Enhancing students’ critical thinking through Literature

Abstract

Defining critical thinking within literary studies remains a challenging task due to the dynamic and interpretive nature of literature itself. Unlike more clearly bounded academic disciplines, literary studies are characterized by ongoing debates regarding what constitutes a literary text. Traditionally, scholarly attention has been focused on three principal genres – drama, prose fiction, and poetry. However, this classification reflects historical conventions rather than inherent limitations, as contemporary literary analysis increasingly encompasses diverse forms such as autobiographical writing, film, and digital narratives.