Exploring Literature: Writing and Arguing about Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay (4th Edition)

Culturally rich and diverse literature, comprehensive coverage of the writing process, and strong coverage of arguing about literature describe this anthology.  The first five chapters are dedicated to writing and arguing about literature followed by an anthology organized around five themes:  Family and Friends; Innocence and Experience; Women and Men; Culture and Identity; and Faith and Doubt.  Case studies on the work of significant writers and their life and times end every thematic section.  Changes to the new edition include the integration of MyLiteratureLab, Pearson's state-of-the-art, web-based interactive learning system; a more unified, step-by-step presentation of the writing process; new selections from contemporary and global writers; an enhanced discussion of peer review; and double the number of "Connecting through Comparison" subtheme clusters throughout the anthology.

Exploring Literature
Writing and Arguing About Fiction, Drama, Poetry and the Essay
Fourth Edition

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