A1. Introduction

Dr. Erika L. Bass, editor

This free and open access textbook introduces readers to the knowledge and skills necessary to critically read, interpret, and analyze literature. The editor--Erika L. Bass--chose these readings to orient readers to important concepts and literature genres, as well as develop writing skills. While these chapters were chosen from other OER textbooks, I took care in selecting the chapters that are relevant to course objectives and will help students transfer skills from one class to the next, regardless of major.

The primary audience for this textbook is anyone who is interested in learning about critical thinking and how that can be translated to literature interpretation and analysis. Moreover, this book is designed specifically to cater to students enrolled in ENGLISH 2120: Critical Writing About Literature at the University of Northern Iowa. Regardless of what brought you to this resource, I invite you to engage with the readings and the activities as you work through the text. No matter what your background is with reading and writing about literature, this text is designed to be an introduction to the basic skills needed to critically read and analyze any piece of literature.

This text is divided into several sections. First, you will find an introductory section that introduces readers to the connection between reading, writing, and critical thinking. This section is first, so readers gain an understanding of the purpose of the text. The second section is focused on reading and analyzing fiction, a way to orient readers to the elements of analysis that can be transferred to other genres of literature. Third, readers will learn about reading and analyzing poetry; knowing poetry is often intimidating to students new to critical analysis, this section is designed to make poetry accessible to all skill levels. Finally, the book ends with a section focused on reading and analyzing drama. At the end of the book, you will find a glossary of literary terms that can be useful as you craft your own writing about the literature we read.

While this textbook is designed for a specific course at the University of Northern Iowa, it can be useful to anyone who has an interest in or is teaching a course on critical reading and writing about literature. I would love to hear about your experiences with this textbook (erika.bass@uni.edu), as a student or a teacher, so that I can make improvements to future editions. My hope is that you will find the following chapters useful to your development as a critical thinker, reader, and writer. Enjoy!

Author Bio: Erika L. Bass is an Assistant Professor of English Education at University of Northern Iowa where she specializes in teacher preparation, writing instruction, and rural education. Her research interests include rural writers, preparing secondary preservice teachers, and writing instruction. She serves as the co-advisor for the UNI student branch of the Iowa Council of Teachers of English and works with the Iowa Writing Project. Her current projects include a study of the influence of a place-based curriculum on rural high school students and preparing English Language Arts teachers to be teachers of writing.