How is "theory" defined within literary analysis?

In literary analysis, "theory" is understood as an author's opinion, idea, or argument concerning literature and its interpretation. This encompasses various frameworks that critics and scholars utilize to analyze texts, such as feminism, Marxism, formalism, or post-colonialism. Each of these theories provides a lens through which to examine the themes, characters, and structures within a literary work, allowing for deeper understanding and multiple interpretations.

The nature of literary theory is rooted in subjective perspective, in contrast to a definitive factual statement or a mere character description. It does not attempt to predict outcomes or future events; rather, it focuses on existing texts and the diverse meanings that can be derived from them based on the theorist's views and methodology. Therefore, the choice that reflects this understanding is the one that defines theory as an author's opinion, idea, or argument.