Introduction to Literature. A. What is literature 1. Definition: Literature is the art of language and words (letters). It is a very special language.

Introduction to Introduction to LiteratureLiterature

A. What is literatureA. What is literature

• 1. Definition: Literature is the art of 1. Definition: Literature is the art of language and words (letters). It is a very language and words (letters). It is a very special language that says more and says special language that says more and says it more powerfully and beautifully than it more powerfully and beautifully than ordinary languageordinary language

A. What is literatureA. What is literature

– Why do we read? Why do we read?

•To learn, to understand, and to To learn, to understand, and to eventually become wise.eventually become wise.

•To become more fully humanTo become more fully human

•To “get the most” out of lifeTo “get the most” out of life

(8 Reaons – see handout sheet)(8 Reaons – see handout sheet)

•

What is Literature? What is Literature?

--Literature: --Literature: the stories and writing the stories and writing from those who have experienced life before from those who have experienced life before us; they were written to show us the power, us; they were written to show us the power, the complexity, the wonder and the the complexity, the wonder and the suffering of human experience.suffering of human experience.

The universality of human The universality of human experience across time and cultureexperience across time and culture

literature as art—form and contentliterature as art—form and content

B. The Three Levels of B. The Three Levels of LiteratureLiterature

1. The surface level--1. The surface level--

B. The Three Levels of B. The Three Levels of LiteratureLiterature

1.1. The Surface LevelThe Surface Level

2.2.

3.3. The Thematic LevelThe Thematic Level

B. The Three Levels of B. The Three Levels of LiteratureLiterature

1.1. The surface LevelThe surface Level

2.2.

3.3. The Thematic LevelThe Thematic Level--the psychological--the psychological

--the social--the social --the universal--the universal

B.B. The three levels of The three levels of literatureliterature

1.1. The surface levelThe surface level

2. Techniques2. Techniques

3. Thematic level—psychological3. Thematic level—psychological

--social--social

--universal--universal

B. The three levels of B. The three levels of literatureliterature4.4. How the three levels work—How the three levels work—

a.a. The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz1. plot1. plot

2. techniques2. techniques

3. themes3. themes

a.a. Peter PanPeter Pan

C. Approaches to Literature—C. Approaches to Literature—how to tell what the heck it’s how to tell what the heck it’s talking abouttalking about

1.1. Historical / biographical—how does the Historical / biographical—how does the work reflect or show the influence of the work reflect or show the influence of the author’s life and times – e.g. Uncle Tom’s author’s life and times – e.g. Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Tale of Two CitiesCabin, Tale of Two Cities

C. Approaches to Literature C. Approaches to Literature (or how to tell what the heck (or how to tell what the heck it’s talking about)it’s talking about)2. Psychological—what motivates the 2. Psychological—what motivates the

characters? Questions characters? Questions

about identity, id-ego-about identity, id-ego-

super-ego parallels, super-ego parallels,

reference to the reference to the

subconsicence, Maslowe’ssubconsicence, Maslowe’s

“ “hierarchy of needs”hierarchy of needs”

2. Psychological approaches

a. Freud

b. Jung

c. Skinner

2. Psychological Approaches

4. Kohlberg—Moral development

5. Maslowe’s Hierarchy of needs

C. Approaches to LiteratureC. Approaches to Literature

3.3. Feminist Theory—What does the Feminist Theory—What does the work say about the relations and work say about the relations and power struggles between the power struggles between the sexes? What about gender roles sexes? What about gender roles and identity?and identity?

4. Marxist Theory—What does the 4. Marxist Theory—What does the work say about economic or social work say about economic or social power—who has it, who doesn’t, and power—who has it, who doesn’t, and why?why?

C. Approaches to C. Approaches to Literature Literature5.5. Archetypal / Mythic—Archetypal / Mythic—

a. What seems familiar about a. What seems familiar about

the work (archetypes)?the work (archetypes)?

b. What does the work say about our roles b. What does the work say about our roles in the universe?in the universe?

c. What does the work say about our c. What does the work say about our relation to God or the Divine?relation to God or the Divine?

d. What does the work say about meaning d. What does the work say about meaning itself or the meaning of life?itself or the meaning of life?

C. Approaches to LiteratureC. Approaches to Literature

5.Formalist—How do the literary and artistic techniques reveal themes and meanings?

C. Approaches to LiteratureC. Approaches to Literature

7.7. Textual / LinguisticTextual / Linguistic

What do the words What do the words

mean, and what words mean, and what words

are especially powerful are especially powerful

and why?and why?

C. The Personality of C. The Personality of EnglandEngland

1. Timeline of British Literature and 1. Timeline of British Literature and ThoughtThought

449 1066 1492 1660 1790 1830 1914 1945449 1066 1492 1660 1790 1830 1914 1945

l____l_____l_____l___l___l___l___l___l____l_____l_____l___l___l___l___l___ Anglo- Medieval Rennais. Reason Rom. Victor. Mod. Anglo- Medieval Rennais. Reason Rom. Victor. Mod.

AnxietyAnxiety SaxonSaxon

2. Britain’s Island 2. Britain’s Island PersonalityPersonality• Strongly independent nationally (isolated, Strongly independent nationally (isolated,

proud)proud)

• Individual freedom—Anglo-Saxon heritage Individual freedom—Anglo-Saxon heritage (Western idea of the worth of the (Western idea of the worth of the individual)individual)

• Strongly traditional – class system Strongly traditional – class system (medieval), mistrust of the merchant class, (medieval), mistrust of the merchant class, still maintains a royal family into the 21still maintains a royal family into the 21stst centurycentury