Approaches in Literary Criticism

The Formalist approach focuses primarily on:

• The author's personal experiences that influenced the text

• The structure, form, and literary devices within the text

• The historical context in which the text was written

• The reader’s personal reaction to the text

Which of the following best represents a Formalist reading of a poem?

• Analyzing the imagery of a poem to understand its themes

• Researching the poet’s life to see how their childhood influenced the poem

• Examining how the poem reflects societal attitudes toward gender

• Exploring how different readers interpret the poem based on their experiences

In Gender Criticism, what is the primary focus of analysis?

• The personal interpretation of the reader

• The internal structure of the text, including its language and form

• How the historical period shaped the characters’ motivations

• How the text reinforces or challenges traditional gender roles

Which of the following is not a typical focus of Gender Criticism?

• Examining how male and female characters are portrayed differently

• Analyzing how the text supports or challenges societal norms related to gender

• Looking at how literary devices like symbolism enhance the narrative

• Exploring the influence of feminism on the portrayal of women

Historical Criticism argues that a text:

• Should be analyzed without considering the author’s life or the time it was written

• Can only be fully understood by considering the historical and cultural context

• Has a fixed meaning that does not change over time

• Is shaped entirely by the reader’s interpretation and experiences

When using a Historical Approach to analyze José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, which of the following questions would be most relevant?

• How are women portrayed compared to men in the novel?

• How do Filipino readers today react to the themes of revolution and resistance?

• How does the narrative structure of the novel create tension?

• How does the novel reflect the social and political situation in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period?

Reader-Response Criticism emphasizes:

• The importance of the reader’s personal experiences in interpreting the text

• The universal themes that exist in all literature regardless of reader interpretation

• How well the text conforms to traditional literary structures and devices

• The historical background of the text and how it shapes its meaning

Which statement is most accurate about Reader-Response Criticism?

• Every reader should have the same interpretation of the text based on shared cultural norms.

• The meaning of a text is not fixed but is created by the interaction between the reader and the text.

• It is more important to study the author’s intent than the reader’s reaction to the text.

• The reader's personal background has no effect on how they interpret a story.

In Marxist Criticism, what is the main focus of analysis?

• How characters’ social and economic status affects their relationships and conflicts

• How the reader’s personal experiences shape the interpretation of the text

• The use of symbolism and imagery to convey meaning in the text

• The historical events that inspired the creation of the text

When applying Marxist Criticism to Four Sisters and a Wedding, which of the following would be a relevant question?

• How does the film’s structure create a sense of family tension?

• How does the film reinforce traditional gender roles through its characters?

• How are the sisters’ conflicts influenced by their different economic backgrounds?

• How do viewers from different generations respond to the film’s portrayal of family dynamics?