Designed for upper level courses in theory and criticism often required of English majors, this survey of key critical approaches to literature offers a fresh and accessible approach to the major movements in criticism. How to Interpret Literature updates the standard approaches to criticism, such as Structuralism, Deconstruction, Psychoanalysis and Feminism, and introduces cutting-edge areas of study for both student and instructor, such as Queer Studies, Postcolonial Studies, and Reader Response Theory. The informal tone engages readers and helps them to grasp the intimate connections not only between critical theory and their studies, but also its application to their lives outside the classroom. The volume is a nice counterpoint to our often-used and more formal work by Guerin et al, A Handbook Of Critical Approaches to Literature 5e, (OUP 12/04)