...Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction ‘Jonathan Culler has always been about the best person around at explaining literary theory without oversimplifying it or treating it with polemical bias. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction is an exemplary work in this genre.’ J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine ‘An impressive and engaging feat of condensation . . . the avoidance of the usual plod through schools and approaches allows the reader to get straight to the heart of the crucial issue for many students, which is: why are they studying literary theory in the first place? . . . an engaging and lively book.’ Patricia Waugh, University of Durham Very Short Introductions are for anyone wanting a stimulating and accessible way in to a new subject. They are written by experts, and have been published in 15 languages worldwide. Very Short Introductions available from Oxford Paperbacks: ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY Julia Annas THE ANGLO-SAXON AGE John Blair ARCHAEOLOGY Paul Bahn ARISTOTLE Jonathan Barnes Augustine Henry Chadwick THE BIBLE John Riches Buddha Michael Carrithers BUDDHISM Damien Keown CLASSICS Mary Beard and John Henderson Continental Philosophy Simon Critchley Darwin Jonathan Howard DESCARTES Tom Sorell EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY BRITAIN Paul Langford The European Union John Pinder Freud Anthony Storr Galileo Stillman Drake Gandhi Bhikhu Parekh HEIDEGGER Michael Inwood HINDUISM Kim Knott HISTORY John H. Arnold HUME A. J...
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...polemical issues in the application of literary theories to the field of literature and literary criticism. Out of the several modern approaches to literary criticism as employed by the critics, four literary theories are strategically chosen for analysis in this paper; Formalism, Structuralism, Post-structuralism/Deconstruction and Marxism. This work is objectively carried out by consulting articles, journals and books written on the literary theories. The opportunity of information technology via the internet is also utilized. It is established in the course of writing this paper that literary theories are indispensable tools for literature to achieve its goal of sensitizing its audience towards literary awareness. The application of literary theories to literature, that enhance better and detail insight into text or literary works, would continue to be relevant and make literature more enjoyable and meaningful to its readers and users. Further research and enquiry into the relationship between the two (literature and literary theory) is open and should further be exploited. Keywords: literary theory, literary criticism, Marxism, Formalism, Structuralism, Post-structuralism Introduction Literary criticism is the study, evaluation and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals. Though the two activities are closely related, literary critics are not always, and have...
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...theories and theorists when attempting to analyze literature? It is very helpful to know theories and theorists when attempting to analyse the piece of literature because it allows every distinct person to have their own analysis of a particular piece of literature leading to more diverse and richer amount of views. I think that knowing each theory and theorists will reveal ways to analyse the literature that one may have never thought of before. 2.) Review the schools of literary theory (download the notes) and choose two that you are interested in or identify with (200 words for each theory). One of the literary theories that I am interested in is Formalism. This theory is based on structural components of literature. Formalism takes a more scientific approach to literature rather than the approach of interpreting literature by relating it to the historical circumstance it was written in, personal experiences that the author has been through, and more. Formalism pays close attention to literary devices that are used and the patterns these devices present in literature. It has three main categories, which are form, unity and diction. Form is one of the most important parts because it looks at the way the whole piece was written. It looks at the point of view of the literature, if there is closure and how the story is told whether it is told using flashback, told in chronological order or some other way. Point of view is a great way to analyze literature because it is critical...
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...Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism Introduction A very basic way of thinking about literary theory is that these ideas act as different lenses critics use to view and talk about art, literature, and even culture. These different lenses allow critics to consider works of art based on certain assumptions within that school of theory. The different lenses also allow critics to focus on particular aspects of a work they consider important. For example, if a critic is working with certain Marxist theories, s/he might focus on how the characters in a story interact based on their economic situation. If a critic is working with post-colonial theories, s/he might consider the same story but look at how characters from colonial powers (Britain, France, and even America) treat characters from, say, Africa or the Caribbean. Hopefully, after reading through and working with the resources in this area of the OWL, literary theory will become a little easier to understand and use. Disclaimer Please note that the schools of literary criticism and their explanations included here are by no means the only ways of distinguishing these separate areas of theory. Indeed, many critics use tools from two or more schools in their work. Some would define differently or greatly expand the (very) general statements given here. Our explanations are meant only as starting places for your own investigation into literary theory. We encourage you to use the list of scholars and works provided for each...
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...1. Formalism (also called New Criticism) a. Analysis based on the idea that the form of a piece of literature will echo or somehow illuminate its content. b. These two very similar approaches to literature involve a close reading of the text itself. Formalist and New Critics look only at the language and elements of the text, and disregard the context in which the text was written or received. c. The main thing to consider when approaching a work of literature from the formalist or new critic's point of view is to analyze how all the elements of the piece (plot, point of view, character, tone and style, symbolism, setting and theme) work together to create a certain effect on the reader. d. A formalist or new critic perspective demands lots of evidence from the primary source. When interpreting a text using this approach, you'll need to identify quotes and specific references that support your ideas about what the text is "saying" to the reader. 2. Marxism e. According to Marxists, and to other scholars in fact, literature reflects those social institutions out of which it emerges and is itself a social institution with a particular ideological function. Literature reflects class struggle and materialism: think how often the quest for wealth traditionally defines characters. So Marxists generally view literature "not as works created in accordance with timeless artistic criteria, but as 'products' of the economic and ideological determinants...
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...grumpy old man who is very materialistic. The characters in realism tend to be in relation to each other, to their social class, or to their own past. All of these are true for The Death of Ivan Llyich. We are able to see how Ivan acts with other people, especially his family and how his past has not been a good one, which he realizes before his death. Also, in realism, class is an important thing. Ivan was very materialistic and cared a lot for his money. Being a judge, he was obviously well off and could be as materialistic as he wanted. A major aspect of realism was that authors kept their personalities and voices in the background. This is also true in The Death of Ivan Llyich. The Death of Ivan Llyich is by far the best example of a literary...
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...Literature and the literary tradition Within the module a multitude of highly diverse texts have been explored, stemming from a variety of authors, nations and time periods, there are distinct and noticeable traits that illustrate different approaches of literary technique and constructions of both ideas and narrative. One of the primary reasons for this diversity between texts is the social, political and historical context in which the writer constructed the work of literature. For this reason it is imperative that a varied range of literary work be explored in order to be able to compare and contrast the respective way in which literature has been constructed internationally and over numerous time periods. When analysing English literary tradition and the stratification and progression of English as a language there are very few discussions that would not include at least some reference to the works of William Shakespeare as he clearly illustrates the means in which both new words and language are coined as he was extremely prolific is his creation of both new words and the utilisation of existing dialect to form new meanings. Hamlet forms an extensive and rich text from which to examine both this progression of English language but also provides a viable source of comparison to other texts included within the module, its location chronologically makes it a good source of evaluation when contextualised against much earlier work such as Beowulf we are able to...
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...Tyian Thomas English 110 3-27-15 1500 words The use of Theme and Literary Elements Literary devices are specific techniques and methods that authors use to convey an idea they are trying to tell the reader.When an author is writing,, they often try to give the reader certain ideas that would help them to understand the tale indirectly without giving away the idea or moral of the story. For example, the theme of isolation and loneliness. The theme of isolation is a very popular idea in many works of literature like Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner, and even Acquainted with the night by Robert Frost. These four works of literature all carry the theme of loneliness and isolation, whether it is Bartleby refusing to interact with anyone and shutting himself away from the rest of the world, Emily who seemed to isolate herself from the rest of her village after her father’s death, the narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper having to spend all her time in the a room she hates because of her disease, or the narrator of Acquainted with the Night strolling through the nightly city all by herself in solitude. All of these stories contain the very popular theme of loneliness and isolation,which are shown using various literary devices of each author’s choosing. Throughout the whole story of A Rose for Emily, the setting seemed to be very eerie and unnatural; the author gave the...
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...Bachelor2 Literary Analysis of Riders to the Sea The chosen work for this literary analysis is Riders to the Sea, by J.M. Synge (1903). This piece is written as a classical drama. This form of writing is written with direction for setting creation and stage direction for characters included as its form is to be set into action. What is so delightful about this type of writing is that when reading, your imagination is taken to the scene enfolding before you. The characters need not speak every word to portray their emotion to you. Their subtle movements and changes in set symbolically convey visual meaning. After reading the play, it is just as interesting to see it performed. You will want to see if the director of the play has picked up on the subtleties that the playwright has included that have already captured your own mind or emphasized symbolism that you did not absorb. There are several portions of this play that stood out to me as saying more than what most would glean important. The first is a soliloquy made by the two daughters concerning the death of Michael. They are clearly worried how the impact of the news of Michael’s death will impact their mother. They are worried most about her and not of their own loss of their brother. This leads to dramatic irony, as now the audience knows more than the protagonist about what is the sisters believe has happened. The dramatic irony is further proven when the daughters inspect the stitching and fabric of...
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...Analyzing Literary Terms Within Stories Many authors use their own type of writing skills to make their stories flow nicely and to keep the reader entertained. There are so many different literary terms out there that help a story to flow so much better. Some of the things I like to see while reading a story are similes, metaphors and imagery. I like to see these certain styles of writing, because you can compare just about any two things and make the story that much more interesting. When an author utilizes those specific styles of writing, it can give excellent detail to create images inside the reader’s heads while they read. I consider myself a visual reader, and when the text is dull or boring, it is like the words are going in one ear, and out of the other. So, I particularly enjoyed Alice Walkers “The Welcome Table”, because of the authors vivid use of words and comparisons that helped me to envision what I am reading as if it were a movie in my mind. In Alice Walkers “The Welcome Table” she uses a great number of literary terms. The terms that were used engaged me in the story and helped to keep me interested while reading about the elderly woman in the story. The way she described certain things kept me wanting to read more. The author uses such great comparisons to describe how the old lady looks, and walks. One literary term that the author utilized is imagery. Imagery is “a distinct representation of something that can be experienced and understood through the...
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...Chrystal Hemphill Dr. Kilpatrick ENG 500 10/12/2015 The Role of Knowledge and Preference in Literary Criticism Some argue that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, while others argue that there are scientific and social factors that contribute to a clear definition of beauty. The same type of argument comes into focus when one considers literature. Dictionary.com defines literature as “written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit,” but this brings into question how one is to judge whether a work has greater or enduring artistic value. This question is addressed in Plato’s Ion. In Ion, Plato addresses whether it is through experience and skill or through divine intervention that Ion judges the merit of works. Through an explication of the text, one can consider whether it is knowledge or preference that leads to determining value through literary criticism. The dialogue opens with Socrates speaking to Ion who is a rhapsodist, or a professional performer of epic poetry. The reader learns that Ion is a skilled rhapsodist as he has just won first place among competitors at the festival of Asclepius. It is upon this knowledge and skill that Ion bases his affinity for Homer. Ion makes the claim that Homer is a superior poet and because of this, Ion is better able to interpret his works as compared to his inability to interpret other poets’ works. When this claim is made, Socrates goes through a series of deductions in order...
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...Marxist literary criticism has, as the name indicates, its basis in the theories of Karl Marx and his associates. The main idea of Marxism is that “instead of making abstract affirmations about a whole group of problems such as man, knowledge, matter, and nature, he examines each problem in its dynamic relation to the others and, above all, tries to relate them to historical, social, political, and economic realities” (BO). Marx argued that the real foundation of society was the economic structure, that political and legal superstructures rose from this base, and that “[i]t is not the consciousness of men which determines their existence; it is on the contrary their social existence which determines their consciousness” (BO). The most fundamental argument of Marxist literary and cultural theories is that they do not see art as something that is separate from society – art is, as Eagleton says, “part of the ‘superstructure’ of society” (5) – and the central concern of Marxist literary criticism is the relationship between the economy and the literature. Marxist critics argue that art is social because it is produced and received in concrete contexts, and because the creator is someone with a class, gender and racial identity – the author is, unavoidably, “part of her own context” (Haslett 8). Art, in Marxist readings, “is interpreted as a material practice, perhaps because it relies on ‘technology’… is concretely realised in situations which themselves are material… ...
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...Write a Critical Literary Analysis Essay When writing a literary analysis essay, your main objective is not to write a simple summary. Rather, your goal is to write an essay that discusses your interpretation and critique of the literature. There are a few general guidelines you should keep in mind when writing a literary analysis essay. Remember, there often is no right or wrong answer – what really matters is proving your thesis with evidence! One tip you should keep in mind while writing a literary analysis essay is that you should always write in the present tense and never in the past tense. For example, you might write “In George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm,’ the animals take over the farm and develop their own independent society” rather than “In George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm,’ the animals took over the farm and developed their own independent society.” Another tip is you should also avoid putting yourself into the literary analysis. This means you should write in the third person and never use the words “I” or “you.” There may be exceptions to this rule, however, depending upon your instructor. In fact, some will request a more informal literary analysis that will include the usage of these words. When in doubt, however, it is safer to use the third person. Since literary analysis essays are not meant to simply be a book review or summary of the book, you should not retell the story in your essay. Rather, you need to form a thesis about the piece of literature and then...
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...Bradbury’s use of literary devices Ray Bradbury uses unique literary device to help form his stories, which gives us a better understanding of what he is trying to convey in his stories.Ray Bradbury's writings all originate with an idea.After this idea has been established, he creates character to personify this idea. To better understand the close relationship between his characters, also his major ideas or a theme which appears throughout his stories is Bradbury's imagery. One example of literary devices is personification, which gives non-human things human-like qualities. An example of this is in Bradbury's story The Veldt when Bradbury writes , "Until this day, how well the house had kept its peace. How carefully it had inquired, "who goes there?...
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...Detroit rapper, “Big Sean,” as he’s known on stage, once harmonized: “Are you willing To give up What you love For who you love?” The meritorious lyrics question whether an individual would surrender everything they “love” for the one person they truly “love.” So in actuality the artist is asking whether the person would trade love for love, or simple: which love is stronger. The prominently cathartic poem, skillfully molded by Bette Midler, encloses a theater of emotions, each being viewed through use of figures of speech, rhetorical questions and repetition. The literary devices effortlessly submerged me in an aura of appreciation or the “you” in the poem, even though I did not know who they were, as the poet suspense fully unmasked the identity of his feeling towards this unknown individual. Bette Midler uses many literary devices in this poem, one being figures of speech. An example of this use of the literary technique would be line four where she said that: “You were content to let me shine.” It is known that the voice of the poem cannot literally shine, so it could be said that the poet’s use of this device is do demonstrate the unselfishness the “you,” of the poem. This sector of the poem reminds me of the unselfish acts, portrayed by my mom, and how she often made sacrifices to make sure I could “shine” and also had the best in life. Additionally, it could be said that the poet’s use of rhetorical question helped to reveal the character “you” to me. At the beginning...
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