They then relate the covert aspects of the work to traditional Marxist themes such as class struggle. Thus, what the work may really be about is the ongoing conflict in society between warring classes, and not what it appears to be about on the surface.
Marxist critics tend to relate everything they can to socio-economic considerations.
In a broader sense, Marxist critics sometimes explain entire literary genres as products of a specific social period. This is especially true for Leninist Marxists who view all literature as fulfilling a specific political purpose.