1 / 9

Literary Theory

Literary Theory. Saif Sarfani Mrs. Walker AP English: Literature and Composition Period:4. What is a Literary Theory?. A literary theory is a body of ideas and methods used in the practical reading of literature.

hani
Download Presentation

Literary Theory

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Literary Theory Saif Sarfani Mrs. Walker AP English: Literature and Composition Period:4

  2. What is a Literary Theory? • A literary theory is a body of ideas and methods used in the practical reading of literature. • Literary theories are the tools used to understand the meaning of literature beyond the surface level.

  3. Purpose of Literary Theory • Literary theory formulates the relationship between author and the characters. It develops the significance of the following: • Race • Class • Gender • Identity • In doing so, literary theory offers varying approaches to comprehension including linguistic, historical, and the unconscious elements of a text.

  4. Examples of Literary Theory • Each work has its own literary theory(ies) for which it can be further understood. • The most commonly recognized are: • Marxism: discusses the socioeconomic and class differences. • Feminism: reinforcing or undermining the role of women amongst patriarchal society. • Post-Colonialism: looks at works produced by colonial powers and their influence of religion and culture. • Post-Modernism: there are many truths; structures become unstable or decentered. • Gender and Queer Studies: discusses the role of sexuality, power and marginalized populations.

  5. My Theory Defined • The Out-of-the-Box Theory is a literary theory that emphasizes the innate desire of humans to define themselves as distinct, individual beings amongst an increasingly homogenous society. • In this theory, characters are often ostracized because of their radical beliefs, opposition to societal norms, actions, and speech.

  6. Definition Continued • In their refusal to conform, some characters agonize within themselves about wanting to “fit in.” • This theory applies to both genders. • The characters in these types of novels often grow as individuals for the betterment of society while maintaining a unique identity.

  7. Example One Sula Author: Toni Morrison • This novel is centered on a black woman: Sula Peace. She’s rebellious, free, and promiscuous. • Sula’s arrival back into Medallion and sleeping with Jude (Nel’s husband) and Ajax reveals her objection to being defined as the traditional, God-fearing black woman and her aim to live life to the fullest. • Symbols: Birds; Redwood trees.

  8. Example Two The Scarlet Letter Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne • This work describes the Puritans of early America and their dogmatic rules and strict adherence to the Bible. • Hester Prynne decides to sleep with Arthur Dimmesdale (in spite of being married) and gives birth to an illegitimate child to rebel against the norms and taboos of Puritan life. • In doing so, Hester could question morals like God, sin, and the role of women and men in society.

  9. Works Cited Allen Brizee, J. and Case Tompkins . "Literary Theory and Schools of Criticism.” owl,english.purdue.edu. OWL English Purdue, May 2012. Web. 5 Nov . 2013. <https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/01/>. SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on The Scarlet Letter.” SparkNotes.com.SparkNotes LLC, 2003. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/scarlet/>. SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Sula.” SparkNotes.com.SparkNotes LLC. n.d.. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/sula/>. Brewton, Vince. "Literary Theory.” iep.utm.edu. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, June 2002. Web. 5 Nov 2013. <http://www.iep.utm.edu/literary/.>.

More Related