This eighth edition of Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, like the previous editions, is written for the student who is beginning a serious study of imaginative literature.

An authoritative, continually updated bestseller for over sixty years, PERRINE�S LITERATURE: STRUCTURE, SOUND, AND SENSE, 13e provides the most effective introduction to literature for a new generation of learners. Written for students beginning a serious study of literature, the text introduces the fundamental elements of fiction, poetry, and drama in a concise and engaging way, addressing vital questions that other texts ignore, such as "Is some literature better?" and "How can it be evaluated?" A rich and diverse selection of classic, modern, and contemporary readings brings the elements of literature to life and is updated with new stories, poems, and plays by some of the finest authors of any era. In addition, the thirteenth edition reflects the most recently published MLA guide (8th edition, 2016).

Describes Prudence Crandall's violently-resisted attempts to educate African-American girls in Connecticut in the 1830's.