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Writing Guide with Handbook

16.6 Editing Focus: Literary Works Live in the Present

Writing Guide with Handbook16.6 Editing Focus: Literary Works Live in the Present

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Apply methods commonly used for analysis and interpretation in writing.
  • Demonstrate competent use of the literary present tense in textual analysis.

Although some texts may have been written years ago, they live in the present. This expression means that when you analyze a literary text such as a story, play, poem, or novel, you use a form of the present tense in your discussion. Narration in the story may be in the past tense—the narrator tells the story as though it has already happened—but your discussion of the literary work is done in the present tense. Characters do this or say that. The leaves fall or the wind is howling, even though in the text, the leaves fell and the wind was howling. Your discussion nevertheless remains in the present tense. Also, when discussing the author in relation to the literary text, use the present tense, even if the author is no longer living or wrote the text in the past. Look at these examples:

  • Incorrect: The narrator stated that the time is now.
  • Correct: The narrator states that the time is now.
  • Incorrect: Kate Chopin seemed to sympathize with Calixta.
  • Correct: Kate Chopin seems to sympathize with Calixta.
  • Incorrect: At the end, Clarisse was happy to remain ignorant about her husband and Calixta.
  • Correct: At the end, Clarisse is happy to remain ignorant about her husband and Calixta.

Use the Literary Present Tense with Consistency

Although the present tense is used in literary discussions and references to literary texts, some instances will occur in which you have to distinguish between times of events. Thus, using the present tense may not apply to all actions within a text. The characters within a text often have done something, or something has happened, in the past—before the action of the story. In such cases, refer to these past actions in the past tense. Also, use the past tense when referring to the author and events in the author’s life that do not relate directly to the text. See the examples below:

  • Incorrect: Kate Chopin is born in 1850.
  • Correct: Kate Chopin was born in 1850.
  • Incorrect: Alcée reminds Calixta of what happens in Assumption years ago.
  • Incorrect: Alcée reminded Calixta of what happened in Assumption years ago.
  • Correct: Alcée reminds Calixta of what happened in Assumption years ago.

When revising and editing your textual analysis, review it for consistency and clarity in literary present tense when you discuss the text, events within the text, and the author’s relationship to it. Use the past tense, however, when dealing with information outside the text, such as historical context or events related to the author’s life. Be sure to distinguish between past and present events by using the correct tense. For more about the literary present tense, see Verbs.

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