LIT-300 at Southern New Hampshire University is an introduction to the major schools of contemporary critical theory and to their principal exponents.
The catalog lists psychoanalytic criticism, Marxism and feminism, plus the meaning of structuralism and post-structuralism, and says students practice applying theory to specific literary texts.
Most students find the reading itself the obstacle. Theory is dense and abstract, so the useful strategy is to reduce each school to a few questions and then test those questions on a short text.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Southern New Hampshire University |
| Course code | LIT-300 |
| Credits | 3 |
| Level | Upper-level undergraduate |
| Prerequisites | ENG-120 or ENG-130, plus LIT-200 or LIT-250 (or permission of instructor or dean) |
| Offering | SNHU lists it as offered every spring term |
| Typical work | Reading responses and application essays (general; check your term) |
What LIT-300 Covers
| Theory | Core question |
|---|---|
| Psychoanalytic criticism | Unconscious motives, repression and symbols in a text |
| Marxist criticism | Class, economic structures and ideology in literature |
| Feminist criticism | Gender, power and the representation of women and men |
| Structuralism | Texts as systems of signs and underlying structures |
| Post-structuralism | Instability of meaning, binaries and what a text cannot quite say |
| Application | Using a theory to read a specific literary work |
Key Concepts Explained
Theory as a Set of Questions
Each school gives you questions to ask a text. Marxist: who has power, and how is that shown? Feminist: whose voice is heard? Post-structuralist: where does the text contradict itself? Write these on one page and keep it beside your reading.
Illustration (invented scenario): In a story where a servant speaks little and a master speaks often, a Marxist reading asks how dialogue distribution reflects class power, while a feminist reading asks whether gender complicates it. Same scene, two questions, two claims.
Structuralism Versus Post-Structuralism
Structuralism looks for the system behind meaning, such as pairs of opposites. Post-structuralism asks whether those pairs hold, and notices where the text undermines its own certainties. A simple way to remember: structure first, then trouble the structure.
Applying Without Name-Dropping
You do not need a pile of theorists' names. Explain the one idea you are using in your own words, then show it working on a passage.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Reading responses | Understanding the theoretical text | Summarize the argument in three sentences, then pose one question or objection |
| Application essay | Using a theory to read a literary work | State the theory, quote a passage, show what the theory reveals, and note its limits |
| Comparison of theories | Seeing what each lens notices or misses | Apply two lenses to the same short passage in parallel paragraphs |
| Final paper or project | Sustained argument | Plan early, check the prompt for required sources and keep the thesis narrow |
How to Read a Dense Theory Text
Read the first and last paragraphs first to find the argument. Then read in sections, writing a one-line summary in the margin. Look for the author's key terms and write a plain-English definition of each.
If a paragraph still does not make sense, move on and return after you have seen the example the author uses. Many theorists build the idea through a case, and the case unlocks the abstraction.
Comparing the Schools at a Glance
A comparison table is a good revision tool. Fill it in from your own notes and readings, and keep the questions short so you can recall them under pressure.
| School | Typical question | Possible limit of the lens |
|---|---|---|
| Psychoanalytic | What desires or fears drive the text? | Risk of reading every detail as a symbol |
| Marxist | How are class and economics shown? | May overlook form and style |
| Feminist | Whose voice and agency are represented? | Needs care with historical context |
| Structuralist | What system of oppositions organizes meaning? | Can flatten a text's particulars |
| Post-structuralist | Where does the text undermine itself? | Can seem to avoid any firm conclusion |
Structure of an Application Paragraph
Open with the claim, name the theoretical idea in one clause, quote a short passage, show what the idea reveals, and end with the significance. If the idea strains against the text, say so: noticing a limit is often the sign of a careful reader.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Jargon without meaning. If you cannot restate a term in plain words, you are not ready to use it.
- Theory laid over the text. The text should push back; show where the lens fits and where it strains.
- Mixing schools unintentionally. Keep each paragraph tied to a single theoretical idea.
- Too broad a thesis. Choose one passage or motif, not the whole novel.
Study Tips for LIT-300
- Make a one-page table of the schools, their key questions and one key term each.
- Practice on a short poem or scene before tackling a novel.
- Write a plain-English summary of each assigned theory in under 100 words.
- Ask what the lens leaves out; naming limits strengthens an essay.
How We Help with LIT-300
Send the reading, the assignment prompt, your notes and the rubric. A literature writer can explain a theory in plain language, prepare a custom essay showing how to apply it to your text, or review your draft for clarity and evidence. For general essay support see our critical analysis essay help guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
SNHU lists ENG-120 or ENG-130, plus LIT-200 or LIT-250, or permission of the instructor or dean.
The catalog names psychoanalytic criticism, Marxism and feminism, and the meaning of structuralism and post-structuralism.
SNHU's catalog says every spring term. Check current availability when you plan.
It is more abstract. LIT-200 introduces approaches; LIT-300 examines the theories behind them and asks you to apply them.
Name the theory, explain the idea you will use in your own words, then introduce the passage you will analyze.
Yes. We can explain a theory in plain language and show how it applies to a text, as a study aid.