Critical Encounters of the Literary Kind

“The purpose of teaching literary theory at the secondary level is not to turn adolescents into critical theorists; rather, it is to encourage adolescents to inhabit theories comfortable enough to construct their own readings and to learn to appreciate the power of multiple perspectives. Literary theory can help secondary literature classrooms become sites of constructive and transactive activity, where students approach texts with curiosity, authority, and initiative.” — Deborah Appleman in Critical Encounters in Secondary English: Teaching Literary Theory to Adolescents, 3rd edition (2015).

As an English major in college. I studied my fair share of poetry. I recall my Victorian literature professor putting Gerard Manley Hopkins before us and inviting us to tell him (the professor) what the poem meant. I do not recall the specific poem, but I easily recall this moment as being one of several instances in which we were asked to articulate the meaning of the poem. There was one right answer, apparently, and as I often failed to provide that one correct interpretation, I learned to loathe poetry.

Setting aside my professor’s instructivist approach, for which I cannot fault him because I came to love much of what we studied in his class and because I assume that is how he was taught to teach, the prospect that text is limited to one meaning irrespective of the reader is what closed the door on poetry for me. So, it came as no surprise to me that I would be so excited to study literary theory. I am particularly drawn to Deborah Appleman’s calls for exploring literature through a variety of lenses, or theories.

Admittedly, when I first embarked on digesting the third edition of Critical Encounters in Secondary English, I was as emboldened by the call to teach contemporary literary theories as much as I was overwhelmed. When I read her assertion that “the best way to uncover and explore these ideologies as they are found in literature is through the explicit teaching of contemporary literary theory,” I thought, Yes! Naturally! (p.3) I want to provide opportunities for my students to learn how to interpret whatever they are reading, fiction and nonfiction, from varied perspectives. I want to guide them to make meaning of their readings in ways that are relevant to them. And I want to learn from them as we embrace that task.

A few paragraphs later, I thought, oh, how is that not overwhelming for students? After all, the word “theory” alone seems to make some people cringe. Add “theory” to an English class and students’ eyes could glaze over before they walk in the door for day two. But the deeper into the second chapter I got, the more realistic, practical, and invigoratingly plausible the possibilities became. For one, Appleman herself reflects that she introduces interpretation through various theories strategically and over time—which I interpret to mean “when it makes sense to do so,” and not everyday. And, she supports readers like me through real classroom experiences, templates, and candor. Critical Encounters is pep talk meets practicum meets keeping it real all in one.

These days I wonder how different my experience with poetry would have been had my professor invited multiple perspectives into Hopkins and encouraged readings through various points of view. I know how some theorists have interpreted Hopkins’ work but given that I myself will never know him, I cannot say for sure what he implied through his poetry. Moreover, only Hopkins knew whether he wrote with one meaning or wanted his audience to make their own meaning from his work. A modern-day poet and favorite singer of mine, Sarah McLachlan once said that “music is very nebulous, and you can conjure up a lot of moods with music. But lyrics - they're a lot more tangible. They're much more specific. And you want to say something meaningful and creative and artistic and that tells a story and that takes people someplace else.” Helping people get to that “someplace else” is part of the value of teaching contemporary literary theories to secondary students.