A Short Guide to Writing About Literature

by Sylvan Barnet, William E. Cain

Part of Longman's successful Short Guide Series, A Short Guide to Writing about Literature emphasizes writing as a process and incorporates new critical approaches to writing about literature. The twelfth edition continues to offer students sound advice on how to become critical thinkers and enrich their reading response through accessible, step-by-step instruction.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Textbooks, Literature, Literary Criticism, School

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Sylvan Barnet is an American literary critic and Shakespearean scholar. He is a Fletcher Professor of English Emeritus at Tufts University.

Barnet is the author of numerous books and articles on Shakespeare. He is the general editor of the Signet Classics Shakespeare,[1] the author of A Short Guide to Shakespeare,[2] and has written many textbooks. He is the co-author with William Burto of occasional essays on aspects of Japanese art.[3] He has also written books about the art of writing.

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was assigned this book for my AP English class in high school and found it informative at the time despite its having been an imposition rather than a choice. Returning to it nearly 35 years later, I am struck by the relevance of the examples and advice about writing (many of the rules I am most likely violating in the present review). What I find particularly quaint is all the references to typewriters (remember those?) and I then recall that back in 1985-1987 when I encountered A Short Guide, laptops were still about 10 years in the future.

Sylvan Barnet writes in a crystal-clear style about writing about literature, poetry, theater, and art and despite this book's aim towards high school or first-year English majors, it still talks to me as an avid reader and amateur book reviewer. Hopefully, my GR book reviews will improve after re-exposure to this teaching classic.

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I thought I enjoyed most about this book was the simple and easy-to-understand way it presented the theories on writing about literature. But then, I've read several books about writing or reading and so most of the topics presented here were just reminders and that probably made my reading easy. However, the excerpts or short stories used as examples were spot on. It made me think that the authors, Sylvan Banet and William E. Cain must really know their stuff to come out with the choicest examples that are available. One noteworthy short story was James Joyce (1882-1941) obscure short story, Araby. I liked it very very much.

The book is composed of 15 chapters. Each chapter is introduced with scintillating quotes on literature by famous authors. My favorites are the following:

"A novel that does not uncover a hitherto unknown segment of existence is immoral. Knowledge is the novel's only morality."- Milan Kundera

I found this striking because this was also mentioned by our local well-admired author, F. Sionil Jose. Authors have the role to inform the public.

"Fiction is nothing less than the subtlest instrument for self-examination and self-display that mankind has yet invented."-John Updike

I think this is true. When we write something that we know and have been doing for many years, we still find something to improve or just to ponder.

"Reading a book is like re-writing it for yourself... You bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and you read it in your own terms."- Angela Carter

So why was it that this young group of writers complain about how we treat their book? There is this new group of writers here in Manila that went berserk because we criticized their work. They took this personally.

"The best of all ways to make one's reading valuable is to write about it."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

That's why I am writing reviews.

"The Golden Rules of writing: Read, read, read, and Write, write, write."- Ernest Gaines.

That's why I read unceasingly and write as soon I finish a book.

Each chapter ends with a summary of the points in the chapter: "A Quick Review" and peppered with a lot of "Rules for Writers."

It is nice to have many siblings.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very basic material. This would have been good for an introductory literature class.

[Bloodorange · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars rounded up for its practicality. The style of writing about literature it proposes isn't very practical for my students, but the book is a great primer, and can be invaluable for a young teacher. I particularly enjoyed the author's propositions of analysed extracts. While it isn't perhaps groundbreaking, and is kinda hard to get, I actually find myself using fragments from various chapters, which is way more than I can say about similar books I read.

[Alex Khlopenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introductory course for those about to start writing reviews and literary critique.

And don't forget - most of the modern critique theory came from feminism and anti-colonialism, not your harvards and oxfords.

[Ji Mei · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't read all of this textbook, but it was okay, I guess. I mean, who ever really thinks textbooks are amazing unless they got personality.

[Francis Arvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This for me is a very good introduction to literary criticism.

[Katie Hamstead · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a text book. Don't know what to say about that.

[Bookshire Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main part was OK (although too easy). But why should there be a part about grammar in every textbook? Is it really necessary to teach undergrads what the comma splice or complex/compound sentence is? They should already know that! Also, the part about digital sources is outdated = useless.

[Nathan Nicolau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good textbook. Dry in some parts, but gives a great overview on its subject. Even as someone who studied writing and literature for years, I learned new things in this text.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This, used in conjunction with other literary theory books, is an excellent textbook to use when teaching college students. The citation pages near the back are incredibly helpful and this book reenforces what we already know how to do. It discusses paraphrasing, research, and many more topics.

Overall grade: 4/5.

[jacky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I believe I was told to by this for a college class, although I think I have an earlier edition. That our I bought it at the book fair they used to have each spring in May Hall. I haven't really used it much since I was used to the other handbooks I already have.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library when needing to write an English paper. I loved it so much I bought my own copy before having to turn in the first. Simple to understand and specific examples make it concrete. I will use this in all my English teaching.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise and highly readable introduction to the core concepts of critical reading and critical writing. I use bits of it throughout the high school curriculum.

[Noelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is definitely readable for anyone, but a little dense. Also, most of the examples weren't very good, so that kind of ruined it for me. A good tool for a beginner to writing college essays.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I liked this, as text books go. But mostly, I am just tracking my text books because I will never hit my yearly reading goal without them, since school takes up all my reading time.