Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction

Rating:
Summary: your one-stop help-book for theory shock
Review: "Theory" is today pretty much inescapable in any serious attempt at interpreting literature. Literary studies have abounded with theory for many decades and it seems the tide will not turn anytime soon. Part of the reason for this is the depth and profundity theory offers, and the manifold ways it possesses of explaining a text.

When I was an undergraduate English major first exploring theory, I noted (and perhaps even shared) an anti-theory attitude among my fellow classmates. "Theory" was seen to be overcomplicating the text-- it certainly didn't seem necessary to a meaningful explication of a literary work in high school, why should it now?

What I have since realized is that the resources a particular school of thought brings to bear on any work of literature, past or present, is not only well-nigh inexhaustible but extremely valuable. Theory is a potent mode of thought that itself can be wielded effectively as weapon or ameliorative, harmonizer or sunderer. It encompasses poetics, rhetoric, hermeneutics, culture, gender, semiology, psychology, philosophy, and more. These are all things that are useful and essential to have a grasp of for anyone daring to plumb the many textures of literature. The process of deciding "what stuff means" begins with theory. In fact, as I later deduced, the notion of resisting theory is itself a sort of theory.

You'd think after enrolling in twice the amount of English classes required for the fulfillment of my degree, I would be tired of theory. Yet I picked this small volume up to sharpen my skills and if possible to add to my prior knowledge of theory. Culler's book more than sharpened me: it has given me additional food for thought, as well as a wider perspective on literary theory in general.

Chapters on literature's importance, cultural studies, performative language, narrative, poetics, identity and literary interpretation all provide an excellent introduction for a beginner. The appendix encapsulates individual schools and movements in theory, and the lists of references and further reading are a good step to the next level of study. Anyone unsure about theory who wants to start exploring could do a lot worse than consulting this book. I recommend it as a brisk, highly readable picture of literary theory's prime concerns and passions.

Rating:
Summary: your one-stop help-book for theory shock
Review: "Theory" is today pretty much inescapable in any serious attempt at interpreting literature. Literary studies have abounded with theory for many decades and it seems the tide will not turn anytime soon. Part of the reason for this is the depth and profundity theory offers, and the manifold ways it possesses of explaining a text.

When I was an undergraduate English major first exploring theory, I noted (and perhaps even shared) an anti-theory attitude among my fellow classmates. "Theory" was seen to be overcomplicating the text-- it certainly didn't seem necessary to a meaningful explication of a literary work in high school, why should it now?

What I have since realized is that the resources a particular school of thought brings to bear on any work of literature, past or present, is not only well-nigh inexhaustible but extremely valuable. Theory is a potent mode of thought that itself can be wielded effectively as weapon or ameliorative, harmonizer or sunderer. It encompasses poetics, rhetoric, hermeneutics, culture, gender, semiology, psychology, philosophy, and more. These are all things that are useful and essential to have a grasp of for anyone daring to plumb the many textures of literature. The process of deciding "what stuff means" begins with theory. In fact, as I later deduced, the notion of resisting theory is itself a sort of theory.

You'd think after enrolling in twice the amount of English classes required for the fulfillment of my degree, I would be tired of theory. Yet I picked this small volume up to sharpen my skills and if possible to add to my prior knowledge of theory. Culler's book more than sharpened me: it has given me additional food for thought, as well as a wider perspective on literary theory in general.

Chapters on literature's importance, cultural studies, performative language, narrative, poetics, identity and literary interpretation all provide an excellent introduction for a beginner. The appendix encapsulates individual schools and movements in theory, and the lists of references and further reading are a good step to the next level of study. Anyone unsure about theory who wants to start exploring could do a lot worse than consulting this book. I recommend it as a brisk, highly readable picture of literary theory's prime concerns and passions.

Rating:
Summary: Conceptual Confusion
Review: Culler offers a thoughtful analysis on many areas of literature in a brief, basic style. His discussion of imagery was the most helpful portion of the book; however, the very dry style makes the book painful to read, coming off like a philosophy text, with the same broad, conceptual style. The reader can walk away very confused or with a message Culler never intended. Probably not a good idea for students looking for a clear explanation of literary theory or for anyone searching for information on schools of literary theory, since Culler doesn't mention them.

Rating:
Summary: A useful map of the landscape
Review: First, if you have ever speculated that "theory" is primarily posturing by intellectuals with too much time on their hands in an attempt to justify their fringe political/social views, this book will probably confirm that belief for you. Further, if you have ever suspected that the arcane jargon created by "theory" practitioners is little more than obfuscation to ensure that their more outrageous pronouncements will be immune from refutation by intelligent but uninitiated outsiders, this book will do little to dissuade you. Nonetheless, if you want an approachable explication of what "theory" is all about, this is the book for you. Professor Culler does not argue the case for a particular school of thought, but explains (eschewing jargon when possible) the underlying currents of thought that drive literary analysis today. He starts by explaining the inextricable connection of literature theory to cultural studies and proceeds to explore the ramifications of that marriage. He then examines how literature theory attempts to answer questions about the nature of self, language, and meaning. To ensure that no single movement is given precedence, short descriptions of the tenets of the various schools are relegated to an appendix. The sheer number of approaches listed is breathtaking -- Russian Formalism, New Criticism, Phenomenology, Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Deconstruction, Feminist Theory, Psychoanalysis, Marxism, New Historicism/Cultural Materialism, Post-Colonial Theory, Minority Discourse, and Queer Theory. So, if you simply want to know what all the "fuss" is about, or if you want to embark on a more serious study, start here.

Rating:
Summary: A must have for Literarture Theory Classes
Review: Having been bogged down with other Lit Theory books (which range from 20 - 80 dollars) I found this book for under 10 and have used it since day one in understanding the different practices of lit theory and applying those practices works of literature. It's small, so it'll fit in your pocket, and the binding is good so it will last a while. You can spend a lot to get a book that may try to explain a certain practice and just leave you with a headache or you can save a few dollars and get a book that WILL HELP YOU figure those out.

Rating:
Summary: helpful to me
Review: I have been reading Culler's more comprehensive books on Structuralism and Deconstruction. I was having trouble reading these, so I stopped and read this, along with the other "Very Short Introduction" on Poststructuralism (not by Culler.)

I am finishing up "On Deconstruction" and it has been very smooth sailing, thanks to this book.

If you are not a beginner, this book probably isn't necessary, but if you are, it might be useful

Rating:
Summary: Essential guide to PoMo Theory
Review: Jonathan Culler's work is a fine exposition on the wrok of some of the twentieth centuries most provoctive philosophical and literary theorists. In well researched and clear chapters, Culler takes the reader on a guided tour of Postmodern theory-- which grew out of or is a response to russian formalism, phenomenology, new criticism, structuralism, post-structuralism, deconstruction,feminist theory, new histroricism, post-colonial theory, and minority discourses--beginning with the a discussion of the idea of "theory" and its importance and application to academic study today.

Using a highly stylized prose voice Culler succeeds greatly in expressing the nuance and deepth of this most controversial philosophical movement. Rather one is a student of Foucault, Derrida, de Saussure, or literary theory in general this book is an invaluable guide to the basics of these complex collection of ideas.

In this work Culler expands upon the importance of literature and by extension the close study of it as he recognizes the interconnectivty implicit between individual life and the literature that is produced as an attempt to explain its meaning. In Culler's view literature and the study of same is every bit as important as the study of history and religion as all aim to promulgate a "true" narrative of human experience, which some do better than others. Literary Theory, if for no other reason, is an important resource simply because it brings this idea to the fore and urges the reader into a more open and receptive posture in relation to the "reading" of any meaningful text, be it a novel, a symphony, a ballet, a painting or even a newspaper, which can only lead to a more infused understanding of the purpose of art and humanities necessary relation to it.

Reading this slim volume will save you hours of struggle with the difficult texts and ideas, that this book is definitely not meant to replace, but only supplement, rather it be Foucault's "History of Sexuality" and "Discipline and Punish"; Derrida's notion of "play" and deconstruction, de Saussure's "la parole" or the diverse body of work that first found its inspiration in these ideas, which are essential to understanding the raging debates in academia today.

Rating:
Summary: Demystifying Theory
Review: Let me just start off by saying that Professor Culler's "Very Short Introduction to Theory" should be read by every undergraduate English Lit student as they start their major, and reread by every English Lit grad student as they start graduate school.

I myself never used or thought about theory as an undergraduate, and when I started my Masters program at Notre Dame a couple of years ago, I was terrified and repulsed by the barrage of, as Culler puts it, "foreign names" and odd sounding approaches like Deconstruction and Post-Colonialism. Now starting my Ph.D. program at Northwestern, I have some appreciation for theory and its usefulness, but not until I read Culler's book was I at all really comfortable or at ease with it.

Culler chooses not to launch into explications of the various approaches (Marxism, Feminism, et al) or their hybridizations (Marxist-Feminist, among others), although there are very succint statements dealing with each, both along the way, and in the appendix. Instead, he discusses, in very basic and understandable terms, the issues that 'theory' is concerned with; to wit, 'literature,' 'culture,' 'language,' and 'identity,' primarily. He uses examples that pretty much anyone can understand, filtering in, from time to time, foundational concepts of theorists like Saussure, Derrida, Foucault, and others.

Perhaps the best thing about "Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction" is the language that Culler himself uses. In conversational, even colloquial prose, and using very simple kinds of examples, Culler manages to demystify a normally forbidding subject matter. By taking this kind of approach, theory becomes something useful and engaging.

One possible limitation of this book is that with all the discussion of 'subject' and 'identity,' there is virtually no discussion of the 'other.' While Culler does address this topic by way of queer theory, feminism, and briefly, post-colonialism toward the end of the work itself, the concepts of the 'other' and 'othering' are not introduced as such, which I think would be useful.

Overall, though, this is a fantastic book, and a must-read for students of literature - and I think I've only said that about one other book I've reviewed on Amazon - that being Aristotle's "Poetics." No disrespect intended to Northwestern or their theory specialists, but if I had known that Professor Culler was so good at explaining such usually high-flown concepts, I probably would've gone to Cornell.

Rating:
Summary: short and sweet
Review: Literary theory is a pretty imposing topic, and it's especially imposing to people like myself who don't have a liberal arts education. So, I was really happy to find Culler's introduction to literary theory. Rather than hiding behind a taxonomy of the various schools of thought, he discusses and attempts to answer some difficult questions: What is theory? What is literature? Why might we care about the answers to these questions? My take on this book is that Culler has successfully managed to convey some of the difficult and interesting challenges of theory to uninitiated readers without dumbing down the subject too much. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: At the heart of the matter.
Review: Moreover, what really impressed me in this book is, the fact that the writer avoids falling back on a series of taxonimical chapters, with categories and historical trivia, and attempts to go to the heart of the matter by offering a synthesis of theories whilst at the same time presenting the key concerns of the whole cannon of theory. In short, this is not a book about dry, solidified academic knoweledge, nor a list of names of theorists and theories useful for one to flaunt over dinner conversations, but rather an initiation to a way of thinking and questioning norms and modes of operation with respect to literature, life, reality, meaning and so on and so forth. The authors writing style is clear and accesible, although it is not easy since books on complex issues are not meant to be easy but dense and rewarding if read attentively. Do read this book, and with an opened mind, if you can find it. Thanks to amazon for the space and to you for your time.

Dotore.