This blog will serve as a forum for our summer reading discussions and perhaps as a forum throughout the semester as well:)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Envoi
Write a response to your reading of thisHTRLLAP. What did you find the most interesting? Has it changed the way that you view movies and literature? How?
I actually enjoyed reading HTRLLAP, when I first saw the title I figured it would be a dull read used to reinforce or reteach how to infer literature. However, I was wrong, I notice the different symbols and similarities within stories. The most recognized for me is the use of rain and water as symbolism, and if she comes up, its baptism. Water is used very often in novels and movies yet I never made this connection. Those chapters was the most interesting to me as a reader learning about different literary techniques.
Comment Continued: I learned the significance of meals. When I was first reading, I can remember thinking of meals as an unnecessary component, but thanks to this reading, I have discovered that the author had to have a deeper purpose when they implanted this into their novel. Having an example occur in James Joyce’s novel supported what I had learned from Foster’s educational novel. In addition, I had not realized the role that religion played in literature. Foster emphasized this by explaining how often baptism occurs as well as characters as Christ symbols.
When I first started reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor, I was very confused. I thought Why is Ms B allowing us to read this? Aren’t we supposed to be figuring this all out for ourselves? And then I continued reading and realized why she assigned this book—it’s not that it gives us all the answers, it gives us the means through which to find the answers for ourselves. For example, Professor Foster tells us what rain usually symbolizes based on previous literature but then says “under no circumstances should you take my pronouncements on these works as definitive” (Foster 105). He tells us to make sure that we figure out what these symbols mean to us because they “can’t be reduced to standing for only one thing” (Foster 98) although we usually think they can. The book also gave me a new perspective about the way I read literature. Specifically, how I view religion within literature. Normally, whenever an author writes in a negative light about religion, I think that he or she is somehow biased against religion. But in the irony chapter (Chapter 26), Professor Foster presents an example of an author who reveals a Christ figure who is “violent, arrogant, elitist, and worst of all unrepentant,” (Foster 242) not exactly the conventional Christ figure. Instead of mocking religion as I would have thought, the author actually speaks to a bigger theme. His theme involves the symbiotic relationship between goodness and free will, much more important than simply mocking religion. This was a big wake-up call for me and I think it has made me see religion within literature in a different way as a result. In addition, I love how Foster said every story ever told stems from one specific story in his “One Story” chapter. Please excuse my scientific connection, but it really reminded me of how scientists think that string theory is the “theory of everything.” Humans seem to want one particular “thing” (be it equation or story) that links everything in the universe. It was very interesting to see that finding this “thing” is not just a scientific point of view but also a literary focus as well.
After reading Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor I perceive literature differently. I now know how to properly read novels like James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and my new ability affects my interpretation of other novels because I know all or most of literature’s secrets. I have a better understanding of all the components that create a work of literature. I found the fifth chapter and the Interlude: One Story most interesting because I always wondered why each book I read reminded me of all the others I previously finished. Foster explained that One Story and everything made sense; I was able to put the pieces together and come up with a conclusion. In addition to novels, Foster’s words made me more aware of what happens in movies and how they compare to novels. I find myself picturing the novel as a movie (imagining the story) easier. The characters come to life and I am able to follow the plot with out rewinding a movie or rereading a passage because I missed something in the story. After my completion of Foster’s novel, I feel like an accomplished reader and I am eager to put what I learned to good use on the upcoming novels I will read later this year in AP English 4!
How to Read Literature Like a Professor. How much more boring of a title could you get? I mean really, this book started off with some of my least favorite word combinations. And they were right on the title page! YIKES.
First of all, I generally avoid reading “How To’s.” How to Unclog a Toilet How to Jump Start a Car. How to Prepare Filet Migon Besides the practical application of completing these tasks, give me one good reason I would want to read any of those… Oh yeah, that’s right, I wouldn’t. Second, the idea of analyzing literature terrifies me. So right off the bat I was not happy. The only scarier title I have ever seen is SOPHIES WORLD: A History of Philosophy. (History and Philosophy are also words I try to avoid seeing in titles)
That being said, and I hate to admit it, but I actually may have enjoyed reading this book. It almost lived up to its promise of being a “Lively and Entertaining Guide.” Instead of being incredibly dry and factual, Thomas Foster’s humor and voice made the book exceptionally informative. The most interesting aspect in my opinion was the meal description from James Joyce’s “The Dead” in chapter two. I found it incredibly interesting when Foster showed how the entire spread of food was actually set to represent and resemble two “armies drawn up…for battle” (Forster 13). This actually inspired me enough to try writing a paragraph using a similar technique. (I know, I’m a nerd) Anyways, the most helpful chapters in my opinion were Chapters 1, “Ever Trip is a Quest (Except When It’s Not),” and Chapter 10, “It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow.” I feel like these are two of the most used techniques in literature, film, or any other form of story telling. Thinking back on it, almost all movies and books have characters going on some sort of trip/quest or experiencing precipitation. Hopefully this book will help me more successfully analyze readings in English class this year, and I only wish I had read it before.
As an A.P Student who had already taken the A.P English Exam, I couldn’t believe that a contemporary book such as “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” would be on the summer reading list. Though as I have found out, there is a method for every madness, and HTRLLAP is no different. The book for me, set in stone what was so heavily taught last year, that the authors, especially of classics, mean more that what is perceived when only read in the context of the story. Thus by using the viewpoint that I have derived from reading HTRLLAP, I was able easily to decide that the most interesting thing in the book was the chapter titled “Where have I seen her before,” due to the fact that it set in stone my belief that “there’s no such thing as a wholly original work of literature.’(29) This was so very interesting to me due to the fact that I often from time to time enjoy watching classic movies from long ago. Then when I watch a more modern movie, I see parts of the classic movie weaved within, such as a character’s personally or a certain location. HTRLLAP has changed the way I view movies and literature because it has made me more observant of the technique writers employ to make there movie or book fit in on the timeline that includes men such as Mark Twain and William Shakespeare. Overall, HTRLLAP is a jewel in the ruff due to the fact that it has truly changed the way I view literature.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading How to Read Literature like a Professor despite my first impression. I walked into the other tiger the day I bought it, looked at the cover and rolled my eyes thinking this was going to be another Sophie’s World, which I hated. The person behind the counter saw my face and informed me that the book was actually good. I still had my doubts. When I arrived home that night I skeptically began to read, expecting more or less a text book. Instead I found a very informative and entertaining book. I loved Foster’s sense of humor that helped make the chapters interesting. As I began to delve deeper into the book, I began to wish we had read this book last summer before entering Ms. Pucci’s Ap English class. Our lives would have been so much simpler and class would have gone much more smoothly for everyone. Also I found that many of the chapters Foster wrote, I already knew the techniques he was explaining from last year. Despite this a few chapters stuck out to me. The chapters “Nice to eat with you: Acts of communion” and “More than it’s Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence” were the two that were the most interesting to me. Honestly I would never have picked up on innuendo’s eating can bring in literature and that a failed dinner meant that the novel might take a dark turn. I would normally just read over supper scenes and not even remember them unless there was some form of symbolic meaning somewhere in it. On the other hand, violence in novels I could usually pick up on. I knew that every violent act had some meaning or symbol behind it. What I didn’t usually know was what that symbol or meaning was. After reading HTRLAP a can determine the symbol or meaning whether it’s a Christ allusion and the difference between the accidental and character caused violence. Oddly another chapter that fascinated me, was the one on sonnets. I now know that if a poem is square in shape, it is a sonnet. While HTRLAP has helped my view on literature along by teaching me techniques used in literature, it has not changed my view on literature. Its enhanced it more than anything.
When I first looked at the title of HTRLLAP, I was thinking "..So by reading this book I will be an expert at reading literature?" I was pretty interested in what this book had to say. I was aware of some of the authors points about seasons, weather and geography. (It is true, the meaning of the seasons were drilled into our minds!) After reading it, I realized that there is a larger significance to things like sonnets, illnesses, and especially meals, than I thought there were. For example, when two people have a meal together, it is not a scene for the author just to describe food. Meals symbolize a communion between the characters, and readers can note the strength of the relationship from it. I never really thought that an illness like heart disease could also mean that the character suffers from loneliness. The author did a nice job of explaining everything, putting everything in terms that kids and adults could read and understand. Rather than making this whole book sound a lecture, it sounded conversational, which I thought was nice. I hope I can read a book now and feel more confident about the "deeper meanings" within the story because of this book. It will definitely take some time for me to learn to apply what I have gained though. Maybe someday I will be able to read literature like a professor!
After reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor, I learned how to analyze books better. It gave me an insight on why writers do what they do. It’s nice that Foster breaks every subject you can think of into chapters and explains them in detail. This probably should have been given out years ago, but it’s nice that it was brought up now. This would have also helped on my AP English 3 exam last year. The book was full of humor and that made it much easier to read. There’s nothing worse than a boring book that you’re required to read for school. It’s easier to retain the information when you actually enjoy the book.
In all honesty, I did not enjoy the book very much. I do, however, like the concept of the book and I appreciate the information I learned from reading it. My main complaint with the book was that it relied heavily on using examples from various different works without history. Foster would explain a concept usually pretty well and reinforce what he said with instances from many pieces of literature. Being a younger person, most of the works I had never heard of, never mind having ever read. Because of that, many of the points Foster made did not have as much merit as they could have if they were backed by examples from more familiar works. However, I cannot criticize Foster for this because he is writing for a mature, well versed audience. On a positive note, I believe the books true value lies not in the examples of literary tendencies Foster mentions. Foster could have written hundreds of chapters if he wrote one for every literary pattern. The book is useful in that it teaches readers how to keep several things in mind when reading. It teaches how to question whether what you’re reading is just simply words on paper or has a deeper, more complex meaning. Because of this, I cannot say I enjoyed the book but I appreciate the information I learned from reading it.
Out of all the books read this summer, How to Read Literature Like A Professor by far overshadows the other two. At first, I felt a hint of skepticism as I assumed the book would read as another textbook. Yet, right from the first page, Thomas Foster engaged my attention as well as my understanding of literature. In truly teaching what to look for in works of literature, Foster gave me a new perspective as I dove into A Portrait of the Young Artist by James Joyce. In fact, his handbook forced me to rethink my established understandings of works I've read in the past. Throughout the book, Foster examines various symbols, allegories, and metaphors an author places into their work and breaks them down using illustrations relevant to me. At one point, while explaining the use of Christian imagery in literature, he refers to one of my favourite films of all time, Pulp Fiction. I found his discussion of Christ figures very interesting, in that not every "Christ" figure has to or even should be an exact replica of Jesus. I definitely agree with him that those on the fringe side of religious groups are too zealous to understand when an author is not mocking a deity but rather using that imagery to make a point. As an aspiring filmmaker, his continuous connection of literature to film bodes with me well. Much of the symbolism and imagery he discusses could be transposed to classic films. Such connections furthered my understanding of the concepts he depicts. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to an student struggling to grasp the depth of literature.
Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor opened my eyes, figuratively of course, to all the hidden symbolisms, archetypes, and themes I have never noticed before. Throughout the novel, Foster constantly refers to how his students find his interpretations of the works ridiculous and made up, and I have to say I would have been one of them. Already, the book has reinforced interpretations of novels I read last year in English and did not fully understand. For instance, in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, now I know why water and the protagonist learning how to swim were so important; the whole novel was about new life and rebirth. Now, whenever I’m reading and I realize on my own different symbols, I cannot help but be excited. When I read Foster’s Test Case chapter and the little girl started eating her bread in front of the workmen, I immediately recognized the act as communion; the simple action told the workmen the little girl was comfortable with them. Finally, I would like to say, without HTRLLAP, I do not think I would have made it through Joyce’s Portrait, have you seen the first page of that novel? A “moocow” and “wothe botheth,” what does that have to do with an artist? Though, with the help of Foster, I was able to enter Joyce’s world, or at least watch from the window, and I was able to identify and understand symbols without prompting from a teacher. So for that, thank you Foster, I can now read literature like a professor…sort of.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor. First thought: really?!? From the moment I found out that this was how I was expected to spend my summer, I was whole-heartedly against reading the book. HOWEVER, when I finally got the nerve to pick it up and venture through the chapters, I was pleasantly surprised. I have to hand it to Foster, he's actually quite comical. The best part about HTRLLAP is that Foster makes it relatable, and more importantly understandable. I absolutely loved Chapter 8, “Hanseldee and Greteldum”, mostly because from that chapter I was able to see the connections in the real world outside of literature. Foster is exactly right. Sure there exists a literary canon long enough to take us to another galaxy, but who actually can pick up the connections to literature from authors like Homer or even our good friend James Joyce? The answer is, not many. And thus we reference kiddie lit; because it’s universal, it’s beautiful, it’s memorable. Although, Foster does refer to a lot of example literature I would never have encountered otherwise, but hey, I’m not against becoming more intellectual. Overall, I can now consider HTRLLAP a resource for help in the future. Foster definitely helped shape my literary viewing lens, so thanks Foster, I appreciate it.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor probably is my all time favorite summer reading book. Like many before have said, I was not looking forward to reading a book that teaches me to read. However, as I delved into the folds of this book I soon realized this was going to be a very helpful summer reading selection. Foster is a master at what he writes. His chapters, though short, were full of useful insight into how to read literature. After reading this book, I now have a new and helpful understanding of literature, which I will be able to use throughout the rest of my high school career and into college as well. However, this book should not be assigned for Senior AP, but for Junior AP instead. Had we read this book last summer, I would have had a much more enjoyable time in Junior AP english.
Like everyone else, I was not looking forward to reading How to Read Literature like a Professor. And when I saw the subtitle, “A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines,” I assumed it was torturous irony and had much less of a desire to read it then before. But also like everyone else, I was pleasantly surprised. Right off from the introduction section, I liked Foster’s informal tone. I also enjoyed how he made the rest of the book seem exciting, like he was baiting us to read more. Usually, bad books are bad from the get go, so I was reassured a little bit. My favorite section would have to be “If she comes up , it’s baptism” because honestly, that idea was 100% new to me. I had never thought about that before, and Foster did an excellent job explaining it. The way Foster writes about how one symbol, action, etc. can be interpreted in many different ways reminded me of the way literature should be thought of as a whole (in my opinion): always open to interpretation. I 4000% agree with Wendell, when he says that we should have read this last year. But a great indicator about my opinion of this book is that what I just said is my ONLY complaint. Overall, this book was witty, informative, and extremely enjoyable. I started noticing things in other books, movies, and real life right after I put HTRLLAP down. Also, (just a side note/add on): I thought it was cool how he mostly refers to characters, and authors, as women. I’m not saying that because I hate men or anything, but rather because it was REALLY refreshing seeing someone break literary stereotypes that are pretty prevalent in the world of literature!
How To Read Literature was a pleasant surprise. At first I did not want to read it at all but when I finally picked the book up and read the first few chapters, it was not what I expected. I expected a very dull book explaining the hidden messages in literature. I know I did everything I could to prevent myself from picking up the book. A month after I bought the book I finally picked and up and found it was not as bad as I imaged it to be. I found it to be as relatively humorous guide to understanding pieces of literature. Now whenever I pick up a book or watch a movie in the back of my mind I think about some of the chapters I read in this book. Foster’s book makes literature easier to comprehend and more interesting to read because it forces you to constantly “read between the lines.” I really enjoyed reading Chapter 8 and uncovering the hidden messages and symbols within fairytales. I never expected these fairytales and children’s stories to have so much meaning. Chapter 1 was also very interesting to me because in most novels there is some sort of “quest” the protagonist goes on. Whether it is a long quest or a short quest, literal or figurative a quest usually comes into the plot one way or another. Reading this book before the AP English III would have definitively proved to be beneficial, but it will be very helpful in AP English IV. Last year the basics to Foster’s teaching were discussed, but the basics were expanded upon in this work. Understanding British Literature will be less of a challenge and a burden now that I know these tricks to uncovering what is really going on in the novels, plays, and/or poems. I am pleased with this book being on the summer reading list and I am sure it will be very helpful this upcoming school year.
(I don't know why this deleted... so here it is again.) When I first got it, I immediately judged How to Read Literature Like a Professor by its cover. First of all, the cover art is a page from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which I did not love. By past experience as well, with anything that relates to the teaching of analyzing literature, "lively and entertaining" usually comes to mean "boring and mundane." I initially put off reading the book until my sister picked it up over the summer and commented on how good it was. When I finally got into it, I really loved it. Thomas C. Foster doesn't write like a conventional literary scholar; his tone is very lighthearted and conversational and even humorous, which is the last thing I expected from such a book. I especially loved the heavy sarcasm I found in the most unexpected places, which made reading a how-to on analyzing literature that much more enjoyable. It helped that Foster applied his concepts to a wide variety of example literature. While most of his examples were unknown to me, they were detailed enough for me to understand, and I felt an initial rush of pride every time he mentioned something that I already knew about. How to Read Literature Like a Professor really drove home the idea that something as simple as a color or as vast as an entire chapter could mean essentially anything if you critically thought about it. I was surprised at how much I learned from this book, and especially how much I enjoyed learning it.
I like a lot of the content in HTRLLAP! It definitely has gotten me thinking about movies and TV shows and books of my own contemporaries in a more literature oriented analytic way. The chapters that most stick out in my mind are the chapters which discussed literary vampires (as opposed to the sparkling ones), the importance of names in literature, the incorporation of weather in literature and seasons as well, and a lot of the common allusions and archetypes. I noticed that while reading through Portrait I picked up on a LOT of potential motifs (red and green, hands, birds, etc.) and also literary techniques (bildungsromane, arechetypes) from seemingly insignificant lines and sentences. Without HTRLLAP I would have suffered through Portrait, and I have to admit I kind of enjoyed annotating and actually noticing bits of convention in Joyce's odd writing style. Although thinking so analytically did slow me down...a lot! Overall HTRLLAP was informal (which was IMMENSELY helpful) and easy to get through, and in the end I learned a ton of new literary ideas to scan for while reading which will continue to help me through college and beyond!
At first glance this book was simply screaming out “boredom” in big, bold, black letters in my head. From Ms. Pucci’s class last year, I had learned that the hidden meaning between the lines of books can evoke an appreciation even if the novel itself was not interesting. Either way, however, some of the meanings seemed very farfetched. I would often find myself asking the question “Just who in the world would spend all this time creating every matriculate detail, right down to the color of a curtain?” Post reading this book, I began to see the literary representations and meanings in other works outside of literature such as film. Not just American films, but films of different countries use these universal techniques to create an artistic effect and tell the audience things that do not have to be placed right out. My personal favorite chapter was Chapter 10 – its More than Just Rain and Snow. I see over and over in movies the protagonist running out into the rain. Either it is filled with tears, for a dramatic kiss scene, a downfall or just for effect, there is another meaning other than setting a sad mood. The purging and cleansing powers of rain were something I never picked up in movies. It makes sense now, considering the entire dramatic make up scenes that happen during or after rain storms. (that is after the character gets a terrible cold) In the end, reading this book made me pick up on themes and molds that all authors use, extending my appreciation and understanding of both literature and movies.
Personally, I feel as though reading How to Read Literature like a Professor was extremely beneficial for numerous reasons. However, my one complaint is how Foster commonly referenced many pieces of literature I was unfamiliar with, which resulted in either boredom or complete of inability to relate. With that being said, I feel as though the book could have worked more effectively if Foster solely worked with one novel for the entirety of his how-to, such as How to Kill a Mockingbird, a novel everyone is familiar with and has probably read. On the contrary, I was initially surprised with the usefulness this text would have served if we had read it a summer prior. Nevertheless, upon completing HTRLLP, I felt much more confident about my own analytical abilities for multiple reasons. Primarily, after looking back at all of my writing for Ms. Pucci, I noticed a common theme of writing/analyzing a protagonists bildungsroman, which falls into the one story concept, which I was previously unaware. Furthermore, over the past year I thought I was the only one who wasn’t writing papers about deeper, philosophical, and eloquent matters, when in reality I was actually reading like a professor! Finally, I felt it extremely helpful also that the novel included irregularities present in literature in regards to the dead giveaways we commonly overlook them as. Personally, I feel as though reading How to Read Literature like a Professor was extremely beneficial for numerous reasons. However, my one complaint is how Foster commonly referenced many pieces of literature I was unfamiliar with, which resulted in either boredom or complete of inability to relate. With that being said, I feel as though the book could have worked more effectively if Foster solely worked with one novel for the entirety of his how-to, such as How to Kill a Mockingbird, a novel everyone is familiar with and has probably read. On the contrary, I was initially surprised with the usefulness this text would have served if we had read it a summer prior. Nevertheless, upon completing HTRLLP, I felt much more confident about my own analytical abilities for multiple reasons. Primarily, after looking back at all of my writing for Ms. Pucci, I noticed a common theme of writing/analyzing a protagonists bildungsroman, which falls into the one story concept, which I was previously unaware. Furthermore, over the past year I thought I was the only one who wasn’t writing papers about deeper, philosophical, and eloquent matters, when in reality I was actually reading like a professor! Finally, I felt it extremely helpful also that the novel included irregularities present in literature in regards to the dead giveaways we commonly overlook them as.
I actually enjoyed reading HTRLLAP, when I first saw the title I figured it would be a dull read used to reinforce or reteach how to infer literature. However, I was wrong, I notice the different symbols and similarities within stories. The most recognized for me is the use of rain and water as symbolism, and if she comes up, its baptism. Water is used very often in novels and movies yet I never made this connection. Those chapters was the most interesting to me as a reader learning about different literary techniques.
ReplyDeleteComment Continued: I learned the significance of meals. When I was first reading, I can remember thinking of meals as an unnecessary component, but thanks to this reading, I have discovered that the author had to have a deeper purpose when they implanted this into their novel. Having an example occur in James Joyce’s novel supported what I had learned from Foster’s educational novel. In addition, I had not realized the role that religion played in literature. Foster emphasized this by explaining how often baptism occurs as well as characters as Christ symbols.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor, I was very confused. I thought Why is Ms B allowing us to read this? Aren’t we supposed to be figuring this all out for ourselves? And then I continued reading and realized why she assigned this book—it’s not that it gives us all the answers, it gives us the means through which to find the answers for ourselves. For example, Professor Foster tells us what rain usually symbolizes based on previous literature but then says “under no circumstances should you take my pronouncements on these works as definitive” (Foster 105). He tells us to make sure that we figure out what these symbols mean to us because they “can’t be reduced to standing for only one thing” (Foster 98) although we usually think they can.
ReplyDeleteThe book also gave me a new perspective about the way I read literature. Specifically, how I view religion within literature. Normally, whenever an author writes in a negative light about religion, I think that he or she is somehow biased against religion. But in the irony chapter (Chapter 26), Professor Foster presents an example of an author who reveals a Christ figure who is “violent, arrogant, elitist, and worst of all unrepentant,” (Foster 242) not exactly the conventional Christ figure. Instead of mocking religion as I would have thought, the author actually speaks to a bigger theme. His theme involves the symbiotic relationship between goodness and free will, much more important than simply mocking religion. This was a big wake-up call for me and I think it has made me see religion within literature in a different way as a result.
In addition, I love how Foster said every story ever told stems from one specific story in his “One Story” chapter. Please excuse my scientific connection, but it really reminded me of how scientists think that string theory is the “theory of everything.” Humans seem to want one particular “thing” (be it equation or story) that links everything in the universe. It was very interesting to see that finding this “thing” is not just a scientific point of view but also a literary focus as well.
After reading Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor I perceive literature differently. I now know how to properly read novels like James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and my new ability affects my interpretation of other novels because I know all or most of literature’s secrets. I have a better understanding of all the components that create a work of literature. I found the fifth chapter and the Interlude: One Story most interesting because I always wondered why each book I read reminded me of all the others I previously finished. Foster explained that One Story and everything made sense; I was able to put the pieces together and come up with a conclusion. In addition to novels, Foster’s words made me more aware of what happens in movies and how they compare to novels. I find myself picturing the novel as a movie (imagining the story) easier. The characters come to life and I am able to follow the plot with out rewinding a movie or rereading a passage because I missed something in the story. After my completion of Foster’s novel, I feel like an accomplished reader and I am eager to put what I learned to good use on the upcoming novels I will read later this year in AP English 4!
ReplyDeleteHow to Read Literature Like a Professor. How much more boring of a title could you get? I mean really, this book started off with some of my least favorite word combinations. And they were right on the title page! YIKES.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I generally avoid reading “How To’s.”
How to Unclog a Toilet
How to Jump Start a Car.
How to Prepare Filet Migon
Besides the practical application of completing these tasks, give me one good reason I would want to read any of those… Oh yeah, that’s right, I wouldn’t.
Second, the idea of analyzing literature terrifies me. So right off the bat I was not happy.
The only scarier title I have ever seen is SOPHIES WORLD: A History of Philosophy. (History and Philosophy are also words I try to avoid seeing in titles)
That being said, and I hate to admit it, but I actually may have enjoyed reading this book. It almost lived up to its promise of being a “Lively and Entertaining Guide.” Instead of being incredibly dry and factual, Thomas Foster’s humor and voice made the book exceptionally informative. The most interesting aspect in my opinion was the meal description from James Joyce’s “The Dead” in chapter two. I found it incredibly interesting when Foster showed how the entire spread of food was actually set to represent and resemble two “armies drawn up…for battle” (Forster 13). This actually inspired me enough to try writing a paragraph using a similar technique. (I know, I’m a nerd) Anyways, the most helpful chapters in my opinion were Chapters 1, “Ever Trip is a Quest (Except When It’s Not),” and Chapter 10, “It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow.” I feel like these are two of the most used techniques in literature, film, or any other form of story telling. Thinking back on it, almost all movies and books have characters going on some sort of trip/quest or experiencing precipitation. Hopefully this book will help me more successfully analyze readings in English class this year, and I only wish I had read it before.
As an A.P Student who had already taken the A.P English Exam, I couldn’t believe that a contemporary book such as “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” would be on the summer reading list. Though as I have found out, there is a method for every madness, and HTRLLAP is no different. The book for me, set in stone what was so heavily taught last year, that the authors, especially of classics, mean more that what is perceived when only read in the context of the story. Thus by using the viewpoint that I have derived from reading HTRLLAP, I was able easily to decide that the most interesting thing in the book was the chapter titled “Where have I seen her before,” due to the fact that it set in stone my belief that “there’s no such thing as a wholly original work of literature.’(29) This was so very interesting to me due to the fact that I often from time to time enjoy watching classic movies from long ago. Then when I watch a more modern movie, I see parts of the classic movie weaved within, such as a character’s personally or a certain location. HTRLLAP has changed the way I view movies and literature because it has made me more observant of the technique writers employ to make there movie or book fit in on the timeline that includes men such as Mark Twain and William Shakespeare. Overall, HTRLLAP is a jewel in the ruff due to the fact that it has truly changed the way I view literature.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed reading How to Read Literature like a Professor despite my first impression. I walked into the other tiger the day I bought it, looked at the cover and rolled my eyes thinking this was going to be another Sophie’s World, which I hated. The person behind the counter saw my face and informed me that the book was actually good. I still had my doubts. When I arrived home that night I skeptically began to read, expecting more or less a text book. Instead I found a very informative and entertaining book. I loved Foster’s sense of humor that helped make the chapters interesting. As I began to delve deeper into the book, I began to wish we had read this book last summer before entering Ms. Pucci’s Ap English class. Our lives would have been so much simpler and class would have gone much more smoothly for everyone. Also I found that many of the chapters Foster wrote, I already knew the techniques he was explaining from last year. Despite this a few chapters stuck out to me. The chapters “Nice to eat with you: Acts of communion” and “More than it’s Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence” were the two that were the most interesting to me. Honestly I would never have picked up on innuendo’s eating can bring in literature and that a failed dinner meant that the novel might take a dark turn. I would normally just read over supper scenes and not even remember them unless there was some form of symbolic meaning somewhere in it. On the other hand, violence in novels I could usually pick up on. I knew that every violent act had some meaning or symbol behind it. What I didn’t usually know was what that symbol or meaning was. After reading HTRLAP a can determine the symbol or meaning whether it’s a Christ allusion and the difference between the accidental and character caused violence. Oddly another chapter that fascinated me, was the one on sonnets. I now know that if a poem is square in shape, it is a sonnet. While HTRLAP has helped my view on literature along by teaching me techniques used in literature, it has not changed my view on literature. Its enhanced it more than anything.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first looked at the title of HTRLLAP, I was thinking "..So by reading this book I will be an expert at reading literature?" I was pretty interested in what this book had to say. I was aware of some of the authors points about seasons, weather and geography. (It is true, the meaning of the seasons were drilled into our minds!) After reading it, I realized that there is a larger significance to things like sonnets, illnesses, and especially meals, than I thought there were. For example, when two people have a meal together, it is not a scene for the author just to describe food. Meals symbolize a communion between the characters, and readers can note the strength of the relationship from it. I never really thought that an illness like heart disease could also mean that the character suffers from loneliness. The author did a nice job of explaining everything, putting everything in terms that kids and adults could read and understand. Rather than making this whole book sound a lecture, it sounded conversational, which I thought was nice. I hope I can read a book now and feel more confident about the "deeper meanings" within the story because of this book. It will definitely take some time for me to learn to apply what I have gained though. Maybe someday I will be able to read literature like a professor!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor, I learned how to analyze books better. It gave me an insight on why writers do what they do. It’s nice that Foster breaks every subject you can think of into chapters and explains them in detail. This probably should have been given out years ago, but it’s nice that it was brought up now. This would have also helped on my AP English 3 exam last year. The book was full of humor and that made it much easier to read. There’s nothing worse than a boring book that you’re required to read for school. It’s easier to retain the information when you actually enjoy the book.
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, I did not enjoy the book very much. I do, however, like the concept of the book and I appreciate the information I learned from reading it. My main complaint with the book was that it relied heavily on using examples from various different works without history. Foster would explain a concept usually pretty well and reinforce what he said with instances from many pieces of literature. Being a younger person, most of the works I had never heard of, never mind having ever read. Because of that, many of the points Foster made did not have as much merit as they could have if they were backed by examples from more familiar works. However, I cannot criticize Foster for this because he is writing for a mature, well versed audience.
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note, I believe the books true value lies not in the examples of literary tendencies Foster mentions. Foster could have written hundreds of chapters if he wrote one for every literary pattern. The book is useful in that it teaches readers how to keep several things in mind when reading. It teaches how to question whether what you’re reading is just simply words on paper or has a deeper, more complex meaning. Because of this, I cannot say I enjoyed the book but I appreciate the information I learned from reading it.
Out of all the books read this summer, How to Read Literature Like A Professor by far overshadows the other two. At first, I felt a hint of skepticism as I assumed the book would read as another textbook. Yet, right from the first page, Thomas Foster engaged my attention as well as my understanding of literature. In truly teaching what to look for in works of literature, Foster gave me a new perspective as I dove into A Portrait of the Young Artist by James Joyce. In fact, his handbook forced me to rethink my established understandings of works I've read in the past. Throughout the book, Foster examines various symbols, allegories, and metaphors an author places into their work and breaks them down using illustrations relevant to me. At one point, while explaining the use of Christian imagery in literature, he refers to one of my favourite films of all time, Pulp Fiction. I found his discussion of Christ figures very interesting, in that not every "Christ" figure has to or even should be an exact replica of Jesus. I definitely agree with him that those on the fringe side of religious groups are too zealous to understand when an author is not mocking a deity but rather using that imagery to make a point.
ReplyDeleteAs an aspiring filmmaker, his continuous connection of literature to film
bodes with me well. Much of the symbolism and imagery he discusses could be transposed to classic films. Such connections furthered my understanding of the concepts he depicts. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to an student struggling to grasp the depth of literature.
Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor opened my eyes, figuratively of course, to all the hidden symbolisms, archetypes, and themes I have never noticed before. Throughout the novel, Foster constantly refers to how his students find his interpretations of the works ridiculous and made up, and I have to say I would have been one of them. Already, the book has reinforced interpretations of novels I read last year in English and did not fully understand. For instance, in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, now I know why water and the protagonist learning how to swim were so important; the whole novel was about new life and rebirth. Now, whenever I’m reading and I realize on my own different symbols, I cannot help but be excited. When I read Foster’s Test Case chapter and the little girl started eating her bread in front of the workmen, I immediately recognized the act as communion; the simple action told the workmen the little girl was comfortable with them. Finally, I would like to say, without HTRLLAP, I do not think I would have made it through Joyce’s Portrait, have you seen the first page of that novel? A “moocow” and “wothe botheth,” what does that have to do with an artist? Though, with the help of Foster, I was able to enter Joyce’s world, or at least watch from the window, and I was able to identify and understand symbols without prompting from a teacher. So for that, thank you Foster, I can now read literature like a professor…sort of.
ReplyDeleteHow to Read Literature Like a Professor. First thought: really?!? From the moment I found out that this was how I was expected to spend my summer, I was whole-heartedly against reading the book. HOWEVER, when I finally got the nerve to pick it up and venture through the chapters, I was pleasantly surprised. I have to hand it to Foster, he's actually quite comical. The best part about HTRLLAP is that Foster makes it relatable, and more importantly understandable. I absolutely loved Chapter 8, “Hanseldee and Greteldum”, mostly because from that chapter I was able to see the connections in the real world outside of literature. Foster is exactly right. Sure there exists a literary canon long enough to take us to another galaxy, but who actually can pick up the connections to literature from authors like Homer or even our good friend James Joyce? The answer is, not many. And thus we reference kiddie lit; because it’s universal, it’s beautiful, it’s memorable. Although, Foster does refer to a lot of example literature I would never have encountered otherwise, but hey, I’m not against becoming more intellectual. Overall, I can now consider HTRLLAP a resource for help in the future. Foster definitely helped shape my literary viewing lens, so thanks Foster, I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteHow to Read Literature Like a Professor probably is my all time favorite summer reading book. Like many before have said, I was not looking forward to reading a book that teaches me to read. However, as I delved into the folds of this book I soon realized this was going to be a very helpful summer reading selection. Foster is a master at what he writes. His chapters, though short, were full of useful insight into how to read literature. After reading this book, I now have a new and helpful understanding of literature, which I will be able to use throughout the rest of my high school career and into college as well. However, this book should not be assigned for Senior AP, but for Junior AP instead. Had we read this book last summer, I would have had a much more enjoyable time in Junior AP english.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else, I was not looking forward to reading How to Read Literature like a Professor. And when I saw the subtitle, “A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines,” I assumed it was torturous irony and had much less of a desire to read it then before. But also like everyone else, I was pleasantly surprised. Right off from the introduction section, I liked Foster’s informal tone. I also enjoyed how he made the rest of the book seem exciting, like he was baiting us to read more. Usually, bad books are bad from the get go, so I was reassured a little bit. My favorite section would have to be “If she comes up , it’s baptism” because honestly, that idea was 100% new to me. I had never thought about that before, and Foster did an excellent job explaining it. The way Foster writes about how one symbol, action, etc. can be interpreted in many different ways reminded me of the way literature should be thought of as a whole (in my opinion): always open to interpretation. I 4000% agree with Wendell, when he says that we should have read this last year. But a great indicator about my opinion of this book is that what I just said is my ONLY complaint. Overall, this book was witty, informative, and extremely enjoyable. I started noticing things in other books, movies, and real life right after I put HTRLLAP down. Also, (just a side note/add on): I thought it was cool how he mostly refers to characters, and authors, as women. I’m not saying that because I hate men or anything, but rather because it was REALLY refreshing seeing someone break literary stereotypes that are pretty prevalent in the world of literature!
ReplyDeleteHow To Read Literature was a pleasant surprise. At first I did not want to read it at all but when I finally picked the book up and read the first few chapters, it was not what I expected. I expected a very dull book explaining the hidden messages in literature. I know I did everything I could to prevent myself from picking up the book. A month after I bought the book I finally picked and up and found it was not as bad as I imaged it to be. I found it to be as relatively humorous guide to understanding pieces of literature. Now whenever I pick up a book or watch a movie in the back of my mind I think about some of the chapters I read in this book. Foster’s book makes literature easier to comprehend and more interesting to read because it forces you to constantly “read between the lines.” I really enjoyed reading Chapter 8 and uncovering the hidden messages and symbols within fairytales. I never expected these fairytales and children’s stories to have so much meaning. Chapter 1 was also very interesting to me because in most novels there is some sort of “quest” the protagonist goes on. Whether it is a long quest or a short quest, literal or figurative a quest usually comes into the plot one way or another. Reading this book before the AP English III would have definitively proved to be beneficial, but it will be very helpful in AP English IV. Last year the basics to Foster’s teaching were discussed, but the basics were expanded upon in this work. Understanding British Literature will be less of a challenge and a burden now that I know these tricks to uncovering what is really going on in the novels, plays, and/or poems. I am pleased with this book being on the summer reading list and I am sure it will be very helpful this upcoming school year.
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ReplyDeleteWhen I first got it, I immediately judged How to Read Literature Like a Professor by its cover. First of all, the cover art is a page from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which I did not love. By past experience as well, with anything that relates to the teaching of analyzing literature, "lively and entertaining" usually comes to mean "boring and mundane." I initially put off reading the book until my sister picked it up over the summer and commented on how good it was. When I finally got into it, I really loved it. Thomas C. Foster doesn't write like a conventional literary scholar; his tone is very lighthearted and conversational and even humorous, which is the last thing I expected from such a book. I especially loved the heavy sarcasm I found in the most unexpected places, which made reading a how-to on analyzing literature that much more enjoyable. It helped that Foster applied his concepts to a wide variety of example literature. While most of his examples were unknown to me, they were detailed enough for me to understand, and I felt an initial rush of pride every time he mentioned something that I already knew about. How to Read Literature Like a Professor really drove home the idea that something as simple as a color or as vast as an entire chapter could mean essentially anything if you critically thought about it. I was surprised at how much I learned from this book, and especially how much I enjoyed learning it.
I like a lot of the content in HTRLLAP! It definitely has gotten me thinking about movies and TV shows and books of my own contemporaries in a more literature oriented analytic way. The chapters that most stick out in my mind are the chapters which discussed literary vampires (as opposed to the sparkling ones), the importance of names in literature, the incorporation of weather in literature and seasons as well, and a lot of the common allusions and archetypes. I noticed that while reading through Portrait I picked up on a LOT of potential motifs (red and green, hands, birds, etc.) and also literary techniques (bildungsromane, arechetypes) from seemingly insignificant lines and sentences. Without HTRLLAP I would have suffered through Portrait, and I have to admit I kind of enjoyed annotating and actually noticing bits of convention in Joyce's odd writing style. Although thinking so analytically did slow me down...a lot! Overall HTRLLAP was informal (which was IMMENSELY helpful) and easy to get through, and in the end I learned a ton of new literary ideas to scan for while reading which will continue to help me through college and beyond!
ReplyDeleteAt first glance this book was simply screaming out “boredom” in big, bold, black letters in my head. From Ms. Pucci’s class last year, I had learned that the hidden meaning between the lines of books can evoke an appreciation even if the novel itself was not interesting. Either way, however, some of the meanings seemed very farfetched. I would often find myself asking the question “Just who in the world would spend all this time creating every matriculate detail, right down to the color of a curtain?” Post reading this book, I began to see the literary representations and meanings in other works outside of literature such as film. Not just American films, but films of different countries use these universal techniques to create an artistic effect and tell the audience things that do not have to be placed right out. My personal favorite chapter was Chapter 10 – its More than Just Rain and Snow. I see over and over in movies the protagonist running out into the rain. Either it is filled with tears, for a dramatic kiss scene, a downfall or just for effect, there is another meaning other than setting a sad mood. The purging and cleansing powers of rain were something I never picked up in movies. It makes sense now, considering the entire dramatic make up scenes that happen during or after rain storms. (that is after the character gets a terrible cold) In the end, reading this book made me pick up on themes and molds that all authors use, extending my appreciation and understanding of both literature and movies.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I feel as though reading How to Read Literature like a Professor was extremely beneficial for numerous reasons. However, my one complaint is how Foster commonly referenced many pieces of literature I was unfamiliar with, which resulted in either boredom or complete of inability to relate. With that being said, I feel as though the book could have worked more effectively if Foster solely worked with one novel for the entirety of his how-to, such as How to Kill a Mockingbird, a novel everyone is familiar with and has probably read. On the contrary, I was initially surprised with the usefulness this text would have served if we had read it a summer prior. Nevertheless, upon completing HTRLLP, I felt much more confident about my own analytical abilities for multiple reasons. Primarily, after looking back at all of my writing for Ms. Pucci, I noticed a common theme of writing/analyzing a protagonists bildungsroman, which falls into the one story concept, which I was previously unaware. Furthermore, over the past year I thought I was the only one who wasn’t writing papers about deeper, philosophical, and eloquent matters, when in reality I was actually reading like a professor! Finally, I felt it extremely helpful also that the novel included irregularities present in literature in regards to the dead giveaways we commonly overlook them as.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I feel as though reading How to Read Literature like a Professor was extremely beneficial for numerous reasons. However, my one complaint is how Foster commonly referenced many pieces of literature I was unfamiliar with, which resulted in either boredom or complete of inability to relate. With that being said, I feel as though the book could have worked more effectively if Foster solely worked with one novel for the entirety of his how-to, such as How to Kill a Mockingbird, a novel everyone is familiar with and has probably read. On the contrary, I was initially surprised with the usefulness this text would have served if we had read it a summer prior. Nevertheless, upon completing HTRLLP, I felt much more confident about my own analytical abilities for multiple reasons. Primarily, after looking back at all of my writing for Ms. Pucci, I noticed a common theme of writing/analyzing a protagonists bildungsroman, which falls into the one story concept, which I was previously unaware. Furthermore, over the past year I thought I was the only one who wasn’t writing papers about deeper, philosophical, and eloquent matters, when in reality I was actually reading like a professor! Finally, I felt it extremely helpful also that the novel included irregularities present in literature in regards to the dead giveaways we commonly overlook them as.