Frank Madden

With engaging selections, provocative themes, and comprehensive coverage of the writing process, Exploring Literature combines practical writing instruction with a carefully selected anthology of classic and contemporary literature from around the world. This new edition weaves critical thinking into every facet of its writing apparatus while guiding you through the process of crafting personal responses into persuasive arguments. The five opening chapters are dedicated to reading, writing, arguing, and researching about literature. Following the opening chapters is an anthology, divided into five thematically-arranged sections that include contextual case studies, writing prompts, and sample student essays to help you approach literature with a critical eye and write thoughtful essays. Exploring Literature assembles stimulating literature and structured advice to create a valuable guide that will not only help you to write about literature, but to improve your writing and thinking processes in general.

NEW TO THE FOURTH EDITION

• A more unified, step-by-step presentation of the writing process in Parts I and II
• Additional discussion of argumentation and logical fallacies
• New anthology selections from contemporary and global writers such as Haruki Murakami, Pablo Neruda, Octavio Paz, Gloria Naylor, Mary Oliver, and Robert Olen Butler
• New “Connecting Through Comparison” sub-theme clusters and over 50 new writing prompts throughout the anthology
• New feature, “Using Research,” provides research topic ideas at the close of each theme
• Fully integrated support for the MyLiteratureLab interactive learning system

“The writing instruction is immediate. The anthology selections are superior. The … ancillary materials (Making Connections, Making Arguments, quotation pages) [are] rich and varied.”

–Donna Townsend, Baker College

Featuring culturally rich and diverse literature, this anthology weaves critical thinking into every facet of its writing apparatus and guides students through the process of crafting their personal responses to literature into persuasive arguments.  

With engaging selections, provocative themes, and comprehensive coverage of writing, Madden's anthology is sure to capture the reader's imagination. Exploring Literature opens with five chapters dedicated to writing and arguing about literature. An anthology follows, organized around five themes. Each thematic unit includes an ethnically diverse collection of short stories, poems, plays, and essays, as well as a case study that explores literature from various perspectives.  For anyone interested in reading and reacting to compelling literature.