How to Read Literature Like a Professor
Cameron Evans
Mrs. Elrod
AP Literature and Composition
19 Aug 2012
Observations for How to Read Literature Like A Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Introduction: How’d He Do That? 1. Literature has a set of codes and rules, a set of conventions and patterns. 2. Conventions are used, observed, anticipated, and then fulfilled. 3. The three things that differentiate a professional reader from those less experienced are: memory, symbol and pattern. 4. A “Faustian bargain” is like making a deal with the devil.
Chapter One: Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not) 1. Every quest has five components: a quester, a place to go, a stated reason to go there, challenges/trials en route, and lastly, the real reason to go there. 2. The real reason for a quest never involves and/or includes the stated reason. 3. The real reason for a quest is always for self-knowledge.
Chapter Two: Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion 1. Communion is whenever people eat or drink together. 2. Communion doesn’t have to be holy. 3. Life and death are acts of communion.
Chapter Three: Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires 1. Vampirism can mean the literal vampire action as well as: selfishness, exploitation and refusal for respect. 2. The typical “vampire story” consists of an older figure that has some seductiveness about them to hide their corrupt intentions and a younger figure who is innocent and most typically virginal in some aspect; in turn, the older figure (the vampire) rips away the younger figure’s youth and virginity. 3. According to Foster, human nature is vampiristic—which is why it is found predominately all throughout literature.
Chapter Four: If It’s Square, It’s a Sonnet 1. Most lines in sonnets have ten syllables. 2. Sonnets have two parts; the first being the octave that contains 8 lines and the second being the sestet that contains six lines. 3. The two parts of a sonnet have their own separate rhyme
Mrs. Elrod
AP Literature and Composition
19 Aug 2012
Observations for How to Read Literature Like A Professor by Thomas C. Foster
Introduction: How’d He Do That? 1. Literature has a set of codes and rules, a set of conventions and patterns. 2. Conventions are used, observed, anticipated, and then fulfilled. 3. The three things that differentiate a professional reader from those less experienced are: memory, symbol and pattern. 4. A “Faustian bargain” is like making a deal with the devil.
Chapter One: Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not) 1. Every quest has five components: a quester, a place to go, a stated reason to go there, challenges/trials en route, and lastly, the real reason to go there. 2. The real reason for a quest never involves and/or includes the stated reason. 3. The real reason for a quest is always for self-knowledge.
Chapter Two: Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion 1. Communion is whenever people eat or drink together. 2. Communion doesn’t have to be holy. 3. Life and death are acts of communion.
Chapter Three: Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires 1. Vampirism can mean the literal vampire action as well as: selfishness, exploitation and refusal for respect. 2. The typical “vampire story” consists of an older figure that has some seductiveness about them to hide their corrupt intentions and a younger figure who is innocent and most typically virginal in some aspect; in turn, the older figure (the vampire) rips away the younger figure’s youth and virginity. 3. According to Foster, human nature is vampiristic—which is why it is found predominately all throughout literature.
Chapter Four: If It’s Square, It’s a Sonnet 1. Most lines in sonnets have ten syllables. 2. Sonnets have two parts; the first being the octave that contains 8 lines and the second being the sestet that contains six lines. 3. The two parts of a sonnet have their own separate rhyme