Sure you can!
You can apply readings to Prize giving.
I've got one of those module study books and it says that:
"A marxist reading of prize giving would be critical of the view of society presented in the poem and analyse the power relationships between the various characters and how these are influenced by various factors, such as gender, age, education and rank.
It is significant that the poem presents a distoted view of society, in that the school is clearly a middle class institution. The Head, as the leading representitive of the school, values pomp and ceremony, having gone to great lengths to create an atmosphere of importance, added to by the attendance of professor eisenbart 'an honoured guest'.
It is significant that the poem does engage in light - hearted ridicule of the speech-night tradition and the Head's illusions of superiority.
Prof Eisenbart is clearly a member of the privileged class. His academic superiority is evident through academic gowns. As a member of the upper-class he distinguished himself from the masses.
(It gets better here!)
It is significant that the girl is presented as an insubordinate member of the masses, inferior to the Prof in education, age, gender and yet presenting a challenge to him. This could be interpreted as symbolic of her challenging the middle-class, patriarchial beliefs and the values that both the prof and the school represent. Through the actions of the titian-haired girl, the prof is exposed to as a 'sage fool'. He and the element of society that he represents is ridiculed and trivialised"
___________________
you can also apply a femminist reading
"It is significant that the prof has been invited as an honoured guest to a 'GIRLs school speech night'. The suggestion is that his achievements as a successful MAN will "lend distinction...to the occaison"
In addition, the prof's disdain for the occasion, having rudely declined the intial invitation and the achievements of the young women who hands "He shook/indifferently" he sees them as a collective group rather than individuals.
*Interaction between the prof and the Headmistres is significant to a feminist readoing. The fact that he is "supurb in silk and fur' and she is dressed 'humbler in black' suggest that there is an imbalance in power between the genders.
* Notably the head fusses and fawns over the professor, she is presented as subservient to him
*Interation between eisenbart and the redhead girl. From the outset the relationship between them is a power struggle. The prof first notices her as she mocks and mimics him.
"One girl sat grimming at him, her hand bent,
under her chin in mockery of his own"
however as the girl accepts her award the girl established immediate power over the prof.
*The provocative connotations of the girls actions as she "hitched at her stocking" and "winked" prior to accepting the award are particularly significant. The implication that the girl gains power over the prof thru virtue of her sexuality.
*The prof's loss of power and autonomy as she draws "his stare with her to the piano" contributes to the construction of an image of a woman with power who should be feared by men. The titian-haired girl is ascribed with the qualities of a seductress, whist her musical talents and the achievement of the music award is marginalised.
thats about all its got. I know that its a bit ambiguous but oh well... its something in case it comes up!
