Literary Analysis, Criticism and Theory

What is a Literary Analysis? Literary analysis involves breaking a text’s structure and content into smaller parts to gain a better understanding An analysis of a literary work may discuss: ◦ How various components of an individual text relate to each other ◦ How two separate literary texts deal with similar concepts or forms ◦ How concepts and forms in literary texts relate to larger aesthetic, political, social, economic, or religious contexts

How is a Literary Analysis an Argument? When writing a literary analysis, you will focus on specific attribute(s) of the text(s) When discussing these attributes, you will want to ensure that you are making a specific, arguable point—a thesis—about these attributes You will defend this point with reasons and evidence drawn from the text

Overview of Literary Analysis When writing a literary analysis: ◦ Be familiar with literary terms ◦ Analyze specific passages, concepts, ideas, or devices ◦ Make an argument ◦ Make appropriate use of secondary sources ◦ Consult instructor for help when needed

Literary Theory and Criticism: An Introduction Literary theory is as old as literature itself (i.e. Aristotle’s Poetics) All literary criticism (and all reading) is informed by theory It is designed to provide tools for the appreciation and understanding of the richness and evocative power of literature It is a specific guiding lens through which to view and analyze a text

Students have generally acquired a highly sophisticated array of interpretive techniques— though they may not be aware That a reader does not consciously approach literature from any particular theoretical perspective (or lens) does not, however, necessarily mean that he/she is not using theory to inform his/her analysis So, you can use theory unconsciously or with full critical awareness How Do I Use Literary Theory?

Traditional Theoretical Approaches to Literary Criticism Biographical Criticism = the text is illuminated through a discussion of the experiences and opinions of its author Philosophical Criticism = the text is compared to a well-known philosophical concept Historical Criticism = the text is illuminated by a close study of the historical context in which it was written, thus presumably allowing the work to be understood much in the way it would have been understood by its original audiences

Types of Literary Theory and Criticism Theory is a large and complex field, and there are many types of theory with distinctively different theoretical assumptions and goals: New Historicist Criticism New Criticism Feminist Criticism Postcolonial Criticism Psychoanalytic Criticism Marxist Criticism Reader-Response Criticism…. and more!

Example: Postcolonial Literary Criticism the period after colonialism (when Europeans and North Americans occupied less developed countries in Africa, South America, Asia) opposition to colonial oppression often focuses on race relations and the effects of racism and usually indicts white and/or colonial societies explores previously silenced voices and perspectives to create new narratives and histories

“The Red Wheelbarrow” William Carlos Williams so much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens

“The Red Wheelbarrow” from a Postcolonial Theory Perspective The poem seems to present a direct opposition between the wheelbarrow, a human-made technological implement, and the chickens, which can be taken (as can the rain) to represent nature. A postcolonial critic might see this “culture vs. nature” opposition in the following way:

“The Red Wheelbarrow” from a Postcolonial Perspective cont’d The wheelbarrow can be seen as a symbol of European technology and the chickens as representative of the less technologically advanced postcolonial world. In that case, the “so much” that depends on the wheelbarrow might have very negative connotations, suggesting the crucial role played by technology in European and North American imperial (and later economic) domination of most of the rest of the globe.

Now you try it! See the “Literary Criticism Poster” handout so that you can try this type of analysis with your group!