Appleman Ch 8

This chapter, I believe, is designed to put the final toppings on her suggestion for teachers to use theory in the classroom. Equipped with student journal entries, affirming the efficacy of dissecting a novel using literary theory. I think this chapter, like the first, provides reason after reason why teachers should use theory in the classroom. It challenges students to read not only text in a different way but their world. Personally, I think she did a good job of showing how theory does this through the entire book. The content of this chapter was slightly redundant. However, every book needs a conclusion and I presume it must reitterate the initial purpose of the book.

As a final invitation to teach literary theory, Appleman adds a line in her conclusion that I think is most profound. Concerning the teaching of literary theory she says '...when we teach theory, we are...naming what it is that we naturally do....try to construct frame or world view to help us make sense of the seemingly disconnected events that confront us' (Appleman 146). This sums up why we should teach theory in the classroom. It simply provides a name for what we already do which is try to make sense of things. I'm sold by this statement alone!