Chapter Two
| Critical Functions |
Critic as guide |
"the critic to whom I am most grateful is the one who can make me look at something I have never looked at before, or looked at only with eyes clouded by prejudice, set me face to face with it and then leave me alone with it." T. S. Eliot |
| Other Responsibilities |
| 1. Bridge building - between creators and consumers |
creating dialogue |
identifying artistic constraints and public preferences |
| 2. Suggesting new directions |
| 3. Proposing system-cognizant change |
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| 4. Serving as a proxy or watchdog - protector? defender? |
| 5. Entertaining - need to be interesting! |
| What critics value |
1. Critics must be sensitive to the values that they bring to their evaluative task. |
2. Audiences must be assisted, through a critic's own candid expression, in detecting that critic's particular value bias so that they can consider it when determining the relevance and worth of the critique. |
What do critics value? (Ralph Smith, 1959) |
1. Honesty/sincerity in terms of the work's purpose and execution |
| 2. Program variety |
| 3. Maintenance of human dignity |
4. Diligence in writing and production |
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5. Relaxation and informality |
6. Strong sense of responsibility |