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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What form of literary theory tries to bring back voices from the past in an effort to create lost history?

2. What has literary theory tried to do for the classics?

3. Culler explains the nature of discourse on theory as _________.

4. Why are cultural studies and literary theory not at odds with each other?

5. To what types of topics did Foucault attempt to give historical relevance?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the theme of Goethe's work as discussed in "Chapter 1, What is Theory"?

2. Compare the approach used by theorists when analyzing cultural studies versus literary theory.

3. What types of writing topics have been used to create literary theory and why?

4. According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, what does language determine?

5. How do literary theorists explain the procedure used by poetics?

6. According to Rousseau's argument, what does writing have the power to clarify?

7. Why is publishing considered a stamp of approval on a literary work?

8. What is the goal of cultural studies?

9. What do theorists mean when they say that a reader is limited by his "horizon of expectations"?

10. Why does Culler believe that Shakespeare has remained widely read and discussed while other writers from that time period have not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Literary performatives shape the use and meaning of language. Write an essay, examining the following:

1) What are the rules of literary performatives?

2) What is accomplished by literary performatives?

3) Why is the study of literary performatives significant to literature?

Essay Topic 2

According to Aristotle, three different plot points should appear in any good novel.

1) Identify these plot points.

2) Define these plot points.

3) Analyze why they are important to the structure of a novel.

Essay Topic 3

The purpose of literary theory is multifaceted yet does not always provide a conclusive result. Write an essay discussing:

1) The various facets of literary theory.

2) What literary theory aims to accomplish.

3) The end result of literary theory.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 625 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample