Literary theories were developed as a means to understand the various ways people read texts. The proponents of each theory believe their theory is the theory, but most of us interpret texts according to the "rules" of several different theories at a time. All literary theories are lenses through which we can see texts. There is nothing to say that one is better than another or that you should read according to any of them, but it is sometimes fun to "decide" to read a text with one in mind because you often end up with a whole new perspective on your reading.
What follows is a summary of just a few of the schools of literary theory. These descriptions are extremely cursory, and none of them fully explains what the theory is all about, but it is enough to get the general idea.
Feminist/Gender Criticism: focuses on relationships between/among the genders and understanding ways gender roles are reflected or contradicted by texts, how dominance and submission play out in texts, and how gender roles evolve in texts.
Under this theory you would examine the patterns of thought, behavior, values, enfranchisement, and power in relations between the sexes.
Psychological Criticism: reflects the effect that modern psychology has had upon both literature and literary criticism. It analyzes fictional characters using the language and methods of psychology. It focuses on the personality, state of mind, feelings, and desires of the characters.
Under this theory, you would investigate the psychology of one or more characters to figure out the meaning of a text by analyzing character(s)’s conscious and unconscious motives.
Historical Criticism: seeks to understand a literary work by investigating the social, cultural, and intellectual historical context in which it was written.
Under this theory, you would analyze the context of the time period in which the text was written in order to better understand the meaning of the text.
Cultural Studies: believes that a literary text is a product of the society that produces it and that that the text reflects the beliefs of that society. This approach focuses on man’s relationship to others in society, politics, religion, and business.
Under this theory, you would analyze the societal (ethnic, racial, political, religious, economical) beliefs and philosophies found in the text.
Psychological Lens:
In analyzing the character of Beneatha through a psychological lens, we will delve into her personality, state of mind, feelings, and desires. She is a strong, independent woman. What personality traits, state of mind, or desires led her to develop into the character she is? One place to start is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. After reading the article, we can surmise that Beneatha lies in the "self-actualization" level. How did she get to that level? One theme in the piece is "finding yourself," so we can search for an article using those keywords, and work to determine how "finding yourself" can lead a character to "self-actualization."
Historical Lens:
In analyzing the context of the time period in which the text was written, we will search for articles that answer some of the questions in the box to the left. For example, A Raisin in the Sun was written in 1959; so we can start to look for historical events or movements that happened in the 1950s or earlier, to determine how those events might have shaped the content of the play. One such movement to examine could be "redlining." In reading the linked article, we see that the government was able to restrict Black Americans to certain geographic areas by denying them loans for houses White areas. This could explain why Mama bought a house where she did.
Cultural Lens:
Through a cultural lens, we examine the societal (ethnic, racial, political, religious, economical) beliefs found in the text. For example, the yew tree features prominently in A Monster Calls. What might a yew tree symbolize, or what effect might its presence have, for the society depicted in the story? We can start by examining the Green Man, a figure comprising a face with foliage. In reading the article, we see that this image was important to pre-Christian pagans and tree-worshippers, and that Christians may have adopted some of the symbolism surrounding the Green Man (death and resurrection).