Which of the following statements best describes Cleanth Brooks's attitude towards studying literature ?
Correct answer: B. Critics should develop universal readings of texts.
- A. Critics should examine historical information surrounding a literary work.
- B. Critics should develop universal readings of texts.
- C. Critics should consider evolving notions of a text over time.
- D. Critics should attempt to paraphrase texts in order to find out what they mean
Explanation
As a New Critic, Cleanth Brooks emphasized close reading and treated literary works as internally coherent objects, resisting historical paraphrase. Among these choices, universal readings best reflects the text-centred general principles associated with New Criticism.
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