How to Read Literature Like A Professor

Leigh Ann Freeman

Introduction- “How’d He Do That?” Figures, such as the devil, or any person for that matter, can

be disguised in literature. For example, Mr. Linder in A Raisin in the Sun (1959) Mr. Linder offers Walter Lee an ultimatum in the play: the

money problem that Walter has brought upon the family will be solved if he admits that he is not equal to the white man

It’s like a bargain with the devil, only in disguise

Cont. Introduction Look for patterns in history Bargains with the devil have been made

during the Elizabethan period Make the connection between the past and

the present Walter Lee resists the temptation and in turn

gains “heroic stature” (xii)

Cont. Introduction By resisting the bargain with Mr. Linder, he

conquers the internal as well as external conflicts in his life

While reading, look for the effect of internal vs. external struggles

Also, relate minor topics/events to the main topic/event for a connection

Key to reading literature is practice. Don’t be afraid to become emotionally involved in the work that is being read

Cont. Introduction Use a literary lens at all times There are 3 important things that separate

the professional reader from everyone else 1)Memory

Connect what you are reading now with what you have read before.

2) Symbol Assume everything is a symbol “unless it is

proven otherwise’ 3) Pattern

Look for patterns in history, society, & individuals

Ch. 11: Concerning Violence

Again, relate events for understanding Ex: A slave’s escape to a free state is like the

Israelites’ escape from Egypt Understand the metaphorical meaning of violence

Ex: Robert Frost’s poem “Out, Out—” (1916) A farm boy becomes distracted while using a

buzz saw, thus sawing his hand off The buzz saw basically had a “mind of its own”

( Foster 88) The point is not to be careful with machinery.

The point is to magnify a human’s status as a helpless and frightened individual in the world

Cont. Ch. 11 There are two categories of violence in

literature 1)Specific Injury that characters cause

themselves (stabbing, shooting, fighting, etc.)

2) Narrative Violence that causes general harm to a character. In this case, the violence advances the plot or in some way adds to the theme of the story

Cont. Ch. 11 Literary Density in Mystery vs. Poems A mystery is all about the surface. What you

see is what you get. A poem consists of “layers” full of literary

density that often confuse the reader

Cont. Ch. 11 Look for biblical parallels “When accidents happen in literature, they

are not really accidents” (Foster 95) Accidents are placed for a reason. Whether

to cause conflict, advance plot, etc. Ask yourself questions while you read. Try to

generalize the reason for the violence

Ch. 25: Don’t Read with Your Eyes

To understand the what the characters are experiencing and to make the reading more enjoyable, read through the character’s eyes. Not your own.

Ex: In James Baldwin’s “Sonny’s Blues” tension between two brothers, one an uptight math teacher and the other a recovering addict and jazz player, bring them to the “last chance for change”

Cont. Ch. 25 If one were to read with their own eyes, it

would be thought that the main point of the short story was that addiction is very harmful.

On the contrary, if one were to read through the character’s eyes, it would be seen that the story was meant “as a study of relations between two brothers” (Foster 228)

Allow yourself to have sympathy while reading. Understand the historical background.

Cont. Ch. 25 When reading, look for the bigger problem. Like in Baldwin’s short story, the problem

was not the addiction. The problem was the math teacher’s “emotional turmoil” (Foster 229)

Create your own opinion when reading. You don’t have to agree with the values of

the characters and/or author. Do what you please.

Ch. 26: Irony “irony trumps everything” (Foster 235) There are “roads in literature” that give

characters the opportunity to use their free will Ex: in Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, two characters

are placed in front of a road in which they never travel upon. They have the ability to travel on the road, but lack the initiative to actually take it.

The irony of this situation is that the reader witnesses these characters search for what the road can bring to them, instead of initiating the change in their own life

Cont. Ch. 26 Use the process of association to

understand irony Know background information on the time

period and author for deeper understanding Forget about expectations. Most of the time,

it means the total opposite of what you think.

Pay attention to customs. Ex: Physicians are related with healing. It

would be ironic that a physician murdered someone.

Reading like a Writer Chapter One: Close Reading Can creative writing be taught?

“Creativity can’t be transmitted from teacher to student” (Prose 1)

One learns to write by seeing examples…READING.

Writing is done one word at a time The more you read, the more able you are to

comprehend higher levels of work

Cont. Close Reading Trace patterns in writings and make

connections “Each word of these novels was a yellow

brick in the road to Oz” (Prose 6) Every step counts. Pay attention to detail.

Ch. 10: Learning from Chekhov

Anton Chekhov is a short story writer who recognizes what he doesn’t know rather than recognizing what he does.

He writes “involving” stories. Making the reader feel as if they had actually experienced what the characters had.

When reading, keep your eyes open. Continue to ask yourself “what does this mean?”

Cont. Ch. 10 Shifts. Shifts in point of view change

constantly throughout his writing. Ask “whose story is it?” (Prose 238) Chekhov humbled himself through his

writings Chekhov makes it clear that “most is not all”

(Prose 241) “Chekhov was teaching me how to teach”

(Prose 241)

Cont. Ch. 10 Chekov relates his stories to problems in the

real world. “If you cut a rich woman, she bleeds just like

a poor one” (Prose 243) People who are poor have deeper cuts than

those who are rich, most of the time. Again, “most” is not “all” Chekov wrote letters that gave insight on what

a writer should know The importance of seeing clearly, avoiding

judgment and prejudgment

Cont. Ch. 10 Chekov wrote in one of his letters “It is time

for writers to admit that nothing in this world makes sense”

“Forget about life. Read Chekhov, read the stories straight through. Admit that you understand nothing of life, nothing of what you see. The go out and look at the world.” (Prose 248)

Ch. 11: Reading for Courage

“Literature is an endless source of courage and conformation” (Prose 250)

Literature makes us realize there are no rules.

The key to holding the attention of a reader is the precision of language.

Don’t just indentify the characters, care for the characters.

Cont. Ch. 11 Reading gives you courage to do one of two

things. 1) Resist the pressures of modern day

society 2) Follow them Details provide “jolts of inspiration” for the

reader and exemplifies the growing courage inside