THE APPLICATION OF WAYNE C. BOOTH’S ETHICAL CRITICISM TO THE NARRATIVE FIELD FOR THE IDENTITARIAN AND CULTURAL FORMATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN COLOMBIA

Abstract

This essay examines the relevance of literary narrative in student formation through the lens of Wayne C. Booth’s theory of reception, reflecting on ethical criticism as a coductive method that fosters dialogue between students, literary works, and their environment. From this perspective, it is argued that contemporary middle school students can construct a particular identity through the didactic potential of literary narration and subsequently contribute to the cultural configuration of their social context within Colombia. By assuming reading and writing as essential components of their formative process, students come to recognize themselves as implicit readers and authors, bearing responsibilities toward the texts they interpret and the ways in which they construct meaning. Finally, these tools enable students, as ethical and critical readers, to interrogate academic content and connect it with contemporary issues that permeate social, educational, and everyday life.