How Texts Work

• explores the ways in which we categorize texts
• reveals the limitations of some of the polarisations we use to categorize texts
• analyzes a wide variety of texts from a range of genres and periods, from Ibsen's A Doll's House to an 18-30s brochure, Internet chatrooms and George Bush's September 11 speech
• offers a step-by-step guide to approaching texts and structuring a response
• can be used as both a course stimulus and a revision tool.

List of figures, Preface, Acknowledgements, 1. Reality and Representation, 2. Degrees of Planning, 3. Textual Purposes, 4. Public and Private Contexts, 5. Formality and Informality, 6. Literary and Non-Literary Aspects, Non-literary/literary texts: are they completely different?, Value terms, Suggestions for answer, References, Glossary

Adrian Beard was until recently Head of English at Gosforth High School, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, and now works at the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. He is a Chief Examiner for AS/A Level English Literature.