Assignment 7

Chapter 25 - Don't Read with Your Eyes

In this chapter Foster suggest that in order to truly appritiate a work of literature it may be necessary to " try to find a reading perspective that allows for sympathy with the historical moment of the story, that understands the text as having been written against its own social, historical, cultural, and personal background." In other words, take into consideration the social, political, and everyday aspects of the setting of the story. I have found this to be true a number of times. Like when reading the bible. The story of a woman touching the cloak of Jesus for healing from a bleeding problem didn't really strike me as an intense miracle, until I learned that women of that time would have to call out that they were "unclean" during their menstrual period. So not only was the woman suffering from an extremely painful condition, but also an extremely humiliating one. How horrible would that be? Knowing that bit of historical background made the intensity of that story in the book of Matthew really stand out to me, and bring new light that part of Jesus' ministry.

Chapter 26 - Is He Serious? And Other Ironies

Dear Mr. Foster, so you mean, despite showing us all kind of symbolism, and cool tricks of figuring out literature, that sometimes, it just happens because it happens, and irony is the only reason behind it? I could have guessed that myself. Irony can be used to keep a reader on his or her toes, or just because its fun. I like irony. I find the fact that both Romeo and Juliet both died to be quite entertaining, and, I'll admit, kind of satisfactory. That's what you get for being all dramatic, and falling in love long before you should. Ha! And the irony of their deaths does in fact add a richness to the tale, and although it could symbolize something deep and meaningful and life-changing, allowing the irony to be the only ingredient to the tragic, miserable ends to such vivacious youth, is exhilarating on its own. Bravo Shakespeare, Bravo.

Reading Assignment 6

Chapter 19 - Geography Matters

I love geography in literature. And indeed it does have a lot to do with the plot, the emotional feel, and lots of other stuff. In Gone with the Wind, Tara is nestled in a beautiful river valley in Georgia, and is described as being "Savagely red land, blood-colored after rains, brick dust in droughts... " and having "sluggish yellow rivers... [the] brightest sun glare and densest shade." Margaret Mitchell continues to describe mysterious forests that try to creep back into the fields, as well as beautiful curving hills. In this brief description the feel of Scarlett's home is spelled out, as well as her character. Savage, but beautiful. Known to have the most intense emotions, but mysterious. Scarlett is still unknown to herself. LOVE IT!!!!

Chapter 20 - So Does Season

Alrighty! I think we'll apply this to Lord of the Rings, what'da'ya say? Specifically the first one, The Fellowship of the Ring. Towards the end of the book, the fellowship, minus old Gandalf, find themselves in an Elvish forest. In the fall. The tree trunks are silver, and the leaves are golden. Although this is just the beginning of the adventure, its nearly the end of the Fellowship. Gandalf is gone, Boromir soon to follow. Then Merry and Pippin get kidnapped, Frodo and Sam take off, Gandalf gets reunited with Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, and ... well you get the idea. The fellowship ends, but the adventure continues into the dark damp of winter... and the creepiness of Mordor, complete with our favorite little creeper, Gollum.

Interlude! - One Story

An archetype is a format, or easy to follow guideline for story plots. Although archetypes are not always intentional, they happen a lot. Girl finds herself confronted with monster... then proceeds to fall in love with said monster. Lots and lots of books follow that archetype. And gosh is that one popular right now. (But don't be confused, archetypes aren't necessarily fads)

Chapter 21 - Marked for Greatness

I'm not a big fan of Harry Potter, in fact, I'm not a fan of him at all, so I'm gonna go with Quasimodo. 'Cause I like him. I haven't yet read Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame. But I plan to. And I love the story. As much as Quasi's deformity effects the plot, and his character, and how he was raised, I think it also represents the deformity of the society at the time. Because Hugo just has a thing for that, plus, the rules of society, and the law of the land were both pretty messed up. Quasi has been told all his life that because of his back problems that he isn't good enough for the real world, that he's ugly, that he cant do much at all. And that being the case, his freedom, and his rebellion, have such a bigger impact, than, say, a kid who got a piercing just to tick of his mom. He stands up for all who are a little abnormal, like nerds, or weirdos, or anyone with a different set of beliefs. Yay Quasi!

Reading Assignment 5

Chapter 16 - It's All About Sex

First off, I'd like to say that I am deeply disturbed. DEEPLY DISTURBED. Thank you Mrs. Weygandt. Ewwww.... When we read Brave New World last year, rhythmic beats, and odd dancing in circles took place of graphic, nasty, scenes. Ick. And there were also erotic movies, and yucky stuff like that. Oh, and small children being very much... robbed of their innocence. I strongly dislike that book, and this chapter, and I'm moving on now. Blah!

Chapter 18 - If She Comes Up, It's Baptism

The only literary work I could think of, besides the Bible, in which a person nearly drowned, or was dumped into the water, or whatever, was Anne of Green Gables (LOVE THAT BOOOK) and poor Anne was reenacting a scene from her favorite story, where she is to float down the river in a boat, as a beautiful dead maiden. Oh, dramatic Anne, how I do love you. And then, much to her displeasure, the boat springs a leak. Oh, no. She quickly grabs hold of a passing bridge, and waits to be rescued, only to discover her rescuer turns out to be none other then (gasp!) her arch enemy Gilbert Blyth (the rascal!). Anne enters into the water as an overly dramatic teenager, and reemerges a much wetter overly dramatic teenager with a new sense of humility. She's also opened her mind to the idea that Gilbert could maybe, possibly, however unlikely, but perhaps be... a good guy? Yeah. He is. And he's not too bad to look at either. But Anne is still determined to beat him academically, and that's NOT negotiable.

Reading Assignment 4

Chapter 14 - Yes, She's a Christ Figure, Too

Aaaand we're back to Leota's Garden. The main character, Anne, seems to be a Christ figure, to a certain extent. Of course, Leota's Garden is a christian novel, therefore Christ is the ultimate Christ figure in it, but as far as the human character goes, Annie gets the award on this one.

1) Crucified... Well not exactly, although you could say she was emotionally crucified. And by her own mother, someone she cares about, and wants the best for. Nora, Annie's mother, continued to push her to be someone other then herself, and... well you'll have to read it. Basically, Nora treated Annie like dirt.

2) In agony... Emotional agony, you betcha. Annie is a burden bearer throughout the novel. She so wishes that the family would be reunited, that her mother would accept her as who she is, that her grandmother would be loved by the rest of the family again, that Sam would stop being so... romantic? The list goes on and on.

3) Self - Sacrificing... Well, she did give up schooling, her social life, and just about all freedom to take care of her grandmother, when she needed in-home-care that was too expensive to afford.

4) Good with children ... Yes, yes, and yes. The neighborhood kids are invited to a Halloween party at Leota's house, generously hosted by Annie, who tells them the story of Adam and Eve, as a horror story. How evil came into the world, what's more horrifying then that?

5) Good with loaves, fishes, water, wine... What about turkey? Annie makes a mean Thanksgiving Turkey. And Jesus was known for nurturing the body and the spirit through food, drink, and ministry. Thanksgiving meals are pretty nurturing, if you ask me.

6) 33 years of age... Nope, Annie is just 18. Surprising, right?

7) Employed as a carpenter... Nope, but Annie is an artist, and I think just about anyone who creates, or builds things falls into the artist category, so its similar, in a way.

8) Humble modes of transportation... Afraid not. Annie's dad bought her a Lexis, at least I think it was a Lexis. Not quite sure.

9) Walked on water... Nope.

10) Arms outstretched... Annie is very caring and open minded towards everyone, and is sure to welcome anyone. Outstretched.

11) Alone in the wilderness... Not really, no. She likes to garden though. Does that count?

12) Tempted by Devil... Anne was tempted by a great, but slightly miss lead fellow by the name of Sam. Poor Sam was shot down. Rejected.

13) In the company of thieves... Annie has befriended the residents of a bad neighborhood, its a stretch, but I think it counts.

14) Creator of parables... Not really, no.

15) Buried, but arose... Nope

16) Has disciples... Uhhh, not yet?

17) Very forgiving... EXTREMELY.

18) Came to redeem and unworthy world... Well she is set on reuniting her family, and helping them to become redeemed. And I don't think they deserve a bit of redemption. It's a good thing I'm not God.

Eleven out of Eighteen. Not bad, Annie, Not bad.

Reading Assignment 3

Chapter 10 - It's More than Just Rain or Snow

In this chapter Foster talks a whole lot about Rain and how it can be interpreted differently, it can be used for sadness and misery. You know, the whole gloom and doom bit. It can also be restorative. Spring time, April showers, May flowers, baby animals, and fresh grass. He also covered the mystery of fog, and the cold bitterness of snow. He even covered rainbows. Yay! But he didn't exactly express the effect of sunshine, and the sunrise. This is weather too, is it not? At the very end of one of my favorite books, Leoat's Garden, the day is very sunny, warm, but not hot, with a slight breeze. At this point in the book things are looking hopeful, not perfect, but hopeful. Uncle George is still acting like an a - (ehem) butt. And Nora still has issues, but she's starting to see them now. Corban has realized there's more to life then money and success. Yes, the sun is shining, and life goes on. Despite that sadness and grief that has transpired over the past months. Another one of my favorites is Gone with the Wind. Shortly after arriving home to Tara from Atlanta, to find no food, sick sisters, a dead mother, and a deranged father, Scarlett summons up her inner strength as the sun rises, declaring that she will never be hungry again! How's that for drama? But all is hopeful because Scarlett is home, and is sure to put things to rights once again. Hurrah!

Reading Assignment 2

In Chapter Five of How To Read Literature Like A Professor, the author reveals a new concept: Intertextuality, or, in my own words, the ever growing and changing relationship that exists between all works of literature, that creates a foundation for new works of literature to be built upon. This concept is apparent in many works of literature which allude to The Bible, often with Christ figures, and also fairy tales, using Prince Charmings, Damsels in Distress, and Evil Step Relations.

Chapter Six, Seven, and Eight reflect upon the various stories that book often allude to. Shakespearean tales, especially Romeo and Juliet are often Referenced. Biblical allusions find themselves in all kinds of books, and fairy tales are an easy reference for any kind of audience to grasp, not to mention fun, to use as building blocks. One book that I find has fairy tale reference is one of my personal favorites: Gone with the Wind. Our main character, Scarlett, can easily be turned into both a damsel in distress, as well as a princess. And our fetching Rhett, well he's obviously a Prince Charming, Knight in Shining Armor, Rescuer type. And indeed he does rescue Scarlett, from the horrible dragon known as the Union Army in a well known tower that we'll call Atlanta, Georgia. Or, perhaps, Rhett saves her from widowhood, the rules of society, and all other forms of propriety, and whisks her away to his Kingdom of wealth, finery, and... (gasp) scandal. And as much fun as that allusion is, I prefer to think of Scarlett as a Cinderella type. Although much braver, and with a lot more spunk. I haven't figured out exactly what her shoe is, but she's got a godmother, although not one of human form. In fact, its her own charm and quick thinking. Said wittiness was the reason behind her quick snatching of Mr. Frank Kennedy, entering her into the ball of Atlanta, rescuing her from the horrible taxation facing her back at Tara. Besides, I think Southern Belles of the era just had that Princess attitude, don't you?

How to Read Literature Like a Professor Reading Response Chapter 1 - 4

Chapter 1 - Every Trip is a Quest (Except When It's Not)

Foster explains how a simple trip to fetch milk or bread from the market can be a metaphorical adventure of epic proportions, turning a simple errand into a quest to destroy the Ring of Power, or to discover the force. Which, although it seems far-fetched, does make sense to at least a small extent. Everything in life is a learning experience. I recently went to Wal-Mart for a very simple thing: food. At the end of my journey I had realized several things about myself. 1) Modern fashion scares the living daylights out of me. Why do we wear this junk? 2) I tend to talk to various goods when I don't feel they are placed in a convenient enough location for me. And 3) I'm really not the scariest person in the world, or even in Batesville. Kind of shocking. Although I must say, my favorite example of a quest, as portrayed by Foster, is that of Star Wars.

Quester: A classic youngling, adventurous, curious, and completely over his head with the whole force thing: Mr. Luke Skywalker.

A place to go: Well we're actually just going to drop of old Ben here at Ancorhead, so he can get a transport to wherever he's going. Become a Jedi? Pssh. Like that'll happen.

A stated reason to go there: Well Ben's been asked by this princess person to safely transport blue prints to Alderaan through a message in Uncle's R2 unit. Who knew?

Challenges and Trials: Well lets see: Storm troopers kill his Aunt and Uncle, Han Solo is being... well Han Solo. Chewy's in the Way. Darth Vadar wants to kill everybody. The Emperor builds a second Death Star, and the darned bounty hunter hired by Jabba wont go away! How's that for trials?

The Real Reason to Go: To discover the ways of the force, reunite the family, continue on the jedi tradition, and ultimately save the universe. Not too bad for a mushroom farmer, huh?

Good job, Luke old buddy.

Chapter 2 - Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion

In this chapter, Foster covers the importance of communion, or the act of eating with another/others. And how these meals really take place because of an ulterior motive of either a main character, or the author. In one of my favorite books of all time, Leota's Garden, there are a lot of meals eaten as a group event. Anne and Leota eat together to show that despite nearly a lifetime of separation, they love and hope to build a closer relationship. Sam treats Anne to take out as his way of saying "I love you! Give me a chance!" Of course, Anne is a smart girl and rejects Sam's attempted advancements. Poor Sam. Foster also covers how these meals can easily go awry. As the thanksgiving meal Anne put together as an attempt to reconcile her broken family... however, Anne's mother, Nora, secretly throws away the leftovers when she does the dishes. Ohhhhh the evil! These meals can also be a device used by the author to invite the reader into the story, possibly by describing delicious, scrumptious, mouth-watering, and over-all yummy food. In Redwall the author also uses said descriptions to give an air of joy and festivity to the Abby.

Chapter 3 - Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires

First I'd like to point out the extreme enjoyment I received from the word doppelgängers. What a fun word! The use of vampires as metaphoric social monsters makes extreme sense to me. Also the idea that anybody and anything that drains energy and lifeblood out of someone is a vampire or ghost or whatever also makes a lot of sense. My mom has a book called Spiritual Vampires... about people who drain you spiritual and emotionally. These people show up in real life as well as literature. In Leota's Garden, Anne's mother Nora goes above and beyond the qualifications necessary to be qualified as vampire. Geesh. I personally think we face vampires in disguise everyday. Vampires in disguise include (but are not limited to) manipulators, over-protectors, and credit card debt. They are EVERYWHERE!!!

Chapter 4 - If It's Square, It's a Sonnet

...And if it's poetry, its likely to be confusing. I loved the poem Foster used as a reference, and I'm so very glad he broke it down for me, I would've taken forever to figure all that out, despite the fact that it's really quite simple. Poetry is such a beautiful art. And I'd really like some help with mine. Yep.

The Status of Teachers

One of the main reasons that teachers are so low on the social ladder, is because they're aren't viewed as accomplished. The improvement of the education necessary to become a teacher will lead to the improvement of teacher status. According to Kati Haycock, the president of the Education Trust program, a considerable amount of research has revealed that "college teacher education programs do not, on average, produce graduates who are any more effective than teachers who have had only a few weeks of pre-service training." The fact that college training for teachers is at equal value of that of a program meant to quickly prepare someone to be able to basic duties. In previous years, teaching was held to so high a degree, that people seeking a career in teaching could go to a school designed specifically for them, where they could learned with like minded individuals... A teaching school. My grandmother graduated from one of these, UCA to be exact, which along with Lyon College, and a couple of others, started out as colleges for the career of teaching. Currently, a teaching certificate is just another thing you can add on to your major as a back up plan. You might ask if a college created for a specific purpose such as teaching is actually more adequate for the job then a program within a multi-major college. Although many multi-major colleges, are specialists in more then one career field, it may be more beneficial to spend a large amount of time on the improvement of schooling for teachers rather then splitting efforts among many projects. In order for the teaching to be considered an actual career, and for the status of teachers to be respected, the education of teachers must be enhanced. But there are those who say

The Great Gatsby: Last Page Review - Rough Draft

Scott Fitzgerald's melancholy lamentations portray his captious view of the human race in their struggle for improvement, or advancement in society. In the passage he is "brooding" over the past, during the bone-chilling winter during "obscurity" of night. His diction paints his surroundings as gloomy, and so lonely that its almost overwhelming. The houses begin "to melt away" and everything around him is "shadowy," making it the perfect place to allow hopelessness to consume the soul. He describes the discovery of the New World, long island a "fresh, green breast," a beautiful part of the female nation as he saw it. She is "fresh", and "green", untainted and unsoiled, pure and nonsexual. A great contrast to the sexuality of the 1920's. In contrast the future that Gatsby struggles so hard to reach is "orgastic," a sexual beast: A sinful creature that should be avoided at all costs. Fitzgerald's extended metaphor continues, as he creates a river of time, one that the human race struggles against "ceaselessly" and to no purpose. Humans become "boats against the current," as time drags them back into the past of simple joys, pure pleasures, and happiness in relationship. The bliss we seek in alcohol, and new fads has "eluded" the human race, and faded into the darkness, just as "the inessential houses began to melt away" into the night. Still, as Fitzgerald has so profoundly noted, "we beat on... borne back ceaselessly into the past."

'My Wood' Response

I agree with the author of My Wood, although I do feel that he does seem to exaggerate the impact of consumerism. Sure, consummerism is a growing problem, but I don't feel that people who buy a lot of... well stuff, will be thrown into the pits of hell. Yes, consummerism does need to be addressed, but lets not be so judgemental.

Slaves To Our Stuff

In many places around the world, but mainly, or course, America, consumerism is at an all time high (even with the recession, we still be more then most other countries in the world) and it has begun to take a tole on society. Ivan Illich says that "in a consumer society there are inevitably two kinds of slaves: the prisoners of addiction and the prisoners of envy." I personally agree with him. If we are not addicted to shopping, and buying, and owning....stuff, then we are constantly comparing our stuff to the stuff of others. Their shoes, their coats, their hair and how they've died it, their fake nails, and their backpacks. We fail in comparison to "they" and shoot out hatred and jealousy from every pore, aiming our discontent toward the "they"s that have more then us. Our stuff has consumed us, and has motivated us, to the point that we have become brainwashed, slaves to the stuff that rules society.