Subjectivity
Subjectivity is the major theme of Eagleton's book and also its eventual demise. Although Eagleton sets out to define literature, he encounters subjectivity at every turn. From the romantics need for assertive self-expression to the post-structuralists insistent advocacy for the democratization of perspective, to reference Bakhtin's theory, Eagleton proves at every turn how subjectivity is the dominant force of literature. Between reader and writer there exists an unspoken contract of judgement and approval. If the individual reader acquiesces, the book becomes literature, but if the reader objects, then the definition continues to elude. In the end, Eagleton determines that literature cannot be defined because it resides in the subjective perspective of the reader.
Deconstruction
In the discussion of post-structuralism, Eagleton focuses upon this idea of deconstruction. This is the function of pulling apart theories and assumptions in order to determine their artifice. On the heels of postmodern thought, deconstruction has become a bit of a trope in literature, seen in literature as a penchant for the reflexive and the ironic. Literature, as a function of challenging the status quo, draws attention to itself as a piece of writing. This again serves to complicate the definition of literature because it depends upon the reader's ability to catch on and to engage with the text critically.
Language
Eagleton repeatedly reduces literature to a function of language. More than mere communication, there are elements of art and criticism and form which fall under the domain of language. In the written word, there is a unique appeal to the permanent. Whatever has been written, is uniquely positioned to hold authority through its very potential to outlive the writer. In a reductionist line of thought, Eagleton pursues language as the root of literature but complicates the discussion with a return to subjectivity.
