Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Casto, Andrew Christopher
Author's Email Address	accasto@vt.edu
URN	etd-05102011-120610
Title	Reading Consciousness: Analyzing Literature through William James' Stream of Thought Theory
Degree	Master of Arts
Department	English
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Sorrentino, Paul M. Committee Chair Oehlschlaeger, Fritz H. Committee Member Pender, Kelly E. Committee Member
Keywords	Consciousness in literature Psychological criticism Stream of consciousness Literary criticism Critical theory
Date of Defense	2011-04-26
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Proceeding from the assumption that psychoanalytic theory has yielded insightful literary interpretations, I propose that equally legitimate readings result from analyzing consciousness in literature. William James’ “Stream of Thought” offers a psychological theory of consciousness from which I develop a literary theory that counterbalances the Freudian emphasis on the unconscious. Examining two works by Henry James, I demonstrate how assessing the elements of a character’s consciousness leads to conclusions at which other theories do not arrive. This analytical approach leads to not only an alternative critical agenda but also a fuller understanding of the psychological function of the character’s and, by extension, the human mind.
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