MARXISM

Page 1: Introduction to Marxism

  • The provided source text discusses Marxism from the perspective of Augustinians of the Assumption at Assumption College.

  • The source can be accessed via the URL provided: http://www1.assumption.edu/users/ady/HHGateway/Gateway/Marxistlitcrit.html

Page 2: Key Terms

Bourgeoisie

  • Refers to the capitalist class who own the means of production.

Proletariat

  • Refers to the working class who do not own the means of production and must sell their labor to survive.

Page 3: Ideology

  • Ideology consists of shared beliefs and values held unconsciously within a culture.

  • Exerts powerful influence on societal dynamics and culture.

Page 4: Characteristics of Ideology

  • Silence of Ideology: By nature, ideology remains silent and invisible.

  • Its invisibility enhances its power within cultural contexts.

Page 5: Marginalized Perspectives

  • Individuals marginalized within culture recognize how ideology supports dominant societal classes.

Page 6: False Consciousness

  • Those benefiting from dominant group membership may experience what Marx terms "false consciousness."

  • They remain unaware of the economic structures that marginalize others.

Page 7: Ideology and Economic Structures

  • Beneficiaries of economic structures often adopt ideologies that uphold those structures, obscuring their marginalizing effects.

Page 8: Ideological Concepts

  • Base vs. Superstructure: The economic base influences the superstructure, which includes laws, politics, philosophy, religion, and art.

  • Hegemony: Dominant cultural assumptions, meanings, and values.

  • Reification: The process of treating people as commodities.

Page 9: Base vs. Superstructure Explained

  • Base: Economic foundation as identified in Marxist theory.

  • Superstructure: Cultural phenomena that arise from the economic base, including societal norms and institutions.

Page 10: Hegemony

  • Refers to the widespread cultural norms and values that shape perceived reality for the majority within a culture.

Page 11: Ideological Web

  • Ideological frameworks create a "web" that influences perceptions and meanings in society.

Page 12: Understanding Reification

  • Reification of People: When individuals are commodified and treated as marketable entities.

  • Example: Media's focus on tragedy commodifies the grief of individuals for ratings and profit.

Page 13: Media Example

  • The media portrays sympathy during tragic events but simultaneously benefits economically from coverage due to increased viewer ratings.

Page 14: Marxist Literary Criticism Focus

  • Explores ideological oppression by dominant economic classes over subordinates in literary texts.

Key Questions for Analysis:

  • Does the text reflect or resist dominant ideologies?

  • Does the protagonist affirm or oppose bourgeois values?

  • Whose narratives are prioritized in the text?

  • Are lower economic classes depicted negatively or ignored?

  • Are values supporting the dominant class presented as self-evident?

Page 15: Conditions of Production

  • Examines the economic context surrounding the publication of literary works:

Key Questions:

  • What economic conditions influenced the publication?

  • Who constituted the audience for the work?

  • What does the text infer about the audience's values?

Page 16: Intersection with Feminism

  • Marxist literary criticism aligns with feminist criticism in questioning power structures.

  • Focus: Marxists address economic power and its political implications, while feminists emphasize gender marginalization.