Abstract: The term "symptomatic reading" initiated by Althusser, as far as the origin of the term is concerned, can be traced to Freud and Lacan. Freud uncovers meaning from slips of tongue, dreams and the symptoms of the insane. Adopting philosophy, psychology and linguistics in rebuilding psychoanalysis, Lacan seeks to restructure, in a scientific and systematic manner, Freud's view that symptoms are meaningful. This is what lays the foundation for the theory of "symptomatic reading" put forward by Althusser. In the process of establishing the theory, Althusser derives the method from the form of negation Hegel investigates in his Science of Logic, extracts the concept from the research of Freud and Lacan on the mind of the insane and gains the inspiration from the probe into residual value made by Marx in his Capital. Althusser perceives "Symptomatic Reading" as a form of production, with the effort of self-refutation and self-correction leading in reverse to the growth of knowledge and the leap of theory. In the following development, "symptomatic reading" is oriented towards the research of literature, creating a new space in the field. The theory has been applied in the criticism of literature by Macherey and taken still further by Culler into the realm of cultural research.

Key words: symptomatic reading, theoretical evolution, literary orientation, art production, literary criticism, cultural research