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Essays on symbolism
Symbolism and interpretation
Symbolism and interpretation
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Overall, How to Read Literature Like a Professor starts off really confusing since you are trying to understand what is going on while also trying to figure out how he proves his theories. In the beginning of the book, Foster’s theories seemed so far-fetched because of the way he worded them. In chapter three Foster stated, “Ghosts and vampires are never only about ghosts and vampires.” (Foster 18). Immediately, I began to think about how professors tear apart books for symbols that are not really there. Many authors in the past have stated that they have written books that have no deeper meaning and are not filled with symbols. After I pondered this thought, I was hoping Foster was going to further explain his statement to make me agree.
...onally transposing indirect to direct quotation, putting words into people mouths and blending two separate eye witness's accounts. How can one read a novel for knowledge gaining purposes when the structure appears so flawed? The use of modern and old English are combined in the sentence structure. The highly academic vocabulary not only is confusing, but breaks the flow of the book when that is the evident purpose for the format of the book. The confusing order in which Starkey retells events and the ineffective and useless information that is put in for building character personalities.
How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas C Foster is a how to do book that teaches children how to become better readers. The novel was written in second person. The purpose of this novel is to inform readers on details that they wouldn’t usually realize in literature. Students who read Thomas C Foster’s How to Read Literature like a Professor are suppose to gain knowledge of how to identify details of their story that have connections to other literature or have alternative meanings that the author is trying to get across to the reader. Thomas C Foster believes reading his novel can help develop you into a better reader. He believes this because the information that he includes can apply to your reading. When you realize the connections he talks about, it gives you a better understanding of the book you are reading.
In Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, symbolism, archetype, and myths are three concepts he uses to compose the unique story. The symbolism in the story stands out vaguely. An archetypical reference occurs at the very beginning of the story that carries on throughout the book. The mythological aspect is sensibly the whole concept the story is about. All three of these notions are openly highlighted throughout the story. They each obtain explanations for multiple subjects. The book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster helps explain the three concepts in Kafka’s, The Metamorphosis.
Of course, the thematic development of the novel is somewhat more complicated and cluttered than that. The presentation of religion in the book is continually undercut with irony and the constant presence of sex. Further the thematic development of the book is also inconsistent and indirect, in part because we are never able to obtain a secure view or outlook of Johnny's mind; he is such a subdued narrator that it is difficult to tell exactly where he stands during much of the novel, which often clouds our sense of his struggle with faith and doubt. This ambiguity underscores the important point that Irving's basic intention for his novel is not to present a philosophical meditation on the nature of God, but rather to tell a clutching story.
After reading the opening chapters, I was surprised by the laid back, casual attitude Foster displayed. He did not go about explaining certain aspects of previously written novels in a way that was hard to understand. Foster explained things in great deal, but in good taste. He did not go on with boring information; he simply got his point across in a way that made me want to know more. Not only was his way of thinking and expressing his thoughts interesting, but the subjects he tapped into were interesting also. Foster connected things that surround our average day lives to literature, and the effect it brings to the literature. For example, Foster discusses vampires in on of the first few chapters. The majority of people have seen numerous movies about vampires, making it easy to connect with what he was talking about. His overall tone and strategy of writing was relatable and the least bit overwhelming, which quickly grabbed my attention and made me interested in things I would not normally be interested in.
The DeFord Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile, developed in 1985 by Diane DeFord, is a way to measure the philosophy and belief systems associated with instructional practices in the beginning of reading. The three systems include phonics, skills, and whole language (Vacca et al 2006). The bottom-up beliefs systems, associated with Behaviorism, place emphasis on letters, letter-sound relationships, and the understanding that the student, in order to comprehend the selection, must recognize each word in a text. There is importance placed on decoding, and skills are taught in a systematic and sequential format.
Over the summer, after taking a break from reading a novel just for entertainment, I sat down to read How to Read Literature like a Professor and it was the exact novel to refresh and supplement my dusty analysis skills. After reading and applying Foster’s novel, How to Read Literature like a Professor, towards The Bonesetter’s Daughter I found a previously elusive and individualized insight towards literature. Although, The Bonesetter’s Daughter is full of cryptic messages and a theme that is universal, I was able to implement an individual perspective on comprehending the novel’s universal literary devices, and coming upon the unique inference that Precious Auntie is the main protagonist of the novel.
Several people have trouble writing college level essays and believe that they are unable to improve their writing skills. In “the Inspired Writer vs. The Real Writer,” Sarah Allen argues how no one is born naturally good at writing. Sarah Allen also states how even professional writers have trouble with the task of writing. Others, such as Lennie Irvin, agree. In Irvin’s article “What is ‘Academic’ Writing?” states how there are misconceptions about writing. Furthermore, Mike Bunn’s article “How to Read Like a Writer” shows ways on how one can improve their writing skills. Allen, Bunn, and Irvin are correct to say how no one is born naturally good writers. Now that we know this, we should find ways to help improve our writing skills, and
Furthermore, professors also think symbolically using it as way to understand the story. For example in “How to Read Literature Like a Professor” by Thomas C. Foster, they describe that thinking symbolically is imagination that basically comparison to what it seems until proven wrong . It could be from the basics of a prince climbing to save the princess showing a symbol of heroism or love. A professors must use their imagination to see the symbols placed for them. College student must also understand that like said in “How to Read Literature Like a Professor” they mention that “everything is a symbol of something, it seems, until proven otherwise.” This is a quote that describes how everyone thinks differently but that no symbol is wrong nor
The authors’ main argument in “Rhetorical Reading Strategies & The Construction of Meaning” is that reading is both a constructive and discourse act, in which readers must construct meaning of a text. The authors of this article, Christina Haas and Linda Flower conducted a study in which they used a think-aloud protocol to analyze the participants’ thoughts and understanding of the text after they had read aloud. The authors also noticed that the more experienced readers used rhetorical reading strategies which contributed to a more efficient understanding of difficult texts. Despite the study, readers should use combine prior knowledge and careful reading along with the ability to read a text on several levels rather than being limited to
One of the constants in life is that there is always meaning. Without meaning, mankind struggles to set itself apart from the beasts, it loses it’s way, and so it creates meaning in every aspect of it’s existence. Whether it’s as momentous as leading a nation, or as simple as a kind word to a friend, man always trusts that there is a reason for it’s actions, that there’s a purpose behind their gestures, and that fuels their drive to live. One of mankind’s proudest achievements, literature, is simply a reflection of it’s world, a massive collection of knowledge and experience that waits to be tapped by both scholars and students alike. Through years of study and analysis, Thomas C. Foster, author of How to Read Literature like a Professor,
In the article “How to Read a Book” by Jeremy Anderberg on the website Art of Masculinity (http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/06/17/how-to-read-a-book/), he is inditing about the author Mortimer Adler’s novel of the same name, different ways of reading a novel. These distinctive ways are Elementary, Analytical, Inspectional, and Syntopical. Each one has its own significance, relying upon on what is obligatory? First, there is elementary reading. This type of reading is what beginners study in elementary school, which without a doubt gets them to the point when he or she can acknowledge the words and read them. Secondly, there is Inspectional reading. Moving lightly through an article or novel is mostly Inspectional reading, which he or she
Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature like a Professor: a Lively and Entertaining Guide to
Don’t judge a book by its’ cover they say, but don’t we all do it anyway? The same can be said about people, that we shouldn’t judge others based on their appearance. However, in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Fosters writes that in literature, physical deformities mean something symbolically, emotionally, or thematically. Allowing us to scrutinize these characters to further understand them. Hosseni uses the motif of scars and physical deformities in The Kite Runner to illustrate a character’s purity and goodness.
I can infer that, due to how different individuals may identify intentions and symbolism, my classmates will not always agree during class discussions. Even with logic-based argument, our interpretations may still end in divergent positions, and I believe that this is okay. Our personal views and experiences will precipitate different opinions, and these different opinions spike the beauty of a true discussion, organized debate in an attempt to better understand others’ understanding of literature. Additionally, when I read about how Pearson incorrectly identified the author’s purpose, the thought occurred to me‒ have I assumed the author’s intention wrongfully before or was I misled to these interpretations in the past? Additionally, another thought occurred to me‒ who are we to assume the author’s intentions? We didn’t write the literature, so how can we determine what an author really meant by a specific phrase? By pondering these phrases, I finally conjectured that we make these assumptions using the information provided in the text in combination with our prior experiences. Therefore, without an explanation from the author of every literature we will read, we make the foremost conclusions we can conceive based on how we interpret each novel regarding the author’s intentions, purpose, and use of