Part 1 An Overall Guide to Appreciating Literature
1 What Is Literature?
1.1 Types of Literature
1.2 Main Qualities of Literature
2 Why Do We Read Literature?
2.1 To Acquire Knowledge and Wisdom
2.2 To Consolidate Language Competence
2.3 To Read for Pleasure
2.4 To Improve an Understanding of Life
2.5 To Cultivate a Capacity for Artistic Appreciation
3 How Do We Learn Literary Texts?
3.1 Copying
3.2 Paraphrase
3.3 Summary
3.4 Description
3.5 Analysis
4 How Should We Write About Literature?
4.1 Having Something to Say
4.2 Choosing a Topic
4.3 Considering Your Audience
4.4 Collecting Evidence
4.5 Developing the Argument
4.6 Writing the First Draft
4.7 Revising
4.8 Documentation
4.9 The "Works Cited" Page
4.10 Sample Essay 1
4.11 Sample Essay 2
5 How Do We TakeEssay Tests?
5.1 Prepare Thoroughly
5.2 Plan Your Answer Wisely
5.3 Respond Directly to the Assignment
5.4 Add Inserts When Necessary
5.5 Write Clear, Simple, and Correct Prose
5.6 Be Creative
5.7 Sample Test Essays
6 Major Critical Approaches
6.1 Formalistic Criticism
6.2 Biographical Criticism
6.3 Historical Criticism
6.4 Psychological Criticism
6.5 Sociological Criticism
6.6 Feminist Criticism
6.7 Reader-response Criticism
6.8 Cultural Studies
6.9 Practical Criticism
6.10 Deconstructionism
6.11 Ecocriticism
6.12 Ethical Literary Criticism
6.13 Selective Criticism
7 Major Literary Schools
7.1 Classicism and Neoclassicism
7.2 Romanticism
7.3 Realism
7.4 Naturalism
7.5 Modernism
7.6 Postmodernism
7.7 Introduction to the History of British and American Literature
Part 2 A Guide to Appreciating British and American Poetry
1Introduction
1.1 The Nature of Poetry
1.2 Various Descriptions of Poetry
1.3 The Value of Reading Poetry
2 Scansion of Poetry
2.1 Rhythm
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Part 3 A Guide to Appreciating British and American Drama
Part 4 A Guide to Appreciating British and American Fiction
Part 5 A Guide to Appreciating British and American Essays
Part 6 Short Glossary of Literary Terms
References