Lecture 2.5.2 – Marxist/Conflict Perspectives
Lecture Overview
Writers create texts based on their interests, how they see the world and what they want to say about it. Perspective goes beyond interest. When we can identify writers who address the kinds of issues we are also interested in, it opens the possibilities for continuing to read texts created from that perspective. Writers are interested in conflict and as readers (and movie-goers) we like it. Conflict is everywhere. It makes storytelling interesting. Writers and analysts of literature who focus on conflict adopt what’s called the Marxist or Conflict Perspective. These works see oppression in social class, in the workplace. The term comes from Karl Marx the German philosopher (1818-1883) who’s theories incited the Russian Revolution (1917) thirty-five years after his death. Marx’s book Das Kapital documented the oppression of the poor working class by the wealthy capitalists and the rich nobility. He pointed out that humans will always take advantage of others unless they were overthrown by conflict. African American writers have often written from this perspective when dealing with racism and slavery. Examples: Toni Morrison; Maya Angelou , Alice Walker (all these women also overlap Conflict with Feminist perspectives) and men like James Baldwin, Langston Hughes. Link to Maya Angelou reading her poem I RISE (2:04) Note: You will need a VPN to access YouTube if you are in China.
Note: her language as she speaks (excellent oral presentation)