In clear, concise language, Lois Tyson explains the basic concepts of six critical theories in popular academic use today-psychoanalytic, Marxist, feminist, gay/lesbian, African-American, and post-colonial-and shows how they can be employed to interpret five short literary works in the book: Emily Dickinson's "I started Early-Took My Dog," William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," Ralph Ellison's "The Battle Royal," Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," and Jewelle Gomez's "Don't Explain." In addition, a chapter on reader-response theory shows students how to understand their personal responses to literature and how to use their personal responses to produce more insightful interpretations while avoiding the typical pitfalls to which their personal responses make them vulnerable.