By Carleen B. Grossman

Over the years as I have taught Children’s Literature, I have maintained that children’s literature is worthy of literary criticism on the same terms as adult literature. Some years ago, I compiled four major guidelines for my students to use for critically reading, categorically discussing, and evaluatively writing for the literature that we cover in our class. The literary reviewing criticisms that I selected for this reviewing process were:

Psychological / Sociological / Archetypal / Structural

Although other forms of criticism exist, these four selected types are common to the field of literary criticism. My main premise in offering this framework is based upon the supposition that employing some of these techniques of literary criticism will prevent mere surface responses and will broaden and deepen the students’ ability to deal with literature.

I discuss some of the cautions of each style with the students before they use any of the reviewing techniques.  Various considerations deal with:

I. PSYCHOLOGICAL

• Terminology is sometimes thought to be vulgar.
• Focus is on the artist rather than the work.
• This style is dealt with mostly in literary classics, nursery rhymes, and folktales.

• Emphasis is on social environment, sometimes ignoring the artistry.
• This style may dwell on propaganda.
• Static techniques might evolve form this style.

III. ARCHETYPAL

• This style mixes social sciences.
• Too many symbols might be focused upon.
• The style might consolidate too many archetypes.

IV. STRUCTURAL

• This style uses mechanical methods of analysis.
• An absolute statement of meaning is often implied.
• Terminology is not humanistic.

Within the selected styles, I have the students consider such components as:

PSYCHOLOGICAL: Projection / Interpretation / Realism / Relationalism

SOCIOLOGICAL: Socialism / Judgmentalism / Classification / Propaganda

ARCHETYPAL: Thematic (Interpretation) / Referencing / Universality /
Allegorical (Interpretation)

STRUCTURAL: Theme / Setting / Style / Plot(s) / Characterization

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There are many ways in which literature may be studied. I find that when these approaches are used, the processes of critical thinking and critical reading have a greater interplay in the teaching of literature!