Assignment 5

Summary of Tackling Textuality – With Theory by Peter Barry

In Peter Barry’s article, “Tackling Textuality – With Theory” The Use of English (Vol. 52, Nr. 1, Autumn 2000), he claims that the traditional way of interpreting or “close reading” a literary work is not sufficiently to come to a full understanding of the text. In the article he argues in favor of literary theory, which, in his opinion, is a tool we have to apply when studying a literary work. He begins by enumerating the traditional steps in the interpretation of a text without the influences of theory. Barry mentions the study of the structure; both in the large and the small scale, the difference between meaning and significance and between metaphorical and literal reading, and also how the genre of the literary work influences the interpretation, and the importance of apprehending possible linguistic changes. After acknowledging the fact that these rules are very important, Barry writes that they are still not enough, and then continues on explaining how literary theory can help to explain four views on the connection between literature and the outside world, which is something that the traditional approach cannot do, as it only interprets the text itself. These views include history, language, gender and psychoanalysis. He goes on explaining how each one of them is put into practice by using a famous poem by William Shakespeare. Barry explains the relationship between literature and language further, as he claims that it involves an extremely useful tool when interpreting a text, which is destructive reading. This term basically means that one examines if the text in any way contradicts itself, or if something in it distrubs the balance of the text. To demonstrate how this is done, Barry uses another example of a poem by Adrienne Rich, and examines it from the view of destructive reading. Firstly he evaluates the contradictions, then the linguistic quirks and aporia, which are parts where the language acts differentely. Changes in character and opinion are also important to consider in the means of destructive reading, as well as absence and default. As a conclusion Barry belies his encouragement of exploring a text by applying literary theory, by admitting it can be intricate trying to sort out all the problems it creates. However, then he emphasizes the knowledge one will possess when having succeeded to solve the problems, and that it also can turn out to be rather entertaining.

Keywords: close reading, traditional approach, literary theory, destructive reading, language.

Wordcount: 397