ABSTRACT

Literary Analysis: The Basics is an insightful introduction to analysing a wide range of literary forms. Providing a clear outline of the methodologies employed in twenty-first century literary analysis, it introduces readers to the genres, canons, terms, issues, critical approaches, and contexts that affect the analysis of any text. It addresses such questions as:

  • What counts as literature?
  • Is analysis a dissection?
  • How do gender, race, class and culture affect the meaning of a text?
  • Why is the social and historical context of a text important?
  • Can digital media be analysed in the same way as a poem?

With examples from ancient myths to young adult fiction, a glossary of key terms, and suggestions for further reading, Literary Analysis: The Basics is essential reading for anyone wishing to improve their analytical reading skills.

chapter |22 pages

Introduction: Thinking about Literature

chapter |29 pages

Close Reading: Words and Forms

chapter |28 pages

Analysis in Context

chapter |14 pages

Comparative Analysis

chapter |14 pages

Analysis and the Critics

chapter |24 pages

Analysis and Literary Theory

chapter |11 pages

Conclusion: Analytical Writing