An Introduction to Literary Theories

The Basic Idea

The point of criticism is to argue your point of view on a work of literature. You dont have to criticize a text (but you can) You do have to analyze a text and support your assertions with specific evidence from experts and the text.

The Basic Idea

A critical analysis is an in-depth examination of some aspect of the literary work you may examine any element of the text: character development, conflicts, narrative point of view, etc. Even though its an examination of a literary work, its still a persuasive essay

The Basic Idea

The goal is to prove something about the work There must be a point to the discussion. You must answer the questions Why?, or So what? For example, why is a recurring symbol important? Or, why is the development of the female characters significant?

The Basic Idea

There are many different approaches we can take to critical analysis Literary theories provide a framework for our discussion of a text We dont have to identify the theory were using, though. We use it as a starting point for our own ideas and opinions

Historical/Biographical Approach
views literature as the reflection of an author's life and times (or of the characters' life and times). it is necessary to know about the author and the political, economical, and sociological context of his times in order to truly understand his works.

Historical/Biographical Approach
Advantages: works well for some which are obviously political or biographical in nature. places allusions in their proper classical, political, or biblical background. Disadvantages: "the intentional fallacy" tends to reduce art to the level of biography and make it relative (to the times) rather than universal.

Application
What are some historical or biographical elements we might examine in a discussion of our current novel?

Moral / Philosophical Approach:

asserts that the larger purpose of literature is to teach morality and to probe philosophical issues authors intend to instruct the audience in some way

Moral / Philosophical Approach:

Advantages: useful for works which do present an obvious moral philosophy useful when considering the themes of works does not view literature merely as "art" isolated from all moral implications recognizes that literature can affect readers and that the message of a work is important.

Moral / Philosophical Approach:

Disadvantages: such an approach can be too "judgmental" Some believe literature should be judged primarily (if not solely) on its artistic merits, not its moral or philosophical content.

Application
What are some moral or philosophical elements we might examine in a discussion of our current novel?

Formalism / New Criticism

involves a close reading of the text all information essential to the interpretation of a work must be found within the work itself focuses on analyzing irony, paradox, imagery, and metaphor also interested in the work's setting, characters, symbols, and point of view.

Formalism / New Criticism

no need to bring in outside information about the history, politics, or society of the time, or about the author's life does not view works through the lens of feminism, psychology, mythology, or any other such standpoint not interested in the work's affect on the reader.

Formalism / New Criticism

Terms Used in New Criticism: intentional fallacy - the false belief that the meaning or value of a work may be determined by the author's intention affective fallacy - the false belief that the meaning or value of a work may be determined by its affect on the reader external form - rhyme scheme, meter, stanza form, etc.

Formalism / New Criticism

Advantages: can be performed without much research emphasizes the value of literature apart from its context virtually all critical approaches must begin here Disadvantages: text is seen in isolation ignores the context of the work cannot account for allusions

Application
What are some formal elements we might examine in a discussion of our current novel?

Psychoanalytical Approach
views works through the lens of psychology looks either at the psychological motivations of the characters or of the authors themselves most frequently applies Freudian psychology to works, but other approaches also exist.

Freudian Approach to Personality

Three parts to an individuals psyche: the id: the instinctual, pleasure seeking part of the mind the superego: the part of the mind that represses the id's impulses the ego: the part of the mind that controls but does not repress the id's impulses, releasing them in a healthy way

Sex is Everything
Freud believed that all human behavior is motivated by sexuality Oedipus complex: a boy's unconscious rivalry with his father for the love of his mother Electra complex: a girls unconscious rivalry with her mother for the love of her father (a.k.a. daddy issues)

Freudian Imagery
Recognizes symbols that are linked to sexual pleasure concave images, such as ponds, flowers, cups, and caves as female symbols phallic symbols, objects that are longer than they are wide, are male images dancing, riding, and flying are associated with sexual pleasure water is usually associated with birth, the female principle, the maternal, the womb, and the death wish.

Psychoanalytical Approach
Advantages: can be a useful tool for understanding some works in which characters obviously have psychological issue knowing something about a writer's psychological make-up can give us insight into his work. Disadvantages: can turn a work into a psychological case study sometimes attempts to diagnose long dead authors based on their works tends to see sex in everything, exaggerating this aspect of literature some works do not lend themselves readily to this approach.

Application
What are some psychological or psychoanalytical elements we might examine in a discussion of our current novel?

Archetypal Approach
assumes that there is a collection of symbols, images, characters, and motifs (i.e. archetypes) that evokes basically the same response in all people identifies these patterns and discusses how they function in the works asserts that these archetypes are the source of much of literature's power.

Archetypal Approach
based on the theories of psychologist Carl Jung he states that mankind possesses a "collective unconscious" that contains these archetypes and that is common to all of humanity

Some Archetypes
archetypal women - the Good Wife/Mother, the Terrible Mother, the Virgin (often a Damsel in Distress), and the Fallen Woman. water - creation, birth-death-resurrection, purification, redemption, fertility, growth garden - paradise (Eden), innocence, fertility desert - spiritual emptiness, death, hopelessness red - blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder green - growth, fertility black - chaos, death, evil serpent - evil, sensuality, mystery, wisdom, destruction seven - perfection hero archetype - The hero is involved in a quest (in which he overcomes obstacles). He experiences initiation (involving a separation, transformation, and return), and finally he serves as a scapegoat, that is, he dies to atone.

Archetypal Approach
Advantages: provides a universalistic approach to literature and identifies a reason why certain literature may survive the test of time it works well with works that are highly symbolic Disadvantages: literature may become a vehicle for archetypes may ignore the "art" of literature

Application
What are some archetypal elements we might examine in a discussion of our current novel?

Feminist Approach
concerned with the impact of gender on writing and reading usually begins with a critique of patriarchal culture concerned with the place of female writers concerned with the roles of female characters within works often argues that male fears are portrayed through female characters may argue that gender determines everything, or just the opposite: that all gender differences are imposed by society, and gender determines nothing.

Stages of Female Identity

Feminine: the female accepts the definitions and roles male authorities have created for her Feminist: rebels against male authority and intentionally challenges all male definitions and roles Female: no longer concerned with male definitions or restrictions; defines her own voice and values

The Mad-Woman in the Attic

Critics Gilbert and Gubar identify a pattern in the treatment of female characters in literature, even when written by women. based on the plot of Jane Eyre the practice of removing a female character who is no longer useful to the male characters

Feminist Approach
Advantages: redresses the problem of under representation seeks to provide a more realistic portrayal of women within a text examines the power struggle between the sexes. Disadvantages: can turn literary criticism into a political battlefield can overlook the merits of works they consider "patriarchal"

Application
What are some gender-based elements we might examine in a discussion of our current novel?

Reader Response Criticism

analyzes the reader's role in the production of meaning lies at the opposite end of the spectrum from formalism the text itself has no meaning until it is read by a reader The reader creates the meaning. can take into account the strategies employed by the author to elicit a certain response from readers denies the possibility that works are universal (i.e. that they will always mean more or less the same thing to readers everywhere) makes someone's reading a function of personal identity.

Reader Response Criticism

Advantages: recognizes that different people view works differently and that people's interpretations change over time. Disadvantages: tends to make interpretation too subjective does not provide adequate criteria for evaluating one reading in comparison to another

Application
What are your personal responses to this novel? Are there certain elements you respond to strongly or with which you identify?

Marxist Approach
Karl Marx perceived human history to have consisted of a series of struggles between classes--between the oppressed and the oppressing. Marx thought that materialism was the ultimate driving force in history, a notion involving the distribution of resources, gain, and production

Marxist Approach
Feudalism exploits workers to the point of revolt This leads to bourgeois capitalism In bourgeois capitalism, the privileged bourgeoisie rely on the working proletariat Workers are exploited to the point of revolt