Outline (so far)

My outline thus far has been pencil to paper, but I'll type it here verbatim. Before getting into transcribe-mode, I'd like to add that I immediately connected more with the Cultural approach, as I felt it would lend itself more easily to the book I chose than the New Historical approach. Anyways, here it goes and when you see pink font that's just me clarifying something in my outline :)))

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My approach will either be New Historical or Cultural

Cultural because it "argues that working-class culture...undervalued" pg. 281
"what forms of art...inferior culture" (connect to bull-fighting)

As a cultural critic im supposed to believe "there is no meaningful distinction between 'high' and 'low' culture..." pg. 281

"For all cultural productions...circulation of power," pg. 281 = art/media from powers that be manipulating us

believe: "dominant class defines 'high' and 'low'...superiority...own power" pg. 281

yet also believe: "...subordinate populations produce forms of art...affect the whole culture as well" like the AIDs quilt changed opinions 4 better

as a marxist, feminist, or latino critic: "analyze and valorize the cultural productions of an oppressed group"

*What I circled on pg. 282 [I circled the three differences at the top] 
*"cultural criticism...does not view oppressed peoples as helpless victims" pg. 282

Texts--as they are art/media themselves--in turn shape the contemporary culture that was reading it --> mold people or irritate people

Marxist would say that For Whom the Bell Tolls: [literally nothing follows the colon, lol]

Feminist would say FWTBT: assuage stereotypical alpha-male (Maria); yet provides a female character whose strength intimidates stereotypical alpha-males (Pilar and how she treats Pablo, and is the real leader of the guerrillas)

I should ask of FWTBT: questions on pg. 282 in this final section im just answering the questions on 282 in relation to FWTBT

1. Subtle, but profound undertones of senselessness/mechanical-nature of war; man must have a woman (though the age difference...) to comfort him, her rape may come into play; manipulative Robert Jordan--would help feminist cause if he was painted in a negative light, yet he is painted as admirable

2. Spanish Republicans specifically may have found the book endearing; people in general were war-weary from WWI; intrigued by Spain--portrayed spanish speakers in respectfully; mentions facism--again, back to WWI; women in war--perhaps led to women participating in WWII (published a year into WWII); men in WWI drawn to longing for a woman in times of war; men in WWI related to being close to death (tolling 4 funeral); compelling questioning of hypocritical practices America is involved in such as homesteading ("...Communism in your country?")
^---automatic weapon makes war less Romantic...not best soldier, but biggest gun

Desire for Romanticized war...which, although is respectable, is still a freakishly obsessive view that certainly isn't anti-war; it could in fact be argued that the book is pro-war

3. I love the theme of enjoying every moment you have until the impending doom=violent death; I love how these Spanish are 3-D--he took care with writing them, as should be taken

4. Women can be used by men; white men are leaders---> Pilar is actually uncharacteristically supportive of and acquiescent to RJ; war is the answer

5. Fascists, pacifists, feminists, spanish community (implicitly), racial minorities in America--off-color remarks here and there

*Ask Laura if she'd be okay w/ a comparison of FWTBT w/ the popular movie adapted from it ! ---mention pg. 283 lol ;)

Though I havent yet read any critiques of FWTBT, Im thinking I will find a lot I will agree w/ (if the critics have the same lines of thinking i've come up with); I'll most likely use the secondary source to agree or use "to lift an idea from", though the other uses are still on the table

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Thats the outline as of now, as you can see Im about to get into finding the critiques that I feel will help me write my essay, which Im so far convinced will be taking the feminist approach.