Essential Questions for Critical Approaches to Literature

Feminist Approach How important are the female characters? Are they credited with their own existence? In their relationships with men, how are they treated? Are they given equal status? Are they ignored? Patronized? Demeaned? Pedestalized? How much interest do male characters exhibit regarding womens concerns? Marxist/Economist Approach Who has the power and the money? Who does not? What happens as a result of this?

Psychoanalytic Approach What particular life experiences explain subjects or themes in his/her writing? Was the authors life happy? Miserable? Upsetting? Solitary? Social? Competitive?

Archetypal Approach How do the setting, characters, and images reflect universal patterns? How are the elements in this piece connected to others? What are the repeated images or symbols? How does the authors use of color reflect the tone/mood?