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I find the idea of Formalism, or at least that of the Russian Formalists, incredibly intriguing. I've been taught time and again to look at the structure of a piece and then to look at the context within which it was written or constructed (either artist's life or general movement), so as to get a full picture of what the piece could mean. In fact, I find it hard to comprehend any form of art without a basis in the socio-political spectrum. I mean, we had an entire section of the rubric for our IB art journals focused on context and we read twice as many critical articles, biographies, author's statements, and reviews of the literary works than the text of the actual works themselves. I'm having trouble even comprehending a Russian formalist approach because I'm constantly trying to extrapolate to find significance and value to form without even meaning to.

At any rate, in reading Uncle Tom's Cabin I'm finding it almost impossible to distance myself from the text, unlike I might be able to do to at least some extent with many novels. I have a feeling that this is why-- combined with the fact that it's a commentary on such a salient topic-- that it is and has been so popular. She also speaks directly to the reader at times, very blatantly telling them how to think-- which tends to make a thing popular. It's easy to digest, the message is clear... even when controversial.

However, maybe when I get a little further into the text, I can try to look at it in a formalist perspective as the overarching form of the text beyond massive quantities of dialogue and blunt characterizations.