Post‑1945 literary theory: structuralism, post-structuralism, deconstruction, feminism, postcolonial theory, Marxist and other contemporary theories. - One Line Questions

1. Post-structuralism emerged as a critique and extension of structuralism. What is a key divergence of post-structuralism from structuralism? — An emphasis on the instability and multiplicity of meaning
2. The Marxist concept of 'ideology' refers to: — A set of beliefs and practices that serve the interests of the dominant class
3. Third-wave feminism and subsequent developments in feminist theory often emphasize: — Intersectionality and the fluidity of identity
4. The concept of the 'death of the author,' popularized by Roland Barthes, suggests that: — The meaning of a text is not determined by the author's intentions but by the reader and the text itself
5. What is a central concern of the first wave of feminist literary criticism (roughly 1960s-1970s)? — Recovering and re-evaluating women's writing and experiences
6. Feminist criticism that focuses on the social construction of gender and challenges biological essentialism is often associated with: — Third-wave feminism and beyond
7. Which of the following is a core tenet of structuralism in literary analysis? — Analysis of the underlying structures and codes of a text
8. In queer theory, the performative aspect of gender, as articulated by Judith Butler, suggests that: — Gender is constituted through repeated, stylized actions and performances, rather than being an innate essence.
9. Deconstruction aims to reveal the internal contradictions and assumptions within a text. What is a common strategy employed in deconstructive analysis? — Examining binary oppositions and showing how one term is privileged over the other
10. Which of the following is a critique often leveled against structuralism by post-structuralists? — It fails to account for the inherent instability and multiplicity of meaning.
11. Which influential thinker is most closely associated with the foundational ideas of structuralism in linguistics? — Ferdinand de Saussure
12. Which feminist theorist is known for her concept of 'écriture féminine' (feminine writing)? — Hélène Cixous
13. What does post-structuralism suggest about the relationship between language and reality? — Language actively shapes and constructs our understanding of reality
14. Eco-criticism, a contemporary theory, primarily examines the relationship between: — Literature and the natural environment
15. Terry Eagleton is a prominent contemporary Marxist literary critic. What does he argue about the relationship between literature and ideology? — Literature is always implicated in ideological struggles
16. What does Derrida's concept of 'différance' highlight about the nature of meaning? — Meaning is constantly deferred and differs
17. Which theorist is credited with developing the concept of the 'death of the author'? — Roland Barthes
18. Jacques Derrida is the originator of which critical approach that challenges the binary oppositions often found in Western thought? — Deconstruction
19. Which contemporary theory focuses on the study of sexuality and challenges fixed notions of identity? — Queer Theory
20. Which contemporary theory examines the ethical and cultural implications of environmental issues in literature? — Eco-criticism
21. Structuralism posits that meaning is derived from the relationship between signs within a system. What is the term for the basic unit of meaning in this system? — Sign
22. Which theory analyzes how texts construct and represent gender and sexuality, often challenging heteronormative assumptions? — Queer Theory
23. Which critical approach examines how power operates through discourses and social institutions, often focusing on historical moments of knowledge formation? — Foucauldian Analysis (associated with Post-structuralism)
24. Which theory analyzes the construction of subjectivity and identity through social and cultural forces, often questioning the notion of a stable, unified self? — Post-structuralism
25. The concept of 'othering' is central to which of the following theories? — Postcolonial Theory
26. In structuralist analysis, the 'sign' is composed of two parts. What are they? — Signifier and Signified
27. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak's essay 'Can the Subaltern Speak?' questions: — The possibility of representing the voices of the most marginalized (the subaltern) without distortion
28. Feminist literary criticism, emerging in waves, primarily focuses on: — The analysis of patriarchal structures and their representation in literature
29. Which of the following is a key concept developed by Jacques Derrida? — Différance
30. What is a central tenet of reader-response criticism? — Meaning is created through the interaction between the reader and the text
31. Postcolonial theory examines the cultural legacy of colonialism and imperialism. Which of the following is a key concern for postcolonial critics? — The analysis of dominant colonial narratives and their impact on marginalized cultures
32. The concept of 'the other' is crucial in postcolonial theory. It refers to: — The colonized subject as constructed by the colonizer, often as inferior or different
33. In postcolonial theory, the term 'mimicry' refers to: — The imitation of the colonizer by the colonized, often with ambivalence or irony
34. Homi K. Bhabha, a key postcolonial theorist, introduced the concept of 'hybridity.' What does hybridity refer to in his work? — The creation of new, syncretic cultural forms through the interaction of colonizer and colonized
35. Second-wave feminist literary criticism (roughly 1970s-1980s) often focused on: — The concept of the 'male gaze' and its representation
36. In Marxist criticism, what is the 'superstructure'? — The legal, political, and cultural institutions and ideologies of society
37. What is the primary focus of psychoanalytic literary criticism, which often overlaps with post-1945 theories? — The unconscious desires, fears, and motivations of characters and authors
38. Edward Said's groundbreaking work 'Orientalism' primarily analyzes: — The construction of the 'Orient' as an inferior 'other' in Western discourse
39. What is 'langue' according to Saussurean linguistics, a key concept for structuralism? — The underlying, abstract system of language rules
40. Which of the following is NOT typically a focus of Post-structuralist thought? — The search for universal truths
41. Louis Althusser, a Marxist theorist, introduced the concept of 'Ideological State Apparatuses' (ISAs). What do ISAs include? — The church, schools, family, and media
42. What does the term 'agency' often refer to in postcolonial and feminist theory? — The capacity of individuals or groups to act independently and make their own free choices
43. What does 'interpellation' mean in the context of Althusser's theory of Ideological State Apparatuses? — The process by which ideology 'hails' or 'addresses' individuals, constituting them as subjects
44. New Historicism, a critical approach that emerged in the late 1970s and 1980s, emphasizes: — The interconnectedness of literary texts and their historical and cultural contexts, often challenging the distinction between 'literary' and 'non-literary' texts
45. Marxist literary theory, rooted in the ideas of Karl Marx, focuses on: — The influence of class struggle and economic conditions on literature
46. The term 'bricolage' in postcolonial theory, as used by Homi K. Bhabha, refers to: — The creative recombination of existing cultural elements to form new meanings
47. Michel Foucault, often associated with post-structuralism, analyzed the relationship between power and knowledge. What concept did he introduce to describe how institutions and social practices shape our understanding and behavior? — Discourse
48. Roland Barthes, a prominent figure in structuralism and later post-structuralism, famously analyzed popular culture. In 'Mythologies,' what does he argue about contemporary myths? — They are constructed social and cultural meanings
49. What is the primary aim of deconstruction in literary analysis? — To reveal the inherent ambiguities, contradictions, and suppressed meanings within a text
50. Postcolonial theory often critiques the concept of 'universality' in Western thought, arguing that: — Concepts presented as universal often reflect the specific cultural and historical perspective of the dominant Western powers
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