"NORMAN N. HOLLAND"

NORMAN N. HOLLAND

Norman N. Holland has been the well- known representative of the psychological sub-trend under the umbrella-term Reader Response Criticism. He was affected greatly by the theory of psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud. Through his long life, Holland has contributed to the literary theory much. Most of the time, he is trying to explore the human brain and the minds of the individuals and their response to literature.

In his autobiography, Holland informs us that he began teaching and writing in 1956. The thought that interested him is how we respond to literature, what criteria that make us like or dislike, or interpret a certain literary work into a certain interpretation. He found that the reason is the unique psychology which differentiates one individual from another:

"I decided psychoanalysis was the best way to understand these responses. The reader receives the literary...