The Contract By Iyayi Critical Analysis

Our group established 5 criterions to state what makes great literature. Our first criterion was “A great book must contain a message that applies to not only those who have experienced situations in the book, but provide perspective to those who have not.” A message that can be understood by numerous groups of people is vital to a great piece of literature. Our second criterion is that in order to teach a lesson it must expose a fault in human nature or in society. Our society is just as flawed as humanity is. Acknowledging these flaws is the first step in overcoming the trials of society and man. Our third criterion is centered around the craftsmanship of the literary work. This can apply to a groundbreaking new approach to narration. Or even complex characters and a unique and individual style (Faulkner.) In summary, the 3rd criterion tries to move past just the message itself, and to focus on

Literature is an essential part of the center of a person’s life. It provides a certain assurance and “feeds the soul” of one. Whether it be a book, TV, or even an advertisement, literature exists everywhere. A person is able to develop many skills by studying literature, and expand the horizon of their learning. An immeasurable amount of insight and knowledge can be gained from the study of literature which contributes in providing readers with an understanding of the past, and a philosophical assimilation of the moral behind a writing piece.

Thomas Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor begins with an introduction that provides a framework for the next five chapters. The author explains that any story can fit into a general, archetypical theme, and he spends the first five chapters of his book speaking on these critically prevalent themes.

this book was to show the reader how to look at literature through a wide eye. To see

Charlie Parry Practicum 3 Professor Rowland American businessman and showman, P.T. Barnum, said, “Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity.” The essence of Barnum’s words is the idea that literature is the most significant way of expressing human life and history. George Eliot’s Mill on the Floss, John Ford’s film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, Bruno Galet’s game Valiant Hearts: The Great War and Philip Roth’s Goodbye Columbus each provide social commentary and criticisms on topics ranging from family, politics, gender roles and war, each playing into Barnum’s ideas on literature as a significant way of expressing human life. Through Mill on the Floss, George Eliot gives the reader

New Criticism is an unusual and dying theory in this generation. In today's age, people analyze and rate a piece of text on impact it has on the individual person or society. New Criticism eliminates feelings,ratings and the impact a piece of had but rather focuses on the text itself. New Criticism, incorporating Formalism, examines the relationships between a text's ideas and its form, between what a text says and the way it says it. New Critics "may find tension, irony, or paradox in this relation, but they usually resolve it into unity and coherence of meaning" (Biddle 100).

There are different forms and examples of exemplary and classic literature which have been deemed as significant works that are highly esteemed worldwide. These examples of literature would awe the world with how much literary skill they entailed when they were composed and written: attention to details as to formation of characters, the most crafty of plots, the most eloquent speeches and lines, the most astounding of twists of scenes, and most of all, the most universal and meaningful of themes. The theme of any literary work is what makes it great as it should be able to encompass the immense diversity of the world and as it would be able to transcend the boundaries of religion, age, race, gender, etc. Two examples of this great and

Stories have always been a means of imparting the wisdom and knowledge of a society to young and old alike. Works like The Odyssey and Beowulf contain as much moralizing as children’s tales from Aesop’s Fables, the only difference being that The Odyssey and Beowulf’s morals are revealed in subtler ways. With the advent of the novel, many used the new genre as a way to moralize to women through novels such as Moll Flanders or comment on society such as A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Yet, Henry James in his essay, “The Art of Fiction” seeks to dispel the notion that novels must moralize by offering a new, better purpose for the novel and allowing novelists artistic license in how they create their stories. However, though his ideas may have been fresh at the time, not all of them have held up over time. Though he sought to separate morality from the novel, the two still work together to create memorable, lasting fiction.

Millions of novels have been published in the past decade, and each one has a different plot line or twist. Some are stories of epic romances, others are recounts of tragic death. But what propels a book to gain popularity? How does that story withstand the test of time? When does a novel become regarded as “great”?

Indeed, the best works of literature are those which are of relevance to our lives today. Through their relevance, these novels continue to persist and endure on. Through their relevance, we can better comprehend the messages, the themes, and the ideas that are imbued in them. Rather than literature being contradictory and in conflict with the truth and unpleasant reality of daily life, it becomes a weapon through which we can be educated about the existential crises facing our world today. In fact, the statement above could not be more far and distant from the reality of literature today. It is fatally flawed. Literature, whilst at the surface, seems whimsical and amusing is, at its very core, a medium through which we are enlightened

Literature is an imitation of societal values and is thus a reflection of the human experience of a time period. Written works emphasize the elements of culture, by means of characters, particular events, setting and theme, specific to the time period in which it was composed. Furthermore, literature mirrors the troubles or hardships of society and projects the core values that define said society. Thus, as culture has changed over time, literature has remained a critical facet in representing time periods of the past. Essentially, the culture of a time period is manifested through writing in the projection of society’s values, symbolism of the center of community and literature itself.

Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed “model” for a piece of critical appreciation. Nevertheless, one can give information and suggestions that may prove helpful.

In his essay ‘A Humble Remonstrance’ Robert Louis Stevenson vehemently disagrees with the views of the renowned authors Walter Besant and Henry James, on what constitutes the nature and function of fiction. This debate entitled ‘The Art of fiction’ was initiated by Besant following on from his lecture at the Royal Institution, and continued by James in his essay of the same name which was published in Longmans Magazine in 1884. This debate effectively became the ‘most sustained discussion of the nature of fiction at the time’ (The Open University, 2013).

Literature, no matter what the topic of form it comes in, has the ability to raise issues, spark thought/imagination, and/or draw out emotions that have been buried deep within us as people. It is expected, from the authors, that readers will form opinions and criticisms for their works. Be it that the readers’ emotions parallel those of the writer or differ; some thoughts and opinions are expected.

This socio-historical commentary is valid however; it disregards the fact that the novels are not accurate portrayals of society. Important facts: first the philanthropic attitude in the novels is simply not a reflection of the literal changes in society, the novels cannot be classified an expression of