Literature helps readers develop sensitivities to language, gender, race, and culture It provides a forum for exploration and an opportunity to emerge beyond one's self, see through anther's eyes, and live as someone eise Between the covers of this sampling of world class literature are countless readings that possess the power to make a lifelong impact. The Compact Edition includes several exciting new features: • "Poetry and personal identity" chanter explores ways in which posts have defined themselves in personal, social, sexual, and ethnic terms. • Fewer selections than the hardcover anthology provide a more manageable, less expensive option for instructors and students. • New drama selections show diverse approaches to contemporary theater and highlight the increasing importance of women and minority playwrights to the American stage. • "Myth and Popular Culture" section links the concept of myth found in literature to its many uses in poplar media, such as movies and television. • Critical Approaches to Literature" supplement at the hack of the text explains and provides examples of nine critical approaches to studying literature. Featuring the renowned voice, style, and apparatus of its popular, full sized edition, the Compact Edition includes a new co-editor, Dana Gioia--author, poet, teacher, and literary critic, who adds a new multicultural and contemporary approach to the text. --back cover