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The final approach is “theory testing,” which is much rarer in qualitative studies than in quantitative, where this is the default approach. Theory-testing cases are those where a particular case is used to see if an existing theory is accurate or accurate under particular circumstances.
Jan 15, 2021 · Formalist, or New Critic, analysis prioritizes close reading based solely on the text itself, its language, structure, symbols, and themes, and eschews interpretation based on the influence of outside information (such as personal history of the author, for example).
- The Historical / Biographical Approach. Critics who employ this lens see works as the reflection of an author's life and times (or of the characters' life and times).
- The Moral / Philosophical Approach. Moral / philosophical critics believe that the larger purpose of literature is to teach morality and to probe philosophical issues.
- Formalism / New Criticism. A formalistic approach to literature, once called New Criticism, involves a close reading of the text. Famous formalistic critics include I.A.
- Psychological Criticism. Psychological critics view works through the lens of psychology. They look either at the psychological motivations of the characters or of the authors themselves, although the former is generally considered a more respectable approach.
- Practical criticism: This study of literature encourages readers to examine the text without regarding any of the outside context—like the author, the date and place of writing, or any other contextual information that may enlighten the reader.
- Cultural studies: In direct opposition to practical criticism, cultural theory examines a text within the context of its socio-cultural environment. Cultural critics believe a text should be read entirely through the lens of the text's cultural context.
- Formalism: Formalism compels readers to judge the artistic merit of literature by examining its formal elements, like language and technical skill. Formalism favors a literary canon of works that exemplify the highest standards of literature, as determined by formalist critics.
- Reader-response: Reader-response criticism is rooted in the belief that a reader's reaction to or interpretation of a text is as valuable a source of critical study as the text itself.
- What Struck You?
- What Confused You?
- Did You Notice Any Patterns?
- Did You Notice Any Contradictions Or ironies?
Did a particular image, line, or scene linger in your mind for a long time? If it fascinated you, chances are you can draw on it to write a fascinating essay.
Maybe you were surprised to see a character act in a certain way, or maybe you didn’t understand why the book ended the way it did. Confusing moments in a work of literature are like a loose thread in a sweater: if you pull on it, you can unravel the entire thing. Ask yourself why the author chose to write about that character or scene the way he o...
Is there a phrase that the main character uses constantly or an image that repeats throughout the book? If you can figure out how that pattern weaves through the work and what the significance of that pattern is, you’ve almost got your entire essay mapped out.
Great works of literature are complex; great literary essays recognize and explain those complexities. Maybe the title Happy Daystotally disagrees with the book’s subject matter (hungry orphans dying in the woods). Maybe the main character acts one way around his family and a completely different way around his friends and associates. If you can fi...
Jan 30, 2020 · Literary analysis means closely studying a text, interpreting its meanings, and exploring why the author made certain choices. It can be applied to novels, short stories, plays, poems, or any other form of literary writing.
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Use the critical approaches discussed in the chart below to help you find an interesting angle from which to approach a text. Each approach is given a brief description (Beliefs), some guidelines for studying a text (Practices) and prompts to inspire your discussion (Questions).
