Literary Theory: A Practical Introduction(How to Study Literature)

Literary Theory: A Practical Introduction, Third Edition, presents a comprehensive introduction to the full range of contemporary approaches to the study of literature and culture, from formalism, structuralism, and historicism to ethnic, gender, and science studies. Introduces students to a variety of contemporary approaches to the study of literature and culture Demonstrates how the varying perspectives on texts can lead to different interpretations of the same work Features numerous updates that include new literary texts, new and expanded sections Represents the ideal accompaniment to the upcoming Third Edition of Literary Theory: An Anthology

Table of Contents:
Note to Teachers x  Literary Theory: A Primer 1  Chapter 1 Russian Formalism, New Criticism, Poetics 20  An Introduction to Russian Formalism, New Criticism, Poetics 20  Exercise 1.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 23  Exercise 1.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “The Moose” and “At the Fishhouses” 27  Exercise 1.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 39  Exercise 1.4 Alice Munro, “Royal Beatings” and “Wild Swans” 42  Exercise 1.5 The Wachowskis, The Matrix 44  Chapter 2 Structuralism, Linguistics, Narratology 48  An Introduction to Structuralism 48  Exercise 2.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 58  Exercise 2.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “The Map” 60  Exercise 2.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 61  Exercise 2.4 Alice Munro, “The Progress of Love” 64  Exercise 2.5 John Ford, The Searchers 66  Chapter 3 Phenomenology, Reception, Ethics 69  An Introduction to Phenomenology, Reception, Ethics 69  Exercise 3.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 72  Exercise 3.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “The Fish” 74  Exercise 3.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 74  Exercise 3.4 Alice Munro, “Material” 77  Exercise 3.5 Paul Gilroy, Michael Clayton 78  Chapter 4 Post-Structuralism 80  An Introduction to Post-Structuralism 80  Exercise 4.1William Shakespeare, King Lear 88  Exercise 4.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “Over 2,000 Illustrations and a Complete Concordance” 98  Exercise 4.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 101  Exercise 4.4 Alice Munro, “Differently” 105  Exercise 4.5 Alfred Hitchcock, The Birds and Tom Tykwer, Run, Lola, Run 109  Chapter 5 Psychoanalysis and Psychology 113  An Introduction to Psychoanalysis and Psychology 113  Exercise 5.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 120  Exercise 5.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “Sestina” and “In the Village” 123  Exercise 5.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 126  Exercise 5.4 Alice Munro, “Meneseteung” 127  Exercise 5.5 David Lynch, Blue Velvet 131  Chapter 6 Marxism and Critical Theory 134  An Introduction to Marxism and Critical Theory 134  Exercise 6.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 139  Exercise 6.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “A Miracle for Breakfast” 142  Exercise 6.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 142  Exercise 6.4 Alice Munro, “Hired Girl” and “The Beggar Maid” 144  Exercise 6.5 Mike Nichols, Working Girl and Stanley Kubrick, The Shining 147  Chapter 7 History 153  An Introduction to Historical Criticism 153  Exercise 7.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 155  Exercise 7.2 Mary Shelley, Frankenstein 163  Exercise 7.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 164  Exercise 7.4 Alice Munro, “Walker Brothers Cowboy” 166  Exercise 7.5 Elizabeth Bishop, “Twelve O’Clock News” 167  Exercise 7.6 Luis Puenzo, The Official Story and Susana Blaustein MunozandLourdes Portillo, Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo 168  Chapter 8 Gender Studies 172  An Introduction to Gender Studies 172  Exercise 8.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 177  Exercise 8.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “Roosters,” “In the Waiting Room,” and “Exchanging Hats” 185  Exercise 8.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 189  Exercise 8.4 Alice Munro, “The Love of a Good Woman” and “Lichen” 190  Exercise 8.5 Jonathan Demme, The Silence of the Lambs and Jenny Livingstone, Paris Is Burning 192  Chapter 9 Ethnic Studies 198  An Introduction to Ethnic Studies 198  Exercise 9.1 Elizabeth Bishop, “Faustina, or Rock Roses” 202  Exercise 9.2 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 204  Exercise 9.3 Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye 205  Exercise 9.4 NWA, “The Nigga Ya Love To Hate” 207  Exercise 9.5 Joel Schumacher, Falling Down and Mathieu Kassovitz, Hate 208  Chapter 10 Indigenous, Postcolonial, and Transnational Studies 215  Introduction to Indigenous, Postcolonial, and Transnational Studies 215  Exercise 10.1 Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness 218  Exercise 10.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “Brazil, January 1, 1502” and “The Burglar of Babylon” 224  Exercise 10.3 Alice Munro, “The Wilderness Station” 227  Exercise 10.4 Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye 228  Exercise 10.5 Kieran Desai, The Inheritance of Loss 228  Exercise 10.6 Louise Erdrich, Love Medicine 230  Exercise 10.7 Djbril Diop Mambéty, Hyenas and Hany Abu-Assad, Paradise Now 233  Chapter 11 Cognition, Emotion, Evolution, Science 236  An Introduction to Cognition, Emotion, Evolution, Science 236  Exercise 11.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 240  Exercise 11.2 Elizabeth Bishop, “In the Waiting Room,” “Crusoe in England,” and “One Art” 242  Exercise 11.3 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 243  Exercise 11.4 Alice Munro, “Fits” 246  Exercise 11.5 Wong Kar-wai, In the Mood for Love 247  Chapter 12 Animals, Humans, Places, Things 250  An Introduction to Animals, Humans, Places, Things 250  Exercise 12.1 William Shakespeare, King Lear 255  Exercise 12.2 F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 258  Exercise 12.3 Elizabeth Bishop, “The Fish” and “Pink Dog” 259  Exercise 12.4 Mary Shelley, Frankenstein 261  Exercise 12.5 Alice Munro, “Runaway” and “Vandals” 264  Exercise 12.6 Agnes Varda, Vagabond 266  Appendix Elizabeth Bishop, “In the Village” 268  Index 284

About the Author :
Michael Ryan is Professor of Film and Media Arts at Temple University. His books include Marxism and Deconstruction (1982), Camera Politica: The Politics and Ideology of Contemporary American Film (with Douglas Kellner, 1986), Politics and Culture (1989), and Literary Theory: An Anthology (3nd edition, edited with Julie Rivkin).