What is literary criticism?
Literary criticism is the evaluation, analysis, description, or interpretation of literary works. It is usually in the form of a critical essay, but in-depth book reviews can sometimes be considered literary criticism. Criticism may examine a particular literary work, or may look at an author's writings as a whole. Finding literary criticism can be challenging.
When writing a criticism, check for:
Credentials of the writer
Quality of the sources--journals, books, Websites
Opinions supported by evidence, relating to:
Characterization
Voice
Style
Theme
Setting
Technical qualities of the writing (artistry, style, use of language)
Interpretation
Complex ideas and problems
Relationship of work to the time, or social, historical, or political trends
When writing a criticism, AVOID:
Plot summaries, SparkNotes, Pink Monkey, etc.
Casual posts on discussion groups
The works of other students
Author biography
II: Theory
Theory is the process of understanding what the nature of literature is, what functions it has, what the relation of text is to author, to reader, to language, to society, to history. It is not judgment but understanding of the frames of judgment.
III: theory itself
Theory, however, particularly as "a theory of X," tends to operate within a frame of values and expectations itself. Full understanding requires one to think as fully as possible about the sets of expectations, assumptions and values of theory and theorizing.
http://www.kristisiegel.com/theory.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/01/
The above is a good place to start…….
Literary criticism is the evaluation, analysis, description, or interpretation of literary works. It is usually in the form of a critical essay, but in-depth book reviews can sometimes be considered literary criticism. Criticism may examine a particular literary work, or may look at an author's writings as a whole. Finding literary criticism can be challenging.
When writing a criticism, check for:
Credentials of the writer
Quality of the sources--journals, books, Websites
Opinions supported by evidence, relating to:
Characterization
Voice
Style
Theme
Setting
Technical qualities of the writing (artistry, style, use of language)
Interpretation
Complex ideas and problems
Relationship of work to the time, or social, historical, or political trends
When writing a criticism, AVOID:
Plot summaries, SparkNotes, Pink Monkey, etc.
Casual posts on discussion groups
The works of other students
Author biography
II: Theory
Theory is the process of understanding what the nature of literature is, what functions it has, what the relation of text is to author, to reader, to language, to society, to history. It is not judgment but understanding of the frames of judgment.
III: theory itself
Theory, however, particularly as "a theory of X," tends to operate within a frame of values and expectations itself. Full understanding requires one to think as fully as possible about the sets of expectations, assumptions and values of theory and theorizing.
http://www.kristisiegel.com/theory.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/722/01/
The above is a good place to start…….