Charles W. Chestnutt's The Marrow of Tradition Clearly, one can expect differing critical views of a novel; from the author's perspective we see one view, from a publisher's another, and from the reviewer's yet another. This is especially true of Charles W. Chesnutt's The Marrow of Tradition. If one observes both the contemporary reviews of the novel and letters exchanged between Chesnutt and his friends and publisher, Houghton, Mifflin, and Co., one will see the disparity in opinions regarding the work. Chesnutt himself felt the work was of at least good quality, and remarked often of its significant purpose in letters to Booker T. Washington, Houghton, Mifflin, Isaiah B. Scott, and William H. Moody. Reviewers, too, were able to see the "purpose" of the novel as a significant one as evidenced by reviews in Chautauquan, the New York Times, The Literary World, Nation, and New York Age.
Upon opening the book, and beginning to read the first chapter, it felt as though the author was introducing me to the book as if in real life. The author spoke as if he wasn't telling the story, but instead preparing you for the story. The fact of the matter, is that he was doing both. Calvino was preparing the reader for the first story of the book by listing the best ways to read a book by removing any distractions and getting comfortable. Reading this was very hard going, as the first chapter to me it read like a set of stereo instructions and it made me think I don't need to be told the best way read a book, as the best way to read a book is all down to personal preference.
Cite your critique of the novel. John Steinbeck’s East of Eden was a beautifully written novel. Although it was quite long, his words caught me in a place where time did not matter; a place where my only care was that of the characters and the struggles they dealt with in their lives. It made me question the nature of human beings, including myself. I had to pause at numerous times throughout my reading to reflect on something that he had just said.
Barnum said literature was a significant expression of human kind he was right. Without the literature process most people would look at a story by an older author like O. Henry and feel like they hadn’t gotten the full experience, and maybe even be a little confused. Now that I’ve done this process once, I’m able to carry it with me through my lifetime and use it later when I read more of his stories. This process helps make an author’s meaning clear and lends a hand to the reader by helping them dig deeper into the significance behind the author’s words. This process helps a reader to comprehend an author’s implications.
Some of the writers discussed may even merit being rediscovered. In fact, Signor Calvino is such a good critic that he sneaks in brief chatty references and even fragments of autobiography before we realise it. The case of Hemingway shows this for instance: 'There was a time for me when - and for many others, those who are more or less my contemporaries - Hemingway was a god.' The essay then proceeds to show Hemingway's appeal as well as his limitations. The book's title is something of a misnomer in this respect, because the question is tackled directly in the first essay.
Tom’s subliminal love for Louisa can be seen in various occasions despite his depiction as a person devoid of care for anybody but himself. When they are younger, Tom is very verbal about his fondness for his sister, making such statements as, “You [Louisa] are the only pleasure I have – you can brighten even this place” (Dickens 88). As he grows up to become more guided by self-interest, there is still some retention of this fondness. This can be seen even during some of Tom’s most selfish moments. An example is when he attempts to use Louisa for his own advancement by asking her to marry Bounderby; Dicken’s writes, “Her brother glanced at her face with greater interest than usual” (Dickens 128).
While reading the novel, the reader is actually required to interpret the text and really think about what certain details mean. The way Conrad wrote the novel is for the reader is to look for clues and develop ideas. It is completely subjective and trying to find exact answers is not an option. This writing style opened the eyes of many writers and changed the way literature was understood.
Many have examined the book in different lights and several have used the critical lenses when analyzing the novel. Literary critics such as Daniel S. Burt and Jacob Robertson have effectively analyzed Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye, using the new criticism, psychoanalytic, and historical critical lenses of literary analysis. In order to understand all of the fame that follows The Catcher in the Rye wherever it goes, Robertson and Burt both use the new criticism lens on the novel. The new criticism lens views the text of the book as existing independently. The meaning of the content is discovered by doing a close reading while not using any outside sources.
He gave you only the surface of the story using specific word choice and dialogue and you had to put the pieces together to complete the idea. This unique use of skills has resulted in him being an author who is greatly studied. In his works, The Old Man and the Sea, The Garden of Eden and The Sun Also Rises we see him write in short, scant sentences that force us to draw our own conclusions about the rest of the story. This technique has earned him both criticism and fame. It is definitely not a style easily imitated.
I have used outlines in the past, but never heavily relied on them to build an essay. Generally, I would start with a blank page and jot down rough sentences. This however is not a fool proof method, and I sometimes found myself lost, or restating the same information twice. In the Module Two Discussion post, Lesa commented that my topic about childhood friendships “pulled at her heartstrings.” Lesa’s comment gave me confidence to go forward with my narrative essay topic as I would have a great hook for my introduction. Once... ... middle of paper ... ...ing anymore.” I have now come to rely on one to two people to read my work with a fresh eye to catch any minor details such as grammar and basic sentence structure that I tend to keep missing after reading my essay.