Thematic Perspective

A presentation by Group 4
Farhah
Haziqah
Dianna
Nazirul
Definition of Theme

1. The main idea or the underlying meaning in a literary work - may be stated directly
or indirectly. (LiteraryDevices Editors, 2013)
2. Theme is “the principle (or locus) of a possible grouping of texts”. (Brinker, 1993,
p.22)

Example: Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter has the theme of “adultery” and “sin
and redemption”.
What is Thematic Perspective?

DEFINITIO
N

1. A form of archaeology (studying the text) that excavates (dig) the layers of a text
and compares that text with those found in other excavations (other texts); it is
almost always comparative (Mendlesohn, 2012, p. 125-133).
● It could focus on one text, but mostly deployed in comparative works so that a
discussion could be created between a small group of texts.
● A mode of reader response criticism and it contributes on extra layer to the
text, the role of the reader who brings through his or her reading and it might
create a pattern that the author did not even imagine it.
Cont...

E X P LA N AT I O N

2. The history of thematic perspective appears to fall into three distinct phases

(Bremond, Landy & Pavel, 1995, p. 1-6).

● 1st phase - it held a prominent place in literary analysis

● 2nd phase - it was swept away by the various formalisms of the sixties and
seventies (eg: Marxist criticism, Feminism criticism, political criticism, etc.)
● 3rd phase - it is making a cautious return to a position of importance
Cont...

3. Thematic refers to the particular part of the whole corpus that needs to be

analysed (Nadia Anwar, 2018, ).

● Corpus means the whole novel, collection of poems, short story, playwright,
etc.
● For example, the themes are extracted out of the excerpts which are then
analysed. The selection of themes is mostly dependent on the research
questions which underscores the interest of the researcher.
● Thus, thematic is an approach which helps identify and analyse repeated
patterns or themes within the text.
Cont...

4. Thematic is simply considered ‘old’ and hopelessly outmoded/outdated

(Sollors, 1993, p. xiii).

● Thematic perspective is regarded so behind the time that it does not even seem
to deserve a rationale or its unwanted.
● This is because, most of the time, if it wants to be seen as desirable perspective
it needs to stand with other perspective or included in, such as feminism
criticism, historical, or even philosophical to make it seems as a rationale
perspective.
Cont...

5. Literary thematic is more concerned with the visible details in the text (Sollors,

1993, p. 123-124).

● For example, in the Scarlet Letter, Hester needs to wear the scarlet letter A on
her chest as a symbol of the mistake that she has done and this made the
villagers to avoided her.
● This example shows how it gives symbolism through the words that exist in
the text and semiotic (relating the words as signs and symbols/their use of
interpretation).
● Which it needs to relate with the symbols that could be found in the text.
Several assumptions related to Thematic Perspective
(Pavel, 1993, p. 127-128)
1. It suffices for the critic to see a theme, conspicuous or
inconspicuous, in a text, in order for that theme to be, arguably,
there - it recognises the theme are permeated by interpretation.
2. Any theme is or can be relevant - central themes are of no interest,
marginal ones become the most revealing.
3. The theme thus identified (central or marginal) reveal social
attitude: the author's, his social group's, or the entire society.
The Advocators of Thematic Perspective

Nadia Anwar Braun and Clarke

It can draw themes from Can be conducted inductively and
motivation, experiences and theoretically
simple meanings.
REFERENCES
Bremond, Landy, & Pavel. (1995). Thematics: New approaches. State University of New York: State
University of New York Press.

LiteraryDevices Editors. (2013). Themes. Retrieved from https://literarydevices.net/theme/

Mendlesohn, F. (2012). Thematic criticism. Cambridge University: Cambridge Press. Retrieved from
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/cambridge-companion-to-fantasy-literature/thematic-criticis
m/D1DA1809078D5FA9CC615A6E9AF0BE22

Nadia Anwar. (2018). Thematic analysis: A helpful method for literary research. Retrieved from
https://aspiringprofessionalshub.com/2018/10/13/thematic-analysis-a-helpful-tool-for-literary-resear
ch/

Sollors, W. (Ed.). (1993). The return of thematic criticism. Harvard University: Harvard University Press.
Thank you for
listening! :)