How to read texts : a student guide to critical approaches and skills

Author(s)
    • McCaw, Neil
Bibliographic Information

How to read texts : a student guide to critical approaches and skills

Neil McCaw

Continuum, c2008

  • : hardback
  • : pbk

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Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 160-161) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

One of the biggest problems for lecturers teaching beginning literature students is increasing their confidence in their own critical ability - this book aims to offer a solution by improving students' understanding of critical concepts and approaches and giving practice, and increased confidence, in reading critically."How to Read Texts" introduces key critical approaches to literary texts and offers a practical introduction for students developing their own critical and close-reading skills. Written in a lively, jargon-free style, it explains critical concepts, approaches and ideas including: debates around critical theory; the role of history and context; the links between creativity and criticism; and, the relationship between author, reader and text.Practical examples, readings, exercises and 'checkpoints' help students to work on their own readings of both primary and secondary texts and to explore the links between critical and creative writing. The book enables students to gain confidence in their critical readings of a variety of texts and encourages them to challenge the assumptions behind other critics' readings. "How to Read Texts" is an indispensable guide for any English student who wants to develop their reading of literary and critical texts.

Table of Contents

  • Introduction: Why Read About How to Read?
  • 1. Beginning from where you are - finding your critical voice
  • 2. The Creative Critic
  • 3. Close Reading
  • 4. Biography and Authorship
  • 5. History and Contexts
  • 6. Critical Theory
  • Conclusion: Unveiling the Self-conscious Critic
  • Appendix A: Edgar Allen Poe, 'The Tell-Tale Heart'
  • Appendix B: William Blake, 'The Tyger'
  • Bibliography
  • Appendix C: Arthur Conan Doyle, 'The Man with the Twisted Lip'
  • Index.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details
  • NCID
    BA89128471
  • ISBN
    • 9780826492876
    • 9780826492883
  • Country Code
    uk
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    London ; New York, NY
  • Pages/Volumes
    viii, 163 p.
  • Size
    23 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
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