Journal of Critical Studies in Language and Literature

A Study of Wyndham Lewis’s Hitler (1931) and The Hitler Cult (1939) in the Light of Literary Modernism and Politics

Mohsen Gholami — 2024-11-29

The present research delves into Wyndham Lewis’s political writings Hitler (1931) and The Hitler Cult (1939) through the critical viewpoint of Leon Surette to magnify modernism and its intersections with politics. Surette’s analytical approach stresses the ambivalent feelings and apparent contradictions in Lewis’s involvement with fascism, totalitarianism, and the broader political context of the interwar period (1918-1939). By examining these polemical and disputatious works through Surette’s lens, this research paper seeks to unravel how Lewis’s literary modernism wrestle with the political realities of his time, especially the peak and trough of Adolf Hitler and the allure of authoritarianism. In this fashion, Hitler (1931) portrays Lewis’s sophisticated mind and often contentious position, amalgamating modernist techniques with a problematic portrayal of Hitler as both a political figure and a modernist symbol. In contrast, The Hitler Cult (1939) manifests a marked change in Lewis’s perspective, moving from ambivalence to a more explicit conviction of the Nazi movement and the potential dangers of cult-like political extremism. In the end, this paper argues that Hitler and The Hitler Cult provide a nuanced and often contradictory exploration of the intersection between literary modernism and politics.

The Different Faces of the Trickster: The Psychoanalyst and the Buddhist in Iris Murdoch's A Severed Head and The Sea, The Sea

Soheila Farhani Nejad — 2024-11-29

In Iris Murdoch’s novels, characters often search for a sense of purpose in life by attaching themselves to figures of authority. Two prominent powerful figures in her fiction are the characters of the psychoanalyst and the Buddhist. This study examines the way Murdoch has used the mythical trickster figure to highlight the opposing characteristics of the psychoanalyst and the Buddhist in the character of Palmer in A Severed Head and James in The Sea, The Sea. In these novels, both characters are portrayed as trickster figures who have a healing function in the lives of those around them. But while in A Severed Head Palmer uses the language of psychotherapy to further his own self-interests, in James’ character, Murdoch’s notion of the necessity of attending to other’s emotional and spiritual well-being is emphasized. This argument is supported by referring to Murdoch’s distrust of the ability of psychotherapy to solve individuals’ spiritual problems.

Book Review: Pan, F. (Ed.). (2024). AI in Language Teaching, Learning, And Assessment. Pennsylvania: IGI Global

Jacqueline Żammit — 2024-11-29

As a scholar and educator working at the intersection of applied linguistics and educational technology, I was immediately drawn to AI in Language Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, edited by Fang Pan. My current research focuses on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in language learning environments, and I have firsthand experience integrating AI tools into my language instruction practices. This context positions me well to critically evaluate the text, which offers an ambitious exploration of AI’s transformative role in language education. The book, published in 2024 by IGI Global, provides a timely and comprehensive assessment of AI’s integration into teaching, learning, and assessment—a subject of growing importance in the field of applied linguistics.