Literary Theory Vocabulary

adjective relating to or using the method of dialectic; concerned with or acting through opposing forces

• The philosopher used a dialectical approach to analyze the complex relationship between power and authority.
• We had a dialectical discussion about the pros and cons of working from home.
• I love how they dialectically roast each other in their friendly banter.
• The artist's work is a dialectical representation of the struggle between chaos and order.

noun the underlying system of beliefs, especially those dealing with supernatural forces, characteristic of a particular cultural group

• The study of ancient mythos is a fascinating field of research.
• I love reading about different mythos from around the world.
• Have you heard the latest gossip mythos going around?
• The company's brand mythos is built on a foundation of innovation and creativity.

noun a policy of revision, especially of a political doctrine, theory, or practice

• The historian's work was criticized for its blatant revisionism of historical events.
• Some people just can't handle the truth so they resort to revisionism.
• I can't believe he's trying to pull off that revisionism nonsense.
• Her revisionism of the situation made it seem like a completely different story.

noun a person of inferior status or rank

adjective of lower rank or status

• The subaltern group within the organization has been historically marginalized.
• The subaltern employees often feel overlooked by management.
• Those subaltern folks don't get enough credit for their hard work.
• In the hierarchy of the company, she felt like a subaltern trying to climb to the top.

noun an attitude that interprets past events in terms of modern values and concepts

• Presentism is the belief that present-day values and perspectives should be applied to interpreting historical events.
• Some people fall into the trap of presentism when judging past actions based on current standards.
• Don't be so presentism about it, things were different back then.
• Looking at history through a presentism lens can distort our understanding of the past.