Literature that reflects the classic canon — and the new. This well-balanced selection of stories, poems, and plays offers the essential classics you expect to see along with many newer works. Recent literature and works by authors outside of the U.S. are highlighted in albums of contemporary and world literature. Praised by instructors and enjoyed by students, this collection is as inclusive as it is lively.
Many options for teaching include chapters on the literary elements that help students understand, read, and write about literature. In-depth chapters connect students with authors such as Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and Billy Collins through multiple works by the authors, then reflections on these works and excerpts from their drafts, along with commentaries by other writers and scholars. Additional case studies bring literature to life through (1) vivid cultural images and documents, (2) critical perspectives, and (3) themes that students will respond to — love and humor.
Unsurpassed reading and writing help includes 7 sample close readings that model the kind of critical reading that is the foundation of academic writing about literature. Seven chapters discuss every step of the writing process and a generous selection of MLA-style student papers (30 in all), including a paper-in-progress, model techniques for analyzing and arguing about literature. More than 2,000 assignments offer more occasions for writing than any other comparable anthology.