context - anything beyond

the specific words of a

literary work that may be
relevant to understanding
the meaning. Contexts may
be economic, social,
cultural, historial, literary,
biographical, etc
biographical context - same

Flash fiction - a style of fictional
literature or fiction of extreme brevity.
There is no widely accepted definition of
the length of the category. Some self-
described markets for flash fiction
impose caps as low as three hundred
words, while others consider stories as
long as a thousand words to be flash
fiction.
It is often just a page or two. It engulfs us
in a brief moment and leaves us with
Creative nonfiction - also known as literary nonfiction or narrative
nonfiction, is a genre of writing that uses literary styles and
techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Creative
nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing
or journalism, which is also rooted in accurate fact, but is not
primarily written in service to its craft.
An essay is generally a short piece of writing outlining the writer’s
perspective or story. It is often considered synonymous with a story
or a paper or an article. Essays can be formal as well as informal.
Formal essays are generally academic in nature and tackle serious
topics. We will be focusing on informal essays which are more
personal and often have humorous elements.
The Personal Essay: A piece of writing, usually in the first person,
that focuses on a topic through the lens of the personal experience
of the narrator. It can be narrative or non-narrative-it can tell a
story in a traditional way or improvise a new way for doing so.
Ultimately, it should always be based on true, personal experience.
 Impersonal essay or a Baconian essay(after the writings of
England's first major essayist, Francis Bacon). In contrast to the
familiar or personal essay, the formal essay is typically used for the
discussion of ideas. Its rhetorical purpose is generally to inform or
persuade.
 An informal essay is typically used in a business setting to
provide summaries of transactions, procedures and events. On the
other hand, formal essays are nearly always used in academic
research. The primary differences between these two forms of
essay writing are the tone of the writing and the structure of the
essay.
Informal essays have no set structure and they are typically
shorter than formal essays. Informal essays also use first and
second person, and often include thoughts and opinions. The
subject matter of informal essays is brief and a subject does not
explore the topic in depth. Rather, informal essays are usually
informational in nature and only include the most relevant and
basic information needed to inform the reader.
Unlike an informal essay, formal essays have a
specific structure and are often very lengthy. Although the
structure varies depending on the type of essay, formal
essays have a defined introduction, body and conclusion.
Formal essays also require the use of a professional tone
and third person narrative. Since formal essays are often
written to summarize research, in-text citations and
references must be listed to add credibility to the
document. Additionally, formal essays usually have a
narrowed focus and explore a subject in-depth.
Structure and Elements of Personal Essay
 It is based on a personal experience in which you have
gained significant meaning, insight, or learned a lesson. It
can also be based on a milestone or life-altering event.
 It is personal narrative. The writer tells the story by
including dialogue, imagery, characterization, conflict,
plot, and setting.
 It is written in the first person. (“I” point-of-view)
 It is an autobiographical story in which the writer
describes an incident that resulted in some personal
growth or development.
 A personal essay is a glimpse of the writer’s life. The
writer describes the personal experience using the scene-
building technique, weaves a theme throughout the
narrative, and makes an important point. There must be a
lesson or meaning. The writer cannot just write an
interesting story.
 It does not have to be objective. However, the writer
must express his/her feelings, thoughts, and emotions.
 The writer uses self-disclosure and is honest with his/her
readers.
 The writer writes about a real life experience. The
incident or experience must have occurred. The writer
must use fact and truth.
 The simplest structure has just three parts: an
introduction, a body of information, and a
conclusion. writer must dramatize the story by using the
scene building technique. A scene includes
setting/location, intimate details, concrete and specific
descriptions, action, and often dialogue.
Spoken word is a poetic performance art that is word-based. It is
an oral art that focuses on the aesthetics of word play such as
intonation and voice inflection.
• Spoken poetry is written on a page but performed for an
audience heavy use of rhythm, improvisation, free association,
rhymes, rich poetic phrases, word play and slang. It is more
aggressive and “in your face” than more traditional forms of poetry
• Concrete Language - Use words and phrases that project on the
minds of the listeners: vivid images, sounds, actions If your poem is
rich with imagery, your listeners will see, smell and taste what
you’re telling them.
• Repetition - Sometimes just the repetition of a key phrase or
image, with extensions of an image and thought for each
repetition, can help a writer generate exciting poems.
HYPERPOETRY
• This genre, also called cyberpoetry as well as other names, has
many definitions and, like hyperfiction, is difficult to categorize.
Much poetry on the web is basically just traditional work uploaded.
True hyperpoetry refers to works of verse (although not necessarily
in lines and stanzas) which could not be presented without the
computer. Hyperpoetry includes verse with links to sub-poems or
footnotes, poetry “generators,” poetry with movement or images.
• Hyperpoetry is usually highly steeped in the visual and
sometimes involves parts that are read in varying
orders.Hypertextual poems is also a part of hyperpoetry where
readers move from one website to another because of embedded
links in the words, sometimes not returning to the original pages at
all.

• Rhyme – Rhyming can enrich your poems and performance if

used with skill, surprise and moderation.

• Attitude – “No attitude, no poem!” Feelings and opinions are the

“stuff” poetry is made of – Each poet has a unique perspective and
view of the world that no one else has. It is important that a
spoken word poem embodies the courage necessary to share one’s
self with the rest of the world.

• Persona – Spoken word poetry allows you to be anyone you want

to be. You can write a poem in the “voice” of someone or
something other than yourself or with a personality trait that is
different from your own.
 SPECULATION LITERATURE- an umbrella term BASIC TEXTUAL AND CONTEXTUAL READING APPROACHES IN THE
encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically STUDY AND APPRECIATION OF LITERATURE
science fiction, fantasy, horror, weird fiction, supernatural fiction,
superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and
post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well What is literary theory?
as related static, motion, and virtual arts.
 The way people read
BLOG - a web log: a website containing short articles called  The lens/vista of interpretation
 Can enhance the meaning of the text
posts that are changed regularly. Some blogs are written by one
person containing their own opinions, interests and experiences,
while others are written by many different people. LITERARY THEORIES
A film poster is a poster used to promote and advertise
a film. Studios often print several posters that vary in size and
content for various domestic and international markets. They
normally contain an image with text. Today's posters often feature
Author- Text-dependent
photographs of the main actors. Prior to the 1980s, illustrations dependent
instead of photos were far more common. The text on film posters
usually contains the film title in large lettering and often the names Reader-
of the main actors. It may also include a tagline, the name of the dependent
director, names of characters, the release date, etc.
Literary Criticism
Film posters are displayed inside and on the outside
of movie theaters, and elsewhere on the street or in shops. The 1. Author-Dependent Vista
same images appear in the film exhibitor's pressbook and may also - The focus of the interpretation is on how the life and time of the
be used on websites, DVD (and historically VHS) packaging, flyers, author are depicted in the literary texts.
Historical- Biographical Criticism
advertisements in newspapers and magazines, etc.

Historical- Biographical Criticism

TEXT
Detail 1
2. Text-Dependent Vista 1. Are there female heroines? If so, how do they differ
- The focus of interpretation is the text itself- its form, structure, from the male heroes?
symbols, etc. 2. Does the literature include the use of stereotypes as
Formalism it relates to women?
Structuralism 3. Does the text seem to favour one gender over the
Semiotics other?
A. Queer Theory – rejects the traditional categories of gender
A. Formalist Criticism – “dissection” of text which focuses on Chick Literature, Gay Literature, Dick Literature, Lesbian
literary elements: setting, character, plot, theme, imagery, Literature
foreshadowing, irony, etc. B. Diaspora – means to disperse; displacement of a community
B. Structuralism into another geographical area
 usually used in poetry (lines, stanzas, meter, etc.) Memory, alienation, reclamation of homeland, ambivalence
 highlights signs and their textual meanings of seeking acceptance of culture, exile and displacement
 points that if a reader doesn’t understand the sign or C. Marxist Literary Theory – interprets all texts in terms of
symbols, he/she may misread a text certain specific issues including race, class, and the attitudes
C. Semiotics shared within a given culture.
 The use and interpretation of signs in the literary text Critical Questions:
 A sign consists of two parts: 1. How does the social and economic class show through
Signifier – word the work?
Signified – meaning the word represents 2. Does the work support the economic and social status, or
3. Reader-Dependent Vista does it advocate change?
- The focus of interpretation is on the understanding of the reader 3. What roles does the class system play in the work?
himself/herself. 4. What role does class play in the work; what is the
Feminism Marxism analysis of class relations?
Queer Theory Psychoanalysis 5. How do characters overcome oppression?
Diaspora Reader-Response 6. What does the work say about oppression or are social
conflicts ignored or blamed elsewhere?
D. Feminist Criticism- a type of literary criticism that critiques
how females are commonly represented in texts.
Feminist Critical Questions
4. How do men and women differ?
5. Are there female heroines? If so, how do they differ
from the male heroes?
E. Psychoanalytic Criticism Critical Reading Strategies in Literature
 How human mental and psychological development
occurs Critical Reading Strategies in Literature
 How the human mind works
 The abovement contextual reading approach prepare to
 The root causes of psychological problems
 How the id, ego, and superego are represented
became a critical reader.
Id – a part of a person’s unconscious mind that
 Being a critical reader means not aiming to memorize facts
relates to basic needs and desires
and information in the text that you are reading.
Ego- a part of the mind that senses and adapts to the
real world  Being a critical reader means that looking for ways of
Superego – a part of a person’s mind that relates to
thinking about the subject matter of the text you are
attitudes about what is right and wrong and to
reading.
feelings of guilt
Critical reading strategies will help you cope with different
Critical Questions:
reading texts:
1. In what way does the text reflect the psychosexual
development of the character? Previewing
2. Does the character demonstrate any neuroses or
psychoses? -Before you begin reading the text, preview it by gathering
3. Is the character’s behaviour indicative of or influenced by important information about it.
repressed desires or conflicts among the id, ego, and
superego? - Previewing helps prepare your mind for the barrage of
F. Reader Response information that is to get the big picture or an overview of the
 Making a connection between your experiences and entire text.
the text
 Literature has no objective meaning Annotating
 A reader brings their own thoughts and experiences
Annotating involves highlighting or making notes of important
 Connect the literature to your life
 Connect the literature to current events ideas in the text.
 Discuss how the literature makes you feel
-This can be done by doing the following:
 Compare the literature to the way you view the
world -With a pencil or pen in hand, underline important ideas such as
the thesis, topic, sentences, and key concepts.

 .
Contextualizing
-Consider the historical, cultural, or biographical context of the
text.
-Identify the context(s) in which the text was written and
determine how this contexts differ from your own.
-Keep in mind that your understanding of particular concept is
influenced by these contexts, in the same way that they influence
an author’s.
Outlining and Summarizing
-Outlining helps to identify the main ideas in the text and express
them again in your own words.
-You identify the basic structure of the text (i.e., the main ideas and
supporting ideas) and make connections between those ideas.
-Outlining helps you to understand how the author developed the
text through ideas presented.
Analyzing
-It deals with examining the information presented to support the
author’s argument(s).
-In analyzing the text, you look at the evidence, sources, and
author’s bias(es).
Rereading
-It requires a repeated examination of the text to enable you to
improve your comprehension of the text.
-It helps to identify ideas that you may not have noticed in initial
reading.
-Critical readers read the text more than once to fully grasp the
meaning of the text and what the author is conveying.
Responding
-It means drawing meaning from what you have read and
presenting it in writing or talking about it to others.
-When you respond, you express your thoughts, feelings, and
questions about the text,
Psychoanalysis
-Criticism that adopts the methods of reading employed by Freud
to interpret texts.
-It argues that literary texts like dreams, express the secret
unconscious desires and anxieties of the author,
-Literary work is the manifestation of author’s own neuroses.
Archetypal
-Criticism that argues that archetypes determine the form and
function of literary work.
-From Greek words “arche” means beginning and “typos” means
imprint.

-Archetypes are unknowable basic forms personified or concretized

in recurring images, symbols, or patterns.

-Archetypes also known as “universal symbol” may be a character,

a theme, a symbol or even a setting.

-Carl Jung argued that the root of archetype is collective

unconscious of mankind.

Example: Archetype in Character: The Hero

He or she is a character who exhibits goodness, and struggles

against evil to restore harmony and justice to society. Example of
hero are Beowulf and Hercules.