short story lenses

Feminist Criticism

Examines gender roles, power, stereotypes, and the treatment of women.

What Feminist Critics Look For

Gender representation, stereotypes, power imbalance, agency, and gaps in women’s stories.

Feminist Lens Questions

How are genders shown? What stereotypes appear? Who has power? Do women have agency?

Dressing Up for the Carnival – Gender Representation

Women shown as limited by beauty and nurturing roles; men shown with more expressive freedom.

Dressing Up for the Carnival – Stereotypes

Tamara ties identity to clothing; Wanda reinforces nurturing roles; men express identity without judgment.

Dressing Up for the Carnival – Author Attitude

Writes women with compassion and gentle irony; their inner lives are respected.

Dressing Up for the Carnival – Gaps

Wanda’s deeper past is hidden; Tamara’s identity beyond beauty is unknown.

Critical Race Theory

Examines race, racism, privilege, systemic power, and representation.

What CRT Critics Look For

Racial portrayals, stereotypes, assimilation pressure, and the effects of institutional racism.

CRT Lens Questions

What races appear? How are they portrayed? What stereotypes exist? How does systemic racism operate?

The Spaces Between Stars – CRT Connection

Shows racial identity struggle, unequal voice, and pressure to conform to dominant culture.

Archetypal Criticism

Identifies universal character types, symbols, and mythic story patterns.

Common Archetypes

Tragic hero, wise old man, trickster, birds = freedom, staircase = enlightenment.

Archetypal Lens Questions

Which archetypes appear? Do they follow or subvert expectations?

Two Words – Archetypal Connection

Belisa as wise-woman archetype; Colonel as warrior; words function symbolically to transform identity.

Existentialist Criticism

Focuses on absurdity, authenticity, free will, responsibility, and creating meaning.

What Existentialist Critics Look For

Harsh worlds, authentic vs. inauthentic choices, isolation, responsibility, and meaning-making.

Existentialist Lens Questions

How harsh is the world? Are choices authentic? What brings meaning? How aware are characters of responsibility?

Things That Fly – Existentialist Connection

Characters face an unforgiving world, seek meaning, and confront responsibility for their choices.

Marxist Criticism

Examines class, wealth, oppression, and capitalist values.

What Marxist Critics Look For

Class divisions, power, oppression of the working class, and capitalist influence.

Marxist Lens Questions

Who has power? What class benefits? Does the text support or critique capitalism?

The Shining Houses – Marxist Connection

New homeowners represent bourgeois values; Mrs. MacLane symbolizes the marginalized working class.

Cultural Criticism

Examines how culture, identity, traditions, and beliefs influence characters.

Cultural Lens Questions

What cultural values appear? How does culture shape choices? How does cultural identity change?

Marker on the Side of the Boat – Cultural Connection

Shows cultural tradition, generational identity, and pressure to preserve cultural meaning.

Postcolonial Criticism

Examines colonization, power imbalance, exploitation, cultural loss, and identity crisis.

What Postcolonial Critics Look For

Misuse of power, forced assimilation, cultural erasure, stereotypes, and alienation.

Postcolonial Lens Questions

How is power misused? How are characters exploited or controlled? What cultural loss appears?

The Voices of Adamo – Misuse of Power

Colonizers impose hierarchy, control identity, erase culture, and enforce domination.

The Voices of Adamo – Exploitation

Adamo is recruited without understanding; officers hold absolute authority; African voices are minimized.

The Voices of Adamo – Dehumanization

Soldiers treated as tools; identities reduced to obedience; traditional culture erased.

The Voices of Adamo – Racial Stereotypes

Colonized people assumed to be obedient, inferior, and easily controlled.

The Voices of Adamo – Alienation

Loss of language, identity confusion, emotional distance, and being caught between cultures.

The Voices of Adamo – New Cultural Identity

Hybrid identity formed from colonial influence and lost tradition, belonging to neither world fully.

Psychological Criticism

Examines mental states, trauma, coping, development, internal conflict, and behaviour shaped by society.

Psychological Lens Questions

What distress exists? How do characters cope? How does society shape their behaviour?