September 1, 2006

Literary Theory and Literature

To the Editor:

In "Goodbye, Mr. Keating" (Careers, July 7), Thomas H. Benton asserts that the academic study of literature is, or has become, incompatible with the love of literature that attracts so many students to the field in the first place. Although he names no literary critic, teacher, or theorist in particular, he nevertheless asserts that such academics spoil the enjoyment of literature, and he suggests that this is a reason why many graduate students do not finish their