Does Hermione Granger get the credit she deserves?

Feminist Literary CriticismThis does not make one a femi-Nazi. Think of this as a lens to look through & see bettermore deeply & analytically.Sandra Gilbertbell hooks

What Feminist critics do:(1) Rethink the canonthe accepted greats of all-timeto include women authors, poets, directors, actors(2) Examine representations of women in literature and film by male and female authors & moviemakers(3) Challenge representations of women as Other, as lack, as part of nature (whereas, men are part of culture and better than natural or emotional)(4) Raise the question of whether men and women are essentially different because of biology, or are socially constructed as different (subjugating women as worse than men in the important ways)

I choose books that young men will like; wont the gals read anything already?Do girls like Barbies naturally or because we buy Barbies for them and tell them to like the dolls?Do boys like footballs naturally?Are boys more competitive naturally, having been hard-wired to compete for centuriesfor women, food, respect, status, rank?24:1 ratio in Applied English 129:1 ratio in Saturday School; prisons?

Feminist criticism on Cuckoos NestWomen in CN are either de-masculating castrators:Nurse RatchedNurse PillbowVera HardingBillys momNight supervisor nurseChiefs mom

or pleasure-providers:Candy & SandyThe Japanese nurse on the Disturbed ward is the only redeemable woman in the novel.

Feminist criticism on Cuckoos NestWhat is Kesey saying about women through/with his women characters?

Thursday in class: scholarlynx.ning.comBecome an aware Marxist literary critic:How does Keseys social status & lifestyle influence his writing?How does your social status & lifestyle influence your reading/interpretation?What systems are good for you, for the characters?What systems are bad/exploitive for you, for the characters?

Become an aware Feminist literary critic:What are your problems with this novel?What female qualities are shown as weak, bad, pathetic, negative?What masculine qualities are shown as strong, good, powerful, positive?How does your gender affect your reading/interpretation?

A Feminist critic, such as myself, would analyze Juno. These pictures depict her as: confident, powerful, equal, firm, at peace, dauntless, self-sufficient, co-owning, secure, judged but able to withstand, even bolder than her man

A Feminist critic would analyze Twilight. These pictures depict her as: insecure, submissive, dependent, reliant, protected, main but lesser, sustained by, accessory, strong because of, empowered by, obedient, even slavish

What women wantImmortalityDifferent/uniqueRomanceWealthSuper physical powersProtectionBeing fought over (werewolf vs. vampire fight over Bella)