Lit.

11-MODULE 1
Literature

• (from Latin litterae (plural); letter) is the art of

written work, and is not confined to published
sources (although, under some circumstances,
unpublished sources can also be exempt). The
word literature literally means "things made from
letters" and the term "letters" is sometimes used
to signify "literature," as in the figures of speech
"arts and letters" and "man of letters."
PROSE

It is the most typical form of language, applying ordinary

grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than
rhythmic structure (as in traditional poetry). There are critical
debates on the construction of prose, its simplicity and loosely
defined structure has led to its adoption for the majority of
spoken dialogue, factual discourse as well as topical and
fictional writing. It is commonly used for example, in
literature, newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias,
broadcasting, film, history, philosophy, law and many other
forms of communication.
Fiction

• The form of any narrative or informative

work that deals, in part or in whole,
with information that are not factual, but
rather, imaginary-that is, presented by the
author. Though fiction describes a major
branch of literary work, it may also refer
to theatrical, cinematic or musical work. 
Samples of Fictional Literature

• Fairytale
• Mythology
• Legend
• Novel
• Novellete
• Short Story
• Fable
• Parable
• Allegory
Non-Fiction

• Form of any narrative, account, or other communicative

work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to
be factual. This presentation may be accurate or not
that is, it can give either a true or a false account of the
subject in question, however, it is generally assumed
that authors of such accounts believe them to be truthful
at the time of their composition or, at least, pose them
to their audience as historically or empirically true.
Non Fictional Literature

• Autobiography
• Biography
• Newspaper
• Magazine
• Journal
• Planner
• Anecdote
Poetry

• (from the Greek poiesis with a broad

meaning of a "making", seen also in such
terms as "hemopoiesis"; more narrowly, the
making of poetry) is a form of literary art
which uses the aesthetic qualities of
language to evoke meanings in addition to,
or in place of, the prosaic ostensible
meaning
Kinds of Poetry

1. Narrative
-Epic
-Ballad
-Idyll
-Metrical Romance
Kinds of Poetry

2. Lyric
-Song
Sonnet
-Ode
-Elegy
Kinds of Poetry

3. Drama
-Historical
-Comedy
-Tragedy

Source:
https://www.academia.edu/27992041/INTRODUCTION_TO_LITERATURE_FORMS_DIVISIONS_AND_SUBDI
VISIONS
LESSON 2: READING APPROACHES

• Reading approaches are devices that any reader

can use to view any work of literature, film, art,
or even life experience. Critical approaches to
literature are tools at your command that help
you enter a text from a variety of positions. Just
as you have a variety of writing strategies to use
when you write, now you will have a variety of
reading strategies to use when you read.
EXAMPLES OF READING APPROACHES

Examples:
• Archetypal and Myth Criticism
• Biographical Criticism
• Formalist Criticism
• Reader-Response Criticism
• Historical Criticism
• Sociological/Marxist Criticism
• Feminist/Gender Criticism
• Psychological/Psychoanalytic Criticism
1. Archetypal and Myth Criticism
• Archetypal criticism has its roots in both psychological and anthropological
studies of recurring stories and images (archetypes) in cultures throughout
the world and throughout recorded history.
2. Biographical Criticism
• Biographical criticism is concerned with how knowledge of an author's life
and experiences can help readers understand and interpret literature.
Like any other historical knowledge, biographical knowledge helps to
place the work in its human and social context, and may help to explain
why the author made certain choices
3. Formalist Criticism
• Formalist criticism focuses on the features within a work of literature
(i.e. the grammar and rhetorical structure) rather than on those
features outside the work (i.e. biographical, historical, or social
contexts).
4. Reader-response Criticism
• Reader-response criticism is grounded in the phenomenon of readers'
diverse reactions to and interpretations of literature. Readers are thus
primary in the act of reading, and critics consider the validity of
multiple responses as evidence of the work's depth and potential. In
any single reading, the reader brings meaning to the work; in a sense,
the work exists anew with each reader.
5. Historical Criticism
• The older form of historical criticism is concerned with how knowledge
of the historical context in which an author wrote contributes to our
understanding of the literary work, much as biographical criticism is
concerned with knowledge about the author.
6. Sociological/Marxist Criticism
• Marxist criticism is a sociological approach to reading literature that
seeks to expose the sociological conditions, especially the economic
and political that produced the particular work. Because the works
examined were produced in societies that did not achieve a perfect
classless state, Marxist readings often focus on exposing how the works
depict the class struggle of the societies in which they were written.
7. Feminist/Gender Criticism
• Feminist criticism is a sociological approach that might focus on exposing how
a society's patriarchal power structure is revealed in a literary work, perhaps
in its content or its production. A feminist reading might examine the
depiction of women in the text, the forces acting upon women authors, the
reception by the scholarly community of works written by men or women.
8. Psychological/Psychoanalytic criticism
• Both psychological and psychoanalytic criticism have their beginnings in the
discipline of psychology. Psychological critics are more concerned with the
psychology of authors and how it is reflected in their works. Such critics might
also study the psychology of characters in a work. Psychoanalytic critics use
the psychoanalytic approach developed by Freud to analyze characters.
LESSON 3: PARTS OF LITERARY ANALYSIS

• Literary Analysis
• Literary analysis involves examining all the parts of a novel, play,
short story, or poem—elements such as character, setting, tone, and
imagery—and thinking about how the author uses those elements to
create certain effects. A literary analysis is, in essence, an essay that
delves deeper into a work of literature; examining and evaluating the
various plot twists, character traits, events and setting in hopes of
gaining a better insight into the message the author intended to
deliver.
• An analysis paper, for example, that was based on a piece of
poetry might require you to explore various types of imagery used
in the poem, or even the relationship between the content and the
form of the piece used. A play, on the other hand, may require you
to analyze and explain the connection between the subplot and the
primary plot, or it may even make sense for you to delve into
specific character traits of the main characters and how their flaws
might be revealed at various intervals in the play.

• Analyzing a novel or short story is a little more interesting given

the fact that you have much more to work with. You may, for
example, identify and explore a particular theme (like a
character’s inability to form strong bonds after experiencing a
tragic childhood) and outline how the author depicts that theme
based on the point of view or direction that the story goes.
How to Write a Literary Analysis

• While some may argue the validity of a literary analysis, understanding

how to properly write one not only helps to sharpen your critical thinking
skills, but also helps you to write more objectively.

• Whether you’ve been asked to write an analytical paragraph or to pen an

entire critical analysis essay, the trick is to try to see things as the
author did when they first wrote the work that you are analyzing. Your
overall objective is to uncover any symbolism and to clearly explain to
anyone who may be reading your analysis thesis how the characters
functioned, why they did the things that they did, and what the true
message or meaning of the text might be. The next time you are asked to
read any piece of literature and to write a critical analysis, try exploring
the following:
• What is the underlying or intentional message that the author hoped to
deliver? Ask yourself what the primary theme or concept the author was
hoping to create and what message they wanted to send to their readers.
• Who are the characters, not just on the outside – who are they really?
Consider the external factors as well: The tone, the environment, the
plot and any other literary devices that the author may have used to
ensure that readers truly understand the characters and their value.
• Why did the author choose to use specific literary devices in the specific
ways they were used? What did the author intend on teaching their
readers? How have the characters or the setting or plot twist helped the
reader to better understand the theme of the writing?

• A true analysis is much more than a typical summary – it is a descriptive

and investigative account of how something happened and for what
reason.
Literary Analysis Outline

• A literary or critical analysis follows the

same format as most other essays, given
that it requires an introduction, a thesis
statement, the body and lastly an analysis
conclusion. Use the following guidelines to
help you better structure your analysis
essay:
 INTRODUCTION: Start by forming the context of your critique.

• Remember to include the full name of the author, the title of the piece that you will be
analyzing and any supplementary information that will be helpful to strengthen your thesis
and following thematic statements. Clearly deliver your thematic statement or statements.
A thematic statement is the overall concept or main idea as it relates to life that the author
is attempting to deliver. (This is the ‘why’)End your introduction with your thesis statement.
Your thesis statement should include the who, what, why and Remember to include parts of
the question that you intend to answer.
• In summation, the introduction should include:

• WHO: The full name of the author

• WHAT: The response to the question
• HOW: The manner in which meaning is shown
• WHY: How the meaning relates to life or what the true message that author wants to deliver
THE BODY: (A minimum of two paragraphs, more is better)

• Start each paragraph with a concise argument that relates to your

initial thesis statement. Each paragraph must have a single point
of view. Include relevant quotes to validate your argument. This
should focus on “how” things work and also answer your question.
Quotes should consist of both narrative and dialogue. Don’t simply
uncover a literary technique and offer an example of it. Instead
explain how using that particular technique relates to the question
you are answering. End with a strong statement that reiterates the
sole focus of the paragraph. Consider mentioning the theme in
your body paragraphs, but do not divert from the question being
answered.
CONCLUSION

• Start your conclusion by carefully and concisely restating your

thesis – but do not do so verbatim.
• Clearly explain how the ideas and concepts presented in the body
of the essay depict the theme. Simply put, your conclusion should
also explain what message the author was hoping to deliver about
life and how it relates to the examples you’ve included in your
analysis.