Part One: Comparing and Contrasting the Reader-Response Theory and Psychoanalytic
Theory.
One of the main differences between the two theories is in their definitions; the readerresponse theory, means how the reader responds to a specific text. This theory majorly focuses
on the audience (Koay). A reader's response may be based on various factors such as status,
culture, and personal engagement; for instance, a reader may read a book, and you hear them say
this book is impressive; this is based on their personal experiences. The reader-response theory
aims to focus on expectations created by the text. Therefore, putting into consideration this
theory, the teacher needs to put aside any of their preconceived ideas and let the reader or
audience engage with the text as it is. On the other hand, as formulated by Sigmund Freud, the
psychoanalytic theory aims to focus on human motivation, how we do the things we do, and how
we react the way we do. The psychoanalytic theory focuses on the Author and the Characters.
Some of the psychoanalytic theory's key concerns include: What motivates the characters to
perform the actions they do? How have the characters' backgrounds influenced their actions?
What personality do they have?
A key similarity in these two theories is that reader-response examines the various
mental processes that happen during reading and sees meaning as something produced when the
reader encounters a text on multiple levels of experience. Psychoanalytic criticism is concerned
with understanding the unconscious in producing literary meaning (Mambrol). Reader response
stresses on the importance of the role of the reader in the construction of literal work, whereas
the psychoanalytic theory urges that literary text express the unconscious and unseen desires of
the author. (Pilgrim).
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Part Two:
By carefully using the guidelines of close reading of any literary text is important in
finding as much key information as you can. The steps of close reading involve analyzing the
subject: basically, what the text is about in this particular excerpt is a flashback of incidences that
led to the writer's brother, Jem, having an accident. Other key area to consider while close
reading is observation. Form (how incidences are put together) word choice or diction
Focusing on the theories discussed in part one above, both appear evidently in the
excerpt provided. For instance, reader-response theory, the set excerpt evokes a particular
response from narrating how his brother was involved in an accident; several years later, the
brother is involved is a discussion on what exactly caused the accident that left Jem with serious,
they were, however, not able to arrive at a conclusion, and they decided to consult their father,
Atticus. In the excerpt "To kill a Mocking bird" Harper lee is seen to be empathetic as he
describes the injuries his brother sustained on his arm, and over the years, he is seen to be
disturbed by the accident that happened and goes ahead to seek answers.
Similarly, the psychoanalytic theory is evident in the text that the author's unconscious
urges are the driving forces behind the construction of any literary text. This is seen in how the
author formulates the characters and how each character has been molded to fit a particular
personality; for example, the author has coined the character Atticus to show their backgrounds
have influenced their particular lives; he goes ahead to narrate how he practiced economy and
provided for his family and catered for his siblings' education he, later on, and practiced criminal
law later on.
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References
[1]
Koay. edumaxi. 05 December 2020. blog. 14 February 2021.
[2]
Mambrol.
Psychological
reader-response
theory.
18
November
2016.
https://literariness.org/2016/11/18/psychological-reader%E2%80%91response-theory/.
14 February 2021
[3]
Pilgrim.
Reader
Response
theory-Food
for
thought.
26
February
2018.
https://blog.umhb.edu/reader-response-theory-food-for-thought/. 14 February 2021.
This study source was downloaded by 100000842698844 from CourseHero.com on 04-16-2023 23:01:08 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/81103652/Vithusikan-Sarvanandam-Unit-1-Lesson-1-Literary-theory-Assignment-1-ENG4U-06-UNIT1-L1-OVSpdf/
This study source was downloaded by 100000842698844 from CourseHero.com on 04-16-2023 23:01:08 GMT -05:00
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