While literary theory has been in existence for about as long as literature has, and the first known theory originating with Aristotle’s Poetics, the modern form of literary theory dates less than a century back.
In the 1950s, Ferdinand de Saussure’s influence on English language literary criticism, particularly in his structuralist linguistics, grew strong. But with over seventy years since the more modern origins of literary theory, it’s important to define what it means for today.
This guide to literary theory covers:
What is literary theory? A definition
Literary theory is the act of looking more deeply at a piece of writing, with the purpose of finding correlation or variance between the piece and others of its time. We doing this this, you might pay special attention to different literary devices used, examine how the author sets up the story, contemplate why different character flaws are brought to light, and compare authors with similarities to the one being studied.
If you ever sat through a high school literature course, you've probably had to read at least one famous poem. The teacher likely guided you and your classmates through an analysis of the poem and the deeper meaning found in one or more of the following:
- Geographic location
- Specific time period
- Other poems written around the same time
- Poets who wrote similar poems or had some similarity to the author
For instance, if you studied a poem written during the Great Depression and the theme was abundance, this dichotomy would provide a foundation to find unique insights. That said, there are many types of literary theories.
The process of unpacking the meaning behind each line is an example of literary theory in action.
3 Types of literary theory
Employing literary theory can help you in a plethora of ways, two of which are below:
- Understand literature at a deeper level
- Take a more in-depth look at your own writing
Whether you want to learn about literary theory to improve your understanding of your current read or take a more theory-based approach to your work-in-progress understanding some of the theories out there can equip you for both.
1. Formalism
If you’ve ever been to a writing conference and sat down one-on-one with an editor, you may have experienced the literary theory of Formalism in real time. This type of literary theory focuses on the text’s key features, without considering context.
When you use Formalism, you look for grammar, syntax, plot, tropes, etc. Some would argue that a piece of writing cannot be differentiated from the context surrounding it: The author, the intent of the writing, or the time period in which it was written. Regardless, this type of literary theory takes an unapologetic, face-value view at writing.
2. Structuralism
Structuralism is a highly debated literary theory that focuses on relating literature to the broader structures it may associate with, such as:
- It’s genre
- Story structure
- Recurring topics
If you want to plunge into the deep end with Structuralism, consider studying up on this literary theory further and then watching the 2017 film, Dunkirk. This film is notorious for not following traditional storytelling structure.
3. Reader-Response
Toward the opposite side of the literary theory spectrum lies Reader-Response theory. This theory focuses on the audience, or the reader, and their particular response to the writing, rather than the writing itself.
It may be helpful to approach a text with this literary theory for your own work, after you publish. In this way, you can collect important data on how your readers reacted to your writing and what they took away from the story. This can set you up for future success in coming books.
Key moments to employ literary theory in your writing
With several types of literary theory in mind, the next question to consider is when should you use this? If you're writing a book, you might not be thinking much about the theory (especially if it's nonfiction), but there are two times where it can help to get more intellectual with your process.
Prewriting
Thorough research is one of the prewriting strategies we always recommend here at selfpublishing.com, and it's during this time that you can examine the literary theory used in other books in your genre.
While not all of your future readers will delve into the theories appearing in their favorite novel, as an author, it’s beneficial to equip yourself with a deeper understanding of popular works. Not only will taking time to notice particular literary theories help you understand a book or given genre more deeply, but it can also help you write a rough draft that is layered with meaning from the very beginning.
Adding nuance
There are three types of authors:
- Authors who plot, their story prior to writing (Plotters). These people usually have very comprehensive book outlines and pre-defined plot points, and use character profile templates.
- Authors who write as Pansters, which means they say “no thanks” to preconceived structure and simply let the story take shape as they write. Some Pansters say they let the characters write the story!
- Authors who are a mix of both (Hybrids). Maybe they start with a general book template but they don't
No matter what type of writer you are, paying attention to literary theory can level up your writing – it will just change at which point in the writing process you incorporate more or less literary theory.
Whether you add layers of theory in your first draft or layer one in on your seventh round of edits, considering writing with a theory in mind adds nuance to your project. Readers love looking for Easter eggs – just think about the TSwift fandom and how crazy they would go over a Taylor Swift book, pouring over the hidden meaning in each line and word for hours and days on end.
Literary theory can help provide a similar type of meaning in your upcoming book or novel.
One reason to consider NOT using literary theory in your writing
But what if you want to sit down and read or write and not feel like an academic? What if you are writing a memoir rich with personal anecdotes that go beyond mere theory? What if you write young adult fiction novels and want the themes and topics to be more literal and less subtle?
The good news is that there are times when paying attention to literary theory isn’t as crucial. Here are a couple reasons why you may want to turn off this part of your brain at specific times.
Over-analyzing can slow down the writing process
We've all over-intellectualized a problem or situation.
Have you ever listened to, or been part of, a Q&A with an author and someone asked something similar to the following:
“You had her boyfriend bring her yellow roses on their third date. Yellow roses signify platonic friendship, yet they don’t break up in the end. What did you mean by this?” The author may have laughed, said they didn’t know that about yellow roses, and that yellow is simply their favorite color.
Not everything needs a deeper meaning. In fact, it has been the culprit of writer's block many times over.
So while literary theory can be extremely helpful when you want to create deeper meaning and nuance in stories, don't get too lost in the details. You can always add more during the developmental book editing phase (or another part of the editing process!) if you want.
The important thing to ask yourself is if adding in that extra nuance moves the plot or story forward and truly enriches the reading experience.
Too much theory can become tedious
Do you remember reading your first fiction book? You probably smile as you recall the sheer joy of experiencing the worldbuilding, the story setting, and the characters. You probably got lost in that world and forgot your own context.
You likely did so not because of the deep meaning of the prose, the literary themes explored, and the artful literary devices employed but simply because of the descriptive writing style and great story.
Literary theory can make reading more laborious and isn't suitable for all types of fiction, all ages of readers, and all stories.
Never underestimate the gift of simply picking up a book and pleasure reading. Analysis can wait. Sometimes, simple enjoyment is the best teacher.
Your Next Step: To Theorize Or Not To Theorize?
You are the creative and the world-builder here, so your next step is entirely up to you. If you are a new author, our book coaches recommend mastering the writing basics and – if you're writing a novel or series – the fundamentals of fiction writing.
If you’ve been in the game a bit longer, studying a specific literary theory in your favorite books may prove beneficial to you and your future writing efforts.
When it comes to creativity, no one size fits all. This is part of the fun that being creative brings. Writing is subjective and employing literary theory is not the only way to improve your writing and book. So, creative, take charge! Decide how to move forward, when to embrace literary theory, or if you want to at all. And don’t forget—whichever choice you make, enjoy the process!
