Literature Analysis

Objectives of Literary Analysis

• Identify, define, and explain various critical approaches and theories utilized in literary analysis and criticism.
• Employ different literary theories in writing critical papers for analyzing texts or films.
• Appreciate the significance of critical approaches in understanding literature.

Critical Approaches to Literature

• Different perspectives help interpret literature by answering "What, How, and Why do we read?"
• Emphasizes the necessity of literary interpretations to enhance understanding.

Literary Theory and Criticism

• Literary Theory: Also known as critical theory; provides methods for practical reading of literature.
• Principles derived from internal analysis applicable in various interpretive contexts.
• Literary Criticism: An informed evaluation of a literary work based on established theories; offers lenses for deeper understanding and meaning.

Importance of Discussing Life Experiences

• Discussing experiences boosts enjoyment and understanding of literature.
• Engaging with unexamined experiences can unlock deeper meanings, promoting a richer understanding of texts.

Aspects of Literary Analysis

• Understanding a text’s structure, context (social, economic, historical), content, and reader manipulation enhances comprehension.

Engagement in Discussion

• Utilize different critical lenses for discovering deeper meanings.
• Recognize strengths and weaknesses of each approach; value each lens equally.
• Embrace a pluralistic view rather than rigid adherence to one theory.

Overview of Critical Approaches

• Formalism/New Criticism
• Structuralism
• Deconstruction
• Marxism
• Feminism
• Postcolonialism

Questions for Critical Approaches

• What advantages and potential drawbacks accompany each form of criticism?
• Is there a definite "right" or "wrong" in selecting a critical approach?
• Can the chosen method of criticism fundamentally alter a text's meaning?

Formalism and New Criticism

• Asserts that a literary text has a fixed meaning independent of any reader's interpretation.
• Focuses solely on literary form and devices, excluding the author's biography and external influences.
• Emerged in opposition to biographical and impressionistic methods, aiming for a more objective literary study.

Historical Background of New Criticism

• Established as a response to earlier approaches, seeking organic unity in literary works.
• Reflects early 20th-century critics' desire for order amidst societal fragmentation.

Key Terms in Formalism and New Criticism

• Intentional Fallacy: Mistake of equating the meaning of a work with the author’s intended purpose.
• Affective Fallacy: Error of conflating the meaning of the text with the reader’s emotional response.

Objectives of Literary Analysis

• Identify, define, and explain various critical approaches and theories utilized in literary analysis and criticism.
• Employ different literary theories in writing critical papers for analyzing texts or films.
• Appreciate the significance of critical approaches in understanding literature.

Critical Approaches to Literature

• Different perspectives help interpret literature by answering "What, How, and Why do we read?"
• Emphasizes the necessity of literary interpretations to enhance understanding.

Literary Theory and Criticism

• Literary Theory: Also known as critical theory; provides methods for practical reading of literature.
• Principles derived from internal analysis applicable in various interpretive contexts.
• Literary Criticism: An informed evaluation of a literary work based on established theories; offers lenses for deeper understanding and meaning.

Importance of Discussing Life Experiences

• Discussing experiences boosts enjoyment and understanding of literature.
• Engaging with unexamined experiences can unlock deeper meanings, promoting a richer understanding of texts.

Aspects of Literary Analysis

• Understanding a text’s structure, context (social, economic, historical), content, and reader manipulation enhances comprehension.

Engagement in Discussion

• Utilize different critical lenses for discovering deeper meanings.
• Recognize strengths and weaknesses of each approach; value each lens equally.
• Embrace a pluralistic view rather than rigid adherence to one theory.

Overview of Critical Approaches

• Formalism/New Criticism
• Structuralism
• Deconstruction
• Marxism
• Feminism
• Postcolonialism

Questions for Critical Approaches

• What advantages and potential drawbacks accompany each form of criticism?
• Is there a definite "right" or "wrong" in selecting a critical approach?
• Can the chosen method of criticism fundamentally alter a text's meaning?

Formalism and New Criticism

• Asserts that a literary text has a fixed meaning independent of any reader's interpretation.
• Focuses solely on literary form and devices, excluding the author's biography and external influences.
• Emerged in opposition to biographical and impressionistic methods, aiming for a more objective literary study.

Historical Background of New Criticism

• Established as a response to earlier approaches, seeking organic unity in literary works.
• Reflects early 20th-century critics' desire for order amidst societal fragmentation.

Key Terms in Formalism and New Criticism

• Intentional Fallacy: Mistake of equating the meaning of a work with the author’s intended purpose.
• Affective Fallacy: Error of conflating the meaning of the text with the reader’s emotional response.