Introduction to Literature

(Second Meeting)

Hendi Hidayat, M.Pd.

 Literature and Text
(Closing the Gap)
• We live in a world of words. When these words are put
together to communicate a meaning, a piece of text is
created. When you speak or write to communicate a
message, you are constructing a text. When you read,
listen to, or view a piece of text, you are interpreting its
meaning.
• Creating a text requires us to make choices about the
words we use and how we put them together. If we make
the right choices then we can communicate with others.
Our choice of words will depend on our purpose and our
surroundings (context).
 Literature and Text
(Closing the Gap)
• In most cases, literature is referred to as the entirety
of written expression, with the restriction that not
every written document can be categorized as
literature in the more exact sense of the word. The
definitions, therefore, usually include additional
adjectives such as “aesthetic” or “artistic” to
distinguish literary works from texts of everyday use
such as telephone books, newspapers, legal
documents and scholarly writings. (Klarer, M. : 1998)
 Literature and Text
(Closing the Gap)
• Text Types: Literary & Factual
• There are three fields in literature study:
literary theory, literary history, and literary
criticism.
• General Types of Literature: 3P (Prose, Poem,
and Play)
 Literary Theory
• According to Lye (1988) literary theory is a
dicipline which tries to explain the definition
of literature, its functions, correlation
between text and the writer, reader,
language, society, and history.
 Literary History
• Modern literary theory movement was firsly applied by
Ferdinand de Saussure, a structuralist who affected
literary criticism in Britain. The influence of this
structuralism was regarded as the beginning of literary
criticism for the academic doamain.
• Starting to 18th century, literary covered also the
aesthetic and hermeneutic fields.
• Literary theory was developed as a dicipline influenced by
philosophy for It analyzed any kinds of phylosophy
premises and literary criticism methodologies. (Klarer,
1998).
 Literary Criticism
• The Reader Response Theory: Say Whatever You
Want! (Within Reason)
• Mathew Arnold, a 19th century literary critic from
America defined literary criticism as a dicipline which
tries to study, analyze, interpret, and evaluate an
artwork.
• Arnold added that this dicipline tries to formulate
the principle and methodology of aesthetic which
become a guide for critics in evaluating an artwork.
 Literary Criticism
• Although the Reader Response Theory allows
more freedom for interpretation than the
New Critics, it is not limitless. Reader
Response critics believe that a reader should
be able to bring their personal experiences
and opinions to the table when analyzing a
literary work because that is how a text's
meaning is illuminated.
 Literary Criticism
• A good theory stands consistently on the readers’
assumption, believe, and feelings in responding to an
artwork.
• Based on a consistent and comprehensive theory,
reder’s response of an artwork which is only based
on their intuition and emotion can not explain many
factors behind the transaction.
• The most important thing of transaction is how the
background of the response arises.
 Literary Criticism
• According to new critics, transaction of a text
happens through exploration of what is written from
close reading. This process focuses on intrinsic
element of a text (e.g. special vocabularies, syntax,
language style, and the writer’s style on his artwork).
 Transactional Theory
• According to O Brien (2002), meaning is
closely depended on context (context-Bound)
• Transaction is related to many things like
knowing about the writer, text or artwork,
context, and reading context.
 Transactional Theory
• Variables which affect reading: reader, scheme
(background knowledge about the topic, genre,
metalinguistic, and metacognitive), reading purpose,
reading motivation and interest, and readers’
condition (feeling).
• Don’t use an artwork interpretation which focuses
on the writer intensively as your basis. unless your
goal is to compare between the writer’s version and
the market printed version.
 Transactional Theory
• Therefor, the same text will have different
interpretation when it is read by different
person. Moreover, the same text will have
different interpretation even if it is read by the
same person but with different situation and
reading purpose.
 Responding to Literary work
• The purpose of Response text is to respond to
an artistic work by providing a description of
the work and a judgment.
 How to respond to dramatic and
narrative works
• A paragraph that introduces the subject of your response. It is a
description and general statement that gives your audience/reader
a context;
• A series of paragraphs that report your response to the dramatic
text. A new paragraph should be used for each of your topics. It
may be best to begin with plot and then have a new paragraph for
each of the features mentioned in the checklist (characters, setting,
theme, dialogue, plot conflict, structure, motivation, suspense and
visual elements);
• A final paragraph that sums up your judgment of the dramatic text.
It can also be your recommendations about the text (for example,
suitable for all ages, and excellent play, well worth seeing).
 How to respond to a Poem
• A paragraph that introduces the subject of your response. It is
a description and general statement that gives your
audience/reader a context;
• A series of paragraphs that report your response to the poetic
text. A new paragraph should be used for each of your topics.
It may be best to begin with what the poem is about and then
have a new paragraph for each of the features you cover
(rhyme, purpose and so on);
• A final paragraph that sums up your judgment of the poetic
text. It can also be your recommendations about the text (for
example: thought provoking).
 A Very Short Sample
Slam Dunk 3, the latest in the series on
great moments in Basketball, was released
today by Sportz Filmz.
The 45-minute video is a collection of
highlights from NBL games played last season.
This video, unfortunately, captures
very few of the more spectacular goals scored
in 1997. fans will be disappointed that none
of the great shots from the grand final have
been included. Although there is some
excellent camera work, Slam Dunk 3 fails to
score with me.
 References
• Mustafa, B. 2008. Teori dan Praktik Sastra
dalam Penelitian dan Pengajaran. Jakarta:
Sekolah Pasca Sarjana UPI dan New Concept
English Education Centre.
• Klarer, M. 1998. An Introduction to Literary
Studies. London: Routledge