ENG 260 GUIDE TO READING AND WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE

1. ENG 260 GUIDE TO READING AND WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE Presentation 1: Introduction ENG 260—Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

2. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 2 This presentation will discuss: • the elements of works of literature • literary devices authors may employ • what to do when you read literature for this class • what you will be writing about in this course • guidelines for writing about literature ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

3. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 3 Basic elements of a literary work • the setting (not just physical, but also temporal and atmospheric) more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

4. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 4 • the characters • the protagonist (main character) - usually in some sort of conflict • other major and minor characters more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

5. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 5 • the plot: not just what happens but why (causes and effects, interactions) • the theme: not just the general topic or the plot, but the central idea of the work as a whole • usually based on the protagonist’s conflict more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

6. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 6 • the structure (how the work is organized into parts, and how these parts relate to each other and the whole): for example, the work may be entirely a sequential narrative (one thing happens after another) or there may be several shifts (e.g. flashbacks, long reflective pieces in place of action) ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

7. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 7 Literary devices • point of view • third person: narration done by unseen, unnamed person (who may be omniscient, i.e. has insight into all characters’ thoughts, feelings and experiences, or perhaps not) more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

8. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 8 • first person: narrator uses I, me, we, us etc. and typically is one of the characters but usually not the author him-/herself (except in poetry) more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

9. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 9 • style: characteristic wording and sentence structure (may be simple, complex, sophisticated, disjointed, etc.) • tone: attitude, expressed through style and other devices, toward the work, its characters, its setting, the reader, etc. more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

10. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 10 • other devices: • imagery: sensory impressions triggered by choice of words • symbolism: using a concrete thing or object to represent (symbolize) something else, usually an idea (e.g. a lamp representing freedom, knowledge, hope, etc.) more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

11. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 11 • allusion: making a (often indirect) reference to an outside idea, story, event, etc.—may be hard to grasp if you’re not familiar with what’s being alluded to • figures of speech: special use of words, phrases, etc.—includes metaphors (indirect comparisons without like/as, e.g. “He’s a rocket”) and similes (direct comparisons with like/as, e.g. “He runs like a rocket”) more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

12. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 12 Questions you should ask yourself as you read (you can answer these by writing either in the book, in a separate journal, or, especially for more in-depth replies, to the course discussion board) • What is the setting, and how is it significant for the work as a whole? more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

13. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 13 • Who is the protagonist? What are the other major characters? How does the author describe, depict and develop the characters? • How does the plot determine the source of conflicts? How does the plot reveal character development? more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

14. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 14 • What is the theme of the work? (Try to state it in a single sentence.) • Is there a third-person or a first-person narrator? If first person, who is it? If third person, is the narrator omniscient? more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

15. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 15 • What is the author’s tone? What is the tone of the protagonist and/or other characters? • How is the work structured? Do you see a reason for the way the work is structured as it is? more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

16. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 16 • Does the author use images? If so, which senses of the reader do they appeal to? • What do you think is the meaning or purpose of the imagery? • Does the author use any symbols? If so, what do they represent, and why does he/she symbolize these in this way? more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

17. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 17 • Does the author seem to make any allusions? If so, what are they, and why do you think the author includes these allusions? more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

18. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 18 • What figures of speech does the author use? Note the metaphors and similes; why does the author use these particular ones (i.e. are they related to the work’s imagery, symbolism, etc.)? ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

19. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 19 Types of writing you may do in this course • reaction/response • interpretation • analysis All of these can be developed from your journal or discussion board entries. ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

20. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 20 reaction/response: basically, what you thought after reading the work • what it made you think about • why you liked it or didn’t like it, or what parts did you like and what parts didn’t you like (whatever you say, make sure you give specific reasons and examples) more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

21. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 21 • how it relates to your personal experience, and/or reveals something about your life or yourself • what you think it does well and/or poorly (again, be specific) ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

22. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 22 interpretation: what you think the work as a whole or parts of it are supposed to mean • How do the various elements of the work, i.e. plot, characters, setting, etc. contribute to this meaning? more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

23. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 23 IMPORTANT: Rarely is there ever one “correct” interpretation, but the best case is usually that some consensus arises as to a work’s general meaning. There may be divergent interpretations because the static words of a text may in fact mean different things to different people or even to the same person at different times and circumstances. ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

24. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 24 analysis (of literary elements of the work) Sample topics: • contribution of the setting • in-depth analysis of one character, or comparison of characters in the same or different works more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

25. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 25 • how the various elements of the work, plot, characterization, setting, etc. contribute to the development of the theme more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

26. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 26 • how the point of view affects the work • how the author’s tone relates to the theme or other aspects of the work ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

27. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 27 General guidelines for writing about literature Content: • don’t just summarize or retell the story • include specific information from the work only when it supports the point you’re trying to make more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

28. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 28 • be specific, clear and direct • use quotations frequently to support your ideas, but don’t overuse them (don’t let them do your writing work for you) • you can focus on the work as a whole or just a (significant) part of it ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

29. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 29 Conventions: • In describing literature or telling what happens in a work of fiction, the convention is to use the presenttense for verbs instead of the past tense (if you’re not clear about what these two verb tenses are, see slides 2 and 3 of my “Tenses and Aspects” lecture available under the section “chapter 3 lectures” at mccorduck.net/402/lectures) . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

30. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 30 examples: In the end, Al defeats Waller in the match. Prewsis a veteran outfielder. Ray and Salinger travel from New Hampshire to Cooperstown. After Grey finishes his college career, he plays in the CFL before he joins the NFL’s Washington Redskins. ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

31. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 31 There are some instances where it’s O.K. to use the past tense, however: • when discussing a character's background or the "back story" of some element of the plot as long as it takes place before the narrative (e.g., Ray first rented the farm from Eddie Scissons) • when describing reactions or impressions of yours at the time of reading (e.g., It wasnot surprising to me that Al in the end agrees to take the dive) more . . . ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

32. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 32 • when referring to an event that necessarily has to occur before another plot element (e.g., Grooves (had) observedThorssun cheating prior to the Ryder Cup but waits until the last hole to bring it up) Aside from cases like these, for the most part you will need to use the present tense exclusively. Especially because this is a GE 7 course, it’s something I will have to insist on and enforce. ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002

33. ENG 260 Guide to Reading and Writing about LiteraturePresentation 1, Slide 33 Other conventions: • use the first and last name of the author on first mention, then only his/her last name • give parenthetical references for quotations • when referring to characters in works, for the most part use just their last names (unless, for example, you need to differentiate members of the same family) ENG 260--Literature of Sports, Spring 2002