A Modified Version of R. L. McGuire's Passionate Attention: an introduction to
literary study. Literature and criticism Authors basic assumption of a book- the
reading and the study of literature cannot and do not take place outside the
context of human values. One's unique personal experiences are from whence their
values are formed. These values come to light as a reader reads or a writer
writes. Literature is a record of specific personal perceptions: H.
Read-"the outer image of inward things". Literature proves the
richness not the limitations of being human. Literary criticism is
discernment-the ability to see. The student needs to form their own critical
criteria and offer an interpretation of the work based on those criteria.
Judgmental reviewing is narrow and only one aspect of literary criticism. The
value of criticism is not that it lays down laws that any reader must follow,
but that it offers a new way of seeing a literary work, which may not have been
possible to the reader. For example in the critical analysis of a poem the
reader might look for the connections between words, stanzas, structure and
ideas. The four basic approaches to literary criticism are: 1) the mimetic 2)
the pragmatic 3) the expressive 4) the objective Mimetic approach- describes the
relationship of the literary work to the world or the universe in which the work
was conceived or being read. Pragmatic approach- describes the effects of the
work on its audience. Williams 2 Expressive approach- proposes the study of the
relationship of the work to the writer: biographical, psychological, history,
culture. Objective approach- is that which studies the work in and for itself
without reference to the world in which it exists, its effect on its readers, or
the works relationship to the author. The work for itself Objective criticism-
the study of a literary work is done without reference to the mimetic,
pragmatic, or expressive possibilities of interpretation. This type of criticism
regards the literary work as an object in and for itself because it is art and
the work of an individual artist. The literary work is a craft, a constructed
pattern of words, and the basis for our speculations, for its truth, its
revelation, and its power. Descriptive Critical Activities- seeks primarily to
describe a text. It is the approach to the work for itself in its simplest form.
It is employed on revisions, editions, and on the finished version. Concern lies
with the resulting product and its theme or central idea. Generic criticism-
study of the work for itself, the types of literature this criticism employs is
poems, novels, and plays. The study of poetics or prosody is the learning of
basic metrical patterns and verbal effects: iambic, tetrameter, couplets,
alliteration, rhyme, etc…. This type of study serves to remind us of a vital
aspect of the writers' art. The writer is a craftsman of sound and effect as
well as ideas. Keep in mind that writers can be conventional or unconventional.
Thematic approach- attempts to bring the various aspects of form as well as
content together to make a statement about the subject of a work. It may also
concern itself with the message or moral of that work. Unity- if a literary work
can generate its own meaning by virtue of its internal coherence, then a
critical method can concern itself with that esthetic universe. Unity of Theme-
all of the work is about the same topic. Unity of Imagery- all the images
contribute to the same general vision, implication, theme, or central image.
Williams 3 Unity of Tone & Form- the parts of the work fit together and
support each other. According to Coleridge, "But if the definition sought
for be that of legitimate poem, I answer, it must be one, the parts of which
mutually support and explain each other; all in their proportion harmonizing
with, and supporting the purpose and known influences of metrical arrangement. .
."(McGuire 22). New criticism- shows interconnections with emphasis on the
work. Mimetic-Mimesis-Imitation Mimetic criticism- is that which asks how a
literary work is important to any of the worlds to which it is related. The best
place to begin a survey of mimetic approaches is with the connection between the
work and the time in which it was written. Guideline 1) discover the extent of
the departure or conformity of the work from the era/culture in which it was
produced. This teaches the student the values of the age in which the work was
written. This entails immersion in the history, philosophy, and esthetics, the
cultural world of the work. 2)study the contemporary historical records of the
time, (court records, diaries, and plays). 3) study the various audiences of the
writer. Archetypal criticism- the kind of literary study and interpretation that
attempts to tie literary works to basic patterns in cultures and thought
process. This type of criticism is based on myth because myth has its roots in
peoples' cultural and religious responses to events in their lives. 1)
psychological archetypal- proven or historically repetitive mind-sets. 2)
mythical archetypal-an archetypal that is preserved in mythology. Subversive
literature- is that which affirms individual variations, idiosyncrasies, or the
right of the individual to remain outside of society. Progressive literature- is
evaluated in terms of its contribution to material improvement. This type of
literature talks of building, buying, growing, technological advancement.
Progressive Literature depends on the smooth workings of society in order to
reflect progress. Williams 4 *Marxist critics redefine progress so that it aids
the worker not the manufacturer, thus the subject of the literature is changed
to "class struggle". This reflects a belief that the future holds the
fulfillment of human hope. Pragmatic-Affective Theory Pragmatic theory- Abrams
states that this theory, "looks at the work of art chiefly as a means to an
end, an instrument for getting something done, and tends to judge its value
according to its success in achieving that aim"(McGuire 37). It is all the
ways (emotionally, intellectually, unconsciously, etc. . .) that literature
affects one. How we are moved by literature has to do with the extent to which
the words that comprise a work posses mimetic values for us, the capacity to
strike us as comprehensible and true. Literature must have the mimetic quality
of resembling some aspect of life as the reader knows it. The similarities may
be: unconscious, mythical, archetypal, coincidental or typical. *Examining the
point of view of the author and what the work does can aid the reader in
approaching the affective function of a work. *Affective approaches and mimetic
approaches overlap because the determination of a works affective power depends
as much on the capacity of the work to be true to some aspect of life, as it
does upon devices and techniques of presentation. Expressive The expressive
approach can inquire into the way in which the work embodies some portion of the
artist or ways in which authors' biography will reveal his/her capacity for
creation. But to say that a literary work is a consequence of an event or even a
series of events, which we can document, is to lose sight of the ultimate
mystery of literary creation. Critical Biography- the study of the events in a
writers life and their relationship to his work. Psychoanalytical approach- the
validity of this approach is founded on the assumption that what is in a
literary work is not only conscious expression, but also unconscious expression.
The conjecture that the style is the author, attempts to make a statement about
the author. McGuire seems to convey that psychoanalytical criticism is best left
to those with training in the field of psychology. Williams 5 · The danger of
expressive criticism is in its attempt to ascertain the relationship of the work
to the artist, in that it may forget that the work and its creator are two
different entities, and in doing so neglect to appreciate the craft, discipline,
and labor that go into the creation of any work of art. Expressive criticism is
valuable because it teaches us that there is more to art than conscious use of
conscious materials. T.S. Eliot once said, "That a poet might not believe
in the content of a work at all"(McGuire 58). And in contrast, Coleridge
was noted to say, "poetry is the blossom and fragrance of all human
knowledge, human thoughts, human passions, emotions, and language"(McGuire
58). Judging a literary work · The act of literary criticism in its two-fold
state-perception and communication-is a social act. Modifications of ones
judgement are intellectual milestones-points of reference for a new direction.
· Critical options ask the reader to discern and define his relationship to
what he has read. The reader must go beyond their primary emotional response to
the text. · The reader must put aside the predisposition of their morality and
of previous literary experience, provide the work with their undivided
attention, and unprejudiced acceptance. · Critical inquiry is when the reader
has a question about a text and seeks to find its answer. This does not entail
dissecting the work. Understanding these guidelines to critical inquiry the
reader can pursue their own areas of investigation into: Form Shape
Interrelationship of various parts Relationship to its creator Effects in its
own time and now Nature of truth of the work Reflection of its age Ageless
qualities Clear perception of the work The reader also must ask questions of the
work such as: Williams 6 1) does or does not reflect some set of values 2) is or
is not realistic 3) does the work have the power to create emotion or pleasure
4) does the emotional appeal of the work reflect prejudice or propaganda 5) is
or is not a reflection of the artists personality 6) what is the personality
that the work reveals 7) the work may be lacking in continuity, coherence, or
unity. It may contain a weak style, use inappropriate words, contradictory
ideas, cliches or trite phrases 8) does the work contain the power to bring
about group action or reform 9) are the works devices used well Blackmur says of
this art of inquiry, "Criticism is like walking, it is only for the one who
is still moving and growing"(McGuire 66). Williams 1 Connie Williams
Professor Carroll May 26, 2000 The Beginning's of Literary Study - For Dummies J
A Modified Version of R. L. McGuire's Passionate Attention: an introduction to
literary study. Literature and criticism Authors basic assumption of a book- the
reading and the study of literature cannot and do not take place outside the
context of human values. One's unique personal experiences are from whence their
values are formed. These values come to light as a reader reads or a writer
writes. Literature is a record of specific personal perceptions: H.
Read-"the outer image of inward things". Literature proves the
richness not the limitations of being human. Literary criticism is
discernment-the ability to see. The student needs to form their own critical
criteria and offer an interpretation of the work based on those criteria.
Judgmental reviewing is narrow and only one aspect of literary criticism. The
value of criticism is not that it lays down laws that any reader must follow,
but that it offers a new way of seeing a literary work, which may not have been
possible to the reader. For example in the critical analysis of a poem the
reader might look for the connections between words, stanzas, structure and
ideas. The four basic approaches to literary criticism are: 1) the mimetic 2)
the pragmatic 3) the expressive 4) the objective Mimetic approach- describes the
relationship of the literary work to the world or the universe in which the work
was conceived or being read. Pragmatic approach- describes the effects of the
work on its audience. Williams 2 Expressive approach- proposes the study of the
relationship of the work to the writer: biographical, psychological, history,
culture. Objective approach- is that which studies the work in and for itself
without reference to the world in which it exists, its effect on its readers, or
the works relationship to the author. The work for itself Objective criticism-
the study of a literary work is done without reference to the mimetic,
pragmatic, or expressive possibilities of interpretation. This type of criticism
regards the literary work as an object in and for itself because it is art and
the work of an individual artist. The literary work is a craft, a constructed
pattern of words, and the basis for our speculations, for its truth, its
revelation, and its power. Descriptive Critical Activities- seeks primarily to
describe a text. It is the approach to the work for itself in its simplest form.
It is employed on revisions, editions, and on the finished version. Concern lies
with the resulting product and its theme or central idea. Generic criticism-
study of the work for itself, the types of literature this criticism employs is
poems, novels, and plays. The study of poetics or prosody is the learning of
basic metrical patterns and verbal effects: iambic, tetrameter, couplets,
alliteration, rhyme, etc…. This type of study serves to remind us of a vital
aspect of the writers' art. The writer is a craftsman of sound and effect as
well as ideas. Keep in mind that writers can be conventional or unconventional.
Thematic approach- attempts to bring the various aspects of form as well as
content together to make a statement about the subject of a work. It may also
concern itself with the message or moral of that work. Unity- if a literary work
can generate its own meaning by virtue of its internal coherence, then a
critical method can concern itself with that esthetic universe. Unity of Theme-
all of the work is about the same topic. Unity of Imagery- all the images
contribute to the same general vision, implication, theme, or central image.
Williams 3 Unity of Tone & Form- the parts of the work fit together and
support each other. According to Coleridge, "But if the definition sought
for be that of legitimate poem, I answer, it must be one, the parts of which
mutually support and explain each other; all in their proportion harmonizing
with, and supporting the purpose and known influences of metrical arrangement. .
."(McGuire 22). New criticism- shows interconnections with emphasis on the
work. Mimetic-Mimesis-Imitation Mimetic criticism- is that which asks how a
literary work is important to any of the worlds to which it is related. The best
place to begin a survey of mimetic approaches is with the connection between the
work and the time in which it was written. Guideline 1) discover the extent of
the departure or conformity of the work from the era/culture in which it was
produced. This teaches the student the values of the age in which the work was
written. This entails immersion in the history, philosophy, and esthetics, the
cultural world of the work. 2)study the contemporary historical records of the
time, (court records, diaries, and plays). 3) study the various audiences of the
writer. Archetypal criticism- the kind of literary study and interpretation that
attempts to tie literary works to basic patterns in cultures and thought
process. This type of criticism is based on myth because myth has its roots in
peoples' cultural and religious responses to events in their lives. 1)
psychological archetypal- proven or historically repetitive mind-sets. 2)
mythical archetypal-an archetypal that is preserved in mythology. Subversive
literature- is that which affirms individual variations, idiosyncrasies, or the
right of the individual to remain outside of society. Progressive literature- is
evaluated in terms of its contribution to material improvement. This type of
literature talks of building, buying, growing, technological advancement.
Progressive Literature depends on the smooth workings of society in order to
reflect progress. Williams 4 *Marxist critics redefine progress so that it aids
the worker not the manufacturer, thus the subject of the literature is changed
to "class struggle". This reflects a belief that the future holds the
fulfillment of human hope. Pragmatic-Affective Theory Pragmatic theory- Abrams
states that this theory, "looks at the work of art chiefly as a means to an
end, an instrument for getting something done, and tends to judge its value
according to its success in achieving that aim"(McGuire 37). It is all the
ways (emotionally, intellectually, unconsciously, etc. . .) that literature
affects one. How we are moved by literature has to do with the extent to which
the words that comprise a work posses mimetic values for us, the capacity to
strike us as comprehensible and true. Literature must have the mimetic quality
of resembling some aspect of life as the reader knows it. The similarities may
be: unconscious, mythical, archetypal, coincidental or typical. *Examining the
point of view of the author and what the work does can aid the reader in
approaching the affective function of a work. *Affective approaches and mimetic
approaches overlap because the determination of a works affective power depends
as much on the capacity of the work to be true to some aspect of life, as it
does upon devices and techniques of presentation. Expressive The expressive
approach can inquire into the way in which the work embodies some portion of the
artist or ways in which authors' biography will reveal his/her capacity for
creation. But to say that a literary work is a consequence of an event or even a
series of events, which we can document, is to lose sight of the ultimate
mystery of literary creation. Critical Biography- the study of the events in a
writers life and their relationship to his work. Psychoanalytical approach- the
validity of this approach is founded on the assumption that what is in a
literary work is not only conscious expression, but also unconscious expression.
The conjecture that the style is the author, attempts to make a statement about
the author. McGuire seems to convey that psychoanalytical criticism is best left
to those with training in the field of psychology. Williams 5 · The danger of
expressive criticism is in its attempt to ascertain the relationship of the work
to the artist, in that it may forget that the work and its creator are two
different entities, and in doing so neglect to appreciate the craft, discipline,
and labor that go into the creation of any work of art. Expressive criticism is
valuable because it teaches us that there is more to art than conscious use of
conscious materials. T.S. Eliot once said, "That a poet might not believe
in the content of a work at all"(McGuire 58). And in contrast, Coleridge
was noted to say, "poetry is the blossom and fragrance of all human
knowledge, human thoughts, human passions, emotions, and language"(McGuire
58). Judging a literary work · The act of literary criticism in its two-fold
state-perception and communication-is a social act. Modifications of ones
judgement are intellectual milestones-points of reference for a new direction.
· Critical options ask the reader to discern and define his relationship to
what he has read. The reader must go beyond their primary emotional response to
the text. · The reader must put aside the predisposition of their morality and
of previous literary experience, provide the work with their undivided
attention, and unprejudiced acceptance. · Critical inquiry is when the reader
has a question about a text and seeks to find its answer. This does not entail
dissecting the work. Understanding these guidelines to critical inquiry the
reader can pursue their own areas of investigation into: Form Shape
Interrelationship of various parts Relationship to its creator Effects in its
own time and now Nature of truth of the work Reflection of its age Ageless
qualities Clear perception of the work The reader also must ask questions of the
work such as: Williams 6 1) does or does not reflect some set of values 2) is or
is not realistic 3) does the work have the power to create emotion or pleasure
4) does the emotional appeal of the work reflect prejudice or propaganda 5) is
or is not a reflection of the artists personality 6) what is the personality
that the work reveals 7) the work may be lacking in continuity, coherence, or
unity. It may contain a weak style, use inappropriate words, contradictory
ideas, cliches or trite phrases 8) does the work contain the power to bring
about group action or reform 9) are the works devices used well Blackmur says of
this art of inquiry, "Criticism is like walking, it is only for the one who
is still moving and growing"(McGuire 66). Williams 1 Connie Williams
Professor Carroll May 26, 2000 The Beginning's of Literary Study - For Dummies J
A Modified Version of R. L. McGuire's Passionate Attention: an introduction to
literary study. Literature and criticism Authors basic assumption of a book- the
reading and the study of literature cannot and do not take place outside the
context of human values. One's unique personal experiences are from whence their
values are formed. These values come to light as a reader reads or a writer
writes. Literature is a record of specific personal perceptions: H.
Read-"the outer image of inward things". Literature proves the
richness not the limitations of being human. Literary criticism is
discernment-the ability to see. The student needs to form their own critical
criteria and offer an interpretation of the work based on those criteria.
Judgmental reviewing is narrow and only one aspect of literary criticism. The
value of criticism is not that it lays down laws that any reader must follow,
but that it offers a new way of seeing a literary work, which may not have been
possible to the reader. For example in the critical analysis of a poem the
reader might look for the connections between words, stanzas, structure and
ideas. The four basic approaches to literary criticism are: 1) the mimetic 2)
the pragmatic 3) the expressive 4) the objective Mimetic approach- describes the
relationship of the literary work to the world or the universe in which the work
was conceived or being read. Pragmatic approach- describes the effects of the
work on its audience. Williams 2 Expressive approach- proposes the study of the
relationship of the work to the writer: biographical, psychological, history,
culture. Objective approach- is that which studies the work in and for itself
without reference to the world in which it exists, its effect on its readers, or
the works relationship to the author. The work for itself Objective criticism-
the study of a literary work is done without reference to the mimetic,
pragmatic, or expressive possibilities of interpretation. This type of criticism
regards the literary work as an object in and for itself because it is art and
the work of an individual artist. The literary work is a craft, a constructed
pattern of words, and the basis for our speculations, for its truth, its
revelation, and its power. Descriptive Critical Activities- seeks primarily to
describe a text. It is the approach to the work for itself in its simplest form.
It is employed on revisions, editions, and on the finished version. Concern lies
with the resulting product and its theme or central idea. Generic criticism-
study of the work for itself, the types of literature this criticism employs is
poems, novels, and plays. The study of poetics or prosody is the learning of
basic metrical patterns and verbal effects: iambic, tetrameter, couplets,
alliteration, rhyme, etc…. This type of study serves to remind us of a vital
aspect of the writers' art. The writer is a craftsman of sound and effect as
well as ideas. Keep in mind that writers can be conventional or unconventional.
Thematic approach- attempts to bring the various aspects of form as well as
content together to make a statement about the subject of a work. It may also
concern itself with the message or moral of that work. Unity- if a literary work
can generate its own meaning by virtue of its internal coherence, then a
critical method can concern itself with that esthetic universe. Unity of Theme-
all of the work is about the same topic. Unity of Imagery- all the images
contribute to the same general vision, implication, theme, or central image.
Williams 3 Unity of Tone & Form- the parts of the work fit together and
support each other. According to Coleridge, "But if the definition sought
for be that of legitimate poem, I answer, it must be one, the parts of which
mutually support and explain each other; all in their proportion harmonizing
with, and supporting the purpose and known influences of metrical arrangement. .
."(McGuire 22). New criticism- shows interconnections with emphasis on the
work. Mimetic-Mimesis-Imitation Mimetic criticism- is that which asks how a
literary work is important to any of the worlds to which it is related. The best
place to begin a survey of mimetic approaches is with the connection between the
work and the time in which it was written. Guideline 1) discover the extent of
the departure or conformity of the work from the era/culture in which it was
produced. This teaches the student the values of the age in which the work was
written. This entails immersion in the history, philosophy, and esthetics, the
cultural world of the work. 2)study the contemporary historical records of the
time, (court records, diaries, and plays). 3) study the various audiences of the
writer. Archetypal criticism- the kind of literary study and interpretation that
attempts to tie literary works to basic patterns in cultures and thought
process. This type of criticism is based on myth because myth has its roots in
peoples' cultural and religious responses to events in their lives. 1)
psychological archetypal- proven or historically repetitive mind-sets. 2)
mythical archetypal-an archetypal that is preserved in mythology. Subversive
literature- is that which affirms individual variations, idiosyncrasies, or the
right of the individual to remain outside of society. Progressive literature- is
evaluated in terms of its contribution to material improvement. This type of
literature talks of building, buying, growing, technological advancement.
Progressive Literature depends on the smooth workings of society in order to
reflect progress. Williams 4 *Marxist critics redefine progress so that it aids
the worker not the manufacturer, thus the subject of the literature is changed
to "class struggle". This reflects a belief that the future holds the
fulfillment of human hope. Pragmatic-Affective Theory Pragmatic theory- Abrams
states that this theory, "looks at the work of art chiefly as a means to an
end, an instrument for getting something done, and tends to judge its value
according to its success in achieving that aim"(McGuire 37). It is all the
ways (emotionally, intellectually, unconsciously, etc. . .) that literature
affects one. How we are moved by literature has to do with the extent to which
the words that comprise a work posses mimetic values for us, the capacity to
strike us as comprehensible and true. Literature must have the mimetic quality
of resembling some aspect of life as the reader knows it. The similarities may
be: unconscious, mythical, archetypal, coincidental or typical. *Examining the
point of view of the author and what the work does can aid the reader in
approaching the affective function of a work. *Affective approaches and mimetic
approaches overlap because the determination of a works affective power depends
as much on the capacity of the work to be true to some aspect of life, as it
does upon devices and techniques of presentation. Expressive The expressive
approach can inquire into the way in which the work embodies some portion of the
artist or ways in which authors' biography will reveal his/her capacity for
creation. But to say that a literary work is a consequence of an event or even a
series of events, which we can document, is to lose sight of the ultimate
mystery of literary creation. Critical Biography- the study of the events in a
writers life and their relationship to his work. Psychoanalytical approach- the
validity of this approach is founded on the assumption that what is in a
literary work is not only conscious expression, but also unconscious expression.
The conjecture that the style is the author, attempts to make a statement about
the author. McGuire seems to convey that psychoanalytical criticism is best left
to those with training in the field of psychology. Williams 5 · The danger of
expressive criticism is in its attempt to ascertain the relationship of the work
to the artist, in that it may forget that the work and its creator are two
different entities, and in doing so neglect to appreciate the craft, discipline,
and labor that go into the creation of any work of art. Expressive criticism is
valuable because it teaches us that there is more to art than conscious use of
conscious materials. T.S. Eliot once said, "That a poet might not believe
in the content of a work at all"(McGuire 58).