Literary Approaches

Upon the completion of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. understand the various approaches to the study of literature;

2. explore how to use these approaches through citing examples;
3. apply these approaches to sample literary pieces;
8 CRITICAL APPROACHES FOR STUDYING LITERATURE
Approaches Description
Biographical Focuses on connection of work to an author’s personal experiences
Historical Focuses on connection of the work to the historical background and period in
which the text was written
Formalistic Focuses on form. Analysis stresses symbolism, imagery, structure, and how parts
relate to entire work
Archetypal Focuses on connections to other literature, mythological/biblical allusions,
archetypal images, symbols, characters, themes
Psychological Focuses on the inner motivations of the characters
Philosophical Focuses on themes, views of the world, moral statements, philosophy
Sociological Focuses on man’s relationship to others in society, politics, religion, and business
Feminist Focuses on female characters, images of women, and concepts of the feminine in
myth and literature
Analyzes the literary work by focusing on the author. It looks at the
author’s background and how it impacted the literature.
Considers the following:
the author’s stated beliefs
the author’s personal life and experiences
the values of the author’s contemporaries
Questions for Literary Analysis
•What aspects of the author’s personal life are related to or important in
this story?
•Which of the author’s stated beliefs are shown?
•Does the writer challenge or reflect the values of his/her
contemporaries?
•What appear to be the author’s major concerns?
•Do you see any of the writer’s personal experiences in the text?
•Do any of the events or characters in the story correspond to real events
or people?
Analyzes the literary work based on the historical time period in which the work was
written.
Considers the historical conditions and how this context impacted the literature.
time period of the writing and/or setting
literature of the time
attitudes and beliefs of a society, especially related to race, religion, politics,
gender, society, and philosophy
major historical events, influences, or movements
prevailing societal values (and opposition to the values)
How does the work (and how accurately) reflect the time in which it was written?
What literary or historical influences helped to shape the form and content of the
work?
How does the story reflect the attitudes and beliefs of the time in which it was written
or set? (race, religion, politics, gender, society, philosophy, etc.)
What literary works, historical events, or movements might have influenced this
writer?
How would the writer’s contemporaries view characters and events in the story?
Does the story show or contradict prevailing values of the time period?
Analyzes the literary work with its form, structure, and literary elements in focus.
The critic looks at the structure and elements of the entire literary work
structure, elements, meaning
how the entire structure is unified
literary elements (including repetition, theme, motif, imagery, diction, syntax, plot,
figures of speech, paradox, irony, symbol, characterization, plot, style of narration,
tone, mood)
How is the work’s structure unified?
What are the recurring patterns of words or images? What is the effect?
How does repetition reinforce the theme(s)? How does the writer’s diction reveal or reflect the
work’s meaning?
What is the plot, and how do its parts produce a certain effect?
What figures of speech are used? (metaphors, similes)
Note the writer’s use of paradox, irony, symbol, plot, characterization, and style of narration.
What effects are produced? Do these relate to one another or to the theme?
Is there a relationship between the story’s beginning and end?
How does the author create tone and mood? How do tone and mood affect the story at various
parts?
Analyzes literature by focusing on the psychology of the writer and characters
This approach evaluates the thoughts, motives, actions, development and subconscious of the
characters.
motivating forces, emotions, and dimensions of the mind
conscious and unconscious behaviors
internal and external conflicts
application of Freudian or other psychological theories
tripartite self: id (basic desires), superego (morality), and ego (balance of id and superego)
psychological disorders and dreams
What forces motivate the characters?
Which behaviors or conflicts are conscious and unconscious?
Given their backgrounds, how believable are the characters’ behaviors?
Are Freudian or other psychological theories applicable?
Do any of the characters correspond to the tripartite self? (Id, ego, superego)
What roles do psychological disorders and dreams play?
What do the characters’ emotions and behaviors reveal about their psychological states?
How is the writer’s personal psychology or unconscious dimensions of his/her mind reflected?
Looks for underlying, recurrent patterns in literature (like death and
rebirth/the seasons) that reveal universal meanings and basic human
experiences.
Finds associations between a literary work and widely known stories like
myths, religious texts, and fairy tales.
Analyzes literature by focusing on themes, view of the world, moral statements, and
the author’s philosophy

Human nature
Mankind’s relationships with God and with the universe
Morality, good vs. evil
Reward and punishment
What view of life does the story present?
Which character best articulates this?
What moral statement does this story make?
Is it explicit or implicit?
What is the author’s attitude toward his world? Toward fate? Toward God?
What does the work say about the nature of good or evil?
What does the work say about human nature? Is good rewarded? Is evil punished?
Is the world ordered or random?
Analyzes literature by focusing on man’s relationship to others in society, politics,
religion, and economics
Economic power and money
Urban, rural, and suburban values
Societal, race, gender, and class issues
Social power and forces
Government structures and systems, such as dictatorship, democracy, communism,
socialism, fascism, Marxism
What is shown about economic or social power?
Who has it and who doesn’t have?
What is the impact on characters’ lives?
What role does money play?
How are urban, rural, or suburban values shown?
Are societal forces or issues (race, gender, and class) addressed?
How do they shape power relationships between groups or classes?
Who has power, and who doesn’t? Why?
What is the relationship between the characters and society?
Does it challenge or affirm the social order presented?
Is the protagonist’s struggle symbolic of a larger class struggle?
How does the story’s small world (microcosm) reflect the larger world (macrocosm) of the society in which it was composed?
Do any of the characters correspond to government structures? What are the attitudes toward these political structures/systems?
/ /
Explores how what society says is masculine or feminine is reflected in a literary work, often
seeking to correct or supplement a heterosexual/ male-dominated critical perspective.
Considers how literature portrays women and/or LGBT people.

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Upon the completion of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. understand the various approaches to the study of literature;

Biographical Focuses on connection of work to an author’s personal experiences

Psychological Focuses on the inner motivations of the characters

Philosophical Focuses on themes, views of the world, moral statements, philosophy

Considers the following:

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