Literary theory should be applicable to any and all writing. By each theory taking a disassociate position is to deny the true meaning of literature which is to enrich our lives. Phelps and Rahv assert that the literary critic at this time recognizes Marxist Criticism and as such applies it to literature. They assert that this methodology does not take place from someone who understands Marxist Criticism but simply recognizes it as Marxist. By not having a better knowledge of Marxism Phelps and Rahv believe it does literature a disservice by not having a broader understanding as a result it denies the reader the potential for experiencing the depths of literature on their own, it also hinders their ability to differentiate types of literature.
Literature eventually reaches a mass audience in an indirect way.
It is these author's belief that Marxism and its ideology are the cornerstone of criticism. As these men suggest there is often a disparity between gravity of style and their triviality of the ideas. Phelps and Rahv believe criticism should function for the general populace and literature in contrast should cater to individual authors. They discuss are as a weapon and conclude that the kind of weapon literature becomes is directly contingent on a society's historical position at any given period. Therefore, this suggests that no literature can exist without being political.