| This dissertation examines two literary theories prominent in this century, the New Criticism and Reader-Response theory, in terms of their usefulness and implementation in the high school English classroom. An interrogation into the principal assumptions behind these two literary theories comprises Chapter Two. The third chapter features research into the manner in which these literary theories are typically implemented in the high school English classroom. Chapter Four is a consideration of state of the art literature teaching practices advocated by four experts in the field of English education. Chapter Five is comprised of the author's theory- based literature instruction strategies. The lesson plans in Chapter Five provide methods for implementing both the New Criticism and Reader-Response theory at the secondary level. In these literature plans, the basic principles of the New Criticism and Reader-Response theory complement each other.;Furthermore, this rhetorical inquiry into literary theories does address the problems of implementing sound literature instruction in an atmosphere in which test scores often receive top priority from administrators and the public. This dissertation poses the vital question that English teachers ultimately answer for themselves: Why teach literature? The final chapter, Chapter Six, answers this question by weighing the political concerns encountered by high school English teachers against the needs that young people bring with them to the classroom.;The primary emphasis of most of the literature instruction in this dissertation is on the response-centered classroom, created in accordance with Reader-Response theory. Even text-centered literature instruction takes place within the framework of a response-centered classroom. Also, as issues of race, class, and gender arise naturally in many literature discussions, Chapter Five includes plans for literature instruction that involves Marxist and feminist literary theory. Thus the dynamic environment of the response-centered literature classroom establishes a forum for discussion of a broad spectrum of social and literary agendas. |
