Reading Schedule:

KR#1 - Chapters 1-6: 05/10
KR#2 - Chapters 7-10: 05/14
KR#3 - Chapters 11-13: 05/16
KR#4 - Chapters 14-19: 05/22
KR#5 - Chapters 20-23: 05/24
KR#6 - Chapters 24-end: 05/29

Literary Criticism:

What is Literary Criticism?

So what is literary criticism anyway? Literary criticism describes the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Literary criticism is made up of a number of different types of critical approaches. Critical approaches are very much like the lenses through which we view and understand a piece of literature. Critical literary theories can bring certain qualities of a work of literature into focus or call attention to particular issues.
But Why Do I Need To Know About Different Theories?There is a great definition of literary criticism found on the website which reads, Literary criticism is an extension of this social activity of interpreting." As we read a text, we are constantly engaging in the practice of interpretation as we attempt to understand a particular work's significance and meaning. The critics purpose may be to make value judgements on a work, to explain his or her interpretation of the work, or to provide other readers with relevant historical or biographical information. As readers we use criticism as a way to communicate with other readers our ideas regarding a particular text. Literary criticism helps readers understand the intricacies of a text a communicate with other readers about those intricacies.
But Why is Criticism Important for Students?We will soon start our reading of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, you may find it useful to look at the reviews other critics give the text in order to inform your own interpretations of the text. It is important to understand how a particular form of literary criticism may help you understand a text more clearly. However, criticism from other sources should never be a substitute for your original ideas regarding a text. Instead, reading other critics may help you to clarify your own understanding and ideas.

What is NOT Literary Criticism?
  • An article about the life of the author (this is a biographical essay)
  • A summary of the plot (Literary criticism goes beyond a simple retelling of the story; it judges the quality of the original work, analyzes meanings, compares the work to others, and/or examines the authors ideas within the context of the times.)

So, Let's Get Started!
Explore each of the ideas in each link below. READ each thoroughly and look at the examples. The examples are from Chapters 1-4 of Kite Runner. You should add these examples to your annotations in these chapters and mark them appropriately.

Schools of Criticism to examine...

Historical Critiques
Feminist Critiques
Archetypal/Mythological Critiques
Marxist Critiques
Reader Response Critiques
Psychoanalytic Critiques

Literary Criticism Assignment DUE 05/24:
1. Complete the Literary Criticism chart while reading The Kite Runner. external image vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document.png The Kite Runner Literary Criticism.docx external image pdf.png The Kite Runner Literary Criticism.pdf

2. Choose 1 of the Critical Approaches and create a poster that...
a. Includes the title and author of the text.
b. Explains the Critical Theory you have chosen.
c. Gives 3 examples/passages from the text, The Kite Runner, where that criticism can be applied.
d. Explains HOW the criticism can be applied to the examples/passages chosen.
e. Includes visuals/graphics that are appropriate, is creative, is neat.
f. Be prepared to discuss/share.
SIZE = 1/2 poster board or full poster board size -- it should NOT be on an 8.5"x11" piece of computer paper.