It is an interdisciplinary field that connects the study of literary texts, theories, and criticism with practical real-world issues and applications. It goes beyond reading literature for aesthetic appreciation and uses literary tools to influence education, politics, social justice, law, psychology, media, and cultural discourse. It encourages readers and scholars to apply literary insights to contemporary human conditions and challenges.

Scope of Applied English Literature

Applied literature intersects with a wide range of disciplines. Here’s how:

Domain Application
Education Enhancing teaching methods, values education, promoting emotional intelligence and empathy
Sociology Understanding collective behavior, social norms, identity construction, and marginalization
Psychology Analyzing mental health, trauma, dreams, and personality through characters and plot structures
Law and Ethics Interpreting legal philosophies, moral dilemmas, and justice issues in literary texts
Political Science Studying propaganda, revolution, hegemony, and resistance in literary and non-fiction texts
Media Studies Applying narrative and rhetorical tools to interpret or create impactful media content
Gender & Race Studies Examining roles, biases, and social constructions of gender and race in society
Environmental Studies Understanding ecological concerns through eco-literary narratives


Major Theoretical Approaches in Applied Literature

1. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)

Its purposes is to reveal hidden ideologies and power dynamics in language. For instance, studying George Orwell's Animal Farm to explore the manipulation of language in totalitarian regimes. Its key scholar is Norman Fairclough.

2. Postcolonial Theory

Its purpose is to challenge the colonization, cultural dominance, and Eurocentrism. For instance, analyzing Season of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih to explore colonial trauma and hybridity. Its key scholars are Edward Said, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Gayatri C. Spivak, and Homi K. Bhabha.

3. Psychoanalytic Criticism

Its purpose is to uncover psychological motivations of authors and characters. For instance, reading the Turn of the Screw by Henry James through Freudian analysis of the repression and hysteria. Its key scholars are Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan.

4. Feminist Literary Criticism

Its purpose is to examine the construction and representation of patriarchy, gender and women's voices. For instance, analyzing Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte as a feminist rebellion against Victorian norms. Its key scholars are Judith Butler, Simone de Beauvoir, and Elaine Showalter. 

5. Ecocriticism

Its purpose is to highlight the relationship between literature and the environment. For instance, applying Ecocriticism to Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior to examine climate change and rural life. Its key scholars are Greg Garrard and Cheryll Glotfelty. 

6. Marxist Criticism

Its purpose is to investigate class struggle, economic control and materialistic interpretation of literature. For instance, analyzing The Gapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck to explore class oppression during the Great Depression. Its key scholars are Terry Eagleton, Karl Marx and Raymond Williams.  

Interdisciplinary of Applied Literature

  • In the discipline of Education, literature like Wonder by R.J. Palacio is used in classrooms to teach kindness, inclusion, and diversity. Shakespeare’s plays are used to improve linguistic proficiency and critical thinking in ESL classrooms.
  • In Political Science, the dystopian literature is studied such as The Hunger Games or Brave New World to critique surveillance, capitalism, or authoritarianism. Its another example is the analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech as a literary text through its allusions, metaphors, and structure.
  • In Sociology, literature is used by refugee writers like Khaled Hosseini in his The Kite Runner to promote empathy for displaced communities. Its another examples are The Color Purple by Alice Walker which addresses issues of domestic abuse, gender inequality, and Black women's resilience, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee which addresses racism, justice, and moral courage
  • In Cultural Studies, literature is applied to identity and culture. For instance, Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis deals with the identity, revolution, and Islamic feminism in Iranian society, and White Teeth by Zadie Smith discusses multiculturalism and diasporic identities in postcolonial Britain. Another example is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie which is used to explore immigration, race, and identity in the diaspora context. 
  • In Legal & Ethical Analysis, literature is used to debate laws, justice and crimes. For instance, Sophocles' Antigone is being studied in law schools to debate natural law vs. state law, while Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is studies to explore legal contracts, justice, and religious discrimination.
  • In Gender Studies, literature is used to educate the women regarding their global issues. For instance, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a critique against patriarchy and reproductive rights of the women. 
  • In Health and Trauma, literature is used to teach healthcare issues and their solutions. For instance, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is literature on illness and trauma which narrates medicine to improve health care. Its another example is War Literature such as Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut which helps in  understanding PTSD and trauma recovery.

Relevance of Applied English Literature

Benefit Description
Promotes Critical & Ethical Thinking Literature encourages readers to question ideologies, challenge assumptions, and evaluate values.
Encourages Empathy and Social Engagement Helps in understanding lives and perspectives of the oppressed, marginalized, or culturally different.
Supports Interdisciplinary Research Bridges literature with psychology, law, history, education, and environmental studies.
Improves Communication Skills Reading and writing about literature develops articulate, nuanced expression.
Fosters Global Citizenship Exposure to world literature cultivates cultural awareness and tolerance.


Applied English Literature transforms literature from a passive academic subject into a powerful tool of engagement with the world. It equips individuals with the analytical skills to interpret reality through fiction, confront injustice, nurture empathy, and enact meaningful change. By merging literary studies with social responsibility, it proves that literature is not merely reflective but constructive and transformative.

“Stories have the power not only to reflect the world but to change it.” – Chinua Achebe