Which term refers to the corpus of debates over how to define literature?

• A. Literary criticism
• B. Literary canon
• C. Poetics
• D. Literary theory

Answer: (D)

Defining literature is a question taken up by literary theory, which collects and analyzes competing ideas about what counts as literature, why those boundaries matter, and how definitions change across cultures and history. Literary theory asks why certain texts are labeled literary, how the concept is shaped by social institutions, and what counts as reading or value within a field. This makes it the best fit for the corpus of debates over how to define literature, since it focuses on the concept itself and its varying interpretations. By contrast, literary criticism centers on analyzing and evaluating specific works; the canon concerns which works are deemed authoritative; and poetics studies the principles and forms of poetry and literary craft.