"Criticism asks what literature is, what it does, and what it is worth."
- Encyclopedia Britannica
Literary criticism analyzes, interprets, and evaluates works of literature. Though you most often find criticism in the form of an essay, in-depth book reviews may also be considered criticism. Criticism may analyze an individual work of literature. It may also examine an author’s body of work.
Authors present us with work that can have multiple meanings, expecting us to consider thoughtfully - to interpret. Writers and critics build on each others' understanding of a work of literature in a kind of dialog. Good criticism can help us develop a better understanding of a work. In addition, it can help us develop a point of view about a work, whether or not we agree with the opinions of the critic.
When looking at literary criticism, check for:
AVOID these types of sources - they are NOT literary criticism:
“The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara
“Everyday Use” by Alice Walker
“Bicycles, Muscles, Cigarettes” by Raymond Carver
“Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid
“Salvador Late or Early” by Sandra Cisneros
“The Dune” by Stephen King
“Thank You Ma'am” by Langston Hughes
“EPICAC” by Kurt Vonnegut
"Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara
“The Treasure of Lemon Brown” by Walter Dean Myers
“The Tell-tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe