Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) is the most prominent figure in contemporary philosophical and literary debate. He originates a trend-breaking theory of deconstruction. He opines the persistence in west European philosophical tradition of what he labels is logocentric metaphysics of presence. He argues that the different theories of philosophy, from…

Examines the implications of structuralism for reading and English instruction. Argues that, according to Structuralism, literature worth reading confronts readers with the gap between writing and thought and forces them to consider their own thinking and, in a larger sense, their own place within the culture. (MM)

Contrasts "layering" and "assimilating" models of learning, preferring the model in which new information is affected by and fused with previous knowledge. Considers how literature study can contribute to cognitive growth, calling for the focused use of in-class discussion to help students arrive at profound responses to literature. (DMM)

Discusses structuralism and liberal humanism and states that both are based upon moral and metaphysical positions. (DF)

Presents an accessible overview of modernism, postmodernism, and post-structuralism. Describes their characteristics, identifies how conceptions of literacy have changed as an outcome of post-structural and postmodern influences, and describes what literacy instruction looks like within each movement. (SR)

Discusses folklore as the basis for literary study. Discusses two major theoretical positions on folklore universals--behaviorism and structuralism--and applies the two theories to literary analysis. (FL)

Suggests that contemporary critical literary theories such as hermaneutics, reader-response, speech-act, structuralism, and deconstructionism share with pre-Platonic Eleatic thought a distrust of cause-and-effect reasoning and an emphasis on paradox. (MM)

Notes the advantages of using a structuralist approach in poetry instruction. Shows how a structuralist approach makes the reader conscious of operating within a network of signifying systems, and of the relation of those patterns to larger, "external" signifying systems. (RL)

Stressing the importance of choosing either a child-centered or a subject-centered orientation in developing a children's literature program, this paper discusses the characteristics of child-centered and subject-centered approaches to literature and then focuses on the dominant literary theories of structuralism and revisionism. Maintaining that…

An extension of conversations that originally took place at summer institutes devoted to literary theory (sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English), this book presents diverse critical perspectives on current topics of literature, such as post-structuralism, cultural criticism, reader-response theory, and issues of gender and…

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the work of Hungarian literary critic and philosopher Georg Lukacs to teachers of children's literature. The first half of the paper explores the key ideas in Lukacs's literary theory, including "speciality"--an aspect of reality that falls between the extremes of individuality and universality;…

Focusing on the notion that the author supplies the words in a text while the reader supplies the meaning, this issue contains essays that combine literary theories with classroom practices. Following an introduction by R. E. Fitch, articles include "Teaching a Western: Jack Schaefer's 'Shane'" (J. R. Ruff); "Pragmatic Criticism in…

Examining how teachers help students respond to short fiction, this book presents 25 essays that look closely at "teachable" short stories by a diverse group of classic and contemporary writers. The approaches shared by the contributors move from readers' first personal connections to a story, through a growing facility with the…