Literary Criticism

Theme is not an element of fiction, but rather a central idea or message that is conveyed through the story.

The primary purpose of literary criticism is to evaluate and interpret literary works, offering insights into their meaning, significance, and artistic value.

Reader-Response Criticism emphasizes the role of the reader in creating meaning from the text, focusing on the subjective experiences and interpretations of individual readers.

Symbolism is the use of symbols and imagery to represent abstract ideas or emotions in literature, often creating multiple layers of meaning.

Marxist Criticism examines the social, political, and economic contexts of a literary work, exploring how it reflects and critiques class struggles and power dynamics.

Satire is the use of irony, humor, or exaggeration to criticize or comment on society or human behavior, often with the intent to provoke thought or change.

New Criticism emphasizes the importance of understanding the author's intention and context when interpreting a literary work, focusing on the text itself rather than external factors.

Figurative language is the use of language that deviates from ordinary usage to create a unique or striking effect, including metaphors, similes, personification, and hyperbole.

Deconstruction examines the relationship between language and power in literature, exploring how language constructs and shapes meaning and how it can be used to critique and subvert dominant ideologies.

Plot is the sequence of events in a narrative, often involving conflict, suspense, and resolution, and is used to create tension and excitement.

Historicism emphasizes the importance of understanding the historical and cultural context of a literary work, examining how it reflects and responds to the social, political, and intellectual currents of its time.

Ambiguity is the use of language that is ambiguous or open to multiple interpretations, often creating uncertainty or complexity in the meaning of a literary work.

Feminist Criticism examines the relationship between gender and power in literature, exploring how gender roles, stereotypes, and power dynamics are represented and challenged in literary works.

Diction is the use of language that is elevated, elaborate, or ornate, often characterized by sophisticated vocabulary and complex sentence structures.

Intertextuality emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between the text and other texts, exploring how literary works reference, allude to, or engage with other works, creating a web of interconnected meanings.