The essay “A Psychological Lens of Dear Life” takes a closer look at how the short story “Dear Life” by Alice Munro displays Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development and how these principles develop throughout one’s childhood into adulthood. These stages of moral development are built upon in “Dear Life” by the experiences the speaker goes through, along with the different people she meets and lessons she learns. The speaker’s perception of the past is changed from when she was a kid to reflecting on the events as an adult. This essay aims to focus on how Munro’s environment shapes her mindset and of those around her, and how the stages of moral development affect the outlook she has upon life and its events.
Critical Introduction
All walks of Life: A critical edition
The short story collection titled “Dear Life” was written by Alice Munro and published in 2012. Our small group of four each took a unique lens to analyze the chapter “A Childhood Visitation.” The lens that were used include New Historicism, Reader Response, Psychological, and Queer Theory. While different lenses were used, each critical essay delves into the motifs, concepts, and structures employed within Munro’s short story.
New Historicism
In the New Historicism approach to “Dear Life” by Alice Munro, the influence of perception on human understanding is exposed. This essay seeks to explore the social limitations and perceptual nuances that are found in the lives of the characters, especially Munro’s and her mother’s. Examining the text reveals the personal levels with which Munro takes her writing to, and unfolds the many layers of hers and her mother’s character. The investigation of these layers include the following examples: the differentiating and fluctuating perception of Diane and her grandmother; the impulses, limitations, and disappointments that come human desire; and how the influence of perception can be changed with the intake of new knowledge. In this essay, one of the main focuses revolves around the story of Mrs. Netterfield: Munro’s mother’s perception and story telling, and how Munro intakes this information and forms her own opinion of what her perception is of Mrs. Netterfield when later presented with surprising information.
Reader Response
The student essay “The Remembering of One’s Youth” aims to analyze Alice Munro’s “Dear Life” by delving into Munro’s storytelling techniques, exploring her ability to evoke empathy and connection through her recounting of seemingly mundane events. The essay highlights key themes such as the fragility of human life, the unreliability of memory, and the enduring impact of key experiences. It also examines Munro’s narrative style, acknowledging both its immersive qualities and occasional weaknesses, while ultimately praising Munro’s talent in capturing the complexities of human emotions and the lasting power of memory. Through Munro’s storytelling, the essay emphasizes the value of reflecting on one’s own life experiences and memories.
Psychological
queer theory
The student essay “Nonlinear Memoirs” aims to dissect Alice Munro’s “Dear Life” through the lens of Queer Theory, examining how the non-linear narrative structure, character portrayals, and themes challenge and transcend heteronormative ideals. By exploring memory, growth, and family dynamics within Munro’s memoir, this essay seeks to highlight the contrast between typical heterosexual experiences and alternative, non-binary narratives. Ultimately, it strives to showcase how Munro’s unique storytelling challenges conventional autobiographical approaches, offering a nuanced exploration of life narratives beyond societal confines and emphasizing the diverse pathways life can take.
Through different lenses, we were able to examine “Dear Life” from multiple angles. Even though each essay has different conclusions and interpretations, it is clear that Munro’s short story collection intricately navigates memory, childhood, and societal expectations to display just a fraction of life’s beauty, mundaneness and all. Each essay aims to enrich readers understanding of “A Childhood Visitation” while emphasizing the story’s innate appeal and broad relevance, regardless of the analytical approach.
Marxist Criticism
While it is not a prominent theme in this story, a Marxist approach can be found lurking beneath the surface, obscured by more traditional critical theories. The heavy weight of war and poverty marks the working class character’s ambitions and losses, and the alienation many of them experience serve to emphasize the resilience needed to achieve something more amidst poverty and struggle. With a Marxist lens, this essay hopes to show just how the backdrop of economic disparity impacts the story.
Feminist Criticism
With a narrator telling the story of her adolescence, a Feminist critique is essential to understanding the complexities of traditional gender roles, as well as the characters’ adherence and rejection to them. Most of the characters in the story are women, and their lives are shaped by the societal constraint in place. This essay using Feminist criticism offers a nuanced view of the challenges the characters in Munro’s story face and their
Cultural Studies Criticism
By giving insight into the culture and background of the author, the reader is better able to understand the context of the story. Culture is extremely significant in determining why the author chose to write about a particular event, their character’s motivations and ambitions, and give a complete idea of the picture. This essay aims to signify the importance of analyzing cultural context in Munro’s short story by delving into Munro’s background and how it influenced her written work.
New Criticism
This essay aims to analyze the literary techniques and rich symbolism present in “Dear Life,” offering a closer look into hidden meanings and how they affect the reader’s understanding of the text. By emphasizing the importance of the narration and imagery, the reader is able to understand the narrator’s motivations and emotions. New Criticism is an apt outlet for analyzing a story so complex and compelling.
The reason this short story can have so many different theories applied to it is simple–just as Munro says, “this is not a story, only life.” Each one of us who read this story found value in its words in vastly different ways, exemplifying the idea that if you write about life, those who’ve lived it will resonate with your story, in one way or another. Analyzing the story through Marxist, Feminist, New and Cultural critical lenses allows for a multifaceted approach that aims to capture all of the complex themes in Munro’s short story. A Marxist lens highlights the class struggle and socio economic stress in reaction to the character’s ambitions, while a Feminist approach serves to divulge how gender dynamics shape the characters experiences under the influence of a patriarchal society. By using a Cultural studies lens the reader gets the full picture with all the background of significant historical context applied to the author and the story. Finally, New Criticism looks closely at the techniques Munro uses in her writing and their significance to the story and how the reader interprets it. By looking at writing technique, culture, and societal expectations in different forms, these essays allow for a well rounded analysis of Munro’s story, sparking a thoughtful dialogue about the themes of gender, society, and the passage of time.
“Dear Life,” the concluding story to the collection of short works by Alice Munro, is a profound piece of writing rich in meaning and themes, enough so that almost everyone can find a reason to resonate with this story. Set in rural Ontario, Munro’s story, autobiographical in nature, recounts the strife of a young girl growing up in poverty, eager for an education while being persuaded by others to pursue more practical avenues. With the mystifying and heart wrenching story of the old Mrs. Netterfield, the less than fair lot assigned to the family through unforeseeable circumstances, and the intense imagery throughout it all– there is much to love about this piece, and even more to analyze. Our team has broken the piece down and analyzed the clear and hidden meanings using four different literary lenses, each one capturing a unique side of the story and inviting the reader to contemplate the significant moments that shape a person’s life.
