AI Does Lenses

Response 1:

I feel a sense of empowerment and resilience when I read this poem. Plath uses a light and delicate diction to describe the process of mushrooms growing, which conveys a sense of joy and satisfaction. The repetition of “so many of us” emphasizes the strength in numbers, suggesting that the mushrooms are ready to take control and “inherit the earth.” The imagery of “soft fists” and the metaphor of the mushrooms being “edible” also suggests that, even though they are small and insignificant-seeming, they can still make a powerful impact.

Response 2:

This poem made me feel a sense of awe and wonder. Plath’s diction is rich and vivid, creating a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. The repetition of “so many of us” emphasizes the beauty of the mushrooms growing in a large number, suggesting that nature is powerful and unstoppable. The imagery of “soft fists” and the metaphor of the mushrooms being “edible” also suggest that the mushrooms are resilient and determined to make their presence known.

Response 3:

I felt a sense of hope and optimism when I read this poem. Plath’s diction is optimistic, as she describes the mushrooms growing “overnight” and “very quietly.” The repetition of “so many of us” emphasizes the mushrooms’ potential, suggesting that, even though they are small, they can still make a difference. The imagery of “soft fists” and the metaphor of the mushrooms being “edible” also suggest that, even though they are small and insignificant, they can still have an impact.

Reader-Response Lens

Essential Question: How does this text reflect the experience, beliefs, and understandings of its reader?

Central Concerns: effect, personal reflection, description, subjectivity

Critical Assumptions:

1. The text does not exist without a reader.
2. An author’s intentions are unavailable to a reader outside the text.
3. Reading is the active process of evaluating a personal response to a text.
4. A reader’s changing perceptions that result from reading are valuable.

What to do:

1. Move through the text carefully and slowly, describing the response of an informed reader at various points; note changes in response.
2. Describe your own responses to the text, using evidence and explanation.
3. React to the text as a whole, expressing the subjective and personal response it engenders.

Response 1: Plath’s poem uses archetypal imagery to illustrate a collective unconscious process of transformation. The “soft fists” and “hammers, rams” are symbols of strength and power, indicative of the collective struggle to gain control and ownership of the earth. The poem is a metaphor for the heroic journey, in which a group of people, represented by the mushrooms, must fight to overcome obstacles and ultimately triumph.

Response 2: The poem contains archetypal characters, including the hero (“soft fists”), the wise old crone (“leafy bedding”), and the wicked stepmother (“paving”). These characters represent the various forces that shape our lives and the world around us. The speaker’s repeated use of the phrase “so many of us” suggests that even in the face of powerful forces, there is strength in numbers.

Response 3: Through the use of imagery, Plath creates a dreamlike atmosphere in her poem. The mushrooms are described as “earless and eyeless” and “perfectly voiceless”, suggesting that they have been stripped of sensory input and the ability to communicate. This dreamlike state reflects the collective unconscious, in which symbols and emotions are manifested without conscious thought. The poem also contains archetypal symbols, such as the “loam”, which symbolizes the fertile ground of creativity and possibility.

Archetypal Lens

Essential Question: How does this text show similarities to ancient story designs, character categories, and imagery?

Central Concerns: myth, image, dreams, rituals, pattern, model

Critical Assumptions:

1. Imaginative work is indebted to ancient systems of meaning, including ritual, mythology, and inherited symbolism (the “collective unconscious”).
2. There are no new stories.
3. Conflicts, characters, and symbols in fiction and poetry come from the same place as dreams, and can be interpreted the same way dreams are.

What to do:

1. Determine how the text mirrors certain inherited story structures, such as the heroic journey, creation myths, fairy tales, legends, and so forth.
2. Determine how the characters in the text can be said to reflect inherited character types such as the hero, the crone, the wicked stepmother, and so forth.
3. Show patterns in the text that resemble dream logic or seem to be without explicit context.

Response 1: Sylvia Plath uses the metaphor of mushrooms to represent the underprivileged and powerless in her poem “Mushrooms”. By comparing the mushrooms to individuals in society, she conveys the idea that even those without power can still be successful in achieving their goals. Plath’s use of imagery and alliteration to paint a picture of the mushrooms’ silent, yet resilient struggle speaks to her own experiences as a female writer in a male-dominated society. Her poem reflects the ways in which she felt marginalized and the ways in which she sought to make a statement through her writing. The poem’s language, which emphasizes the mushrooms’ ability to “inherit the earth,” speaks to Plath’s desire to be heard and to make a difference in the world.

Response 2: Sylvia Plath’s poem “Mushrooms” draws on her personal experience as a female writer in a male-dominated society to reflect the struggles of the underprivileged and powerless. Plath uses imagery and alliteration to paint a vivid picture of the mushrooms’ silent yet unstoppable progress. The poem speaks to Plath’s own experience of feeling marginalized and her desire to make a statement through her writing. Plath also reflects the systems of meaning available to her at the time, such as her exploration of female identity and her rejection of traditional gender roles. Her use of the metaphor of mushrooms to represent the underprivileged and powerless conveys the idea that even those without power can still be successful in achieving their goals.

Response 3: Sylvia Plath’s poem “Mushrooms” reflects her beliefs about the power of the underprivileged and powerless. Through her use of imagery and alliteration, Plath paints a vivid picture of the mushrooms’ silent yet unstoppable progress. The poem speaks to Plath’s own experience of feeling marginalized and her desire to make a statement through her writing. Plath also reflects the systems of meaning available to her at the time, such as her exploration of female identity and her rejection of traditional gender roles. By comparing the mushrooms to individuals in society, Plath conveys the idea that even those without power can still be successful in achieving their goals. Her poem reflects her own experience of feeling oppressed, as well as her hope that the underprivileged will be able to “inherit the earth”.

Biographical Lens

Essential Question: How does this text reflect the experiences, beliefs, and intentions of its maker( s)?

Central Concerns: context, systems of meaning, commentary, society, belief, self-expression

Critical Assumptions:

1. Meaning is contextual.
2. Writing is a product of social, political, and historical forces.
3. Writing reflects the systems of meaning available to the author.
4. Interpretation of writing demands interpretation of its historical or biographical context.

What to do:

1. Research the author’s life, and relate that information to the text.
2. Research the author’s time—its historical, geographical, political, and intellectual moment—and relate that data to the text.
3. Research the systems of meaning available to the author, and relate those systems to the text.

Response 1: Plath’s poem “Mushrooms” is a powerful work that uses a unifying theme of nature’s quiet but unstoppable force to demonstrate how the mundane can be revolutionary. The poem’s form is integral to understanding its meaning. The poem’s meter is iambic, and the lines feature repetition and alliteration which emphasize the idea of “shoveling” and “heaving” that is central to the poem’s meaning. The poem’s form also utilizes a shift in the poem’s structure to reflect the shift in tone from the first and second stanzas. The first stanza features an almost whimsical description of the mushrooms’ “taking hold” on the loam and “acquiring the air,” while the second stanza takes a more serious tone, describing the mushrooms’ movements as “hammers” and “rams” that “widen the crannies” and “shoulder through holes.” This shift in the poem’s structure reflects the poem’s overall theme: that although something may seem small and insignificant, it can have a profound impact.

Response 2: Sylvia Plath’s “Mushrooms” is a poem that effectively uses its form to convey its message. The poem’s structure is integral to understanding its meaning. The poem is made up of two stanzas, each with a different purpose. The first stanza paints a peaceful, almost whimsical picture of the mushrooms “taking hold” of the loam. The second stanza, however, uses the same structure to suggest the mushrooms’ power and strength, emphasizing the idea of them being “hammers” and “rams” that “widen the crannies” and “shoulder through holes.” Additionally, the poem also makes use of repetition and alliteration in order to emphasize the idea of the mushrooms’ “shoveling” and “heaving.” The poem’s form thus conveys its meaning: that although something may seem small and insignificant, it can have a profound impact.

Response 3: “Mushrooms” is a poem by Sylvia Plath that utilizes its form to illustrate a unifying theme of nature’s quiet but unstoppable force. The poem’s structure is integral to understanding its message. The poem is composed of two stanzas that feature the same structure but convey different tones. The first stanza paints a peaceful, almost whimsical picture of the mushrooms “taking hold” of the loam, while the second stanza suggests the mushrooms’ power and strength, emphasizing the idea of them being “hammers” and “rams” that “widen the crannies” and “shoulder through holes.” The poem also makes use of repetition and alliteration to emphasize the idea of the mushrooms’ “shoveling” and “heaving.” This repetition and alliteration also serves to unify the poem and emphasize the idea of the mushrooms’ unstoppable power. In this way, the form of the poem reveals its meaning: although something may seem small and insignificant, it can have a profound impact.

New Criticism/Formalism Lens

Essential Question: What does analysis of the text’s form reveal about the meaning of its content

Central Concerns: form, unity, ambiguity, resolution, pattern, literacy language

Critical Assumptions:

1. A text will teach you how to read it; the work itself is the only locus of critical interest.
2. The author’s intentions are unavailable and irrelevant.
3. A text is valuable if it contains ambiguities, ironies, and complexities that can be resolved through careful analysis of its form.
4. A complex work will reveal a unifying theme.

What to do:

1. Determine oppositions, ambiguities, ironies, and complexities in the text.
2. Read closely; assume there are no “mistakes” in a text, or that any aspect of text is “unintentional.” Study the interrelationship of literary elements.
3. Explicate the text by showing how it resolves its ambiguities

Response 1: Plath’s poem could be interpreted as a metaphor for the power of the collective. The soft fists, hammers, and rams symbolize the collective strength of a group of individuals, who, despite being small and unseen, are able to break through barriers. The poem implies that by joining together, people are able to access a level of power that is not available to them alone.

Response 2: Plath’s poem could also be read as a psychological exploration of the process of transformation. The speaker’s toes and noses take hold of the loam, acquiring the air, hinting at the process of taking up space and claiming one’s identity. The idea of the “small grains making room” and the “leafy bedding” further emphasize the idea of transformation, suggesting that the speaker and their peers are taking steps towards claiming their own space and identity.

Response 3: Plath’s poem might also be interpreted as an exploration of the idea of collectivism and unity. The poem emphasizes the idea of “so many of us”, implying a sense of solidarity and community between the speaker and their peers. The idea of “inheriting the earth” further reinforces this idea, suggesting that by joining together, the speaker and their peers are able to achieve great things that would otherwise be impossible.

Psychological Lens

Essential Question: How can we apply psychology and psychoanalytical criticism to gain insights into the behavior and motivations of authors and characters?

Central Concerns: expression, personality, state of mind, designs of author

Critical Assumptions:

1. An author reveals repressed wishes or fears in a literary text.
2. Creative writing, like dreaming, can unlock the subconscious.
3. There are some patterns such as anxiety, repression, fear of death that can be applied both to individual characters and authors as well as generally to human beings.

What to do:

1. Look for an underlying psychological subtext in the work.
2. Discover key biographical moments and relate them to the text.
3. Try to explain the behavior of the characters in psychological terms, such as projection, repression, fear (of abandonment, sexuality, etc.).

Response 1: The poem “Mushrooms” suggests that the speaker is a member of a colonized or marginalized group. The imagery of “soft fists” and “little or nothing” suggests a lack of power and the need to be discreet. The idea of “inheriting the earth” suggests a desire to reclaim their rightful place in society. The poem further suggests that the speaker’s group is resilient and has the potential to become a powerful force in their society, as they are “dieting on water” and “in spite of themselves” have managed to “shoulder through holes” and “foot’s in the door.”

Response 2: Through the poem “Mushrooms,” Sylvia Plath portrays a colonized society in a positive light. The speaker’s group is portrayed as persistent and resilient, even in the face of oppression. The imagery of a “leafy bedding” and “crumbs of shadow” further suggests a connection to the land and a sense of belonging that has been disrupted by colonization. The idea of “inheriting the earth” is an attempt to reclaim their rightful place in society.

Response 3: “Mushrooms” by Sylvia Plath is a commentary on the marginalization of a colonized society. The speaker’s group is portrayed as “edible” and “meek,” suggesting they are seen as powerless by their colonizers. The imagery of “soft fists” and “little or nothing” further reinforces this idea. The poem further suggests that the speaker’s group is resilient and has the potential to become a powerful force in their society, as they are “dieting on water” and “in spite of themselves” have managed to “shoulder through holes” and “foot’s in the door.” The idea of “inheriting the earth” is a call for a reclaiming of the colonized society’s rightful place in society.

Postcolonial Lens

Essential Question: How does this text comment on, represent, or repress the marginalized voices?

Central Concerns: cultural markers, the Other, oppression, justice, society

Critical Assumptions:

1. Colonization—the exploitation of one national or ethnic group by another— is a powerful destructive force that disrupts the identities of both groups.
2. Colonized societies are forced to the margins by their colonizers (called “Othering”), despite having a historical claim to the land they inhabit.
3. Literature written by colonizers distorts the experiences and realities of the colonized; literature written by the colonized often attempts to redefine or preserve a sense of cultural identity.

What to do:

1. Explore how the text represents a colonized or colonized cultural group.
2. Ask how the text creates images of “others.” How does it demonstrate a colonial mindset
3. Ask how conflicts in the text might be viewed as cultural conflicts.

Response 1: Plath’s poem is a subversive reflection of the power dynamics between the oppressed and the oppressor. Through her use of imagery and personification of mushrooms, Plath implies a sense of collectivism and solidarity, which gives a voice to the voiceless. She highlights the struggle for power between the oppressor and the oppressed, and the ways in which the oppressed are able to gain power through their collective effort. Additionally, Plath’s use of the idea of “inheriting the earth” suggests that the oppressed will ultimately gain the upper hand and be able to take control of their lives and the world around them.

Response 2: Plath’s poem can be seen as a critique of the power dynamics between the oppressed and the oppressor. By personifying mushrooms, Plath implies a sense of collectivism and solidarity, which gives a voice to the voiceless. Through her use of imagery, she highlights the struggle for power between the oppressor and the oppressed, and the ways in which the oppressed are able to gain power through their collective effort. Additionally, Plath’s use of the idea of “inheriting the earth” suggests that the oppressed will ultimately gain the upper hand and be able to take control of their lives and the world around them.

Response 3: Plath’s poem can be read as a reflection of the changing power dynamics between the oppressor and the oppressed in the 1950s. By personifying mushrooms, Plath implies a sense of collectivism and solidarity, which gives a voice to the voiceless. Through her use of imagery, she highlights the struggle for power between the oppressor and the oppressed, and the ways in which the oppressed are able to gain power through their collective effort. Additionally, Plath’s use of the idea of “inheriting the earth” suggests that the oppressed will ultimately gain the upper hand and be able to take control of their lives and the world around them. This could be interpreted as a reflection of the civil rights movement occurring at the time, which saw the oppressed gaining more power and visibility than before.

New Historicism Lens

Essential Question: What are the ways in which our understanding of literature and its historical context change over time?

Central Concerns: history as interpretation and cultural construction, literature as dynamic, meaning changes over time

Critical Assumptions:

1. Meaning is contextual.
2. There are divergent viewpoints on the nature of a historical context.
3. History is subjective.
4. Interpretation is a kind of cultural production, marked by a particular context; we cannot look at history objectively, as we too interpret events as a product of our culture and our time.

What to do:

1. Learn about the systems of meaning that were available to the author at the time the work was produced.
2. Consider the ways in which cultural concepts change over time.
3. List the ways in which contemporary events, assumptions and perspectives might shape one’s reading of the literary texts.
4. Imagine the ways in which literary works influence reconsiderations of history.

Response 1: By using the Deconstruction Critical Lens, one could argue that Plath’s poem conveys a sense of privilege in the “very quietly” of the opening line, as if to suggest that the mushrooms have a right to go unnoticed. This is further highlighted in the binary opposition of “Nobody sees us” and “Stops us, betrays us” which suggests that the mushrooms have superiority over those who would stop them or betray them. Furthermore, the poem’s refrain of “So many of us!” and its climax of “We shall by morning/Inherit the earth” implies a power imbalance between the mushrooms and the rest of the world, with the mushrooms ultimately having the upper hand.

Response 2: By looking at the poem through the Deconstruction Critical Lens, one could also point to the arbitrary nature of the poem’s language. Plath uses words like “loam” and “crannies” to describe the mushrooms’ journey, suggesting that the mushrooms have a unique understanding of the world that is inaccessible to the reader. Additionally, the poem’s repeated use of the pronoun “we” blurs the boundaries between the mushrooms and the speaker, leaving the reader wondering who exactly is speaking. This indeterminacy of language further highlights the arbitrary nature of the poem’s meaning.

Response 3: Applying the Deconstruction Critical Lens to the text also reveals unavoidable gaps and absences in the poem’s language. For example, the poem does not explain what the mushrooms intend to do once they “inherit the earth” or what the consequences of this will be. This absence of information creates a sense of uncertainty, suggesting that any meaning derived from the poem is partial and incomplete. This also implies that the poem’s privileging of certain ideas is also incomplete and arbitrary, as it cannot account for the implications of the mushrooms’ actions.

Deconstruction Lens

Essential Question: How does analysis of this text reveal privileged oppositions of meaning and arbitrary nature of language?

Central Concerns: privilege, hierarchies, indeterminacy, sign, signifier

Critical Assumptions:

1. Meaning is not determinate: it is made by binary oppositions (yes/no, positive, negative, etc.), but one item in an opposition is unavoidably favored or privileged over the other.
2. The hierarchy is arbitrary and can be exposed or reversed.
3. Texts contain unavoidable gaps, spaces, absences, contradictions and irresolvable ambiguities that defeat complete interpretation.

What to do:

1. Identify oppositions in the text.
2. Determine which member in a given opposition appears favored, and demonstrate contradiction of that favoring.
3. Expose a text’s inability to resolve its ambiguities.

Possible Response #1:

The poem expresses the narrator’s struggles with feeling like he has to fit into a certain mold. He questions if he can be both an anime kid and the oldest of 4 brothers and if he is the popular kid or the loser. He reveals that he is someone who gives up on work but not people and is a runner who runs from everything. This poem reflects the experience of many adolescents who feel pressure from society to conform and to fit into a certain mold. The poem is full of emotion as the narrator expresses his struggle and his willingness to accept himself as he is.

Possible Response #2:

This poem reflects the experience of many who feel like they have to choose between two options, rather than being able to embrace both. The narrator struggles with the idea of being an anime kid and the oldest of 4 brothers, the popular kid or the loser, someone who gives up on work but not people, and a runner who runs from everything. This poem connects to the experience of many young people who feel like they need to choose one path, rather than being able to explore the complexities of life.

Possible Response #3:

This poem reflects the experience of many adolescents who are trying to figure out who they are and come to terms with themselves. The narrator is struggling to accept himself and his choices, and he is asking questions about who he is and what it means to be an anime kid, the oldest of 4 brothers, the popular kid or the loser, someone who gives up on work but not people, and a runner who runs from everything. The poem is full of emotion as the narrator expresses his struggle and his willingness to accept himself as he is. The poem brings to light the experience of many young people who are in the process of self-discovery.

Reader-Response Lens

Essential Question: How does this text reflect the experience, beliefs, and understandings of its reader?

Central Concerns: effect, personal reflection, description, subjectivity

Critical Assumptions:

1. The text does not exist without a reader.
2. An author’s intentions are unavailable to a reader outside the text.
3. Reading is the active process of evaluating a personal response to a text.
4. A reader’s changing perceptions that result from reading are valuable.

What to do:

1. Move through the text carefully and slowly, describing the response of an informed reader at various points; note changes in response.
2. Describe your own responses to the text, using evidence and explanation.
3. React to the text as a whole, expressing the subjective and personal response it engenders.

Response 1: The protagonist in this poem follows a classic heroic cycle, beginning with a call to adventure, followed by a struggle against the odds, and finally triumph over their own inner demons. Through this poem, the protagonist shows similarities to the archetypal hero, such as perseverance, courage and a willingness to fight against the odds. Furthermore, the protagonist’s characterization as an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers plays into the common archetype of the wise elder, which is often seen in stories.

Response 2: This poem contains several archetypal images, from the protagonist’s characterization as an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers to the idea of a runner who runs from everything. These images echo ancient story designs and character categories, particularly the idea of the wise elder, the heroic cycle, and the idea of a protagonist overcoming internal struggles. Furthermore, the poem’s use of dream logic and imagery further reinforces the idea of archetypes being present in the text.

Response 3: The protagonist of this poem can be seen as an archetypal hero, as they demonstrate the classic heroic cycle of a call to adventure, a struggle against the odds, and ultimately a triumph over their own inner demons. Moreover, the protagonist’s characterization as an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers reflects the common archetype of the wise elder, while the idea of a runner who runs from everything serves as an archetypal image of a character striving to overcome internal struggles. Additionally, the poem’s lack of explicit context and use of dream logic furthers the idea of archetypes existing in the text.

Archetypal Lens

Essential Question: How does this text show similarities to ancient story designs, character categories, and imagery?

Central Concerns: myth, image, dreams, rituals, pattern, model

Critical Assumptions:

1. Imaginative work is indebted to ancient systems of meaning, including ritual, mythology, and inherited symbolism (the “collective unconscious”).
2. There are no new stories.
3. Conflicts, characters, and symbols in fiction and poetry come from the same place as dreams, and can be interpreted the same way dreams are.

What to do:

1. Determine how the text mirrors certain inherited story structures, such as the heroic journey, creation myths, fairy tales, legends, and so forth.
2. Determine how the characters in the text can be said to reflect inherited character types such as the hero, the crone, the wicked stepmother, and so forth.
3. Show patterns in the text that resemble dream logic or seem to be without explicit context.

Response #1: This poem reflects Ismael’s experiences as a teenager, struggling to find himself and his place in society. The poem highlights his conflicting feelings of being both an “anime kid” and the oldest of four brothers, his self-identification as a “loser,” and his desire to care for others even when he is unable to find success in his own life. These themes paint a picture of a young person trying to reconcile their own identity with the expectations of their peers and family.

Response #2: This poem reflects Ismael’s beliefs about identity and how it is shaped by one’s social context. Through the poem, Ismael expresses his understanding that he cannot be both an “anime kid” and the oldest of four brothers and that he must choose which identity he will embrace. He also acknowledges that he is a “loser,” but that he can still have a meaningful life. This commentary reflects Ismael’s understanding of how his identity is shaped by the society he lives in.

Response #3: This poem reflects Ismael’s intention to explore his identity and how it is shaped by his experiences. By calling himself both an “anime kid” and the oldest of four brothers, Ismael expresses his desire to reconcile different parts of himself. Similarly, his acknowledgement of being a “loser” shows his self-reflection and understanding of his place in society. These ideas reveal Ismael’s intention to better understand himself.

Biographical Lens

Essential Question: How does this text reflect the experiences, beliefs, and intentions of its maker( s)?

Central Concerns: context, systems of meaning, commentary, society, belief, self-expression

Critical Assumptions:

1. Meaning is contextual.
2. Writing is a product of social, political, and historical forces.
3. Writing reflects the systems of meaning available to the author.
4. Interpretation of writing demands interpretation of its historical or biographical context.

What to do:

1. Research the author’s life, and relate that information to the text.
2. Research the author’s time—its historical, geographical, political, and intellectual moment—and relate that data to the text.
3. Research the systems of meaning available to the author, and relate those systems to the text.

Possible Response 1: The poem “Ismael” by the author is a complex work that is unified by the idea of self-identity. The poem is structured to convey a sense of ambiguity and contradiction, as the author presents multiple identities that he holds. Through careful analysis of the form, we can see the author’s resolution of this ambiguity through the juxtaposition of the idea that he can be “both” an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers, and his realization that “nothing [he] can do about that.” The poem’s literary elements, including repetition of the phrase “who am I”, the use of questions and rhetorical statements, and the contrast between the two main identities, all contribute to the poem’s overall unity.

Possible Response 2: The poem “Ismael” by the author demonstrates how form can be used to convey meaning within a text. Through the use of oppositions and ambiguities, the author is able to create a complex poem that ultimately resolves itself through the juxtaposition of his multiple identities. The use of repetition and rhetorical questions throughout the text adds to the tension of the poem, helping to communicate the idea of self-identity. The author’s use of contrast between the two main identities highlights the idea that despite his own feelings of ambivalence, he can still have a “good life and have fun”.

Possible Response 3: The poem “Ismael” by the author is a work of art that uses form to convey meaning. Through the use of repetition and contrast, the author is able to create a sense of ambiguity and contradiction that is ultimately resolved by the juxtaposition of his two main identities. The poem’s structure and use of language contribute to the poem’s unity and show the author’s ability to communicate a complex idea. The poem’s resolution of its ambiguities, through the idea that “nothing [he] can do about that”, further demonstrates the author’s intentional use of form to convey meaning.

New Criticism/Formalism Lens

Essential Question: What does analysis of the text’s form reveal about the meaning of its content

Central Concerns: form, unity, ambiguity, resolution, pattern, literacy language

Critical Assumptions:

1. A text will teach you how to read it; the work itself is the only locus of critical interest.
2. The author’s intentions are unavailable and irrelevant.
3. A text is valuable if it contains ambiguities, ironies, and complexities that can be resolved through careful analysis of its form.
4. A complex work will reveal a unifying theme.

What to do:

1. Determine oppositions, ambiguities, ironies, and complexities in the text.
2. Read closely; assume there are no “mistakes” in a text, or that any aspect of text is “unintentional.” Study the interrelationship of literary elements.
3. Explicate the text by showing how it resolves its ambiguities

Possible Response 1: Ismael is struggling with his identity, trying to reconcile his sense of being an ‘anime kid’ and being the oldest of four brothers, being popular and being a ‘loser’. He is also trying to negotiate his feelings of giving up on work but not giving up on people, as well as his need to run away from things. This suggests that he may be struggling with feelings of anxiety and insecurity.

Possible Response 2: Ismael’s poem could be seen as a reflection of his inner conflict and sense of displacement. The poem could be interpreted as a psychological exploration of his sense of self, his desires and fears, and how he perceives himself in relation to others. His need to run away suggests a fear of commitment and a desire to remain in control of his own life.

Possible Response 3: Ismael’s poem could be seen as a reflection of his inner struggle with his identity and his place in the world. The poem reflects his ambivalence towards being both an ‘anime kid’ and an ‘oldest of four brothers’, and his desire to be both popular and a ‘loser’. His need to run away from things could suggest a fear of abandonment, a fear of intimacy, and a need to remain in control of his own life.

Psychological Lens

Essential Question: How can we apply psychology and psychoanalytical criticism to gain insights into the behavior and motivations of authors and characters?

Central Concerns: expression, personality, state of mind, designs of author

Critical Assumptions:

1. An author reveals repressed wishes or fears in a literary text.
2. Creative writing, like dreaming, can unlock the subconscious.
3. There are some patterns such as anxiety, repression, fear of death that can be applied both to individual characters and authors as well as generally to human beings.

What to do:

1. Look for an underlying psychological subtext in the work.
2. Discover key biographical moments and relate them to the text.
3. Try to explain the behavior of the characters in psychological terms, such as projection, repression, fear (of abandonment, sexuality, etc.).

Response 1: This poem illustrates the sense of oppression and marginalization that can come with being colonized. The speaker is struggling to define and express their identity in a world that is created and controlled by the colonizers. The poem touches on themes of power and inequality, with the speaker feeling like a “loser” in comparison to those who are focused on achieving goals in life. The speaker is also attempting to redefine their own identity and reclaim ownership of their own narrative by affirming that there is “nothing wrong” with the way they are.

Response 2: This poem speaks to the idea of “othering” that is so often experienced by the colonized. The speaker is struggling to identify and assert their own identity, but they are continually confronted with a world created and controlled by the colonizers. The poem also touches on the idea of power and inequality, as the speaker feels like a “loser” in comparison to those who are focused on achieving goals in life. Furthermore, the speaker attempts to reclaim ownership of their narrative by affirming that there is “nothing wrong” with the way they are.

Response 3: This poem highlights the idea of “othering” in the colonial context. As the speaker is struggling to define their identity, they are also confronted with a world created and controlled by the colonizers. The poem touches on themes of power and inequality, with the speaker feeling like a “loser” in comparison to those who are focused on achieving goals in life. Additionally, the poem speaks to the idea of justice and cultural identity, with the speaker attempting to reclaim ownership of their narrative by affirming that there is “nothing wrong” with the way they are.

Postcolonial Lens

Essential Question: How does this text comment on, represent, or repress the marginalized voices?

Central Concerns: cultural markers, the Other, oppression, justice, society

Critical Assumptions:

1. Colonization—the exploitation of one national or ethnic group by another— is a powerful destructive force that disrupts the identities of both groups.
2. Colonized societies are forced to the margins by their colonizers (called “Othering”), despite having a historical claim to the land they inhabit.
3. Literature written by colonizers distorts the experiences and realities of the colonized; literature written by the colonized often attempts to redefine or preserve a sense of cultural identity.

What to do:

1. Explore how the text represents a colonized or colonized cultural group.
2. Ask how the text creates images of “others.” How does it demonstrate a colonial mindset
3. Ask how conflicts in the text might be viewed as cultural conflicts.

Response 1: Ismael is an example of how meaning changes over time, as he is both an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers. His identity is a product of his cultural context, as his peers make him feel like a “loser”, and he is still able to find value in life despite this. His struggle to find himself is also reflective of how systems of meaning shift over time; he is trying to reconcile his current identity with his past identity, as he is still a runner who runs from everything.

Response 2: Through Ismael, we can see how individual identity is shaped by cultural context and systems of meaning. He is both an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers, and is seen as a “loser” by his peers. This reflects how meaning changes over time, as Ismael is still trying to reconcile his past identity with his current one, being a runner who runs from everything. This text also highlights how history is subjective, as Ismael’s interpretation of his identity is based on his own cultural and temporal contexts.

Response 3: Ismael’s story is a perfect example of how interpretation is a kind of cultural production, as his identity is informed by his cultural context and the systems of meaning that were available to him at the time. His identity is also dynamic and changes over time, as he is both an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers, and is seen as a “loser” by his peers. His struggle to reconcile his past identity with his current one is reflective of how history is subjective, and how our understanding of literature and its historical context are constantly evolving.

New Historicism Lens

Essential Question: What are the ways in which our understanding of literature and its historical context change over time?

Central Concerns: history as interpretation and cultural construction, literature as dynamic, meaning changes over time

Critical Assumptions:

1. Meaning is contextual.
2. There are divergent viewpoints on the nature of a historical context.
3. History is subjective.
4. Interpretation is a kind of cultural production, marked by a particular context; we cannot look at history objectively, as we too interpret events as a product of our culture and our time.

What to do:

1. Learn about the systems of meaning that were available to the author at the time the work was produced.
2. Consider the ways in which cultural concepts change over time.
3. List the ways in which contemporary events, assumptions and perspectives might shape one’s reading of the literary texts.
4. Imagine the ways in which literary works influence reconsiderations of history.

Response 1: This poem reveals the arbitrary nature of language and meaning by highlighting the privileged oppositions of being an anime kid and the oldest of four brothers, as well as being popular or a loser, and giving up on work but not people. The text also exposes the inability to resolve ambiguities, such as being both an anime kid and the oldest, as well as being a runner who runs from everything. These privileged oppositions and ambiguities demonstrate how meaning is not determinate, and how the hierarchy of these two binaries is arbitrary and can be exposed or reversed.

Response 2: This poem deconstructs the arbitrary nature of language and meaning by showing how the privileged oppositions of anime kid and oldest, popular or loser, and giving up on work but not people are not determinate and can be reversed. It also reveals the inability of the text to resolve ambiguities, such as being both an anime kid and the oldest, and being a runner who runs from everything, demonstrating how the hierarchy of these binary oppositions is arbitrary and can be exposed or reversed.

Response 3: This poem deconstructs the indeterminacy of language and meaning by exploring the privileged oppositions of anime kid and oldest, popular or loser, and giving up on work but not people, which demonstrates how meaning is not fixed and can be challenged and reversed. The text also reveals the inability to resolve ambiguities, such as being both an anime kid and the oldest, and being a runner who runs from everything, showing how the hierarchy of these binary oppositions is arbitrary and can be questioned.

Deconstruction Lens

Essential Question: How does analysis of this text reveal privileged oppositions of meaning and arbitrary nature of language?

Central Concerns: privilege, hierarchies, indeterminacy, sign, signifier

Critical Assumptions:

1. Meaning is not determinate: it is made by binary oppositions (yes/no, positive, negative, etc.), but one item in an opposition is unavoidably favored or privileged over the other.
2. The hierarchy is arbitrary and can be exposed or reversed.
3. Texts contain unavoidable gaps, spaces, absences, contradictions and irresolvable ambiguities that defeat complete interpretation.

What to do:

1. Identify oppositions in the text.
2. Determine which member in a given opposition appears favored, and demonstrate contradiction of that favoring.
3. Expose a text’s inability to resolve its ambiguities.