Can't Stop the Critical Theory Once It Has Taken Hold

A Description of the Morning

Now hardly here and there a hackney-coach

Appearing, show'd the ruddy morn's approach.

Now Betty from her master's bed had flown,

And softly stole to discompose her own.

The slip-shod 'prentice from his master's door

Had par'd the dirt, and sprinkled round the floor.

Now Moll had whirl'd her mop with dext'rous airs,

Prepar'd to scrub the entry and the stairs.

The youth with broomy stumps began to trace

The kennel-edge, where wheels had worn the place.

The small-coal man was heard with cadence deep;

Till drown'd in shriller notes of "chimney-sweep."

Duns at his lordship's gate began to meet;

And brickdust Moll had scream'd through half a street.

The turnkey now his flock returning sees,

Duly let out a-nights to steal for fees.

The watchful bailiffs take their silent stands;

And schoolboys lag with satchels in their hands.

Jonathan Swift

           This week, let’s reluctantly shift back to Gallagher (Thanks Rhonda!!). I especially enjoyed the point about the importance of noting the date of publication pertaining to a text. For some reason, I have always done this when approaching new material, and found that it offers a great starting point for anticipating the text. Gallagher offers the example of Yertle and how the character relates to Adolf Hitler. He stated that at least one student comes up with this answer every time the class is enlightened with the date of publication. I believe that every author, no matter the genre, writes about what is either happening to them personally, or what is happening in the world around them.

            My first year of university solidified my compulsion to find the date of publication prior to reading literature. The first text we looked at was “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift. I am not sure if anyone else has taken up this text, but it is a satirical piece about the landlord vs. tenant issues in Britain during the 19^th century. His intent, if we can positively determine an author’s “intent,” was to raise awareness surrounding that issue. So, we can surmise that Swift was writing about societal problems at that time.

            If we get student into this frame of mind – relating words on the page to the time period – we will raise their awareness to social issues around them. This can also be done, as Gallagher has done, to get the student to re-read the text.