Marxism

Marxist theory is the idea that a subject of work is a product of the historical and cultural events happening at the time of its production.  I have to agree with this view of art in a way, since if the reader does not look at the circumstances as to why the author is writing a certain piece, or what they were experiencing while writing it, they won't fully understand why the literary text has any application to them reading it.

One of the points of Liberal Humanism that stuck with me the most is that there should be no preconceived ideas about a text, only ideas that are formed from reading the text itself.  I understand why that idea is practical but I think in opposition to Marxism it does not hold true.  I think that knowing about a certain time period, or knowing where the author is coming from beforehand ie, what social class they belong to, what political and historical events are happening in that time, it is hard for a reader to not have any preconceived ideas.

Knowing about an individual time and social status of an author, it is harder for the reader to separate any ideas whether it be about the author or the work itself.