[scroll down for next week's schedule and Coetzee topics]
At the end of a semester I like to find out what you are taking away from this course. So here are my questions for you:
1. What 1-2 things did you learn about literature that you didn't know before? What was most intriguing or valuable to you in the literature we studied?
2. What did you learn about yourself as a writer? What new skills or ways of thinking did our discussions open up for you?
Post your answer here any time before August 4 or plan to write in class for 15 minutes on August 4.
Here are some thoughts about literature from famous writers--feel free to include your reactions, your own definition:
Donald Barthelme says:
"literature is a strange object covered with fur which breaks your heart."
Octavio Paz says:
"Literature is
the expression of a feeling of deprivation, a recourse against a sense
of something missing. But the contrary is also true: language is what
makes us human. It is a recourse against the meaningless noise and
silence of nature and history."
Emily Dickinson says,
Tell all the truth but tell it slant —
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind —
Steven Pinker says:
"If you aren't just brought up in your
tribe but interact with other people either directly or vicariously,
through journalism and literature, you see what life is like from other
points of view and are less likely to demonize them or dehumanize others
and more likely to empathize with them."
1. I learned that one must revisit passages in books to further increase our knowledge of the piece. Reading should be meticulous. This class made me understand that one simple reading will not suffice. In my case I loved Disgrace the most of all the readings we did. The questions that is posed about morality, combined with religious imagery really kept me intrigued.
ReplyDelete2. I am still not sure what have I discovered about myself as a writer in this time period. I think I will see that at a later time. I still have a developing voice as a writer, and I believe that writing is about finding the voice that will ideally,in turn, immortalize you, and I know for a fact that I am nowhere near of finding that voice.
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ReplyDelete1.Reading is FUNDAMENTAL!!! I didn't think I would enjoy The Round House or Disgrace, but I was wrong. The Round House is one of my favorite books. I believe that family is the back bone of society which Joe's journey confirmed. I learned that when reading, it is necessary to take notes or highlight passages. By doing so you are able to formulate a thesis and supporting evidence with ease, instead of hunting through pages.
ReplyDelete2. As a writer, this class taught me trust myself more. Before, I would spend so much time editing and reediting. In this class, because I found ways to connect with the stories, I was able to convey my thoughts effectively. I am not where I plan to be in writing but it is something I have a passion for, where my voice, thoughts can be heard, so I will continue to work on it.
Thank you Professor for a wonderful semester. I truly enjoyed your class. To my classmates, you helped expand my thinking. Thank you for all the wonderful exchanges in class and best of luck on your future endeavors.
Sadie--good point about relationship between reading and highlighting--how it makes it easier to formulate a thesis--I really appreciate that the class taught you to trust yourself more!
Delete1. I learned that its good to annote while reading, talk to the text, ask questions so that when you get together with your group you can analysis and figure out what the author is trying to convey. You find words that mean more than making up a sentence. Like in Roundhouse, mother doesn't just mean that's she a parent. mother symbolizes the glue that keeps the family together. That the father and son need her because there are things they just cant do.
ReplyDelete2. As a writer I feel that there's much more that I need to learn. My writers block always gets in the way. I think if I brain storm more instead of diving head first I may have more options and more write. The more ideas I gave the more I can write
Kiara--I love your comment that a mother is more than a parent--that is certainly something Erdrich is trying to say--that she holds the family together--sorry about writer's block--wish we had more time to help you get over it.
Delete1. I learned that literature has many underlying messages that have to be analyzed and further broken down to get the true meaning the author is trying to portray.
ReplyDelete2. I also learned that a book holds more information and specific details than the movie. I understood the way symbolism can set the tables for future events in a novel and how certain events sculpt the ultimate fate of a character for the good or for the bad.
Cantrell--you have a unique voice--I love your comment that certain events sculpt the ultimate fate of a character -- if you get this, you understand the nature of tragedy and maybe of life! Great to have you in class :)
Delete1. I learned that literature has many underlying messages that have to be analyzed and further broken down to get the true meaning the author is trying to portray.
ReplyDelete2. I also learned that a book holds more information and specific details than the movie. I understood the way symbolism can set the tables for future events in a novel and how certain events sculpt the ultimate fate of a character for the good or for the bad.
1. I learned that in any story of literature, there is a dramatic arch a story goes: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement.
ReplyDeleteIn this class, I learned a lot of historical and political backgrounds to understand deeply. So that when I accidentally found the article about the Native American, I could recognize what it refers to, especially about the reservation laws. It might be a tiny peace of discovery but I like when I hear a ding sound in my head, like a treasure hunting. Discoveries makes my perception wider.
2. As a writer, I have to study technical grammar and sentence structures. It's limited to express what I want to say. So I decided to study GMAT this summer vacation.
Kumi--I like when I get that ding in my head too--it's an epiphany (look that up) --you wrote really well and I loved your connections to Japanese culture.
DeleteI took this class to sharpen my skills in understanding novels and also to get more into novel reading as a hobby. I really enjoyed all the novels and I never thought to break it down in such analysis as we had down. I learned about the dramatic arch, kinds of literatures, symbolism, and motifs. Also I really enjoyed and gained a lot of knowledge from learning about post colonialism. I unexpected gained some knowledge in history through our readings which I did not expect but I liked.
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, I learned I still need to learn how to analyze literature further more in depth. It comes slightly difficult to me, as I am a psychology major, I am used to a different side of analyzing things in depth. I actually have learned to almost read between the lines and pay close attention to details as nothing is written in a novel for no reason. Every detail has purpose or else it wouldn’t be written.
I really like Emily Dickinson poem. It definitely explains how truth cannot just be put out in the open to shock people. Instead softly pose the truth.
I love that poem too Lysandra. It's so true that the truth must enter softly. Appreciate your telling me that the postcolonial theme was interesting--and also about analyzing in depth--good for psychology as well as English--surprise!
DeleteI learned many things in taking this class and one of them was the high racial issue we as a society have faced and are still facing today. I also realized in taking this course just how unfairly we as women are still being treated, and that not only race is becoming an issue again but gender also. I specifically also loved the Roundhouse even though it ended tragically. So did Disgrace, but with the close reading we have done with Disgrace, I realized Luries ending was actually one of happiness.
ReplyDeleteI have always planned on being a writer and taking this course just enhanced my abilities to do so! I'm really happy I took this course and I wish there was a Novel pt. 2!
Stephanie--I totally agree with you about race and gender issues being important today--and that is a good insight that Lurie does gain a kind of happiness--keep on writing!
DeleteOne thing I learned is that novels unfortunately never have happy endings! However one of the most interesting and valuable things I learned this semester was that our society unfortunately faces many endangering ideologies that have separated us, similar to the whole situation in DR/Haiti. One thing I learned about myself as a writer is that I definitely not only enjoy reading dark novels, but I also enjoy writing grim pieces of literature. Taking this class taught me to take the extra step and correlate pieces of literature to the real world, because most of these pieces of fiction are making statements and reflecting the very world we live in.
ReplyDeleteRicardo--you are so right about endings--Henry James said somewhere that if we never had difficulties there would be no story to tell! Glad you took that extra step in your writing and thinking--and you helped our discussion of connections between literature and life!
Delete1- One or two things that I did not know about literature is that it can touch a part of you that you will not able to understand for example I learned that literature is like a drink , it fills you up with new knowledge until you are no longer thirsty. The most intriguing novel we read to me was The disgrace by J. M. Coetzee and I fell in love with it because it was the first literature that I have read that have effected me in so many levels , another thing that I have learned in life to learn from others mistakes and that is what this novel has helped me understand.
ReplyDelete2- As a writer I learned that I have a tendency of not relating back to my thesis whenever I write. Our discussions have helped me realize that most of time the things that I write down at the bottom are the most important that I should be focusing on ,they are my thesis .
1- One or two things that I did not know about literature is that it can touch a part of you that you will not able to understand for example I learned that literature is like a drink , it fills you up with new knowledge until you are no longer thirsty. The most intriguing novel we read to me was The disgrace by J. M. Coetzee and I fell in love with it because it was the first literature that I have read that have effected me in so many levels , another thing that I have learned in life to learn from others mistakes and that is what this novel has helped me understand.
ReplyDelete2- As a writer I learned that I have a tendency of not relating back to my thesis whenever I write. Our discussions have helped me realize that most of time the things that I write down at the bottom are the most important that I should be focusing on ,they are my thesis .
Kenny--I love your comment about how literature fills you up--and that disgrace affected you on many levels--and thanks for thinking about how you need to get back to your thesis--sometimes we have so many ideas--but that is a good thing too!
DeleteDuring my time in this course, I learned about the Drama Arc, and that novels like the Roundhouse should be given a chance because you might be surprised at how much you like it. Special mention must also be given to the various Greek facts that were really interesting. The most intriguing thing for me in this course was the use of mythology in the Roundhouse. That was beautifully done. As a writer who lacks in getting to the point most of the time, the Sandwich Template was invaluable to me in writing my essays.
ReplyDeleteEnglish 260 was a very enjoyable course and Murakami will definitely make it more enjoyable.
Niko -- thanks for research you did on the Roundhouse and for your appreciation of the Greeks--foundational knowledge from different cultures--glad to know some structure (sandwich and dramatic arc) was helpful! really enjoyed your writing and comments in class :)
DeleteI know it's past August 4th but I still wanted to share :)
ReplyDelete1. What 1-2 things did you learn about literature that you didn't know before? What was most intriguing or valuable to you in the literature we studied?
Something I learned about for understanding literature better was the story arc. It made the novels make more sense since we were defining key parts in them. Something valuable to me in the literature that we studied was that we did close readings of both The Roundhouse and Disgrace. Somethings that they both have in common are the issues with gender and race inequality.
2. What did you learn about yourself as a writer? What new skills or ways of thinking did our discussions open up for you?
As a writer, I learned that sometimes I have trouble relating to my thesis, and I go off-topic because I also want to make other points that I thought were important. As for new ways of thinking, I learned to think from other people's point of view, especially when reading Disgrace. To me, Lucy was a character who had a thick skull, but I had an idea of why she did what she did, although I did not agree with it.
I really enjoyed this course and am glad that I took it as my last elective!
Anabel--thanks for mentioning the arc and the close reading as helpful. I like your point about learning to think from other people's points of view---Lucy does have a thick skull and therefore she makes us examine our categories!
ReplyDelete