What assumptions govern our modes of interpreting texts? What sorts of power dynamics inform our most seemingly judicious critical acts, and what are their political consequences? We will examine rhetorical theory from the New Critics to Semiotics and Deconstruction, as well as feminist and queer theoretical responses to poststructuralism, in our attempt to answer these questions. We will also consider writings by such political interpreters as Benjamin and Foucault, and works by New Historicists and popular culture analysts. We will refer continuously to literary and cinematic texts. Requirements: two 8- to 10-page papers. Prerequisite: a 100-level English course, except 150. Enrollment limited to 25. (Criticism)