Case Studies

literary elements (or ‘codes’) that give it meaning, they also exist in a cultural-social moment and thus are shaped by the writer’s (and the reader’s) understanding of ‘cultural codes’. Basically, anything that symbolizes meaning –allows you to ‘make sense’ of ads or movie allusions or to evaluate your peers based on the car they drive–can be a ‘cultural code’.

1. It is time to try out some ‘new glasses’: you should pick one story, and write four case studies using the four theoretical lenses you have been introduced to in this Learning Outcome.
2. Each ‘case study’ should be around 350 words, and you will need to use the terminology and interpretive angle or perspective of that literary theory. This means the questions you ask–or how you ask it–will change for each case study, so make sure that you understand the theory and the methods/types of questions of each before you begin writing.
3. The final paragraph should include a reflection on the process of reading one story through four lenses (ie, ‘glasses’). Proper MLA style must be followed.
4. Remember: it’s one story, four different interpretations (New Historicism, Feminism, Psychological, and Reader-Response).