New Criticism & "The Self"

In my opinion, Bennett & Royle explain new criticism in a way that is very unique such that the reader experiences only the words on the page and does not relate to the author's background or ideological context of the text.  This concept is something new to me, and considering the new-critical lens is a method that I had not yet used.  As pertaining to "the self", it seems to me that this is referring to the text alone as being the only authority as to what the interpretation should be.  One should not look outside the text, or "read between the lines" to try to interpret what the author is trying to portray.  "The self" appears to imply that whatever the author intended for you to gain from reading his/her work will be contained in the words on the page.  Below is an image that I found online that does an incredible job of helping to describe "the self" as pertaining to the new criticism approach.  This is how I interpreted the text, and someone else may have got something entirely different out of it, but that is the purpose of this approach - to try to interpret the meaning based off the words on the page.

Image Credit:  dreamstime.com

Free Write

Movies

Toy Story 3 & Forever Strong. Both teach good principles and values.

                     

Shopping

Walmart & The Mall. Because both these places appeal to my wife and I.

Recreation

For recreational activities, I love to walk in parks and by streams.  I love water!  I also love thunderstorms and almost just as much, the calm eerie feeling right before the storm begins.

Reading

I love to read while curled up on the couch in a blanket or sitting up in bed.  I like to just feel comfortable and uninterrupted.

Writing

When I write, I like to type everything that is flowing from my head as fast as I can possibly transfer it from my brain through my fingers onto the computer screen and save it.  At that point, I go through what has just come freshly from my thoughts and sculpt it into something more refined and beautiful.

Genera's

In books, I'm really into suspense and things that scare me! I love reading about the supernatural and things to come in the future as predicted both spiritually and scientifically.
In movies, I love almost all comedies and realistic horror!

Special Features

I always watch the special features! I'm fascinated with learning how special effects are done and how different cinematic elements come together to create a successful motion picture.

Imaginary Novel

My imaginary novel would be titled Roads to Riches.  I plan to write this in 50 years when I am retired and have lived a wealthy and prosperous life.  :)

Teachers Reading

In my teachers through grade school, I never really found fault in the way they read to me because I accepted their readings as professional and fact. If I were to hear them again today I would probably feel differently about their style of reading but at the time nothing felt uncomfortable.

Literary Character

I always want to be my favorite character from the latest book I've finished reading. So right now, I just finished the Hunger Games Trilogy. I won't give any spoilers away so I'll say I'd like to be Peeta Mellark because of how humble and kind he is to everyone after all he has to go through.




Image Credits:
http://www.moviesonline.ca/movie_posters.php?id=9713
http://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/08_11/2008/840322/l_840322_9b16d255.jpg
http://frugalfinders.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Walmart-Logo.png
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/peeta-mellark?before=1333466444

OWL = Grade Saver

OWL is the most helpful online resource I've ever used. I'm excited to be able to use it more not only in this class but in my other English classes this semester.  A brief exploration of the Online Writing Lab clearly reveals the high quality of free assistance that is available.  In this course, I'll be able to use a section of it that I not yet accessed and taken advantage of yet.

The Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism section is fascinating.  The most valuable resource I can re-post here is the different critical lenses that I'll use throughout the semester. Those are contained below along with their chronological uses.

• Moral Criticism, Dramatic Construction (~360 BC-present)
• Formalism, New Criticism, Neo-Aristotelian Criticism (1930s-present)
• Psychoanalytic Criticism, Jungian Criticism(1930s-present)
• Marxist Criticism (1930s-present)
• Reader-Response Criticism (1960s-present)
• Structuralism/Semiotics (1920s-present)
• Post-Structuralism/Deconstruction (1966-present)
• New Historicism/Cultural Studies (1980s-present)
• Post-Colonial Criticism (1990s-present)
• Feminist Criticism (1960s-present)
• Gender/Queer Studies (1970s-present)

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/01/