Introduction to Literary Theory

A. A feminist term for the state that occurs when texts written by women are not considered in the study of literature
B. Another term for the unconscious C. A term related to the period of psychosexual development that occurs before an infant reaches the mirror stage
D. An ideology that involves dominating the consciousness of exploited classes

A. Literary criticism is concerned only with the meaning of a literary work, while literary theory is concerned only with the structure of a literary work.
B. Literary criticism draws upon research derived from sources outside literature, while literary theory draws upon sources within a text.
C. Literary criticism is concerned with how characters in a text act, while literary theory is concerned with why characters act.
D. Literary theory is concerned with the method used to interpret a work, while literary criticism is the application of literary theory.

A. Women’s gender is artificial, while men’s gender is not.
B. While gender is not real, the stereotypes that accompany it are true.
C. Gender is a problematic, but essentially true, category.
D. Gender is largely a cultural construct.

A. Humanism
B. Formalism
C. Structuralism
D. Poststructuralism

A. A term that describes the absence of racial others in the canon
B. A term that describes the attempt to read homosexuality into literature
C. A term that describes the effect of autobiography on text
D. A term that describes the interpretation of meaning

A. The reader is acted upon by the text.
B. The reader acts upon the text.
C. The reader brings individual knowledge to his or her reading of the text.
D. All of the above.

A. The examination of structures informing our conscious experience
B. The examination of desires informing our consciousness
C. The examination of our unconscious experience
D. The examination of intricate structures within our unconscious

A. The reasoning of theory is often too circular.
B. Many theories have been pushed too far into abstraction.
C. Many theories are no longer accepted by their parent disciplines.
D. All of the above.

A. Claude Lévi-Strauss
B. Jacques Derrida
C. Jacques Lacan
D. Michel Foucault

A. Understanding sexuality is crucial to understanding culture.
B. Understanding homosexuality has little effect on understanding culture.
C. Literary study is unaffected by a lack of interest in sexuality.
D. Understanding homosexual themes in novels has become too routine