Introducing literature: Ways of reading

What is literature? Does it have more to do with the texts we read, or the way we read them? In this unit you will develop foundational skills in the close reading and critical analysis of literary texts from a range of periods and genres that will also advance your understanding of the role of critical reading in shaping ideas of literary value. Through a selection of works by celebrated authors, you will learn key skills and concepts in Literary Studies, including an appreciation of how different ways of reading reveal different aspects of literary texts in relation to broader sociopolitical, economic, and cultural forces. By engaging critically with genres such as fiction, poetry, drama, and/or non-fiction, you will develop crucial skills in analysing literary language and understanding the relationship of literary form to broader cultural, political, and historical forces. By engaging in class discussion and group activities, you will build your skills in communicating ideas about both individual literary texts and the role of literature in a changing world, with opportunities for creative writers to reflect critically on their practice through exercises based around texts studied in the unit.