What's your critical response about?

[live.life]

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My major work is based on my Prelim Ext I stuff...Supernatural fiction.
Basically, I'm discussing the effects of social context on the portrayal of women in this genre.
So...Research consists of watching Buffy. Which I haven't done yet...
I'm the ONLY ONE in my Ext II class who is doing a crit resp...Makes it hard to talk about things...

[Coolmeister]

I'm doing a comparative study of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series and CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.

Going to look at how these texts differently represent ideas relating to religion, love & friendship, justice, etc., and what this says about changes to society and culture over the past 50 or so years.

I'm probably going to need to refine the topic a little...

[claudz3]

Yeah, I think i'm the only one doing a CA in my ExII class too.
I've just got more into the textual analysis part of my thesis, focusing on Hannibal Lecter and the power that a cannibal feels over his 'victim' and the fact that they're playing God, or consider themselves as a god-like figure.

"Tell me, Will. Did you enjoy it? Your first murder? Of course you did. And why shouldn't it feel good? It does to God. Why only last week in Texas, he dropped a church roof on the heads of 34 of his worshippers, just as they were grovelling for him. He wouldn't begrudge you for one Journalist." - Hannibal Lecter

[Ogsta101]

I'm doing an analysis of the psychological thriller genre and how the themes are shaped by the character and setting in particular text. This then leads onto the idea of mental illness and its representation in the genre and the overriding philosophical explorations undertaken by the texts.

I'm using Room One Nineteen, The Killer Inside Me, Therapy, Mr Brooks, The Silence of the Lambs, Vertigo and Salad Fingers as specific texts that i'll reference.

And its so late in the year and i've hardly started... joy

[Tristine.Jane]

I'm very stuck, It's term 2 and I really don't have anything solid written at all. Is anyone else having the same problem?
Mine is on the representation of Solipsism in popular culture and it's various representations. ie. whether it's supported, questioned etc.... Taking a new historicist approach in some parts =)
That's my general thing anyway. I could explain more... but no one really understands it, I guess that leaves me a good 750 words or two to explain and such.... But yes. STUCK. I'm lost.

[CountVonChocula]

i'm abit stuck

mines mostly about schoolies and pickin up chicks in my car


but its really deep and metaphorical and thoughtful

but im in a rut and cant get out

help!

[Deer]

So, I'll start the ball rolling for EEII 2010!

Is anyone starting to think about critical response topics for next year? I know, it's a little early. :P

I'm thinking of doing one, even though my teacher is trying to talk me out of it due to the high amount of research... But I don't see that as a chore.

I'll see how it goes though, I might turn to short story if I'm staring at a blank page for much longer.. Ha. Naw, I have some ideas. It's been great reading though them on this thread! Seems like the most popular choice is feminism? I think I'll do something from a literary movement like out of Victorianism..... Hmm. Cogs'a spinnin'.

[ashie0]

I still haven't decided between a speech or a critical response, i'm even less sure of the focus of my MW. Oh my...

[Deer]

Originally Posted by ashie0

I still haven't decided between a speech or a critical response, i'm even less sure of the focus of my MW. Oh my...

Do critical!
Then we can add each other on msn and winge to each other about our lack of motivation and our regrets about not choosing a short story XDD

Naw, I don't know, it's your choice.

I don't know my direction either, really. I wish I was more well-read.. I've borrowed some books on philosophy&literature, and I've been reading through them thinking, OH, what an interesting topic! But I haven't actually read any of the novels they're referring to...

[Cardea]

Lol Deer, count me in. I'm opting for a critical response, too. At this moment in time anyway, it could change, but I doubt it.

What are some of the ideas you have?

I'm considering taking on a psychoanalytical approach to my chosen texts, which I haven't entirely reached a decision on yet. I want to look at one of Carl Jung's theories and explore the prevalence of that and question it's relevance in literature across contexts. It's related to the inherent 'darkness' within all individuals and the innate desire to succumb to that or the denial of it altogether. So, kind of looking at the human condition and the nature of individuals as morally ambiguous - which also lends hand to some principles of postmodernism.

[Deer]

Originally Posted by Cardea

Lol Deer, count me in. I'm opting for a critical response, too. At this moment in time anyway, it could change, but I doubt it.

What are some of the ideas you have?

I'm considering taking on a psychoanalytical approach to my chosen texts, which I haven't entirely reached a decision on yet. I want to look at one of Carl Jung's theories and explore the prevalence of that and question it's relevance in literature across contexts. It's related to the inherent 'darkness' within all individuals and the innate desire to succumb to that or the denial of it altogether. So, kind of looking at the human condition and the nature of individuals as morally ambiguous - which also lends hand to some principles of postmodernism.

Ooh, that sounds great!! Be warned though that looking into that type of thing when you're going through a very stressful period can be pretty intense. In saying that though, (ha) I was going to do something very similar actually, look at the influence of Nietzsche's philosophy (nihilism) on literature and how it has manifested in different forms... Also possibly something on kafka or sartre and existentialism...

I had another idea of exploring the aestheticism movement and the transition between the victorian era and modernism focusing on the works of Oscar Wilde, and basically looking at what is art, art/morality, art/beauty/truth, etc.

But I'm actually having second thoughts at doing a critical now.
I went to the library and just did heaps of research but I got a bit ovewhelmed by it all.. Short story just looks so much easier. .. D:

[Cardea]

Haha, thanks. Hmm, yeah, I've started to do some research and I've realised that I need to cover a lot of background in order to fully understand his theories. Still, it's so fascinating. Ah, Nietzsche! I came across him in my research too. Sounds really interesting =)

The first thing I thought when you mentioned art/beauty/truth was Keats, Ode on Melancholy, haha. That's bound to be pretty intriguing too, I really like your ideas.

Still, remember, short story requires a lot of research too in order to present deep and insightful understanding of your concept and the context of your story in some cases. But if you really don't feel up to doing a critical, short story has much more room for experimentation and allows you to explore slightly more freely than a critical. In my opinion, anyway. The satisfaction in completing one might be worth it though - think about the colossal amount of research and its payoff as a brilliant finished product ;p

As a side note, I can't believe BOS isn't blocked at our school. Almost everything is blocked.