Routledge Engagements with Literature – serie

Balancing key foundational topics with new developments and trends, Engagements with Narrative offers an accessible introduction to narratology. As new narrative forms and media emerge, the study of narrative and the ways people communicate through imagination, empathy, and storytelling is especially relevant for students of literature today. Janine Utell presents the foundational texts, key concepts, and big ideas that form narrative theory and practical criticism, engaging readers in the study of stories by telling the story of a field and its development.Distinct features designed to initiate dialogue and debate include:Coverage of philosophical and historical contexts surrounding the study of narrativeAn introduction to essential thinkers along with the tools to both use and interrogate their workA survey of the most up-to-date currents, including mind theory and postmodern ethics, to stimulate conversations about how we read fiction, life writing, film, and digital media from a variety of perspectives.A selection of narrative texts, chosen to demonstrate critical practice and spark further reading and research"Engagement" sections to encourage students to engage with narrative theory and practice through interviews with scholarsThis guide teaches the key concepts of narrative—time, space, character, perspective, setting—while facilitating conversations among different approaches and media, and opening paths to new inquiry. Engagements with Narrative is ideal for readers needing an introduction to the field, as well as for those seeking insight into both its historical developments and new directions.

Balancing key foundational topics with new developments and trends, Engagements with Narrative offers an accessible introduction to narratology. As new narrative forms and media emerge, the study of narrative and the ways people communicate through imagination, empathy, and storytelling is especially relevant for students of literature today. Janine Utell presents the foundational texts, key concepts, and big ideas that form narrative theory and practical criticism, engaging readers in the study of stories by telling the story of a field and its development.Distinct features designed to initiate dialogue and debate include:Coverage of philosophical and historical contexts surrounding the study of narrativeAn introduction to essential thinkers along with the tools to both use and interrogate their workA survey of the most up-to-date currents, including mind theory and postmodern ethics, to stimulate conversations about how we read fiction, life writing, film, and digital media from a variety of perspectives.A selection of narrative texts, chosen to demonstrate critical practice and spark further reading and research"Engagement" sections to encourage students to engage with narrative theory and practice through interviews with scholarsThis guide teaches the key concepts of narrative—time, space, character, perspective, setting—while facilitating conversations among different approaches and media, and opening paths to new inquiry. Engagements with Narrative is ideal for readers needing an introduction to the field, as well as for those seeking insight into both its historical developments and new directions.

What should we do with a literary work? Is it best to become immersed in a novel or poem, or is our job to objectively dissect it? Should we consult literature as a source of knowledge or wisdom, or keenly interrogate its designs upon us? Do we excavate the text as an historical artifact, or surrender to its aesthetic qualities? Balancing foundational topics with new developments, Engagements with Close Reading offers an accessible introduction to how prominent critics have approached the task of literary reading. This book will help students learn different methods for close reading perform a close analysis of an unfamiliar text articulate meaningful responsesBeginning with the New Critics and recent argument for a return to formalism, the book tracks the reactions of reader-response critics and phenomenologists, and concludes with ethical criticism’s claim for the value of literary reading to our moral lives. Rich in literary examples, most reprinted in full, each chapter models practical ways for students to debate the pros and cons of objective and subjective criticism. In the final chapter, five distinguished critics shed light on the pleasures and difficulties of close reading in their engagements with poetry and fiction.In the wake of cultural studies and historicism, Engagements with Close Reading encourages us to bring our eyes back to the words on the page, inviting students and instructors to puzzle out the motives, high stakes, limitations, and rewards of the literary encounter under the pressure of this beleaguered and persistent methodology.

What should we do with a literary work? Is it best to become immersed in a novel or poem, or is our job to objectively dissect it? Should we consult literature as a source of knowledge or wisdom, or keenly interrogate its designs upon us? Do we excavate the text as an historical artifact, or surrender to its aesthetic qualities? Balancing foundational topics with new developments, Engagements with Close Reading offers an accessible introduction to how prominent critics have approached the task of literary reading. This book will help students learn different methods for close reading perform a close analysis of an unfamiliar text articulate meaningful responsesBeginning with the New Critics and recent argument for a return to formalism, the book tracks the reactions of reader-response critics and phenomenologists, and concludes with ethical criticism’s claim for the value of literary reading to our moral lives. Rich in literary examples, most reprinted in full, each chapter models practical ways for students to debate the pros and cons of objective and subjective criticism. In the final chapter, five distinguished critics shed light on the pleasures and difficulties of close reading in their engagements with poetry and fiction.In the wake of cultural studies and historicism, Engagements with Close Reading encourages us to bring our eyes back to the words on the page, inviting students and instructors to puzzle out the motives, high stakes, limitations, and rewards of the literary encounter under the pressure of this beleaguered and persistent methodology.

Rather than treating the plays as objects to be studied, described and interpreted, Engagements with Shakespearean Drama examines precisely what about Shakespeare’s plays is so special – why they continue to be discussed and performed all around the world. This book highlights the importance of our experience as readers and audiences and argues that what makes the plays great is that they cause a wide range of intense, pleasurable and valuable experiences. This highly personal and emotive approach allows students to engage with the plays on a new level, taking their own responses seriously as grounds for assessing the plays' success and quality. The book also engages with the essential criticism of the plays from Shakespeare’s time to our own, equipping students to engage in contemporary debates about the nature and achievement of Shakespearean drama.

Rather than treating the plays as objects to be studied, described and interpreted, Engagements with Shakespearean Drama examines precisely what about Shakespeare’s plays is so special – why they continue to be discussed and performed all around the world. This book highlights the importance of our experience as readers and audiences and argues that what makes the plays great is that they cause a wide range of intense, pleasurable and valuable experiences. This highly personal and emotive approach allows students to engage with the plays on a new level, taking their own responses seriously as grounds for assessing the plays' success and quality. The book also engages with the essential criticism of the plays from Shakespeare’s time to our own, equipping students to engage in contemporary debates about the nature and achievement of Shakespearean drama.

Engagements with Adaptation invites students both to consider adaptations on their own terms and to engage with the urgent questions they raise about literary canons; the media industry; the relations between different kinds of media; the nature of national, political, and cultural identities; and the ways in which contemporary digital and social media have complicated the roles of producers and consumers of texts.Thomas Leitch guides students through six ways of thinking about adaptation: aesthetic, intertextual, industrial, biological, sociological, and participatory. He explores multiple media and discusses a wide range of sources, including Frankenstein, Persepolis, Bridgerton, and the world of DC and Marvel comics. Each of the six chapters includes a detailed discussion of Greta Gerwig’s film Barbie to help readers compare the ways in which these six approaches can engage with a single text. The book also offers invaluable insight into copyright, censorship, critical race theory, and immigration. The questions at the end of each section embed and reinforce learning and prompt further research.This accessible and engaging guide reveals how the “anti- discipline” of adaptation studies is adjacent to a remarkable array of disciplines, making it a much-needed resource for students interested in television studies, moving image studies, digital media studies, translation studies, performance studies, music and art history and creation, border studies, race studies, queer studies, disability studies, and ecocritical studies.

Engagements with Adaptation invites students both to consider adaptations on their own terms and to engage with the urgent questions they raise about literary canons; the media industry; the relations between different kinds of media; the nature of national, political, and cultural identities; and the ways in which contemporary digital and social media have complicated the roles of producers and consumers of texts.Thomas Leitch guides students through six ways of thinking about adaptation: aesthetic, intertextual, industrial, biological, sociological, and participatory. He explores multiple media and discusses a wide range of sources, including Frankenstein, Persepolis, Bridgerton, and the world of DC and Marvel comics. Each of the six chapters includes a detailed discussion of Greta Gerwig’s film Barbie to help readers compare the ways in which these six approaches can engage with a single text. The book also offers invaluable insight into copyright, censorship, critical race theory, and immigration. The questions at the end of each section embed and reinforce learning and prompt further research.This accessible and engaging guide reveals how the “anti- discipline” of adaptation studies is adjacent to a remarkable array of disciplines, making it a much-needed resource for students interested in television studies, moving image studies, digital media studies, translation studies, performance studies, music and art history and creation, border studies, race studies, queer studies, disability studies, and ecocritical studies.

Engagements with Children’s and Young Adult Literature offers an accessible guide to studying Children’s and Young Adult (CYA) literature, teaching readers how to read critically. This book introduces this dynamic field encompassing diverse genres, audiences, and interpretations. Lydia Kokkola and Sara Van den Bossche examine its historical, cultural, and ideological dimensions while addressing adult perspectives and the ambivalence of child agency. Tools for critical analysis, genre-specific insights, and emerging research trends enhance readers’ engagement with CYA literature and its broader implications.The book approaches CYA literature from various complementary angles:Historical: the influence of religious and philosophical convictions on its development;Thematic: commonly-occurring genres and types of CYA literature, such as realism versus speculative fiction;Narratological: plot, time, tension, character, and setting;Visual: the main principles for 'reading' images in picturebooks, graphic novels, and comics;Ideological: power dynamics and common constructions of childhood;Social: questions of identity politics related to race, gender, and orientation, and offers tools to read critically.Engagements with Children’s and Young Adult Literature brings together established theories and new perspectives on CYA literature, combining engagement with theory with hands-on analytical, interpretive, and methodological tools for budding scholars of CYA literature. Exploring a diverse range of writing, this dynamic introduction is an invaluable resource for students and scholars of this vibrant field.

Engagements with Children’s and Young Adult Literature offers an accessible guide to studying Children’s and Young Adult (CYA) literature, teaching readers how to read critically. This book introduces this dynamic field encompassing diverse genres, audiences, and interpretations. Lydia Kokkola and Sara Van den Bossche examine its historical, cultural, and ideological dimensions while addressing adult perspectives and the ambivalence of child agency. Tools for critical analysis, genre-specific insights, and emerging research trends enhance readers’ engagement with CYA literature and its broader implications.The book approaches CYA literature from various complementary angles:Historical: the influence of religious and philosophical convictions on its development;Thematic: commonly-occurring genres and types of CYA literature, such as realism versus speculative fiction;Narratological: plot, time, tension, character, and setting;Visual: the main principles for 'reading' images in picturebooks, graphic novels, and comics;Ideological: power dynamics and common constructions of childhood;Social: questions of identity politics related to race, gender, and orientation, and offers tools to read critically.Engagements with Children’s and Young Adult Literature brings together established theories and new perspectives on CYA literature, combining engagement with theory with hands-on analytical, interpretive, and methodological tools for budding scholars of CYA literature. Exploring a diverse range of writing, this dynamic introduction is an invaluable resource for students and scholars of this vibrant field.

Engagements with Postcolonial Literature and Theory offers a detailed exploration of the debates, theories, texts, and themes that have shaped the evolution of postcolonial literary studies. Encompassing prose, poetry, and drama, this book navigates the history of postcolonial literature and its criticism.Each chapter is framed by a postcolonial author’s own literary ‘engagement’. Case studies on Chinua Achebe, Kamau Brathwaite, Derek Walcott, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Junot Diaz, Jean Rhys, Hari Kunzru, Arundhati Roy, and J. M. Coetzee elucidate each chapter’s central concepts and themes: colonial subjects and rebels; nations and nationalism after decolonisation; postcolonial difference; and subaltern representation. In this book, Lorna Burns tracks the evolution of postcolonial theory from anti-colonialism (Albert Memmi and Frantz Fanon) to the poststructuralist first wave (Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Homi Bhabha), the Marxist counter-response (Aijaz Ahmad and Benita Parry), and, finally, looks ahead to new directions in postcolonial theory.Aimed at students and scholars who are new to postcolonialism, as well as those returning to it for fresh insights and inspiration, this book engages with the complexity of both postcolonial theory and literature to furnish the reader with a fuller understanding of their significance and value, as well as the connections to be forged between them.

Engagements with Postcolonial Literature and Theory offers a detailed exploration of the debates, theories, texts, and themes that have shaped the evolution of postcolonial literary studies. Encompassing prose, poetry, and drama, this book navigates the history of postcolonial literature and its criticism.Each chapter is framed by a postcolonial author’s own literary ‘engagement’. Case studies on Chinua Achebe, Kamau Brathwaite, Derek Walcott, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Junot Diaz, Jean Rhys, Hari Kunzru, Arundhati Roy, and J. M. Coetzee elucidate each chapter’s central concepts and themes: colonial subjects and rebels; nations and nationalism after decolonisation; postcolonial difference; and subaltern representation. In this book, Lorna Burns tracks the evolution of postcolonial theory from anti-colonialism (Albert Memmi and Frantz Fanon) to the poststructuralist first wave (Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, and Homi Bhabha), the Marxist counter-response (Aijaz Ahmad and Benita Parry), and, finally, looks ahead to new directions in postcolonial theory.Aimed at students and scholars who are new to postcolonialism, as well as those returning to it for fresh insights and inspiration, this book engages with the complexity of both postcolonial theory and literature to furnish the reader with a fuller understanding of their significance and value, as well as the connections to be forged between them.

Engagements with Modern Japanese Literature offers an accessible introduction to the development of modern Japanese literature from the Meiji period (1868–1912) to contemporary Japan. It combines literary history and literary analysis to provide an overview as well as in-depth understanding of literary development in the past 150 years.Modern Japanese literature includes an abundant body of work that allows readers to gain insight into the literary, cultural, social, historical, and political development of modern Japan. Angela Yiu begins by exploring the voices of modernity in Meiji literature, including the work of Higuchi Ichiyō, Izumi Kyōka, Natsume Sōseki, and others. Yiu then turns to utopianism and modernism in Taishō and Prewar Literature (1912–1936), and considers Shirakaba-ha writers. The book also looks at women in war and postwar literature (1926–1952), examining a wide range of authors including Ishikawa Jun, Sata Ineko, Hayashi Fumiko, and Sakaguchi Ango. It provides rich insight into the legacy of six major writers from 1950–1970, including the two Nobel Prize laureates Kawabata Yasunari and Ōe Kenzaburō, as well as Mishima Yukio, Enchi Fumiko, Abe Kōbo, and Ishimure Michiko. It concludes by focusing on literature in contemporary Japan from 1989 to the present, offering fascinating insight into the work of Murakami Haruki, Tawada Yōko, Mizumura Minae, and many others.Consistently structured, each chapter introduces key concepts and literary developments; detailed analysis of selected authors and major works; and helpful bolding throughout of important terms discussed further in the glossary. It also features an invaluable glossary, lists of useful resources, major publications and events, and a bibliography of Further Reading. Written with the dual purposes of a teaching resource and an introductory guide, this is an essential text for students and teachers of Japanese literature and culture.

Engagements with Modern Japanese Literature offers an accessible introduction to the development of modern Japanese literature from the Meiji period (1868–1912) to contemporary Japan. It combines literary history and literary analysis to provide an overview as well as in-depth understanding of literary development in the past 150 years.Modern Japanese literature includes an abundant body of work that allows readers to gain insight into the literary, cultural, social, historical, and political development of modern Japan. Angela Yiu begins by exploring the voices of modernity in Meiji literature, including the work of Higuchi Ichiyō, Izumi Kyōka, Natsume Sōseki, and others. Yiu then turns to utopianism and modernism in Taishō and Prewar Literature (1912–1936), and considers Shirakaba-ha writers. The book also looks at women in war and postwar literature (1926–1952), examining a wide range of authors including Ishikawa Jun, Sata Ineko, Hayashi Fumiko, and Sakaguchi Ango. It provides rich insight into the legacy of six major writers from 1950–1970, including the two Nobel Prize laureates Kawabata Yasunari and Ōe Kenzaburō, as well as Mishima Yukio, Enchi Fumiko, Abe Kōbo, and Ishimure Michiko. It concludes by focusing on literature in contemporary Japan from 1989 to the present, offering fascinating insight into the work of Murakami Haruki, Tawada Yōko, Mizumura Minae, and many others.Consistently structured, each chapter introduces key concepts and literary developments; detailed analysis of selected authors and major works; and helpful bolding throughout of important terms discussed further in the glossary. It also features an invaluable glossary, lists of useful resources, major publications and events, and a bibliography of Further Reading. Written with the dual purposes of a teaching resource and an introductory guide, this is an essential text for students and teachers of Japanese literature and culture.

How is literature like a game, and how are games like literature? Engagements with Literary Gaming examines the cultural significance of these two converging forms, defining the concept of literary gaming for a new narrative, ludic, and media landscape.Narratives have long featured ludic themes, and games are increasingly incorporating narrative structures. As a critical concept, ludonarratology encourages readers and players to consider the meanings behind ludic stories and narrative games. This book begins by examining the “rules” of narratives and games, looking at their shared foundations as well as stressing the impossibility of rules for literature but their necessity for games. The authors address key issues in ludonarrative studies, including adaptations; issues of personal identity, with particular focus on race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality; children’s literature, games, and media; and virtual worlds. The authors offer accessible and engaging case studies throughout, including ones focusing on the Super Mario Bros. franchise, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the videogame Hogwarts Legacy, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, and The Legend of Zelda video games. The book concludes with invaluable insights into the state of literary games and ludic narratives and possible future directions, as well as the roles of readers/players in effecting these new visions.By illuminating the shared foundations of these engrossing pastimes, this stimulating and practical guide is an invaluable resource for students and instructors of literature, film, and games studies.

How is literature like a game, and how are games like literature? Engagements with Literary Gaming examines the cultural significance of these two converging forms, defining the concept of literary gaming for a new narrative, ludic, and media landscape.Narratives have long featured ludic themes, and games are increasingly incorporating narrative structures. As a critical concept, ludonarratology encourages readers and players to consider the meanings behind ludic stories and narrative games. This book begins by examining the “rules” of narratives and games, looking at their shared foundations as well as stressing the impossibility of rules for literature but their necessity for games. The authors address key issues in ludonarrative studies, including adaptations; issues of personal identity, with particular focus on race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality; children’s literature, games, and media; and virtual worlds. The authors offer accessible and engaging case studies throughout, including ones focusing on the Super Mario Bros. franchise, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the videogame Hogwarts Legacy, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, and The Legend of Zelda video games. The book concludes with invaluable insights into the state of literary games and ludic narratives and possible future directions, as well as the roles of readers/players in effecting these new visions.By illuminating the shared foundations of these engrossing pastimes, this stimulating and practical guide is an invaluable resource for students and instructors of literature, film, and games studies.

Engagements with Contemporary Literary and Critical Theory is a wide-ranging but accessible introduction to the key thinkers and theories integral to the study of literature. Organized thematically, the book provides historical introductions and uses a variety of relevant contemporary examples to illuminate the field.Evan Gottlieb contextualizes the latest developments with regard to forms; discourses; subjectivities and embodiments; media, networks, and machines; and animals, affects, objects, and environments. Each chapter elucidates its concepts through in-depth discussions of major contemporary theorists, including Giorgio Agamben, Sara Ahmed, and Catherine Malabou, and uses engaging examples from a canonical novel, a contemporary text, and a new-media artifact to demonstrate theoretical applications. Additional text boxes regularly introduce emerging or overlooked theorists of interest, including Fred Moten and Sianne Ngai. An ideal guide for students of literary and critical theory, this book will give readers the background they need to continue their own explorations of this vibrant field of study.