Critically, literary theory is a core subject in the study of literature. but theory— especially when it takes the form of ‘-isms’—can often be intimidating or boring for students. bennett & Royle have avoided simply giving potted summaries of ‘-isms’ and instead present brief essays on a range of key critical concepts, all of which have more or less familiar names. These concepts are put into practice through readings of particular literary texts.
Salient Features * A new chapter on Film. This chapter explores the ways in which literature helps us to think about film, and, correspondingly, how studying film helps us to think about literature. * A new chapter on Creative Writing . * A new chapter on the Mutant: exploring general issues of mutation and mutability, including environmental issues, genetic engineering and cloning. * A new chapter on War: exploring the questions 'what is war?', 'what is war literature?' and 'in what ways is literary or cultural theory itself at war?' * All existing chapters updated and revised in light of recent developments in the field. * Updated and expanded further reading sections.
Table of Contents * The beginning * Readers and reading * The author * The text and the world * The uncanny * Monuments * Narrative * Character * Voice * Figures and tropes * Creative writing * Laughter * The tragic * History * Me * Ghosts * Moving pictures * Sexual difference * God * Ideology * Desire * Queer * Suspense * Racial difference * The colony * Mutant * The performative * Secrets * The postmodern * Pleasure * War * The end