Where is the Text in this Class

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Where is the Text in this Class?

• Prepared by
• Diane Dates Casey

2
F.R. Leavis Approach to Criticism

• Study literature to be humanized.
• Approach the text objectively.
• Respond to the text with sensibility.
• Concentrate on the words of the text disregard
  the context of the work.
• Focus on the canon of great literary works.
• Recognize the intrinsic artistic value free of
  history time.

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Literary Theories

• Texts can be interpreted in many different ways.
• The readers worldview expectations
  experiences -- shapes the assumptions
  presuppositions brought to the text.
• A critical theory determines the questions a
  reader brings to a particular text.

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Intrinsic Approach

• Focus on text.
• Analyze use of symbols, structure, style,
  contrasts, images plot development.
• Closely examine the words on the page.
• New Criticism or Close Reading

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Extrinsic Approach

• Text is rooted in context.
• Text is a springboard to explore other ideas in
  the world.
• Literary texts are used to discuss historical,
  political, psychological, biographical or human
  issues.
• Historicism, psychoanalytical, explicitly
  political, feminist, queer, philosophical,
  biographical other types of criticism.

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For ENGL600

• Use the text as evidence to argue what the author
  is trying to accomplish.
• Consider the context of the text as it explains
  what the author is trying to accomplish.
• Write a literary critical paper, not a history,
  sociology, psychology, etc. paper.