69 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A guided tour by an experienced and entertaining teacher, January 1, 2001
This is not some dry academic tome, but is an approachable work with a fresh style. Although I read this outside of the classroom, and both enjoyed and benefited from it, as an experienced instructor, Peter Barry is actually providing a textbook . Each theory includes a 'Stop and Think' section that contains questions which zero in on its essential aspects or weaknesses. Major theorists are discussed and they are placed into a historical and cultural context. Each theory has a concise list of bullet points on what critics of that school actually do, or how they interpret literary works. The chapters conclude with lists of recommended readings, including annotations on their significance and how best to read or approach them.
He does a marvelous job of placing literary theory into a context as the most recent series of attempts to answer questions that have been ongoing at least since Victorian times. The introduction is perhaps the most important part of the book. While someone highly familiar with a particular theory may wish to skip the corresponding chapter, I recommend reading the first chapter. It has helpful advice on critical reading skills, and especially useful suggestions on how to effectively approach a new theory. The second chapter, "Liberal Humanism," is basically a discussion of what critics do who do not partake of a particular theory, which is the historical background against which the theorists are reacting. This chapter is also essential reading, as it concludes with a discussion of recurrent ideas that are common across most literary theories. He sums them up as 1) politics is pervasive, 2) language is constitutive, 3) truth is provisional, 4) meaning is contingent, and 5) human nature is a myth. He suggests that any reader having difficulty grasping a particular theory review this list, as most theory concepts turn out to be some variation of one of these ideas.
My feelings about literary theory are complex and ambivalent. It certainly seems like a tailor-made job security program for uninspired academics (especially Deconstruction). Choosing a career with constant pressure to publish or perish, the appeal of a discipline that accepts completely fanciful interpretations of other's works as legitimate research is undeniable. Even worse, theory is often used to promulgate social and political agenda under the guise of scholarship. In spite of these negative tendencies, several literary theories actually make a certain sense to me, and each of them offers useful insights when carefully applied and not treated as a religious or moral imperative. I encourage the skeptic to read this book also-one doesn't need to accept the validity of each theory in order to benefit from their recognition
The subtitle of "Beginning Theory" includes the words "literary and cultural theory." While Barry concentrates on the literary aspects, the theories he presents are certainly widely applied in much contemporary writing. A level of cultural literacy necessary to fully appreciate the Book Review supplement of major newspapers requires at least nodding familiarity with their concepts and major proponents. The popular understanding of many of the 'isms' of our day, such as 'racism', 'sexism', 'colonialism', certainly have philosophical roots in Marxist criticism. Post-modern critical ideas are widely applied in cultural situations, and like a dead fish, Freudian interpretation always seems to be floating on top of the water. The philosophical and social ideas influenced by these theories are widespread, and are certainly not limited to obscure academic journals on literary criticism-I've concluded that whether I agree with the ideas or not, they are part of an essential cultural vocabulary. (Undoubtedly, the proponents of any particular theory are much harsher on competing theories than any of the readers of this book will be.)
Given my morbid fascination with literary theory, perhaps it isn't surprising that I found this an exciting book. Barry has written what is effectively the Guide Michelin for literary theory. This is an excellent starting point for a difficult topic, and the author's lucid discussion of complex ideas is brilliant. Although his personal opinions occasionally appear in the form of his wry wit, his playful approach to competing theories is relatively open-minded, helping the reader discover both their advantages and internal inconsistencies.
This book is well-written, informative, and an excellent resource. I highly recommend it.
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best introduction to the topic., January 24, 2003
Most books that style themselves as "introductions" to literary theory fall short of their promise, often resorting to the same jargon the novice is trying to decipher or operating on the assumption that the reader already has a background in the field (which would preclude the need for an "introduction"). This is the main flaw with Terry Eagleton's much used "Literary Theory: An Introduction," which is as obscurantist as it is lucid. Peter Barry's "Beginning Theory," on the other hand, is the ideal primer for theoretical studies and is, bar none, the least polemical and most straightforward introduction to critical theory yet written.
Barry takes the reader step-by-step through most of the significant areas of literary theory (passing over reception theory and substituting an analysis of liberal humanism for the New Criticism), explaining their basic theoretical foundations carefully and clearly, with an emphasis on understanding through example rather than unfocused summary. He provides basic examples of what critics try to do when they apply certain methodologies and then demonstrates the methods himself with short analyses. If you have absolutely no background in critical theory, this book is the place to begin. Barry is painstaking without insulting the reader's intelligence.
In short, if you're looking for a readable, thorough examination of the main trends of critical theory, "Beginning Theory" is the best starting point available.
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the one I recommend to my students, November 20, 2004
As a literature professor, I have a professional responsibility to know about literary theory. And let's face it: it's a pretty scary and complex subject, feared by many and mastered by few. In fifteen years in the business, I have read many books about lit crit and literary theory, and Peter Barry's book is BY FAR the best. It is, indeed, "only" an introduction to the subject, rather than an advanced study, but it is brilliantly clear, and blessedly jargon-free.
Barry writes as though his readers are new to the subject, but bright and curious. And he delivers the goods! This is the book I refer to when in doubt, and the book I encourage my graduate students to purchase. I would recommend anyone who is pursuing graduate study in the humanities to own and carefully read this book. If you read this one carefully, you won't need any of the other intro-to-lit-crit books on the market, which simply don't measure up.
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