Using Gale Literature

Start with Gale Literature for introductory information on authors and literary texts. 

Start with Topic & Work Overviews, Reviews & News, and Primary Sources for Interviews to: 

• Learn about an author and their cultural, historical, and personal influences
• Gather ideas on important themes and stylistic elements of a literary work
• Get an overview of and introduction to critical approaches to a written text

Note that none of these are scholarly. You can return to find scholarly literary criticism later. 

• The image below shows a search for information about "Two Kinds" by the author Amy Tan. 

To Find a Topic and Work Overview

1. Type in author, title, and/or keyword. Note that it may work better to type the author's surname, then first name.

(click on images to enlarge)

2. Select Topic and Work Overviews, Biographies, Interviews, and other introductory works. In this case, I selected Topic & Work Overviews.

3. This long article provides an introduction to reading "Two Kinds" and The Joy Luck Club.

• Note: The article menu to the right points to sections of the article.
  • Themes and Style highlights important ideas explored in the text and the author's use of language, imagery, and other stylistic elements.
  • Historical Context situates the work within the cultural, historical, and social events of that time.
  • Criticism includes an overview of critical interpretations of the text and three different approaches to critical analysis of the text.
• Note also the Subjects to the right. Subject terms can help you find a focus and they can be used as search terms for other relevant sources.

(click on image to enlarge)

On Style

This excerpt discusses Tan's use of memoir and memory to shift perspectives and draw the reader into the competing world views of mother and daughter.