First literature came to refer only to itself, the literary theory.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Literary theory has become a parody of science, generating its own arcane jargon. In the process, tragically, it discourages love of literature for its own sake.
I'm not that well-versed in literary theory - I don't know what it is.
Literature is the question minus the answer.
I start with theory rather than people. I don't like novels which have no theoretical or philosophical underpinning. I hate the contemporary novel where people just sit and talk to each other about their relationships.
I think literary theory has not been terribly good for English studies in a while. It's not that theory isn't interesting, but it isn't about books, or the idiosyncrasies and complexities of putting language together.
His theory was that non-fiction could be as artful as fiction.
Literature precedes genre.
Before college, I hadn't voluntarily read anything that might be called literature; I didn't think I'd understand it; I never seemed to understand my English teacher's interpretations of what we read.
Calling one thing 'literature' and another 'fiction' is a way to create status where there is none.
We believed that to understand literature, you had to understand its place in history and culture.