Making Sense of Literary and Cultural Texts

Making Sense of Literary and Cultural Texts provides readers with practical interpretive strategies to understand the fundamental practices that define literary and cultural studies. Barry Laga clearly explains each approach and demonstrates how readers can apply these methods to various texts, making complex analytical techniques accessible.

This innovative guide examines the conceptual frameworks that influence how we read, while addressing why literary and cultural works can sometimes feel challenging or confusing. The guide helps students unpack textual features, place works in relevant contexts, and engage in common scholarly projects. It explores specific interpretive strategies through three parts. In part one readers learn ways to engage in close reading. Part two considers a text’s relationship with the author, other texts, peer groups, contexts, frameworks, value systems, and social structures. Part three unearths how readers can use textual studies, employ digital humanities, imitate works, and judge merit and quality. The concrete, foundational approach gives students the tools they need to engage confidently with literary and cultural works.

Drawing on the rich and varied landscape of contemporary criticism, this is an essential resource for students beginning literary studies courses, or as a supplement to literature, film, theatre, or art courses. The book’s flexible design allows instructors to use it either as a primary “how to interpret” textbook or as supplementary material to a wide range of courses that invite students to interpret literary and cultural texts.

Barry Laga is Professor of English at Colorado Mesa University, USA, where he teaches literary theory, American literature, film studies, and composition. He is also author of Using Key Passages to Understand Literature, Theory, and Criticism (2019).