formalism

Formalism (also known as New Criticism)
A Basic Approach to Reading and Understanding Literature
Formalist theory has dominated the American literary scene for most of the twentieth century and has
retained its great influence in many academic quarters. Its practitioners advocate methodical and systematic readings
of texts. The major premises of New Criticism include: literature exists as "art for art's sake," a written work's
"content = its form," and literary works are "texts in and for themselves." These premises lead to the development of
reading strategies that isolate and objectify the overt structures of texts as well as authorial techniques and language
usage. Through "isolated" and "objective" readings, New Criticism aims to classify, categorize, and catalog works
according to their "formal" attributes. Along the way, New Criticism wants to pull out and discuss any "universal"
truths that literary works might hold concerning what has been popularly called "the human condition." These truths
are considered by New Critics to be static, enduring, and applicable to all humanity. Leading new critics include I.A.
Richards, Cleanth Brooks, Northrop Frye, John Crowe Ransom, T.S. Eliot, and Roman Jacobsen. These thinkers
consider literature to be a "language game" in which communication becomes semi-transparent. They reject
Impressionism, moral tones, and philological studies, and believe that written works should work mostly on the
intellect. The rise of New Criticism coincides with that of modern literature, probably because of the popularity of
the "art for art's sake" maxim. Formalists value poetry rich in ambiguity, irony, and intention, and want to make
literary criticism a science. This last projection introduces the concept of "expert readers" into interpretive theory.
Current theorists tend to criticize Formalism for this and other symptoms of narrow-mindedness; still, they canot
deny that New Criticism has left a lasting impression on American literary scholarship. Its terminology continues as
the basis for most "literary" education in the United States, and other critical approaches to reading and critiquing
literature depend upon a reader's familiarity with these terms to articulate their findings.
Glossary of major Formalist literary terms
Character--creation and representation of fictional persons and entities
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antagonist--the main villain
antihero--a central sympathetic character with significant personal flaws
dynamic--changing, growing, active
flat--not well-developed
protagonist--the main character the audience is expected to sympathize with
round--well-developed
static--not growing or changing, an inactive personality
symbolic--caricature that is representative of certain kinds of people
Figures of speech--various expressive devices used in lieu of plain prose for vivid depiction
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allegory--parallel story with underlying moral or message
analogy--extended comparison of things or events with other things and events
irony--paradoxical events, ideas, or attitudes that are played off against each other
sarcasm--making serious fun of things, ideas, people, or events
satire--synthesis of heavily developed ironies and sarcasms
metaphor--brief or extended comparison of something with something else
metonymy--comparison/contrast of a part with the whole (as in "he gave up the sword" to indicate leaving a life
of warfare)
personification--comparing inanimate things to people
simile--something or someone is "as a" something else
symbolism--using inanimate or imagined things to stand for real situations
intangible--imaginary or "mental" symbols
tangible--physical or "actual" symbols
synecdoche--comparison of the whole with one or more of its parts (as in saying "the smiling year" to indicate
springtime)
Imagery--specific details used to describe characters, situations, things, ideas, or events
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hearing--images that make you hear sounds in your mind
seeing--images that draw mental pictures
smelling--images that bring the memories of odors and aromas to mind
Writing Center
Armstrong Atlantic State University
last updated September 14, 2004
Formalism (also known as New Criticism)
A Basic Approach to Reading and Understanding Literature
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tasting--images that make you recall or imagine how something might taste
touching--images that help you imagine how something might feel on your skin
extrasensory--images that take you to an imaginary world of sensations
Plot--a series of events or happenings that organize a text
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climax--the main event in a text
complicated--characterized by many twists and turns
conflict--plot features that demonstrate human rivalries and difficulties
external--conflicts that are active, perhaps physical or overtly expressed
internal--conflicts that are passive, perhaps mental or covertly expressed
denouement--what happens as a result of the climax, the "fallout" or "payoff"
foreshadowing--plot features that predict other events, like the climax or denouement
implausible--fantastic plots that are not acceptable in the everyday sense of reality
plausible--believable, everyday plots
simple--arranged with few twists and turns
Point of view--perspective of the controlling narrative voice
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first person--narrative voice that speaks with "I/we/us" pronouns
limited omniscience--narrator who doesn't know everything
objective--narrator who tries to tell story from an impersonal point of view
omniscient--narrator who presumes to know the ultimate truth of the story
reliable--narrator who can be trusted to tell the truth and be objective
subjective--narrator who admits that personal factors have affected interpretation
third person--narrative voice that uses "he/she/they" pronouns
unreliable--narrator who cannot be trusted to tell the truth or be objective
Setting--atmosphere, historical period, physical setting, or mood of text
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place--physical or psychical locations of events, things, characters, and historical times
time--physical or psychical progression of events
ahistorical--not grounded in any "real" historical period; imaginary or fantasy
chronological--linear telling of events
backward--starting at the end and working toward the beginning
forward--starting at the beginning and working toward the end
circular--a reflection that begins anywhere, goes to the end, works its way to the beginning, and eventually gets
back to where it started
flashbacks--looking back into time
historical--grounded in a "real" historical time period
in media res--beginning more or less in the middle of events
projections--looking forward into time
fragmented--going back and forth in time with combinations of chronologies
atmosphere--physical and external descriptions that help us better understand the setting
mood--emotional and internal descriptions that help us better understand the setting
Theme--a major idea or message in the text
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controlling idea--the major theme of a work
related ideas--subthemes that contribute to the development of the main idea
separate issues--ideas not directly related to the main idea or subthemes, but that are nevertheless important and
contribute to the overall success of the text
Writing Center
Armstrong Atlantic State University
last updated September 14, 2004