Literary Theory

Measuring the Representation of Women in Fiction

The Bechdel-Wallace Test is a feminist way critique of art. By answering 3 key questions, you can evaluate if a work has rounded female char

That Creepy Feeling You Get with a Spooky Book

Why does somethings seem scary? Read about Freud's theory of the uncanny to understand how writers and movies manipulate our expectations.

Getting Serious About Humour!

It may seem like it removes the funny ha-ha part of humour to talk about why we laugh, but there is a good reason to take a closer look:...

What Makes a Literary Classic?

Is it the amount of time that has passed? A wide readership? Originating from an ancient civilization? Defining a 'Classic' There is an...

Finding Their Voice: The Female Bildungsroman

"Bildungsroman" is a German word meaning novel of education or formation. The term has become a literary category for written works whose...

Reader-Response Theory: Putting the "You" Back into Literary Criticism!

When diving into literary criticism, I always encourage people to start with reader-response theory because it is something most people...

Western Literary Theory in 500 Words

Don’t let your eyes glaze over! These bullets distill the complex types of literary criticism. Not only have you likely already heard of...