For this example response, you should consult the part of the Foss Chapter regarding "Selecting an Artifact."
I'd like you to identify a potential artifact for ideological criticism. Foss provides a vast array of potential types of
texts to choose from, so you have ample places to look.
1) Identify the basic observable features of the artifact (the presented elements)--perhaps these are the
overarching arguments, or the characters, maybe the shapes and colors presented or the metaphors used,
maybe it's the lyrics of the song. These will be different depending upon the artifact itself. Strive to identify at
least 3 presented elements. For example, in Childish Gambino's This is America music video, a presented
element is the murder of black people by guns as well as the way in which the guns are treated by Childish
Gambino and the people he hands them to (with care and a sense of reverence).
2) Connect those presented elements to suggested elements (the meanings implied by the presented
elements). Identify those suggested elements, or explain what the presented elements mean. For example, in
the aforementioned music video, this suggests that guns are treated with more care in the United States than
black bodies.
3) Identify the overarching theme or ideology of this artifact based off your presented and suggested elements.
In other words, what is the network or web of ideas created by the elements of the text? There are questions
on page 247 that might help guide this process for you. A theme in the Childish Gambino video is racism and a
disregard for black life.
Sample Solution