Final answer:
The statement is True, auteur criticism focuses on identifying the stylistic and thematic signatures of an individual creator's work, assessing elements like personal artistic vision, style, and use of narrative tools. It emphasizes the unique perspective of the director or author rather than just the work itself. The correct option is a.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is a. true. Auteur criticism indeed looks for the signatures of style, theme, personnel, and other unique characteristics that distinguish an individual director or author's work. This approach in film and literary criticism seeks to identify the personal artistic vision that an author or filmmaker imprints on a piece. When considering auteur directors, they often have a definitive aesthetic vision that guides their interpretation of scripts, utilizing the material as a tool to support their distinctive narrative and visual concepts.
For instance, American director Anne Bogart uses a technique called Viewpoints to produce and direct plays, applying very specific patterns of movement to align with her artistic vision. Through this framework, the auteur is not necessarily disrespectful to the original manuscript or playwright but seeks to enhance the script through their distinct perspective.
Additionally, in literary analysis, it is essential to examine components like subject, form, and word choice. Exploring these elements allows us to discover clues within parts of the text that help us understand the entirety of the work. For example, by analyzing an author's choice of words or the narrative tone, critics can gain insight into the thematic content and artistic construction of the text. In doing so, they are effectively scrutinizing an author's decisions, akin to placing their stylistic choices under a microscope.