Modernist literary analysis in a broad sense includes both postmodernism and experimental poetry. Modernist literary analysis deals mainly with contemporary matters and has not seen a specialized development, unlike traditional literature. The modernist view focuses on experimentation, anti-realism and individualism in its analysis and stresses emotions within the text. Detachment and avoiding basic structures of the text are key aspects of the modernist perspective.
Sociology is the study of how humans interact with each other and function while in groups of at least two. Sociological literary analysis discusses the functions of society and social relationships within a piece of literature. Politics are also examined, such as Marxism, feminism, conservatism and liberalism. The various political theories would be studied within the text by their effect on various races, social classes, gender or cultures, and themes of oppression and liberation are often seen. A sociological literary analysis would look at what events play a role in the plot, and the stage of society at the time the work was published.
An archetype is a theme or image that a specific character embodies. For example, a warrior who rescues a damsel in distress could be an archetypal hero. Colors can also be analyzed in an archetypal literary analysis, with red usually representing blood and violence; green representing hope, life, and fertility; black representing evil and death; and blue representing the Virgin Mary.
The psychoanalytic theory of psychology was originally developed by Sigmund Freud and focuses on the unconscious portion of the mind. Psychoanalytic literary analysis studies this theory in literature. Examples include the Oedipus complex, which is the attachment of young boys to their mothers; aggressive phases, such as phases of rebellion in adolescents; and the meaning of dreams.