Approaches to Literature: Literary Criticism Theories

Theory Focus Key Idea Process

Formalism/New Literary forms and The text explains Close reading of text
Criticism conventions itself.  organization and structure
 word choice and word play
 figurative language
 multiple meanings
Find a single unifying meaning
Reader-Response The reader’s reaction A work of literature Personal identification with
“is not a solid text
piece of fabric,  Drawing on similar
but rather a experiences
series of threads  Drawing on personal
separated by knowledge of places,
gaps that readers topics, or events
must fill in,
drawing on their
own experiences
and knowledge”
(Kirszner and
Mandell 2029)
Feminism/ Sexual or gender roles Literature reflects Explaining character
Queer Theory society’s motivations as a consequence
attitudes toward of gender roles
gender roles, and  males, emotion-ally distant,
toward dominant, rational
homosexuality.  females, emotion-ally
Society is present, passive, emotional
controlled by  fathers, “breadwinners”
males while  mothers, “caregivers”
females and gays  those failing to
and lesbians accept/resisting/ changing
remain in gender roles, “tomboy,”
secondary roles, “sissy,” gay and lesbian,
often looked bitch
down as second-
class citizens.
Marxism Class conflict Literature is a product Explaining character
of and reflects motivations and plot Changes
ideologies which as a result of/reaction to
“[support] the Social/economic/political
interests of the pressures of class and status.
cultural elite and
[suppress] those
of the working
class.”

Historicism Historical and cultural Literature reflects the Identifying social and cultural
contexts historical and cultural ideas which Define and
period in which it was limit themes, values,
written. character motivations, and
Interpretations of actions within the work or
literature reflect the contrasting the same with
historical and cultural the social and cultural
periods of those ideas of the critic as a
interpreting. means of criticizing/
evaluating either the work
or the critic’s own time
Psychoanalysis Inner workings of Literature reflects “the Psychological principles and
human mind inner workings the application of
of the human psychological terms can be
mind” (Kirszner used to explain the text.
and Mandell  id, ego, superego
2040).  condensation, symbolism,
displacement, projection
 Oedipus complex, Electra
complex
 persona, shadow, anima,
individuation
Deconstruction Contradictions within Every text contains Look for multiple meanings
the work within it some and interpretations. Show how
ingredient each contradicts the others.
undermining its Show how any interpretation
purported can be contradicted by other
system of elements of the work.
meaning
Structuralism Conventions and Any individual work Explore the artificial ways in
structure of language of literature which literature is
reflects the composed. Look for
system and underlying patterns of
qualities of all structure universal to all
literature, similar works
particularly
literature of the
same genre
Adapted from Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell’s Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 3rd.
edition, Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1997.