I have come to the conclusion that the only way to read a literary text is through discrimination (it is believed to be present in all forms in all texts). The primary task is to identify the form of discrimination present in each text. Once this is accomplished, you will need to realise that there are four “discriminatory ways” of reading texts. They are:
1. Marxist Reading
2. Feminist Reading
3. Colonial/Post colonial Reading, and
4. Psychoanalytical Reading
Marxist reading deals with the discrimination between classes. Feminist reading deals with the discrimination between genders. Colonial/Post-colonial reading deals with the discrimination between the rulers and the ruled. Psychoanalytical reading involves discrimination over the author. It deals not with what is apparently conveyed by the author, but with what some self righteous analysts think what (s)he was “actually” trying to say.
Therefore for one to be a literary scholar, one must be thoroughly acquainted with these forms of discriminatory readings and must be prepared to go to all lengths to enforce them in all texts that (s)he comes across. Otherwise, in all probability, literary criticism will continue to be a distant dream and nothing more.
However, as with all cases and theories, there are and will be a few (remember only a few) works which may continue to elude the hands of such “discriminators.” I am now beginning a search for some books. The real purpose of me writing this is to request you to give me the names of such books if you do come across any of them. I am eagerly looking forward to your cooperation in this endeavour of mine.
Bestsellers- they are the only books critics dont touch and hold beneath their eyeglass.
ReplyDeleteDo you know what's ironical? You are training to become one such critic yourself!!
god bless the bestsellers!
ReplyDeleteya i kno. two yrs ago, i unknowingly walked in to be trained to be a worthless and vain critic. unfortunately, the people here have failed to make me one so far. i barely scrape through with enuf marks to get out of this god-forsaken place as soon as i can, with a sane mind!
well, I think one of the best examples of oxymoron is the phrase "critical appreciation"! What happens when you dismantle a construct without knowing the right screws to unscrew? Ha, but be proud anyway in calling poor authors as various "ists" which they never intended to be!!
ReplyDeleteas a result of these discriminations, a reader or more accurately a student suffers from a type of inferiority complex which arises from the difference between what s/he understands and what the teacher wants him/her to understand. an inferiority complex because everyone else around always seems to have understood. however one question to the know-it-all students would suffice to unravel that even they are in the same boat but no one will ask the question for fear of asking the wrong one.
ReplyDelete-anwesha
well said. i never thought of it that way...excellent!
ReplyDelete