Religion and Literature

RLG 230Y

October 14, 1997

Three Common Problems with Critical Responses to The Outsider

people wrote essays instead of responses

• try to prove something instead of reflecting on the topic
• take one position and argue for it
• ignore evidence which contradicts your position (i.e., simplify the text)

ignored style guide

• in future, I will deduct 1% for each point from the guide that isn't followed

misspelled Meursault's name (but spelled mine correctly - whew!)

What I Mean by "Reflection"

If you are comparing Meursault to Jesus, for example, you might say something like:

• "Meursault can't be a Christ-figure because he doesn't care about his mother."

If you are reflecting on the topic, you might ask questions such as:

• what does my view of "care" consist of?
• why do I think that a Christ-figure must care about his/her mother?
• on what is this view of Christ based?
• is this the only possible view of Christ?
• are there other possible views which might contradict my own interpretation(s)?
• are there other aspects of Meursault's character and/or life which suggest more positive comparisons with Jesus?

Note: Please keep in mind that I am not asking you in any way to alter your own views of any text or religion. I am simply asking you to be aware of these views, and of the the possible ways in which they shape how you read a given text.