fiction, Jane Austen’s novels and John Stuart Mill’s feminist writings. TheRead MoreUnder Western Eyes by Mohanty1381 Words   |  6 PagesIn this text Mohanty argues that contemporary western feminist writing on Third World women contributes to the reproduction of colonial discourses where women in the South are represented as an undifferentiated â€Å"other†. Mohanty examines how liberal and socialist feminist scholarship use analytics strategies that creates an essentialist construction of the category woman, universalist assumptions of sexist oppression and how this contributes to the perpetuation of colonialist relations between theRead MoreThe O. J. Simpson Case1576 Words   |  7 PagesA historical perspective is a historical evidence based on history and social circumstances of the time. â€Å"This is in contrast to other types of criticism, such as textual and formal, in which emphasis is placed on examining the text itself while outside influences on the text are disregarded. New Historicism is a particular form of historical criticism.† (britannica.com). The OJ Simpson trial can also be seen as a historical perspective, where in racism has been going on for centuries and centuriesRead MoreFeminism And The Reality Behind Feminism Essay913 Words   |  4 PagesA poll on whether individuals identify themselves as feminist, conducted by the Huffington Post and YouGov, states that only one-fifth of Americans identify themselves as feminist. Although the participants did not associate with the â€Å"feminist† term, 82 percent of the respondents agree that men and women are equal in the aspect of social, political, and economic rights. Ironically the respondents a gree with what feminism stands for. The confusion is the result of several negative connotations associated