Master Literary Criticism: Enhance Your Literary Analysis Skills

Question 1

Structuralist literary criticism is based on the idea that:

Accepted Answer

A text's meaning is determined by its structure and form.

Answer

An author's intention is the key to understanding a text.

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The reader's interpretation is the only way to understand a text.

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A text's meaning is tied to its historical and cultural context.

Question 2

How can employing multiple literary critical theories enhance our comprehension of a text's structure, form, and meaning?

Accepted Answer

Applying multiple theories reveals the text's complexities, providing a comprehensive analysis of its structure, form, and meaning.

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Using only one critical theory is enough to understand a text's significance and meaning.

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Applying multiple critical theories always leads to conflicting interpretations, making it impossible to understand the text coherently.

Question 3

How does our subjectivity, including our personal experiences, cultural background, and biases, shape our interpretations of literary texts?

Accepted Answer

Our cultural background plays a significant role in shaping our critical readings.

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Our personal experiences have no impact on our literary interpretations.

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Subjectivity is entirely determined by our personal biases.

Question 4

Analyze a contemporary literary text through the lens of ecocriticism. How does it reflect environmental concerns, challenge traditional notions of nature, and raise awareness about ecological issues?

Accepted Answer

The text presents nature as a complex and interconnected system, highlighting the interdependence of all living things.

Accepted Answer

The text raises awareness about ecological issues by depicting environmental destruction and pollution.

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The text reinforces traditional hierarchies between humans and the environment, emphasizing human domination over nature.

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The text does not engage with environmental issues or ecological concerns.

Question 5

Which key element differentiates the New Criticism approach from the Marxist approach to literary analysis?

Accepted Answer

New Criticism examines the text's internal features, while Marxist criticism explores its social and historical context.

Answer

New Criticism disregards authorial intent, unlike Marxist criticism.

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New Criticism emerged in the 18th century, while Marxist criticism originated in the 20th century.

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New Criticism emphasizes reader response, while Marxist criticism focuses on the author's perspective.

Question 6

How have digital technologies impacted literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Digital technologies have made literary criticism more accessible and collaborative.

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Digital technologies have not significantly impacted literary criticism.

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Digital technologies have replaced traditional methods of literary criticism.

Question 7

In literary criticism, ethical considerations are crucial when dealing with marginalized voices. Which of the following best describes ethical considerations in this context?

Accepted Answer

Carefully considering power dynamics and the potential impact of interpretations on marginalized voices.

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Prioritizing one's own interpretations over marginalized perspectives.

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Avoiding engaging with works featuring marginalized voices.

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Always prioritizing the dominant cultural perspective when analyzing works featuring marginalized voices.

Question 8

How has cultural studies broadened the scope of traditional literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

By expanding the definition of a literary text to encompass popular culture and everyday objects.

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By restricting analysis to the formal elements of literary texts, such as their structure and language.

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By prioritizing the author's intention as the primary lens for interpreting a literary text.

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By dismissing all prior schools of literary criticism as invalid and irrelevant.

Question 9

In literary criticism, how do Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault differ in their perspectives on authorship and subjectivity?

Accepted Answer

Barthes: Author is dead; Foucault: Author is shaped by external forces

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Both: Author has sole authority over meaning

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Foucault: Author is sole source of meaning; Barthes: Reader is

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Both: Author is irrelevant in interpretation

Question 10

How does a postcolonial perspective enrich our understanding of identity, resistance, and cultural diversity in a literary text from a formerly colonized region?

Accepted Answer

It reveals the unique experiences and perspectives of marginalized cultures, challenging dominant narratives.

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It provides a rigid framework for interpreting all literary texts, regardless of their cultural or historical context.

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It dismisses traditional literary analysis methods, focusing solely on political and historical factors.

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It is only applicable to literary texts written in the English language.

Question 11

How does postcolonial theory challenge the established concept of literary authority and the canon?

Accepted Answer

It broadens literary authority by including perspectives and works from marginalized writers and cultures.

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It calls for the rejection of traditional literary forms and styles in favor of experimental approaches.

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It suggests that the literary canon is fixed and unchanging, reflecting the author's intended meaning.

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It promotes a single, unified interpretation of literary texts, prioritizing the author's intentions.

Question 12

When analyzing literature by authors from marginalized groups, a key ethical responsibility for literary critics is to:

Accepted Answer

Consider the historical and cultural context, as well as the perspectives of the marginalized group.

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Interpret the work solely through their own cultural lens.

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Disregard the marginalized community's interpretations of the work.

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Prioritize their own aesthetic preferences over the author's intent.

Question 13

According to formalism, which element is central to determining the meaning of a literary work?

Accepted Answer

Its form and structure

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The author's intention

Answer

Its social and historical context

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The reader's interpretation

Question 14

Which post-structuralist critic famously argued that meaning is unstable and subject to multiple interpretations?

Accepted Answer

Jacques Derrida

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Michel Foucault

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Roland Barthes

Answer

Judith Butler

Question 15

Which of the following is considered an unconventional critical approach in literary studies?

Accepted Answer

Neuroscience-based criticism

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Biographical criticism

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Feminist criticism

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Marxist criticism

Question 16

Which element is a cornerstone of structuralist analysis?

Accepted Answer

Binary oppositions

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Symbols and motifs

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Author's biography

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Historical background

Question 17

How does post-structuralism challenge conventional notions of meaning in literature?

Accepted Answer

It posits that meaning is fluid and open to multiple interpretations.

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It asserts that meaning is fixed and unambiguous.

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It downplays the role of the reader in shaping meaning.

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It disregards the influence of historical or social factors on meaning.

Question 18

Which literary theory focuses on the relationship between literature and its social and cultural context?

Accepted Answer

Marxist criticism

Answer

Historical criticism

Answer

Formalist criticism

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Structuralist criticism

Question 19

Which approach to literary criticism focuses on the formal elements of the text, such as its structure, language, and imagery?

Accepted Answer

Formalism

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Authorial intention

Answer

Social and historical context

Answer

Reader's response

Question 20

Which critical perspective challenges the idea of a fixed, objective meaning in texts?

Accepted Answer

Post-structuralism

Answer

Marxism

Answer

Formalism

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Structuralism

Question 21

When applying any critical theory to a literary text, what is the most important factor to consider?

Accepted Answer

Considering the text in its historical and social context

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Ignoring the author's intention

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Focusing only on one aspect of the text

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Assuming that your interpretation is universally correct

Question 22

To effectively apply a critical theory to a text, what is essential to possess?

Accepted Answer

Understanding of the key concepts and assumptions

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Memorized main tenets of the theory

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Disregard for the larger context of the text

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Reliance solely on personal opinion

Question 23

What is a key distinction between formalism and structuralism?

Accepted Answer

Formalism views texts as autonomous, while structuralism emphasizes their interconnectedness

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Formalism focuses on language, while structuralism focuses on narrative

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Formalism ignores social context, while structuralism takes it into account

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Formalism is ahistorical, while structuralism is historical

Question 24

Which aspect is NOT central to the formalist approach?

Accepted Answer

The author's biography and experiences

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The text as an independent entity

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The structural elements of the text

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The use of literary devices

Question 25

According to structuralism, literature is primarily viewed as:

Accepted Answer

A system of signs and codes

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An expression of the author's inner world

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A product shaped by its social and historical context

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A form of escapism and entertainment

Question 26

Which critical approach prioritizes the reader's subjective responses to a text?

Accepted Answer

Reader-response criticism

Answer

Formalism

Answer

Structuralism

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Marxist criticism

Question 27

Which criticism is NOT commonly leveled against formalism?

Accepted Answer

It provides valuable insights into literary texts

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It can be overly narrow in its focus

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It disregards the author's intent

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It prioritizes form over substance

Question 28

What is a core principle of formalism?

Accepted Answer

The meaning of a text is determined by its form and structure

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The author's intentions are irrelevant to interpreting a text

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A text should be examined within its historical context

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A text is a manifestation of the author's unconscious mind

Question 29

According to structuralism, a text can be interpreted as a system of interconnected signs that generate meaning?

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

False

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of post-structuralism?

Accepted Answer

Emphasis on authorial intent

Answer

Deconstruction of binary oppositions

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Focus on the reader's role

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Rejection of overarching narratives

Question 31

When using formalist criticism to analyze a poem, a critic would likely focus on:

Accepted Answer

Rhyme scheme and meter

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The author's personal life experiences

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The social context in which the poem was written

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The poem's use of psychological symbolism

Question 32

What is a valid approach to interpreting a literary text according to structuralist theory?

Accepted Answer

Analyzing the text as a system of signs and structures

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Focusing on the author's personal experiences

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Searching for hidden meanings through detailed analysis

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Examining the text's historical significance

Question 33

What does post-structuralist criticism encourage readers to do?

Accepted Answer

Question the assumptions underlying traditional literary theories

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Accept the author's interpretation as authoritative

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Focus on the text's moral message

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Analyze the text's political implications

Question 34

What is a central concept in deconstruction, a method associated with post-structuralism?

Accepted Answer

Binary oppositions are unstable and can be reversed

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The meaning of a text is fixed and cannot be changed

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The author's intention is the most important aspect of a text

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The text is a reflection of the author's subconscious mind

Question 35

How would a formalist critic's approach to a literary text differ from that of a structuralist critic?

Accepted Answer

Formalists focus on the text's form and structure, while structuralists focus on its deeper meanings

Answer

Structuralists focus on the text's form and structure, while formalists focus on its deeper meanings

Answer

They would approach the text in the same way

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Formalists focus on the author's intention, while structuralists focus on the reader's interpretation

Question 36

Which literary theory places emphasis on the reader's role in constructing meaning?

Accepted Answer

Reader-Response Theory

Answer

Formalism

Answer

Structuralism

Answer

New Historicism

Question 37

In a post-structuralist analysis of a text, which of these questions takes center stage?

Accepted Answer

How does the text function?

Answer

What is the text's intended meaning?

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Who is responsible for the text's creation?

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When was the text produced?

Question 38

According to structuralism, what element provides structure and meaning to a text?

Accepted Answer

The text's binary oppositions

Answer

The author's life experiences

Answer

The reader's personal interpretations

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The text's chronological setting

Question 39

Which of the following is a foundational concept of post-structuralism?

Accepted Answer

The insignificance of the author's identity

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The objectivity of the reader's viewpoint

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The inherent meaning of the text

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The universal interpretation of a text

Question 40

When applying a critical theory to analyze a literary text, it is essential to:

Accepted Answer

Acknowledge the limitations of the theory

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Adhere strictly to all the theory's principles

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Disregard the unique qualities of the text

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Prioritize the theory's historical origins

Question 41

When developing a critical perspective, it is essential to:

Accepted Answer

Consider multiple sources and perspectives

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Ignore the opinions of others

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Only focus on the text itself

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Base your interpretations solely on your personal experience

Question 42

Which of the following is the primary focus of formalism in literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Structure, form, and language of the text

Answer

Author's intention and biography

Answer

Historical and cultural context

Answer

Reader's response to the text

Question 43

According to structuralism, a literary text is a:

Accepted Answer

System of signs and symbols that interact within a structure

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Independent entity that should be analyzed in isolation

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Reflection of the author's personal experiences and emotions

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Window into the historical and social context of its creation

Question 44

Which of the following is a key concept of post-structuralism?

Accepted Answer

Meaning is constructed and negotiated by the reader

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The text has a definitive meaning that can be objectively identified

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The author is the ultimate authority in interpreting the text

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Literary criticism should focus on historical and biographical factors

Question 45

Applying a formalist approach to a poem, a critic would likely focus on:

Accepted Answer

The poem's meter, rhyme scheme, and other formal elements

Answer

The author's personal experiences that inspired the poem

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The historical context in which the poem was written

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The reader's emotional response to the poem

Question 46

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Personal opinion and speculation

Answer

Evidence from the text to support claims

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Clear and concise writing

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Objective and unbiased analysis

Question 47

A structuralist reading of a novel would emphasize:

Accepted Answer

The novel's structure and organization

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The author's intended meaning

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The social and cultural context of the novel

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The reader's subjective interpretation

Question 48

Post-structuralist critics often argue that:

Accepted Answer

Meaning is fluid and can shift depending on the reader

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The text has a single, definitive meaning

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The author's intention is the most important factor in interpretation

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Literary criticism should focus on objective analysis

Question 49

In cultural studies, how does literature interact with society, reflecting and influencing its norms and power structures?

Accepted Answer

Literature mirrors societal values and power dynamics

Answer

Literature exists independently of societal influences

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Literature primarily serves as a tool for social change

Question 50

How has postcolonial criticism transformed our understanding of literature and its global contexts?

Accepted Answer

By revealing the power dynamics and cultural biases in Eurocentric literary perspectives.

Answer

By focusing solely on literature from non-Western cultures, excluding Western literary traditions.

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By promoting cultural relativism to the point of dismissing objective literary standards.

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By advocating for the complete rejection of Western literary canons in favor of non-Western literature.

Question 51

How does deconstruction challenge the traditional understanding of meaning, authorship, and the stability of texts in literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Deconstruction destabilizes meaning, questions the stability of texts, and emphasizes the fluidity and subjectivity of interpretation.

Answer

Deconstruction prioritizes the author's intent and promotes a single, authoritative interpretation.

Answer

Deconstruction focuses solely on the aesthetic qualities of texts, neglecting deeper structural and contextual analysis.

Question 52

Which of the following best describes how formalist literary criticism approaches the analysis of a text?

Accepted Answer

By focusing on the text's language, imagery, and symbolism as its core elements

Answer

By examining the author's personal experiences and motivations

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By evaluating the text's emotional impact on the reader

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By applying Marxist principles to analyze the text's social and economic contexts

Question 53

How does ecocriticism utilize literature to raise awareness about environmental concerns and encourage sustainable practices?

Accepted Answer

Analyzes literary works through an environmental perspective

Answer

Advocates for environmental policies through literary works

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Promotes eco-friendly practices in publishing

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Organizes protests against environmental degradation

Question 54

How does feminist criticism impact traditional literary interpretations?

Accepted Answer

Highlights and critiques gender biases in literary texts

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Advocates for a single, universal interpretation from a female perspective

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Disregards the value of traditional literary analysis methods

Question 55

Which of the following is a limitation of the new historicist approach to literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

It overlooks the analysis of literary form and structure.

Answer

It emphasizes the exploration of social, political, and cultural contexts.

Answer

It helps uncover the author's intended meaning.

Question 56

In what way does postcolonial theory challenge the traditional concept of a fixed and universal literary canon?

Accepted Answer

Postcolonial theory argues that the canon is shaped by Western imperialism and colonialism.

Accepted Answer

Postcolonial theory advocates for the inclusion of works from diverse cultures and perspectives in the canon.

Answer

Postcolonial theory emphasizes the significance of authorial intent in interpreting literary works.

Answer

Postcolonial theory focuses on analyzing the formal elements of literary texts, such as structure and style.

Question 57

How should literary critics approach the evaluation of literary works that may contain potentially offensive or triggering content?

Accepted Answer

Critics should balance critical analysis with sensitivity and consideration for the potential impact on marginalized groups.

Answer

Critics should avoid engaging with works that may contain potentially offensive or triggering content.

Answer

Critics should prioritize the experiences of marginalized groups over critical analysis.

Answer

Critics should not be held accountable for the potential impact of their criticism on marginalized groups.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental principle of formalism?

Accepted Answer

The text's meaning is solely determined by its historical context.

Answer

The author's intentions should not influence the analysis.

Answer

The text's form and structure hold primary importance.

Question 59

What is the primary objective of structuralist literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

To uncover the underlying structures and patterns within a text.

Answer

To explore the author's psychological motivations.

Answer

To examine the text's social and historical milieu.

Question 60

Which concept plays a pivotal role in post-structuralist literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Deconstruction

Answer

New Historicism

Answer

Historical materialism

Answer

Organic unity

Question 61

How does feminist literary criticism approach the analysis of literary texts?

Accepted Answer

It examines the representation and dynamics of gender and power.

Answer

It focuses solely on female authors and their experiences.

Answer

It emphasizes the use of allegory and symbolism.

Question 62

Which of the following is a legitimate critique of Marxist literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

It can be overly simplistic and deterministic.

Answer

It provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing literary works.

Answer

It encourages the exploration of social and political dimensions in literature.

Answer

It is universally accepted as the most prevalent literary theory.

Question 63

What is the underlying assumption of psychoanalytic literary criticism?

Accepted Answer

Literary texts serve as expressions of the author's unconscious mind.

Answer

Literary texts are reflections of the reader's own subconscious.

Answer

Literary texts are primarily products of conscious intentions.

Answer

Literary texts are allegories for social and political issues.

Question 64

Which of the following best describes the practice of close reading?

Accepted Answer

A detailed examination of a specific literary passage, line by line.

Answer

A summary of the main events in a literary work.

Answer

A discussion of the author's biography and historical context.