2. VOCABULARY
• Utopia - an ideally perfect place, especially in
its social, political, and moral aspects
• Dystopia - an imaginary place where the
conditions and quality of life are unpleasant
• Marxism - based on the theories of Karl Marx
and is concerned with class differences,
economic and the complications of the
capitalist system
3. • Karl Marx - Believed that capitalism allowed the
bourgeoisie (rich people) to benefit at the expense
of the workers (poor people); wrote the Communist
Manifesto
• Communist/Communism - A political theory
derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and
leading to a society in which all property is
publicly owned and each person works and is paid
according to their abilities and needs
• Ideology - The ideas and manner of thinking
characteristic of a group, social class, or individual
• Social Class - people having the same social,
economic, or educational status
4. QUESTIONS RAISED BY MARXIST THEORY
• Does the story support the economic
and social status quo, or does it
advocate change?
• What roles does the class system play in
the work?
• What role does class play in the story;
what is your analysis of class relations?
5. MORE QUESTIONS
• How do characters overcome
oppression?
• What does the story say about
oppression? Are social conflicts ignored
or blamed on someone or something
else?
• Does the story propose some form of
utopian vision as a solution to the
problems faced in the story?
6. RESPONSE QUESTIONS
• Is there an objection to socialism?
• Does the text raise criticism about the
emptiness of life in bourgeois (rich) society?
• What does the author portray about society?
• What is emphasized, what is ignored?
• Are characters from all social levels equally
sketched?
• Are the main problems individual or
collective?
7. EXAMPLES
Have you ever seen:
Lady and the Tramp?
The Aristocats?
The Lion King?
These movies all demonstrate Marxist
literary theory.
8. The Lion King – Analysis
• Characters
• Conflict
• Resolution
