CHAPTER 6:

LESSON 6: LITERARY READING

MARXISM
THROUGH A MARXISM LENS
Through the twentieth century era, the literate individuals
attempted to identify with various forms about the world which
resulted to different philosophies. Marxist school of criticism is one of
the literary criticisms that aims to provide logics and concrete
evidences in giving out explanations, perceptions, interpretations, and
analyzations about the world. In Marxist criticism, the literary work
must be done with it emphasizing the ideologies and classes.

OBJECTIVES
In this literary theory, we do not just focus on the social class
In this unit, another theory is but there is the presence of propagating, reflecting and challenging
opened to be analyze which is the
1. The readers have an ability to comprehend the history and
the main social norms, classes, and order. Unlike the other literary
definition of Marxism and apply the given concepts,
principles, and methods of Marxist Criticism. Marxism. You will understand the different theory which considering a text has a hidden meaning, in analyzing
types of class struggles during the era of
2. This have an active participation with the activities
presented which they also have an acknowledgement that with use of Marxism, we saw texts as the product material that does
Karl Marx also known as the Father of
there are possible Marxism in real-life situations.
not only needs to be translated but also understood by including
Communism. This theory can also assist
3. The readers recognize the different ideologies related to
the Marxism and comparing and contrasting them.
you to determine what ideologies are
historical terms.
4. The readers have an ability to construct their own analysis
using the Marxism Lens and might adapt some of theunder the Marxism Lens and how you can
analyses in the module. As we remain to understand the Marxist Theory and criticism,
apply it in a literary work or texts. You will
also encounter the points of analyzing a
the following contents will help you to attained the objectives of the
text using Marxist Theory and Marxist lesson: the discussion, activities, and assignment.
Approach that can help you applied the given text in a certain
situation or might as well, another literary theory. Also, there are
some general principles, positive and negative aspects of Marxist
Lens. In general, you will apprehend and analyze the given literary
works applying the analyzation of Marxism Lens.

Camacam, Grace Niña N. ACTIVITY

Dela Cruz, Michelle Ann T.
Liego, Nikka Lou M.
Magat, Precious Lorems Q.
Simbulan, Charles Lanz Angelo E.
 Divide the class into 6 groups. The first 3 groups will be given
5 papers and the rest will be given 10, the papers represent their  Government ownership of industry (teacher collected the
social status the more paper they get the more powerful they are. The papers)
students then compete with each other in Rock, Paper, Scissors,  Goal is to bring Economic equality (teacher redistributed
Stone, if you lose you will give up one paper to the winner. Once a papers equally)
group ran out of paper, they are instructed to sit down and watch. The
 Aims for classless society (students now all have the same
teacher should take note of their complaints as this happened. The
remaining groups continue to compete until few groups had papers amount of papers)
left. The winner of this activity has plus 5 in peta
Communism

Ask the students if they want to play again and if they refused,
 Guide Questions: that will be led us to communism

1. What did you feel at the start of the game?  Goal of classless society achieved (students would
2. How did you feel when you ran out of papers and had to sit down? refuse to play game again and choose to share their
3. What strategies did you use to get back into the game? (Steal, papers)
Bargain, Buy Someone off, lie)  No Government needed (teacher would no longer need
4. Was the game fair? to supervise).
Capitalism

 Private ownership of property (students started with their

own papers)
 Freedom of competition (students played rock, paper,
scissors and stone)
 Results in to unequal economic classes (some students won,
most lost)

Socialism
As we tackle socialism, the teacher represents the
DISCUSSION
government and it will collect all the papers from the winners
and redistribute equally. Why?
History Social power and relations of mastery are transmitted in a
wide range of structures, beside the state, all things considered
Marxism is the theory established by Karl Marx and "concentrated power is required to topple concentrated power", so
Frederick Engels which battles for the self-liberation of the regular Marxists consistently battle to build up the sorted-out quality of the
workers, oppressing all types of control by the bourgeoisie, its laborer’s development. Opportunity is constantly restricted by the
organizations and its philosophy, to hypothetical and functional study. open doors that the network accommodates the improvement of a
character. Opportunity is not improved basically by the expulsion of
Demonstrating the devastation of the industrialist state by the
restrictions on the self-governance of people. Marxists plan to improve
sorted out common laborers, Marxism is contradicting all types of
the opportunity of average workers individuals primarily by extending
reformism and "gradualism" or "developmental communism"; Marxism
the extent of aggregate activity and the potential outcomes for
is Revolutionary.
individual development and innovativeness inside that.
Marxism conveys to other dynamic social developments an
There is no arrangement of standards and convictions which
inflexible antagonistic vibe toward all types of mastery — sexism,
can be set out for the last time and stepped with the name of
prejudice, etc., yet what tracks Marxism out from other dynamic
"Marxism”. Marxism is a development, and in that capacity must be
developments is that Marxists battle consistently to conquer the
comprehended through a basic assessment of its history. While this
complex types of control and misuse in and through the self-liberation
development bears the name of its author, Karl Marx, Marxism is not a
of the regular workers. In this manner Marxism is Revolutionary
development of devotees, yet it is by a development which is
Socialism.
fundamentally worried about an interconnected group of hypothetical
While Marxism represents the destruction of the entrepreneur and political composition which follows its beginnings back to Marx.
state, and has as its point the shrinking endlessly of the state and all
types of regulated savagery, Marxists not just help the privilege of the What is Marxism?
common laborers to practice a mastery over the bourgeoisie, they
Marxism is an economic and social system dependent on the
effectively battle for that, since the tyranny of the working class is the
political and monetary hypotheses of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
conceivable method to demolish average principle and open the path
While it would take veritably volumes to clarify the full difficulties and
to the vanishing all things considered, including the class of wage
consequences of the Marxist social and financial philosophy, Marxism
slaves. Marxism has its beginnings in the battle for this point of view,
is summed up in the Encarta Reference Library as "a hypothesis
contrary to rebellion which looks to undermine all types of power and
where class battle is a focal component in the examination of social
looks for decimation of the industrialist state without advancing and
change in Western social orders." Marxism is the direct opposite of
setting up the regular workers for the seizure and holding of open
free enterprise which is characterized by Encarta as "a monetary
political power.
framework dependent on the private responsibility for methods for
generation and circulation of merchandise, portrayed by a free
aggressive market and inspiration by benefit." Marxism is the
arrangement of communism of which the dominant element is open
responsibility for methods for creation, appropriation, and trade.
Under capitalist, the low class, the regular workers or "the
individuals," possess just their ability to work; they have the capacity
just to sell their very own work. As per Marx a class is characterized
by the relations of its individuals to the methods for generation. He
broadcasted that history is the sequence of class battles, wars, and
uprisings. Under free enterprise, Marx proceeds, the laborers, so as to
help their families are paid an absolute minimum compensation or
pay. The specialist is distanced in light of the fact that he has no
influence over the work or item which he delivers. The business
people sell the items created by the laborers at a corresponding an
incentive as identified with the work included. Surplus worth is the
distinction between what the specialist is paid and the cost for which
the item is sold.
Marxist Criticism
It emphasizes the role of class (social and economic
standing) and ideology (main underlying principles) as they reflect,
promote, and sometimes challenge the prevailing social order. They
often focus how those in power seek to maintain that power, in part by
justifying it through art and literature. They also focus on the struggle
that exists between the working class and the ruling (elite) class. This
also tries to understand the relationship between economic and/or
social development and literature and tends to take away from the
deeper meaning of literature and views it as a product of work.
Strategies
Marxist Perspective
This is the study of the struggle between the upper, lower,
and middle class. Economics is the basis of the perspective for the
reason that it was the dynamic force behind the society, according to
Marx. Often, the search for wealth is the personality. In here, we look
for tyranny of a lower class by an upper class. They learn how
persons are used as a possession to produce a money. We explore
the economics featured in the text. Also, examining what social
classes are featured in the text.
Due to the growth of capitalism, the class struggle brought serious
or important form. The basic classes are classified in to two classes:
1. Bourgeoisie (ruling class) are the owners of the means of
production or A very small proportion of wealthy people
owned huge amounts of land and factories
2. Proletariat (working class) are the wage laborers and
were exploited, by the bourgeoisie as they earned only
enough money to survive.
Recurrent terms in Marxist literary criticism:
 Base vs. Superstructure - Base refers to the forces and
relations of production—to all the people, relationships
between them, the roles that they play, and the materials and
resources involved in producing the things needed by society.
Superstructure, according to Marx and Engels, grows out of
the base, and reflects the interests of the ruling class that
controls it. It includes culture, ideology, norms and
expectations, identities that people inhabit, social institutions,
the political structure, and the state.
 Hegemony - a class coalition by means of which one, the top
class believe that they must be the ones who must lead rather
than the other classes. To form an agreement, they promise
 to provide certain benefits and this result to a safe public
political power over society as a whole.
 Reification - the way in people are used as a material or
product which must be valuable in market exchange. For
example, some would argue that the media's obsession with
make commodities out of grieving people. The media
expresses sympathy but economically thrives on these events
through ratings boost.
 Exchange-value vs. use value - Use value refers to a
product's value in satisfying needs and wants as afforded by
its material properties. Exchange-value is based on a
product's use value for others, social use value.
 Commodification - often regarded as subordinating real
needs to manufactured desires in its quest of profit. This
converts use values into exchange-values and characterizes
the production relations of the market as contrasting to an
existence economy.
 Alienation - the process whereby the worker is made to feel
foreign to own production of the laborer to the extent that they
are unable to act in accordance with their own classification,
they become disconnected from their own nature.
 Ideology - a set of feelings or convictions of a group or a
person. Regularly ideology indicates to a lot of political
convictions or a lot of thoughts that portray a specific culture.
A system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the
basis of economic or political theory and policy. For Marxists,
ideology is determined by economics. A coarse estimate: "tell
me how much money you have and I'll tell you how you
think."
Ideologies of Marxism
The followings are some of the ideologies of Marxism that can be use
in literary criticism:
1. Classism- a biased or discriminatory attitude based on
distinctions made between social or economic classes. The
viewing of society as being composed of distinct classes.
2. Patriotism - is a cultural attachment to one's homeland,
excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's
meaning upon context, geography and philosophy.
3. Religion - is a fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally
agreed upon by a group of people. These set of beliefs concern
the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, and involve
devotional and ritual observances. They also often contain a
moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
4. Rugged Individualism- the conviction that all people, or almost
all people, can prevail alone and that administration help for
individuals ought to be negligible.
5. Consumerism - is the hypothesis that expresses a nation that
devours products and enterprises in enormous amounts will be in
an ideal situation financially. Some of the time, industrialism is
alluded to as a strategy that advances insatiability since it
frequently advances purchasing the most recent and freshest
items.
6. Socialism- socialism developed as an opponent to old style
progressivism in the nineteenth century. It was a political reaction
to the regularly awful states of mechanical laborers in the
propelled industrialist nations and laid cases to portrayal of the
common laborers.
7. Communism- political and financial convention that intends to
supplant private property and a benefit-based economy with open
proprietorship and public control of in any event the real methods
 for generation and the normal assets of a general public.
Socialism is in this way a type of communism - a higher and
further developed structure, as per its supporters.
8. Capitalism - free enterprise is a financial framework where
private people or organizations possess capital merchandise. This
the use of money, power, authority.
Types of Capitalism
1. Turbo Capitalism - this alludes to an unregulated type of free
enterprise with budgetary deregulation, privatization and lower
charge on high workers.
2. Responsible- responsible private enterprise is basically a free
advertise economy, yet with a level of government guideline to
stay away from the abundances and disparities of private
enterprise.
3. Crony- term used to allude to the circumstance where business
achievement is identified with vital impacts with government
workers, lawmakers and those in power. It could be utilized to
allude to circumstances in mid twentieth century US where
business pioneers needed to pay off lawmakers as a byproduct of
favors
4. Advanced - a term used to allude to social orders where free
enterprise is immovably settled. There is far reaching
acknowledgment of business as usual, and minimal political
activism over key political issues. In cutting edge private
enterprise, industrialism is significant. There is likely a built-up
welfare state to conquer the most exceedingly awful of the
abundances of free enterprise.
5. State - state free enterprise happens when state claimed
ventures assume a key job inside the market economy. Under
state private enterprise, the administration likewise assumes a
key job in arranging, for instance choosing to put resources into
vehicle and correspondence. Somewhat, China has turned into a
model of state private enterprise.
6. Popular - The Conservative chief David Cameron talked about
his desire for 'prevalent private enterprise'. Apparently, this is to
take advantages of free enterprise however to ensure everybody
profits by financial development. This would include a level of
redistribution and assurances of a specific social welfare security
net.
Capitalism is based on private ownership and motivation by profit.
Marx criticizes capitalism for its tendency to abuse the working man,
or “the proletariat,” by paying a wage that barely guarantees the
workers’ survival. Instead, Marxism utilizes socialism’s concept of
public ownership. Marxism theorizes that in order to remove the
proletariat from its poor economic situation, a socialist revolution must
occur to remove the unconcerned ruling class from government.
Following the revolution, a new, socialist government is created that
subsequently becomes communist in nature.
General Principles of Marxist Criticism
• It promotes the idea that literature should be a tool in the
revolutionary struggle.
• It attempts to clarify the relationship of literary work to social reality.
• It is political in nature.
• It aims to arrive at an interpretation of literary text in order to define
the political dimensions of literary work.
• It believes that the literary work has always a relationship to the
society.
• It judges literature by how it represents the main struggles for power
going on that time, how it may influence those struggles.
• It highlights and lauds solution from the critic.
Points of Analyzing a text using Marxist Theory
1. Economic Power
Economic system is the moving force behind human history.
Thus, to explain any social context or genre, understand the
historical circumstances.
2. Materialism vs. Spirituality
Marx stated that reality is material not spiritual. We are not
spiritual beings but socially constructed ones. As critics, we are
tasked to examine the relationship among socioeconomic groups in
order to achieve insight into ourselves and our society.
3. Class conflict/struggles
Conflict here principally means the friction between the
proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
4. Art, Literature, Ideologies
According to Marx, the dominant class or higher class do control
art, literature, and ideologies. Marxist critics should identify the
ideology of the work and point out its worth and deficiencies.
Points of Analyzing a text using Marxist
Approach
1. Approach the text with an eye for how the characters interact.
Marxist thought relies on relationships between individuals,
and even those aspects of relationships that are social can be
part of a Marxist critique.
2. Evaluate the vocational roles of all characters. The Marxist
critique includes a focus on a "class system "where the
vocations of characters provide the most direct reference to
their place within this system. Look at the level of luxury that
each individual has and how much they have to work.
3. Look at how characters use their free time. Part of the Marxist
critique is based on the argument that individuals can use
free time productively. Examining the free choices of
individuals is actually a large part of Marxist literary criticism.
4. Assess the role of government in the piece of literature. Is it
draconian? Laissez-faire? Marxist thought relies on
government as a model for liberty and also for communalism:
look at the tools that government uses. Does the government,
in soliciting citizenship, appeal to the capitalist tendencies of
individuals or to their innate love of community?
5. Use Marxist writers as a guide. Pick ideas outlined by Marxist
writers of past eras and apply them to your particular study.
As a general guideline, "rules" should not be over
emphasized in literary criticism. It does not have to be overly
technical, just go from a general "Marxist" viewpoint and tell
something about the story.
Positive Aspects of Marxist Criticisms
 It has real-world applications
 It makes connections with work, politics, money, etc.
  It is concerned about the conditions of oppressed people
Negative Aspects of Marxist Criticisms
 It is really easy to fake
 It always gets entangled with politics
 It quickly moves away from the text into context
 It readily makes value judgments on literature
Questions to Ask!
In analyzing a given literary work, the questions can be answered
in a numbered form or paragraph form. But remember, these are just
guide questions in helping you to analyze a Marxism Lens. It is in your
own accordance if you might want to add some details that are not in
the questions on your analysis.
The Marxist critic simply is a careful reader or viewer who keeps
in mind issues of power and money, and any of the following kinds of
questions:
1. What social classes do the characters represent?
2. How do characters from different classes interact or conflict?
3. How do characters overcome oppression or did they
overcome oppression?
4. In what ways does the work serve as propaganda for the
status quo; or does it try to undermine it?
5. Are social conflicts ignored or blamed elsewhere?
6. What are the ideologies implied in the work?
 ANALYSES Analysis:

In the story of Stephen Kellogg’s “Jack And The Beanstalk”,

Jack and the Beanstalk two social classes were presented, which are the proletariat and
Analyzed by Grace Niña Camacam bourgeoisie wherein, Jack and his mother represents the proletariat
class because they were just living in a small farm and was about to
sell their cow to sustain their farm but something happened, and the
Summary:
giant represents the bourgeoisie because as narrated in the story the
giant lives in the sky, and it can also be an indication of being at
Jack is a poor little boy who lives in the forest with his mom.
highest class or top and also it was narrated in the story where the
The son and mother live off their cow’s milk, but one day when the
giant has a hen and lays an egg made of gold, wherein gold can be
cow does not produce any milk, Jack's mom tells him to go sell the
an indication of wealth.
cow in the market for money and food. When Jack is on the way to
sell the cow, he meets a man who says he has magic beans that grow
Because of desperation of Jack to help his mother, he got out
really tall overnight. Jack decides to exchange the cow for the magical
and stole the hen and the golden harp, it was that time where the
beans and when Jack gets home, he proudly shows his mother the
Giant was alarmed, and tried to run and get his property.
beans, but she gets becomes very angry with Jack and throws the
beans out the window. His mother then sends Jack to bed with no
Jack and his mother had got out from oppression through the
dinner and when Jack wakes up the next morning, he realizes that the
help of his mother where Jack cuts off the beanstalk for them not to
beans sprouted into a giant beanstalk traveling all the way up to the
be followed by the giant in the sky, Jack and his mother along with the
sky. Jack is curious as to what is up at the top, so he climbs up the
hen lived happily ever after.
beanstalk and walks down the road to find a giant castle. Jack enters
the castle and sees a giant woman and asks her for food because the
Jack and the Beanstalk used a propaganda through having a
is hasn't eaten since yesterday’s lunch. The women gave jack food,
distinction of classes, where it showed that in a capitalist society the
but when her child-eating husband comes home Jack hides in the
lower-class or the proletariat Jack was encouraged to be greedy and
oven. Once the husband falls asleep Jack escapes the oven, steals a
ambitious.
bag of gold, and runs out of the house. Jack does these two more
times stealing a chicken that poops gold and a gold harp. The last
time he travels up the beanstalk the giant husband sees Jack as he is There were no social conflicts ignored because the story itself
running out of the house with the harp, and chases after him. Once emphasized social rankings wherein the life of Jack and his mother
Jack gets down the beanstalk, he cuts the beanstalk causing the giant suffered from economic conditions while the giant was living his life
to fall to death. with huge amount of gold.
 Consumerism ideology was involved in the story wherein the
giant forces the hen to lay golden eggs and not thinking of what could
happened to the hen. Capitalism was also implied in the story wherein
Jack’s mother herself own a small farm in a country as their primary
source of income. Furthermore, in the story there was a shift of
wealth, because of what Jack did to the giant, he was unbothered
anymore, and the proletariat Jack became bourgeoisie in the end.
A Good Man is Hard to Find
Analyzed by Michelle Ann T. Dela Cruz
Summary:
A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor opens in
the household with a discussion of planning a tour to Florida. The
characters of the story are gradually introduced afterwards; the main
one being the grandmother. She lives in the house with her son Bailey
and his wife, along with their two children. The most hated character
of the story, the Misfit gang, is introduced later. The grandmother
reads about the escape of the heinous Misfit gang from the federal jail
and about the impending danger that may arise from them. Hence,
the Grandmother insists on going to Tennessee instead of Florida.
The tour is decided to be towards Florida. The next day, on the way in
the car, Grandmother thinks about an old plantation, a little past a
place called Toomsboro. The detour taken after the Grandmother
ignites the desire of the children by telling them a false story about a
hidden gate will eventually meet the car with an accident. At this
moment Misfit arrives at the place in a car and Grandmother
recognizes them. This very recognition will consequently lead to the
death of the whole family.
Analysis:
This short story depicts a family vacation gone terribly awry.
On a road trip to Florida, a family from Atlanta encountered a
homicidal escaped with the murderer named The Misfit. The Misfit and
his two minions massacred the entire family and stole their clothes,
car and cat. Flannery O’Connor, the author, told the story from the
point of view of the grandmother which unnamed like the mother of
the children in the story.
This story centers upon two themes: selfishness, and
individualism. Essentially the grandmother’s insistence on achieving
her own selfish ends results in the death of her entire family, as well
as the loss of her own life. Regards to her selfishness, individualism, it
will be brought up an effect on the family as well as the larger
community, as represented by The Misfit. “A Good Man is Hard to
Find” actually reflects not just the Marxism but also the history,
psychology, feminism, and other interdisciplinary studies.
Since we are focus on the Marxist criticism, that is the one we
are giving details about. Checking out the characters of the short
story, it allows a clear view into Marxist Theory and as a result into the
very nature of every human. As the story begins, the reader is
immediately having an imagery of a middle-class lifestyle of the family
which they were all Americans. This is a contrary on the lifestyle of the
convict who escaped from the prison, The Misfit. The low socio-
economic status (proletariat) are not the only ones to commit crimes
worthy of prison, in general social status does play a part in the
society’s perception. The social standing in the story has not
propagate much but it has shown enough exposure to recognize the
treatment of the society around the family and the Misfit with his men.
Misfit was mad on the way people have classified him and he blame
the society on what he became. The grandmother also had a say to
the society where she always reminisces on her past and compare it
from the present. She thinks that she is an old lady that must be
respected. Though the family has not crossed paths with The Misfit,
the contrast between the two classes are evident. The superiority has
felt within the story, which Marxism argue Capitalism breeds and this
is shown when John Wesley has a commentary, while the family
heads off on their road trip, about Tennessee being a “hillbilly dumping
ground.”
The perception of the grandmother is contrast on the view of
the Americans. The evidence for this is when there was a poor Negro
child pass over the car’s window without shoes or pants, the
grandmother smiled sincerely and said that if she could paint a
picture, she would paint that. On the other hand, the American’s view
seems to be virtuous by the suggestion that America is the country for
opportunity for the people who truly works hard. In Marxism, that idea
is false and misleading because massive number of people have not
had and do not have equal opportunities in education, employment, or
in personal rights; for example, the gender, race, religion, sexual
orientation, and socio-economic status and such.
A capitalist society needed a competition to be on top, be the
best, or be the strongest society. However, an unhealthy competition
is bringing the worst in the society because the wrong people might
who are selfish will rise to the top and use it in unethical ways. In part
of this story illustrated an unhealthy competition when John Wesley
and June Star was bored and decided to played a game by guessing
the shape of the clouds. John Wesley chose the shape of the cow and
June Star actually guessed it right but John Wesley lied by telling the
answer was automobile and June Star said that his brother is not
playing fair where they began slapping each other. John Wesley is
willing to lie to win, distinguishing the selfish and unethical qualities
the capitalist society is producing in him.
Commodification was involved in the story where The Misfit
traded the lives of the family over the car, clothes, money that they
had. This is not just an illustration of commodification but is very
inhumane. The Misfit also represents an individualist. In Marxism,
individualism requires putting self-interest over the common good of
the community and have the belief a good man finish last. Obviously
in the description of The Misfit, is not a nice guy but the grandmother
insists he was a good man. And in fact, the grandmother tried to sell
the Misfit the idea of the American Dream where it entails it is nice to
settled down and live a comfortable life but the Misfit was not buying
what she has to sell because he has different perception especially in
terms of religious belief.
In the end, the negatives aspects of the great capitalist
society emerged that end in having a tragic ending for the whole
family and The Misfit as well. The moral, according to a Marxism
Theory, is that there is no a good man is hard to find in a capitalist
society.
A Doll’s House
Analyzed by Nikka Lou M. Liego
Summary:
The Burnell girls are given a new doll's house from a family
friend. The house is beautifully detailed with all kinds of tiny
accessories, including a perfect little lamp, that thrill the three young
girls and leave them somewhat breathless. Isabel Burnell says to her
younger sisters, Lottie and Kezia, that she gets to tell everyone at
school about the doll's house because she's the oldest, and their
mother said that she could invite the first pair of schoolmates to come
over to see the house. At recess, all of the children crowd around to
hear Isabel's news. The Kelvey girls, Else and Lil, know not to come
close to the other children; they are the daughters of a local
washerwoman, and their father is not in the picture. Many of the other
children are not even allowed to speak to the Kelveys because of their
low status.
As the days go by, more and more of the children come over
to see the house until finally the Kelveys are the only ones who
haven't seen the house. Kezia wants to invite the Kelveys over, but
her mother flatly refuses. One night, Kezia sees the Kelveys walking
on the road past their home, and she invites them in to see the house.
When Kezia's aunt catches them, she yells at Kezia and sends the
Kelveys running off. However, the little ones just seem so happy that
they got to see the magical little doll's house.
Analysis:
Characters:
Bourgeoisie
 Burnell’s Family
Mrs. Hay is the Burnell’s family companion who sends the three
Burnell sisters a delightful doll's house as a blessing.
The Burnells are the wealthy family in the story or the rich. Also,
the beneficiaries of this mindful blessing, and the little girls are
extremely the main ones who assume an enormous job in the story.
Isabel is the oldest, Lottie is the center, and Kezia is the youngest
daughter. Isabel is very glad and haughty, and Lottie appears to
pursue her lead. Kezia is the kindest and most attentive little girl by a
wide margin, as she wouldn't like to avoid the poor Kelvey young
ladies, Lil and Else, from encountering the house's enchantment.
Proletariat
 Kelvey’s Family
The Kelveys are the daughters of a local washerwoman and a
man who has since a long time ago vanished; he is, maybe, in prison.
They are looked downward on by practically every other person
around the local area, including different kids and even their own
educator. They have no desire, subsequently, that they will get the
chance to see the doll's house, and they are stunned when Kezia
welcomes them.
In the story The Doll's House by Katherine Mansfield we have the
theme of class, prejudice, association, hope, appearance and
equality. The Burnell family, except for Kezia, believe themselves to
be above others especially with regards to the Kelveys. Doubtlessly
the Burnells characterize themselves by their economic wellbeing (or
class) and because of the way that Mrs. Kelvey is a common laborers
lady and the conceivable certainty that Mr. Kelvey is in jail the Burnells
believe themselves to be over the Kelveys. There is additionally a
feeling that the Burnell's are shunning the Kelvey's essentially in light
of the fact that they might be diverse to them. On the off chance that
anything it is conceivable that the Burnell's don't wish to connect
themselves with the Kelvey's a result of the Kelvey's appearance
(both physical and social).
 The doll house itself speaks to the deception of the rich way
of life. The doll house is flawless and contains different items inside it.
The doll house is cherished by the affluent sisters, not on the grounds
that they appreciate it, but since it expands their economic wellbeing
at school. In the same way that affluent individuals perceive an actual
mansion, the doll house is a symbol of wealth, power, and social
capital.
Mansfield uses the doll's house itself as a representation for the
universe of the rich high society and makes a symbolic language
encompassing it. The dollhouse opens by swinging its whole front
back to uncover a cross segment: "Maybe it is the manner in which
God opens houses at dead of night when He is taking a peaceful turn
with a heavenly attendant." It is through Else's eyes that the peruse
sees into this world that typically would remain fiercely shut to a poor
child.
At the end of the story is additionally fascinating. Regardless of
the proceeded with social preference of Aunt Beryl (by advising Lil
and Else to return home and not return once more), Else gives off an
impression of being unaffected. As she is sitting next to Lil, she
advises her 'I seen the little light.' This line might be significant as it
interfaces Else to Kezia as well as by observing the light, Else
understands that she is indistinguishable to Kezia. Through Kezia's
separating of any class obstruction that may have existed between Lil,
Else and herself, Else (and Lil) are permitted to be much the same as
the various youngsters (equivalent) in the story.
The ideology that is implied in this story is classism wherein
Kelvey’s family are judged by their social class and appearance.
 Class - The distinction of classes is appeared in the school
and how's everybody is compelled to combine and how the
Kelvey’s were avoided by everybody.
 Hegemony – Due to their status in class the Burnell’s felt
better than the Kelvey’s since they were considering a lower
class in view of their family background.
 Status Quo- Bringing each other down due to being distinctive
in social status.
The Necklace
Analyzed by Precious Lorems Q. Magat
Summary:
Mathilde is born to a low-class family; with no money for a
dowry, she is married to Monsieur Loisel, a clerk from the Board of
Education. Mathilde–now Madame Loisel–had always felt like she
should have been upper class, and is unhappy in her married life: she
hates their home, their food, and her lack of fine clothing and jewelry.
One evening, her husband excitedly presents her with an invitation to
attend an event at the Minister of Public Instruction’s home. To the
surprise of M. Loisel, Mme. Loisel throws the invitation down in
dismay, weeping and complaining that she has nothing to wear to
such an event. Her husband offers to give her the money for
something suitable, but as the day of the ball approaches, she is still
dismayed. When asked why, she replies that she is embarrassed to
attend the ball without any jewels. Her husband suggests that she ask
to borrow some jewels from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. She
agrees and goes to see her friend the next day, greedily choosing one
of Madame Forestier’s finest necklaces.
At the ball, Madame Loisel is a hit: elegant, joyful, and
desired for waltzes. She and M. Loisel return home at nearly 4 o’clock
in the morning, and only when they arrive home does Mme. Loisel
realize she lost the necklace. After a week with no news, M. Loisel
proclaims that they must replace it, and the couple finds a
replacement for 36,000 francs. Loisel has 18,000 francs from his
father’s will and borrows the remaining sum, bit-by-bit and making
“ruinous promises” (p.36) along the way. After all this, Madame Loisel
is able to return the newly bought necklace in the original’s case,
apparently rousing no suspicion.
To pay off the debt, both Monsieur and Madame Loisel must
work tirelessly. After ten years, they are finally able to pay off all of
their debts. One day, while taking a walk, Madame Loisel runs into
Madame Forestier. She approaches her old friend, but Mme. Forestier
almost doesn’t recognize her. In sudden emotion, Madame Loisel
reveals her entire story of losing the necklace, replacing it, and
working off the cost of the replacement ever since. In response,
Madame Forestier replies that the original necklace contained not
actual diamonds but rather fake diamonds, meaning the original
necklace cost no more than 500 francs.
Analysis:
Mr. and Mrs. Loisel belong to the Proletariat (lower class
society). One day Mr. Loisel brings home an invitation ball he thinks
that her wife will be super excited when she hears the news because
that ball is super fancy and almost all of the guests are Bourgeoisie
(higher class society). But Mrs. Loisel complains instead of being
happy because she said that she does not have something to wear for
such an extravagant occasion. Her loving husband gave her money to
buy gown to wear to the ball. She also borrowed a jewelry from
Madame Forestier, Madam Forestier let Mrs. Loisel borrowed her
diamond necklace. Unfortunately, Mrs. Loisel lost the necklace she
borrowed and she has to work double time and they even live in a
smaller apartment so that they can replace the necklace she lost. Mr.
and Mrs. Loisel think that the diamond necklace was true, fancy and
expensive it is because Madame Forestier belong to bourgeoisie little
did, they know that the necklace Mathilde Loisel borrowed was only
fake one.
When the ball is for the bourgeoisie people only, but poor
even if Mr. and Mrs. Loisel were Proletariat they got invited to the ball.
Here in the story there's no racism and discrimination between the
poor and the rich. For example, Madame Forestier is rich even if
Mathilde Loisel is poor, she still helped her by allowing Mathilde to
borrow her necklace and she is kind to Mathilde.
Mathilde did not overcome it, because even though Mathilde
work hard to bring back the diamond necklace to Madame Forestier
she did not learn her lesson well. Because in the end Mathilde Loisel
still manage to boast at Madame Forestier for giving back the
necklace, she lost without even knowing until she said so.
In order to be happy, you need to be in a higher-class society,
because Mathilde Loisel only based her happiness for something
fancy to wear and a jewelry. When you are rich you have the eyes of
every people just like in the story when Mathilde Loisel wears a fancy
dress and jewelry all eyes in the ball was on her.
 The social conflict are being ignored because instead of
Mathilde Loisel change for the better because of her experience in
being ambitious and boastful she still not learn her lesson because at
the end of the story when Madame Forestier meet Mathilde Loisel,
Mathilde Loisel still manage to boast when she said that even if she
lost the necklace she borrowed and even if it is expensive she still
manage to give it back to Madame Forestier.
Capitalism and Communism where everyone is equal with
another, being one gets equal share of the society’s wealth like when
Madame Forestier shared what she has to Mathilde which is letting
her borrow the necklace.
The Lottery
Analyzed by Charles Lanz Angelo E. Simbulan
Summary:
In a small village, somewhere in America, on a warm summer
day (June 27th to be exact), the 300 citizens begin to gather in the
square. The young boys of the town, fresh out of school for the
summer, gathered stones into piles. Slowly, the families trickle into the
square, and there is an air of expectation for this annual event,
something that is rooted in deep tradition started by the founders of
this town years ago. Mr. Summers places a black box filled with slips
of paper, on a stool in the square. The box is as old as the town, and
while Mr. Summers talks about making a new one every year, the
people are reluctant to change such an important symbol of their
tradition, even though they’ve forgotten many of the other pieces of
this annual ritual.
As the lottery commences, the heads of each household walk
up to the box and pick out a slip of paper from it. They then go back to
their spot and wait for all of the names to be called. Typically, the
heads of households are the men; however, if a woman is widowed,
she becomes the head of the household, at least until her eldest son
reaches 16.
When Mr. Summers reaches the end of the names, the heads
of households unfold their papers. There are whispers that, “Bill
Hutchinson’s got it.” Bill’s wife, Tessie Hutchinson, begins to yell and
accuse Mr. Summers of not giving Bill enough time to pick the paper
he wanted. The other women chide her, telling her that they all took
the same chance, and that she should be a good sport. This is the
reader’s first indication that the lottery doesn’t involve winning a
fortune; there’s something more sinister behind this particular ritual.
Tessie, Bill, and their three children, Bill Jr., 12-year-old
Nancy, and toddler Little Davy, are called up to the box. Mr. Summers
takes Bill’s paper, and puts in four other blank ones. He stirs them up,
and each member of the family draws a paper. Bill, and the children’s
papers are all blank, but Tessie’s is marked with an ominous black
spot. She begins to scream that this isn’t fair, or right. The reader
begins to understand the purpose of the stones the children have
been gathering. Within moments, the entire town gathers their stones
and surrounds Tessie. Tessie continues to protest, perhaps realizing
for the first time the barbarism behind this ugly tradition. She isn’t able
to scream for long, however, as the story closes with the townspeople
“upon her”.
Analysis:
The Lottery was written by Shirley Jackson an American
writer and it was published on June 26 th, 1948 in The New Yorker. It
caused debates when it first published. The Lottery might be an image
of the author’s life. She had a serious trouble with depression that The social conflict are ignored because the villagers do not
result her to leave college. care about the tradition anymore because before meeting at the
square, the people already picked the most round stone so that they
The Lottery was a yearly tradition that was practiced by the
would no longer have problem in finding rocks and as said by Mr.
villagers. The winner of this lottery will be executed by the villagers
Summers after Mrs. Hutchinson was picked up, “let’s do this quickly”
continuously throwing the stones to the winner until it dies. In Marxism
he said. The villagers’ only cares the harvest of the community, the life
we have 2 kinds of classes, ruling class (bourgeoisie) and working
of the one who is being stoned serve as sacrifice for the harvest.
class (proletariat). In the story of The Lottery Mr. Summers, Mr.
Graves and Mr. Martin are the most powerful businessmen in the
village that means these 3 characters are the ruling class they control
everything that’s surrounds them including the villagers which are the
working class. This short story shows how the ruling class has a great
power to control the working class through manipulation, and they still
live in a good life while others still and may be suffering forever.
When the month of June comes the villagers gather at the ACTIVITY
square every year where The Lottery takes place. Mr. Summers
Let’s exalt your knowledge!
owned the black box where they will pick the names. In the end, it will
be discovered that the winner of this lottery will be stoned to death. It This activity in this lesson are intended to supplement a larger unit on
means that the characters interact from different classes by Marxism; students will benefit more from this activity if they already
celebrating their tradition. have a solid understanding of Marxist theory.
The characters did not overcome their oppression because as I. A
stated in story, this tradition was performed every year and they were
ruled by the ruling class that are filthy rich, while the villagers which Instructions: Make a literary analysis about the short story of
are the working class are poor so they can’t do anything and still Mrs. Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat”
Hutchinson stoned to death.
The work serves as propaganda for the status quo by stating I. B
that when you’re rich or you are in the ruling class you can control the
thing that’s surrounds you including the minds of the proletariats or Instructions: Watch the movie entitled “The Hunger Games” and
the working class. In the story, Mr. Summers who manipulates the site-specific scenes based from the movie that show Marxism and
villagers to participate the lottery and be stoned to death explain how did they unveil Marxism

GENERALIZATION
Marxism is a strategy for socioeconomic that breaks down
class relations and cultural clash utilizing a realist elucidation of
chronicled advancement and a rationalistic perspective on social
change. It starts from the mid-to-late nineteenth century works of
German scholars Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
Karl Marx emphasized that the primary influence on life was
economic, and he saw society as an opposition between the
capitalists and the working class. Marxist Criticism underscore the job
of class and philosophy as they reflect, advance, and now and then
challenge the common social request. They regularly concentrate how
people with significant influence look to keep up that control, to a
limited extent by advocating it through craftsmanship and writing.
According to Marx vision this is the study between the
different social class or the triangle which is divided into three class,
the upper class, middle class and the lower class. Financial matters
are the premise of the viewpoint for the reason that it was the dynamic
power behind the general public, as indicated by Marx. Regularly, the
quest for riches is the character. In here, we search for oppression of
a lower class by a privileged. They figure out how people are utilized
as a belonging to create a cash. We investigate the financial matters
included in the content. Additionally, analyzing what social classes are
included in the content. The basic classes are dividing into two
classes which are the Bourgeoisie & Proletariat. Which means that if
you belong to bourgeoisie you are rich or you belong to wealthy
people who owned big business. While proletariat is the other way
around, who are the lower class or the laborers who has enough
money to survive each day.
There are these terms in Marxist criticism which are,
superstructure - base refers to the forces and relations of production
—to all the people, relationships between them, the roles that they
play, and the materials and resources involved in producing the things
needed by society. Hegemony, a class coalition by means of which
one, the top class believe that they must be the ones who must lead
rather than the other classes. Reification, the way in people are used
as a material or product which must be valuable in market exchange.
Use value refers to a product's value in satisfying needs and wants as
afforded by its material properties. Exchange value is based on a
product's use value for others, social use value. Commodification,
often regarded as subordinating real needs to manufactured desires
in its quest of profit. Regularly, ideology indicates to a lot of political
convictions or a lot of thoughts that portray a specific culture.
Also, there are ideologies in Marxism that can be use in
analyzing literary criticism. They are the classism, patriotism, religion,
rugged individualism, consumerism, socialism, communism and
capitalism which has different types and they are the turbo capitalism,
responsible, crony, advanced, state and popular. These ideologies
can help you easily understood a literary piece. And it was mentioned
that there are also general principles, points of analyzing a text which Similarities
are the economic power, materialism-spirituality, class conflict and art, Differences
literature, ideologies of Marxist criticism that can help a reader in
analyzing story and poem in Marxism. Furthermore, there also points
in analyzing a Marxist approach and the positive and negative aspect Similarities
in Marxist Criticism.
Differences Differences

ASSIGNMENT Similarities of them all

I. Write the differences and similarities of Capitalism, Similarities
Socialism and Communism on the Venn diagram
provided below.