How to Read Literature Like a Professor Itsall About Sex
In Arthur Conan Doyle'south "The Red-Headed League," Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson both observe Jabez Wilson carefully, still their differing interpretations of the same details reveal the departure between a "Good Reader" and a "Bad Reader." Watson can but describe what he sees; Holmes has the noesis to translate what he sees, to describe conclusions, and to solve the mystery.
Understanding literature need no longer be a mystery -- Thomas Foster's volume will help transform you from a naive, sometimes confused Watson to an insightful, literary Holmes. Professors and other informed readers run into symbols, archetypes, and patterns because those things are there -- if yous accept learned to look for them. Equally Foster says, you lot acquire to recognize the literary conventions the "same way you go to Carnegie Hall. Practice." (xiv).
How to Read Literature Like a Professor:
A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines
by Thomas C. Foster FULL TEXT 
Also bachelor in a revised second edition, with significant changes. Total TEXT
Notation to teachers: LitCharts has chapter handouts and a Teacher Guide. Harper Collins Instructor Guide presents challenging analytical writing and is correlated with Mutual Core. PowerPoint version of Marti Nelson'south notes (sent to me by an unnamed contributor). Literary Guideposts from Oak Park Loftier School combines notes and questions (by Enoch and Rohlfs). Thomas Foster Meets Kate Chopin requires that students use Foster to "The Story of an Hour" (by Rebecca Mooring).
Teachers Pay Teachers offers workheets and quizzes on the book. In particular, AP Lit and More than, Gina Kortuem's store materials are adapted for the 2019 CED and could largely stand without the text through the daily Bellringers. Just in time for altitude learning, Kortuem has added a Hyperdoc Unit that works in Google Slides, complete with bellringers, lesson principles, application, boosted information, and a various written responses.
Note to students: These short writing assignments will let y'all practice your literary assay and they will help me get to know y'all and your literary tastes. Whenever I ask for an example from literature, y'all may use short stories, novels, plays, or films (Yes, film is a literary genre). If your literary repertoire is thin and undeveloped, use the Appendix to jog your memory or to select additional works to explore. At the very least, sentry some of the "Movies to Read" that are listed on pages 293-294. Please note that your responses should be paragraphs -- not pages!
Even though this is analytical writing, yous may employ "I" if you deem it of import to exercise so; call back, however, that most uses of "I" are only padding. For instance, "I think the wolf is the nigh important character in 'Fiddling Blood-red Ridinghood'" is padded. As you etch each written response, re-phrase the prompt as part of your answer. In other words, I should be able to tell which question yous are answering without referring back to the prompts.
Concerning mechanics, pay special attention to pronouns. Make antecedents clear. Say Foster start; non "he." Remember to capitalize and punctuate titles properly for each genre.
Assignments beneath are for the kickoff edition. They are re-listed, with appropriate additions, for the second edition on its page. Y'all may download a gear up of Notes (by Marti Nelson) on this book to help you in your assay. Also a copy of these assignments (Word or as .PDF) and a Grading Checklist (Discussion or as .PDF).
Introduction: How'd He Practise That?
How do retentiveness, symbol, and pattern affect the reading of literature? How does the recognition of patterns make it easier to read complicated literature? Hash out a time when your appreciation of a literary piece of work was enhanced past understanding symbol or pattern.
Chapter 1 -- Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)
Listing the five aspects of the QUEST and so utilise them to something you take read (or viewed) in the class used on pages iii-v.
Chapter 2 -- Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion
Cull a repast from a literary work and utilise the ideas of Chapter 2 to this literary delineation.
Chapter 3: --Nice to Swallow Yous: Acts of Vampires
What are the essentials of the Vampire story? Use this to a literary work yous have read or viewed.
Chapter iv -- If It's Square, It'due south a Sonnet
Select iii sonnets and show which form they are. Hash out how their content reflects the form. (Submit copies of the sonnets, marked to evidence your analysis).
Chapter v --At present, Where Take I Seen Her Before?
Define intertextuality. Talk over three examples that take helped y'all in reading specific works.
Chapter 6 -- When in Dubiety, Information technology's from Shakespeare...
Discuss a work that y'all are familiar with that alludes to or reflects Shakespeare. Evidence how the author uses this connection thematically. Read pages 44-46 carefully. In these pages, Foster shows how Fugard reflects Shakespeare through both plot and theme. In your give-and-take, focus on theme.
Chapter 7 -- ...Or the Bible
Read "Araby" (available here). Discuss Biblical allusions that Foster does not mention. Look at the case of the "two great jars." Exist creative and imaginative in these connections.
Affiliate 8 -- Hanseldee and Greteldum
Recollect of a piece of work of literature (including film) that reflects a fairy tale. Talk over the parallels. Does it create irony or deepen appreciation?
Affiliate nine -- It'due south Greek to Me
Write a complimentary poesy poem derived or inspired by characters or situations from Greek mythology. Be prepared to share your poem with the course. Greek mythology bachelor online.
Chapter x -- It'due south More Than Just Pelting or Snow
Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, non in terms of plot.
Interlude -- Does He Mean That
Affiliate 11 --...More Than It's Gonna Hurt You: Apropos Violence
Nowadays examples of the ii kinds of violence found in literature (including motion picture). Prove how the effects are different.
Chapter 12 -- Is That a Symbol?
Use the process described on folio 106 and investigate the symbolism of the debate in "Araby." (Mangan'south sis stands behind it.)
Chapter 13 -- It'south All Political
Presume that Foster is right and "it is all political." Employ his criteria to evidence that ane of the major works assigned in a previous year is political.
Affiliate 14 -- Yes, She's a Christ Figure, Too
Apply the criteria on page 119 to a major character in a significant literary work. Try to choose a graphic symbol that will have many matches. This is a particularly apt tool for analyzing film -- for example, Star Wars, Cool Hand Luke, Excalibur, Malcolm X, Braveheart, Spartacus, Gladiator and Ben-Hur.
Chapter xv -- Flights of Fancy
Select a literary piece of work in which flight signifies escape or freedom. Explain in detail.
Chapter 16 -- It's All About Sex...
Chapter 17 -- ...Except the Sexual practice
OK ..the sex chapters. The key idea from this chapter is that "scenes in which sex is coded rather than explicit can piece of work at multiple levels and sometimes be more intense that literal depictions" (141). In other words, sex is often suggested with much more art and effort than it is described, and, if the author is doing his chore, it reflects and creates theme or character. Choose a novel or movie in which sex is suggested, simply non described, and talk over how the relationship is suggested and how this implication affects the theme or develops characterization.
Affiliate 18 -- If She Comes Up, It's Baptism
Think of a "baptism scene" from a significant literary piece of work. How was the character different later on the experience? Discuss.
Chapter nineteen -- Geography Matters...
Talk over at to the lowest degree four different aspects of a specific literary work that Foster would classify nether "geography."
Chapter twenty -- ...And so Does Flavour
Find a poem that mentions a specific flavor. Then talk over how the poet uses the flavour in a meaningful, traditional, or unusual way. (Submit a copy of the verse form with your assay.)
Interlude -- One Story
Write your own definition for archetype. Then place an archetypal story and apply it to a literary work with which yous are familiar.
Affiliate 21 -- Marked for Greatness
Why practice writers give characters in literature deformities? Figure out Harry Potter'southward scar. If you aren't familiar with Harry Potter, select another character with a physical imperfection and analyze its implications for characterization.
Chapter 22 -- He'south Blind for a Reason, You Know
If it is hard to write a story with a blind character, why might an author include one? Explain what Foster
calls the "Indiana Jones Principle".
Chapter 23 -- It's Never Only Heart Disease...
Chapter 24 -- ...And Rarely But Illness
Why does Foster consider centre disease the best, virtually lyrical, almost perfectly metaphorical affliction? Call back two characters who died of a disease in a literary work. Consider how these deaths reflect the "principles governing the employ of illness in literature" (215-217). Discuss the effectiveness of the expiry every bit related to plot, theme, or symbolism.
Affiliate 25 -- Don't Read with Your Eyes
After reading Affiliate 25, cull a scene or episode from a novel, play or epic written earlier the twentieth century. Contrast how it could be viewed by a reader from the 20-outset century with how it might be viewed past a gimmicky reader. Focus on specific assumptions that the author makes, assumptions that would not brand information technology in this century.
Chapter 26 -- Is He Serious? And Other Ironies
Select an ironic literary work and explain the multivocal nature of the irony in the work.
Chapter 27 -- A Test Case
Read "The Garden Party" past Katherine Mansfield, the short story starting on page 245. Consummate the exercise on pages 265-266, following the directions exactly. And then compare your writing with the 3 examples. How did you lot do? What does the essay that follows comparing Laura with Persephone add to your appreciation of Mansfield'due south story?
Envoi
Choose a motif non discussed in this book (as the equus caballus reference on page 280) and note its appearance in three or iv different works. What does this idea seem to signify?
Adjusted from Assignments originally developed by Donna Anglin. Notes past Marti Nelson.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor Itsall About Sex
Source: https://mseffie.com/assignments/professor/professor.html