Literary Criticism Projects

10% of Grade

 

Every student is required to participate in a group presentation covering a specific category of literary criticism  Each group is to present and teach the class what they have found concerning their branch of literary criticism.   Begin by reviewing the article presented to you in class.  This should be a starting point from which you will do further exploration.  Ms. Burgey will guide you into other good research material if needed.

 

General Requirements:

  1. Presentation must be 10 to 15 minutes in length.

  2. Each group member must participate in the presentation.  No reading of material.  Present it clearly.

  3. Each group should strive to cover their category as clearly as reasonably possible.  See specific Requirements below.

  4. Each group should present a reading of Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino.  In other words, how can this text be read as feminist, Marxist, Old Historicist, etc.? 

  5. You must prepare a PowerPoint presentation, and you must turn in a handout copy of the presentation to Ms. Burgey.

  6. Each group is responsible for any other technology that they plan to use. 

  7. Do not simply show the examples without any narrative or explanation.  This lack of preparation will result in a failing grade.  Grading will be based on depth of information and clarity of presentation.

Grading:  Students will receive a team-grade which will be averaged in with the averaged grade from teammates.  In other words, each team member will grade each other on the work done and completed.  These peer-grades will be averaged, then the team-grade will be averaged with the peer-grade for the final presentation grade. 

 

Example:  Group receives 90 for the presentation.  Your classmates give you the following grades:  70, 85, 100, 95, which averages to 87.5.  87.5 averaged with 90 equals 88.75 rounded to 89.  89 will be your grade.

 

Specific Requirements--your group must answer the following questions about your branch of literary theory:

  1. What is the focus of this theory?  What issues does it force us to analyze?

  2. Explain the key terms and lingo of the theory.

  3. Introduce the main players (theorists).

  4. What questions would be asked of the text?

  5. How can this theory be applied to Gran Torino?  In other words, what aspects of the text would you look at to do a reading of this type?

  6. Apply the theory to Gran Torino.  Do a quick and dirty reading of the text through the lens of the literary theory. 

Other Resources: