The Inauguration

Welcome to I Might Be Wrong, a blog predominantly dedicated to the discussion and confusion of literary theory. For the most part I'm anticipating this blog to simply deal with subjects of academia however there does remain the possibility that as things catch my interest they appear as well.

Yet this initial post will remain on topic, specifically my initial thoughts on literary theory and its applications in the world of literature studies. I feel that theory is a necessary evil when it comes to reading and attempting to dissect works of literature. Theory is a way to make literature more systematic yet it also opens it up to be intellectually analyzed in great depths.

As mentioned I feel it gives the analysis and study of literature some structure in that it provides people with specific ways to look at works. Rather than read a novel and be overwhelmed by all of its complexities, one can look at it, if they choose, from a strictly Marxist perspective or a structuralist perspective, or another type of theory. This specificity allows the reader to focus in on certain dynamics of the text and reach conclusions that they may not have seen or even had known were within the work prior to the theory approach. The preceding statement is what I mean when I refer to theory broadening the scope of literary analysis while also systematizing it. By looking at a work from a certain perspective you think differently about the text, and enable yourself to see aspects within a novel that, without theory, you would have never noticed.

However I did describe theory as a necessary evil, and as of now I'll stick by that description. Personally I think that at times people seem to dig too deep into works of literature while using theory, at times finding messages that may not actually be in the text. Theory seems as though it can be used to get across an agenda; a critic looks over a text with a particular message and through the use of deep theoretical analysis is able to find their point within a classic work. This somewhat pessimistic view is one of a theory rookie, and maybe over the semester you'll see a different impression of theory in the postings of this blog.