Home📚 LITERARY CRITICAL APPROACHES — REVIEWER 1. FORMALIST APPROACH Focus: The literary work itself. Characters – people in the story Setting – time and place Plot – events of the story Theme – main message or idea Symbols – objects that represent an idea Language/Style – how the author uses words 👉 Keyword: TEXT 2. BIOGRAPHICAL APPROACH Focus: The author's life and experiences. Author's background Life experiences Beliefs Personal experiences that may influence the work 👉 Keyword: AUTHOR 3. SOCIOLOGICAL / HISTORICAL APPROACH Focus: How society and history influence a literary work. Social – relationships, social groups, and society Historical – events and conditions during the time Political – government, leadership, and power Cultural – traditions, beliefs, customs, and values 👉 Keyword: SOCIETY 4. MARXIST APPROACH Focus: Social class, power, and inequality. Rich vs. poor Upper class vs. lower class Economic inequality Power and wealth Class conflict 👉 Keyword: CLASS 5. FEMINIST APPROACH Focus: Gender and equality, especially how women are represented. Gender stereotypes – beliefs about how men/women "should" act Gender biases – unfair treatment based on gender Men vs. women – differences in power, opportunities, or treatment Women's roles and representation Gender equality 👉 Keyword: GENDER 6. PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH Focus: The mind, emotions, and unconscious desires of characters. 🧠 Three parts of personality: ID Wants immediate pleasure "I want it NOW!" EGO Realistic and logical Balances the ID and SUPEREGO SUPEREGO Represents morals and rules Knows what is right and wrong Conscience Inner sense of right and wrong 👉 Keyword: MIND 📝 QUICK MEMORY GUIDE Approach Focus Keyword Formalist Text itself 📖 TEXT Biographical Author's life 👤 AUTHOR Sociological/Historical Society & history 🌍 SOCIETY Marxist Social class 💰 CLASS Feminist Gender & equality ⚖️ GENDER Psychoanalytic Mind & behavior 🧠 MIND ⭐ Easy way to remember: F-B-S-M-F-P Formalist → Biographical → Sociological → Marxist → Feminist → Psychoanalytic FIGURES OF SPEECH — FINAL REVIEWER 1. Personification ➡️ Giving human characteristics to non-human things. Example: “The flowers danced in the wind.” 🧠 Keyword: HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS 2. Hyperbole ➡️ An exaggeration used to emphasize an idea. Example: “I've told you a million times.” 🧠 Keyword: EXAGGERATION 3. Synecdoche ➡️ Using a part to represent the whole, or the whole to represent a part. Example: “We need more hands to help.” → Hands = people 🧠 Keyword: PART ↔ WHOLE 4. Metonymy ➡️ Replacing something with a word that is closely associated with it. Example: “The crown made a decision.” → Crown = king/queen 🧠 Keyword: ASSOCIATION 5. Oxymoron ➡️ Combines two contradictory/opposite words. Examples: Deafening silence Bittersweet Living dead 🧠 Keyword: OPPOSITE WORDS 6. Paradox ✅ ➡️ A statement or idea that seems contradictory but contains a deeper meaning or truth. Examples: “Less is more.” “The beginning of the end.” 🧠 Keyword: CONTRADICTORY IDEA + DEEPER MEANING ⭐ DON'T MIX THESE UP! Figure Meaning Easy Keyword Personification Non-human → human traits 👤 Human Hyperbole Exaggeration 📈 Exaggerate Synecdoche Part ↔ whole 🧩 Part/Whole Metonymy Related/associated term 🔗 Association Oxymoron Opposite words together ⚡ Opposite words Paradox Opposite/contradictory idea with deeper meaning 💡 Deeper meaning 🧠 Pinakamadaling tandaan: OXymoron = WORDS ➡️ “deafening silence” PARadox = IDEA ➡️ “Less is more.” Synecdoche = PART ➡️ “hands” = people Metonymy = RELATED ➡️ “crown” = royalty Hyperbole = EXAGGERATE ➡️ “a million times” Personification = HUMAN ➡️ “flowers danced” 📚 ENGLISH REVIEWER POETRY, CONFLICT, & CHARACTER --- I. POETRY Poetry Poetry is a creative form of art that uses language in a condensed and evocative way. It aims to: Stir emotions Spark the imagination Express ideas and feelings through carefully chosen words 🧠 Keyword: EMOTIONS + IMAGINATION --- II. ELEMENTS OF POETRY According to your notes, there are 3 main elements: 1. Diction ➡️ The choice and use of words by the poet. There are two types of meaning: Denotative Literal or dictionary meaning. Example: Dove = a bird Connotative Associated, emotional, or symbolic meaning. Example: Dove = peace 🧠 Remember: Denotative = Dictionary Connotative = Connection/feeling --- 2. Images and Sense Impressions ➡️ Words used to create mental pictures and appeal to our senses. The five senses: 👁️ Sight – what you see 👂 Hearing – what you hear 👃 Smell – what you smell 👅 Taste – what you taste ✋ Touch – what you feel Example: “The warm bread smelled sweet and tasted delicious.” This appeals to touch, smell, and taste. 🧠 Keyword: SENSES --- 3. Figures of Speech ➡️ Special ways of using words to make writing more meaningful or expressive. Your figures of speech: Personification → Gives human characteristics to non-human things. “The flowers danced.” Hyperbole → Exaggeration. “I told you a million times.” Synecdoche → A part represents the whole. “We need more hands.” → hands = people Metonymy → Uses something closely associated with another thing. “The crown decided.” → crown = royalty Oxymoron → Two contradictory words together. “Deafening silence.” Paradox → A seemingly contradictory idea that has a deeper meaning. “Less is more.” --- III. CONFLICT What is Conflict? Conflict is the problem or struggle in a story. It is: The problem in the drama A force that makes the narrative move forward A struggle or tension between opposing forces Something that can reveal a deeper meaning in a narrative 🧠 Keyword: STRUGGLE / PROBLEM --- IV. GENERAL TYPES OF CONFLICT There are 2 general types: A. INTERNAL CONFLICT 🧠 ➡️ A conflict that happens within the character. It can be caused by: Morality Desires Fears Beliefs Character vs. Self The character struggles with their own thoughts, feelings, decisions, or beliefs. Example: A student wants to cheat but knows that cheating is wrong. 🧠 Internal = INSIDE THE CHARACTER --- B. EXTERNAL CONFLICT 🌎 ➡️ A struggle between a character and an outside force. Types: Character vs. Character → One character struggles against another character. Character vs. Society → A character struggles against society, rules, or social expectations. Character vs. Nature → A character struggles against nature or natural forces. 🧠 External = OUTSIDE THE CHARACTER --- V. CHARACTER Character A character is a person, animal, or being that takes part in a story. Characters help move the plot and experience conflicts. --- VI. TYPES OF MAJOR CHARACTERS 1. Protagonist ➡️ The main character of the story. The story usually focuses on their goals, struggles, and experiences. 🧠 Protagonist = MAIN CHARACTER --- 2. Antagonist ➡️ The character or force that opposes the protagonist. The antagonist creates obstacles or conflict for the protagonist. 🧠 Antagonist = OPPOSING FORCE Easy to remember: PROtagonist → PRO = main character you're following ANTagonist → ANTI = against the protagonist --- VII. CHARACTERIZATION Characterization ➡️ The way an author reveals or develops a character's personality, traits, and qualities. There are 2 ways: --- 1. DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION ➡️ The author directly tells the reader what the character is like. Example: > “Maria was kind and generous.” The author directly says that Maria is kind and generous. 🧠 Direct = AUTHOR TELLS YOU --- 2. INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION ➡️ The author shows the character's personality through their: Speech – what they say Thoughts – what they think Actions – what they do Appearance – how they look Interactions – how they treat others Example: > Maria gave her lunch to a hungry classmate. We can infer that Maria is kind even though the author didn't directly say it. 🧠 Indirect = AUTHOR SHOWS YOU --- ⭐ DIRECT VS. INDIRECT Direct Indirect Author tells Author shows Personality is stated Personality is inferred “John is honest.” John returns a lost wallet. 🧠 Super easy: DIRECT = TELL 🗣️ INDIRECT = SHOW 👀 --- 🔥 QUICK REVIEW BEFORE EXAM Poetry ➡️ Creative use of language to stir emotions and spark imagination. Elements of Poetry Diction → choice of words Images & Sense Impressions → five senses Figures of Speech → special/expressive use of language Conflict ➡️ Problem or struggle in a story. Internal → Character vs. Self External → Character vs. Character / Society / Nature Major Characters Protagonist → main character Antagonist → opposes the protagonist Characterization Direct → author TELLS Indirect → author SHOWS 🧠 ONE-LINE MEMORY GUIDE POETRY: Emotion + Imagination DICTION: Words IMAGERY: Senses CONFLICT: Struggle INTERNAL: Self EXTERNAL: Outside PROTAGONIST: Main ANTAGONIST: Against DIRECT: Tell INDIRECT: Show