When people ask me, "What's it like being an English major?" the answer I typically give is, "We apply literary theory to a work and interpret said work". Now I believe that most English scholars would agree with this declaration, but most people outside this field of study probably won't understand exactly what that means. As such, let's take a moment to talk about what a literary theory is.
But let's start with the theory part of it, but people have a bit of a misconception of what a theory is in the world. Thanks in large part to TV shows using the word, most people are use to hearing the word theory used like this:
Police Captain: Detective Cool, do you know what happened at this crime scene?
Detective Cool: Well Captain, I have [takes off/puts on sun glasses] a theory!
In this context, the term theory should probably be replaced with guess. It may be a good guess, but just a guess. This is not what a literary theory is. Theory in science by be the next thing you think of. In science a theory is basically a scientific fact. the theory of evolution became a theory when no one could, with any scientific certainty, argue against it. This is also not what literary theory is.
Literary Theory is an idea or concept. It is a way to thinking about work of literature. Theory is simply ideas. Well researched and thought about and proven throughout the test of time, but still in large part just ideas. And because of that, their are a lot of theories. Now, as with most things I talk about, this is no replacement for actually reading up on the theories. But for the sake of example, I will go over a couple of them and how to briefly use them.
Feminist Theory: Looking at what a work is saying about the role and place of women.
Queer Theory: Looking at the LGBTQ+ subtext (or just normal text) in a work, and showing discussing a dipection.
Marxist Theory: Looking at the interaction between different social classes.
Reader-Response Theory: Looking at the work and the responses that people had to the work in tandem.
Psychoanalytic Theory: Looking at work in terms of psychological frame works depicted by people like Freud.
Something to keep in mind with these works is that you do not have to subscribe to just one theory. I mean, you can if you want to, but you are under no obligation to. You also don't need to limit yourself to only one theory when talking about a single work. The Handmaid's Tale could easily be interpreted as both Feminist or Marxist theory, so why not just do both at once?
So, what does this mean, and how can we use it?
As those who study narrative, Literary Theory is a way for use to gain a grasp of what a work means. Some people argue that we are just making up meanings that are not their. I say in response that you are missing the point. A book doesn't have to clearly state that "women are oppressed" when their is not woman in power throughout the story. Everything in a work says something. Even if they writer did not intend it. For a really get example of this check of Extra Credit's look on The Division.
Something else to keep in mind is that these theories are COMPLEX. They are large and vast. I recommend you read more about these.
And finally, for all of you English scholars out there, I have some advice. If your school is good, you will be required to take a literary theory class where you will be given an overview a number of different theories. As you do, read on your own about the theories that interest you. When you find a few you really like, buy theories books about it. I like using feminist theory, and I have read The Second Sex so many times throughout my student career. So many notes and book marks in there. And because I'm so familiar with it, I can draw from the work whenever it comes up in a paper.
So yeah, that's all I really have to say about literary theory. Like everything I talk about, you can and should look into this more. Well, until next time.
But let's start with the theory part of it, but people have a bit of a misconception of what a theory is in the world. Thanks in large part to TV shows using the word, most people are use to hearing the word theory used like this:
Police Captain: Detective Cool, do you know what happened at this crime scene?
Detective Cool: Well Captain, I have [takes off/puts on sun glasses] a theory!
In this context, the term theory should probably be replaced with guess. It may be a good guess, but just a guess. This is not what a literary theory is. Theory in science by be the next thing you think of. In science a theory is basically a scientific fact. the theory of evolution became a theory when no one could, with any scientific certainty, argue against it. This is also not what literary theory is.
Literary Theory is an idea or concept. It is a way to thinking about work of literature. Theory is simply ideas. Well researched and thought about and proven throughout the test of time, but still in large part just ideas. And because of that, their are a lot of theories. Now, as with most things I talk about, this is no replacement for actually reading up on the theories. But for the sake of example, I will go over a couple of them and how to briefly use them.
Feminist Theory: Looking at what a work is saying about the role and place of women.
Queer Theory: Looking at the LGBTQ+ subtext (or just normal text) in a work, and showing discussing a dipection.
Marxist Theory: Looking at the interaction between different social classes.
Reader-Response Theory: Looking at the work and the responses that people had to the work in tandem.
Psychoanalytic Theory: Looking at work in terms of psychological frame works depicted by people like Freud.
Something to keep in mind with these works is that you do not have to subscribe to just one theory. I mean, you can if you want to, but you are under no obligation to. You also don't need to limit yourself to only one theory when talking about a single work. The Handmaid's Tale could easily be interpreted as both Feminist or Marxist theory, so why not just do both at once?
So, what does this mean, and how can we use it?
As those who study narrative, Literary Theory is a way for use to gain a grasp of what a work means. Some people argue that we are just making up meanings that are not their. I say in response that you are missing the point. A book doesn't have to clearly state that "women are oppressed" when their is not woman in power throughout the story. Everything in a work says something. Even if they writer did not intend it. For a really get example of this check of Extra Credit's look on The Division.
Something else to keep in mind is that these theories are COMPLEX. They are large and vast. I recommend you read more about these.
And finally, for all of you English scholars out there, I have some advice. If your school is good, you will be required to take a literary theory class where you will be given an overview a number of different theories. As you do, read on your own about the theories that interest you. When you find a few you really like, buy theories books about it. I like using feminist theory, and I have read The Second Sex so many times throughout my student career. So many notes and book marks in there. And because I'm so familiar with it, I can draw from the work whenever it comes up in a paper.
So yeah, that's all I really have to say about literary theory. Like everything I talk about, you can and should look into this more. Well, until next time.
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