Marxist Literary Theory

So, over-achiever that I am, I am joining two other graduate students this fall for an independent study in Marxist Literary Theory.

I am a bit behind on the background reading that I was supposed to study before the semester started, and am currently reading Marx's Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844. My mind is too filled with the ideas in the text to write much, but I just want to quote this:

"If the product of labour does not belong to the worker, if it confronts him as an alien power, this can only be because it belongs to some other man than the worker. If the worker's activity is a torment to him, to another it must be delight and his life's joy. Not the gods, not nature, but only man himself can be this alien power over man" (78).

There is something wrong when one person works in misery and exists in a state of alienation in order to produce joy and delight for others.

Source:

Marx, Karl. "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844." The Marx-Engels Reader. 2nd ed. Ed. Robert C. Tucker. New York: Norton, 1978. 66-175.