1. Literary Criticism: How Did You Like It?
Feature Menu
What Is Literary Criticism?
Learning the Language
Talking About Stories
Talking About Poems
Talking About Nonfiction
Practice

2. What Is Literary Criticism?
You’ve just finished reading a story in class.
Your teacher looks at you and says, “Why don’t you start the discussion?”
What do you say?

3. What Is Literary Criticism?
Often students respond to such a question in very general ways.
Listen to these students talking about a story.

4. What Is Literary Criticism?
Do you know anything—anything at all—about the story that these students read?
You know that some students liked the story
But you don’t know
WHY.
and others didn’t.

5. What Is Literary Criticism?
Literary criticism helps you answer the question WHY.
did you think that book was one of the best you’ve ever read?
WHY
are you telling everyone to see that movie?
WHY
do the lines of that poem stick in your head?
WHY

6. What Is Literary Criticism?
Literary criticism includes the description, analysis, and judgment of a piece of literature.
Description
Analysis
Judgment
What kind of story or poem is it?
How does the writer use literary elements and devices?
Is the piece of literature well-written?
Is it entertaining, informing, or inspiring?
What’s it about?

7. What Is Literary Criticism?
When you learn to talk about literature, you are also learning something about yourself.
What fascinates me?
What inspires me?
What do I think of myself?
What do I believe in with all my heart?

8. Learning the Language
Your first response to something you read is often an overall impression: either you liked it or you didn’t.
It was sooo boring. I almost fell asleep on the book.
Your overall impression is probably related to how the writer used literary elements.
The writer’s only method of characterization seemed to be direct The first three pages of the story were devoted to describing the setting. There were lots of details, but the details didn’t do much to create a creepy mood

9. Learning the Language
Throughout the year, you’ve learned to notice how a writer uses literary elements.
Literary Elements
Character
Plot
Theme
Stories
Figurative language
Imagery
Sound effects
Theme
Poetry
Nonfiction
Objectivity
Primary sources
Accuracy
Characters
These terms—or academic language—can help you share your thoughts about literature.
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10. Talking About Stories
When you respond to a story, you almost always have something to say about the characters.

11. Talking About Stories
Here are some questions you can consider when you want to talk about characters:
Are the characters believable?
Are the characters totally unrealistic?
Are the causes, or motivations, of the characters’ actions clear?
How did you feel about the main character?

12. Talking About Stories
Ask these questions to explore why you feel the way you do about the characters:
What connections can I make between these characters and others that I’ve encountered—including characters in stories, movies, and TV shows?
Did I identify with any of the characters? Did any of them seem to share my values, dreams, worries, opinions, or background?

13. Talking About Stories
When critics talk about a story, they almost always talk about the plot—what happens in the story.
Ask yourself:
Did the writer hold my attention?
Was the story believable?
Was the plot clear? Did I understand the chain of causes and effects in the story?

14. Talking About Stories
When you finish a story or novel, you might want to talk about its meaning—or theme.
Does the story say something important about life?
Does it say something new, fresh, and meaningful?
Or was the theme old and tired? Did it leave you thinking “So what?”
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15. Talking About Poems
When you deal with poems, you will have other important literary elements to think about:
Figurative language
Sound effects
Imagery
Theme
As with stories, you’ll also talk about meaning—or theme—and how you respond to that theme.

16. Talking About Poems
Literary criticism often explains how other elements of a poem relate to the poem’s theme.
The poem we read in class explored the theme of dancing and how free some people feel when they dance. The poem’s rhythm was a lot like dances I have learned—not like a waltz but more jumpy and spontaneous. The poem’s image of the rubber bouncing ball bobbing all over the sidewalk made me feel like running outside to play. A rubber bouncing ball is a good metaphor for the way I dance.
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17. Talking About Nonfiction
In a work of nonfiction—such as a biography or autobiography—you will want to talk about the author’s objectivity.
Does the author stick to the facts?
Does the author reveal his or her own feelings about the subject?
Does the author have a particular point of view or perspective?

18. Talking About Nonfiction
In nonfiction, you also want to ask about
primary sources the writer used for historical data
accuracy on historical details
For autobiography and biography, also evaluate whether the writer made the characters come alive.
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19. Practice
Let’s Try It
I’m Nobody!
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you Nobody too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don’t tell! they’d banish us, you know!
How dreary to be Somebody!
How public—like a Frog—
To tell your name the livelong June
To an admiring Bog!
—Emily Dickinson
1. Why does the speaker say her name is “Nobody”?
2. Who is “Somebody”?
3. Where is figurative language used in this poem?

20. Practice
Let’s Try It
I’m Nobody!
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you Nobody too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don’t tell! they’d banish us, you know!
How dreary to be Somebody!
How public—like a Frog—
To tell your name the livelong June
To an admiring Bog!
—Emily Dickinson
4. What two things are being compared in this poem?
5. What does this comparison show about the writer’s attitude toward “Somebody”?

21. Practice Let’s Try It 6. Who is the “admiring Bog”? I’m Nobody!
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you Nobody too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don’t tell! they’d banish us, you know!
How dreary to be Somebody!
How public—like a Frog—
To tell your name the livelong June
To an admiring Bog!
—Emily Dickinson
6. Who is the “admiring Bog”?
7. Which does the speaker prefer to be—Somebody or Nobody? Why?
8. Do you agree with the speaker’s view?

22. Practice characters plot theme connections how realistic
On Your Own
Break up into three groups. In your groups, choose one story or poem you all have read in class, and discuss the story or poem for five minutes. Focus your discussion on one area suggested in this presentation.
Story
Poem
characters
plot
theme
connections
how realistic
figurative language
imagery
rhythm
rhyme
theme

23. Literary Criticism: How Did You Like It?
The End