Searching for a Literary Theme
Searching for a Literary Theme
Embedded Files
Link to Bonnycastle Library Catalogue
Getting Started: Choosing your primary texts
Getting Started: Choosing your primary texts
There are a number of ways to approach choosing your texts:
Choose a text then look for a companion text based on author or on the theme(s) you identity in the first text
Choose a theme/technique - research texts that use that theme/technique
Choose an author - research common themes used - choose texts
1 Search the Library catalogue
1 Search the Library catalogue
Use a subject search when looking for specific literary themes. A subject search will narrow your search to books about that the theme.
If you do not get enough results, broaden your search by using a keyword search. A keyword search will look in all the fields of the record.
To broaden your search further, search literature theme - looking at general reference books may help you choose a theme of interest
Link to ebook collection: Common Literary Themes
2. Use Bloom's Literature (Infobase)
2. Use Bloom's Literature (Infobase)
Originally edited and curated by Yale University professor Harold Bloom, this database includes thousands of critical essays, author biographies and character analyses, along with the full text of hundreds of reference books, and full-length videos of classic plays and films.
Click icon to access.
Although you may search for a specific theme in the search box, browsing
Literary Movements
Literary Themes
will help you understand concepts of the theme and will provide you texts/authors that used that theme in their writing.
Click "Select a Theme" to choose
Bloom's will provide an overview of the theme as well as information about how the theme is used in various works.
This can also be an excellent step when you are gathering information about your works for your paper.
3. Other Databases
3. Other Databases
EBSCO databases
EBSCO is a great source for the literary criticism. Although you may research across EBSCO databases, consider searching the Literary Reference Center Plus separately to take advantage of research helps.
Gale Literary Sources allows you to search Gale's Literary databases with one search.
Click icon to access full search platform
4. NoveList Plus
4. NoveList Plus
Novelist Plus is a reader's advisory database. It provides recommendations for texts based on read-alikes, themes, and authors.
Using NoveList, you can search by Themes, Genre, and Author Read-alikes.
University of Manitoba - Library Catalogue
University of Manitoba - Library Catalogue
St. John's-Ravenscourt has a partnership with the University of Manitoba Libraries which allows community members to borrow resources.
**Items must be borrowed through the Bonnycastle Library. Please contact Mrs. Bergen for more details.
Remember to cite your sources.
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