Tools for Becoming a Critical Reader

Tools for Becoming a Critical Reader

Kirsten Ogden, MFA

University of La Verne

Kirsten Ogden, MFA

University of La Verne

Acquiring the “Language of Reading”

Acquiring the “Language of Reading”

Just like writing a sentence, reading has a set of conventions, patterns, codes and rules that readers can learn to employ in dealing with a piece of writing

Just like writing a sentence, reading has a set of conventions, patterns, codes and rules that readers can learn to employ in dealing with a piece of writing

Reading and ImaginationReading and Imagination

Here is why reading can be so much fun--the writer offers only HALF of the experience; you, the reader, offer the other half of the experience through your imagination. What you see, feel, hear, taste, smell, react to and so on are REQUIRED if the text is to be successful. The writer doesn’t give you everything--just CLUES along the journey!

Here is why reading can be so much fun--the writer offers only HALF of the experience; you, the reader, offer the other half of the experience through your imagination. What you see, feel, hear, taste, smell, react to and so on are REQUIRED if the text is to be successful. The writer doesn’t give you everything--just CLUES along the journey!

Fiction ConventionsFiction Conventions

Character types Plot rhythms Chapter structures Point of View

Limitations Form Rhythm

Character types Plot rhythms Chapter structures Point of View

Limitations Form Rhythm

The novice reader asks: Who are these people? What are they doing? What wonderful or terrible things are happening to them?

The first reading is often an “emotional” reaction. Go further.

The novice reader asks: Who are these people? What are they doing? What wonderful or terrible things are happening to them?

The first reading is often an “emotional” reaction. Go further.

Practiced ReadersPracticed Readers

Ask questions about these fiction conventions in order to deepen their understanding of the material of the text

Ask questions about these fiction conventions in order to deepen their understanding of the material of the text

Ask: Where did that effect come from? Whom does this character resemble? Where have I seen this situation before?

Ask: Where did that effect come from? Whom does this character resemble? Where have I seen this situation before?

Think about it this way:Think about it this way:

Our associations with the text will enrich both our entertainment and our understanding

Our associations with the text will enrich both our entertainment and our understanding

Everything means something. And everything means something based upon our experiences, background and education levels. (This will figure prominently in our acceptance of and understanding of non-European literatures).

Everything means something. And everything means something based upon our experiences, background and education levels. (This will figure prominently in our acceptance of and understanding of non-European literatures).

Try to see the literary text through a “critical lens.”

Try to see the literary text through a “critical lens.”

Read both for pleasure and to see the text in a new light.

Read both for pleasure and to see the text in a new light.

What separates the trained reader from the passive novice?

What separates the trained reader from the passive novice?

A recognition of:

Memory

Symbol

Pattern Recognition

Metaphor

Analogy

Tropes

Archetypes

A recognition of:

Memory

Symbol

Pattern Recognition

Metaphor

Analogy

Tropes

Archetypes

Learning to Read and to Think symbolically

Learning to Read and to Think symbolically

1. Everything is a symbol of something until proven otherwise.

Ask about the metaphor; ask what each thing in the text might signify; see things as existing in and of themselves, but also representing something else.

1. Everything is a symbol of something until proven otherwise.

Ask about the metaphor; ask what each thing in the text might signify; see things as existing in and of themselves, but also representing something else.

You may be thinking. . .You may be thinking. . .

Don’t writers just WRITE? Without knowing all that stuff?

The answer is maybe, maybe not. The point of literary analysis, however, is to utilize our individual experiences and our education and knowledge, to widen our enjoyment of the text. Believe it or not, this process will make reading more fun!

Don’t writers just WRITE? Without knowing all that stuff?

The answer is maybe, maybe not. The point of literary analysis, however, is to utilize our individual experiences and our education and knowledge, to widen our enjoyment of the text. Believe it or not, this process will make reading more fun!

Pattern Recognition:Pattern Recognition:

Attempt to distance yourself from the story and look beyond the purely affective levels of plot, drama and characters.

What elements of the story add to the significance and resonance, and what elements do not?

Attempt to distance yourself from the story and look beyond the purely affective levels of plot, drama and characters.

What elements of the story add to the significance and resonance, and what elements do not?

Literature is FULL of PATTERNS!

Literature is FULL of PATTERNS!

Lets look at several common patterns in literature throughout history:

Lets look at several common patterns in literature throughout history:

THE QUEST:THE QUEST:

Every trip is a quest!Every trip is a quest!

Can you think of any “Quests” you’ve read or seen?

Can you think of any “Quests” you’ve read or seen?

Quests= Hero, dangerous road, someone evil, someone to rescue,

some treasure to find. . .

Quests= Hero, dangerous road, someone evil, someone to rescue,

some treasure to find. . .

Think about:Think about:

The knights of the roundtable and the quest for the Holy Grail!

Frodo and Samwise heading off to Mt. Doom in Lord of the Rings!

Huck Finn? North by Northwest? Star Wars? Indiana Jones?

The knights of the roundtable and the quest for the Holy Grail!

Frodo and Samwise heading off to Mt. Doom in Lord of the Rings!

Huck Finn? North by Northwest? Star Wars? Indiana Jones?

Structuring the Quest: Structuring the Quest:

1. A quester 2. A place to go 3. A stated reason to go there 4. Challenges and trials en route 5. A real reason to go there

1. A quester 2. A place to go 3. A stated reason to go there 4. Challenges and trials en route 5. A real reason to go there

The Real Reason For A Quest is Always Self Knowledge

The Real Reason For A Quest is Always Self Knowledge

Often the Quester doesn’t know she’s on a quest!

The real reason for the quest is often never stated, but usually involves

Self-knowledge and education for our hero/ine

Often the Quester doesn’t know she’s on a quest!

The real reason for the quest is often never stated, but usually involves

Self-knowledge and education for our hero/ine

The stated goal of the quest often fades away as the story goes on, and the “real” reason for the quest leads to hero/ine redemption and new knowledge

The stated goal of the quest often fades away as the story goes on, and the “real” reason for the quest leads to hero/ine redemption and new knowledge

THE COMMUNIONTHE COMMUNION

Meals and food usually equal a communion of some sort

Meals and food usually equal a communion of some sort

Can you think of any famous acts of communion?

Can you think of any famous acts of communion?

“breaking bread” is a well-known phrase that is linked to the idea of “communion”

“breaking bread” is a well-known phrase that is linked to the idea of “communion”

What does it mean to “break bread?”

What does it mean to “break bread?”

It is an act of sharing and peace

It often signals how the characters are getting along with one another

Communion offers a realm of commonality-recognition between the characters

It is an act of sharing and peace

It often signals how the characters are getting along with one another

Communion offers a realm of commonality-recognition between the characters

It sometimes symbolizes what’s “eating” the characters too!

Communion or acts of communion DON’T NEED TO BE HOLY OR DECENT!

It sometimes symbolizes what’s “eating” the characters too!

Communion or acts of communion DON’T NEED TO BE HOLY OR DECENT!

VAMPIRES!VAMPIRES!

No, this isn’t a sci-fi class. Read on.No, this isn’t a sci-fi class. Read on.

Ghosts and Vampires Ghosts and Vampires

You can take this literally, since many stories have the appearance of ghosts or vampires (think Jacob Marley in A Christmas Story! think Shakespeare!)

OR you can take this metaphorically (ah, there’s that word again)

You can take this literally, since many stories have the appearance of ghosts or vampires (think Jacob Marley in A Christmas Story! think Shakespeare!)

OR you can take this metaphorically (ah, there’s that word again)

Vampires and Ghosts: What do they do to us?

Vampires and Ghosts: What do they do to us?

“Suck us dry” often representing “corrupt” values or a “stripping

away” of youth and “virginal” qualities--even a “destruction of the

young!”

“Suck us dry” often representing “corrupt” values or a “stripping

away” of youth and “virginal” qualities--even a “destruction of the

young!”

Vampires and GhostsVampires and Ghosts

It’s all about when someone grows in strength by weakening someone else

Exploitation in its many forms

It’s all about when someone grows in strength by weakening someone else

Exploitation in its many forms

“In order to remain ‘undead’ I must steal the life force of someone whose fate matters less to me than my own!”

“In order to remain ‘undead’ I must steal the life force of someone whose fate matters less to me than my own!”

OTHER NEAT THINGS TO LOOK FOR

OTHER NEAT THINGS TO LOOK FOR

Symbols and Metaphors: Weather

Symbols and Metaphors: Weather

How does a rainy day make you feel? What does it mean when you say you’re “in

a fog”? How come you feel happy when you see a

rainbow?

How does a rainy day make you feel? What does it mean when you say you’re “in

a fog”? How come you feel happy when you see a

rainbow?

A Writer’s Bag of TricksA Writer’s Bag of Tricks

It’s Never Just Rain: or snow, or sun, or wind. It all always means something.

Lets free associate:

It’s Never Just Rain: or snow, or sun, or wind. It all always means something.

Lets free associate:

Rain: Cleansing? Baptism? Noah’s Flood? Fresh? Restoration?

Rain: Cleansing? Baptism? Noah’s Flood? Fresh? Restoration?

Any time you free associate in this way while you’re reading, Any time you free associate in

this way while you’re reading,

you’re probably right on the money! Always remember though, that how you associate with a word or idea is

based on your cultural norms, values and experiences.

you’re probably right on the money! Always remember though, that how you associate with a word or idea is

based on your cultural norms, values and experiences.

Intertextuality: Intertextuality:

The dialogue between old texts and new texts--an ongoing interaction

The dialogue between old texts and new texts--an ongoing interaction

The more you read, the more you enjoy

The more you read, the more you enjoy

That’s because the more types of works you’ve read, the greater ability YOU have a a reader to have a “dialogue” with the text, and the greater ability you have as a reader to decipher the dialogue between the writer and stories from the past

That’s because the more types of works you’ve read, the greater ability YOU have a a reader to have a “dialogue” with the text, and the greater ability you have as a reader to decipher the dialogue between the writer and stories from the past

Common “invoked” stories:Common “invoked” stories:

When in doubt, check Shakespeare--everyone steals from him

When in doubt, look to the Greeks and Romans

When in doubt, check myths and children’s fables

When in doubt, look to the Bible (or other non-western religious texts)

When in doubt, check Shakespeare--everyone steals from him

When in doubt, look to the Greeks and Romans

When in doubt, check myths and children’s fables

When in doubt, look to the Bible (or other non-western religious texts)

“Reading is an activity of the imagination, but that activity is not the writer’s alone.”

“When we recognize the interplay between these dramas, we become partners with the writer in creating meaning.”

“Reading is an activity of the imagination, but that activity is not the writer’s alone.”

“When we recognize the interplay between these dramas, we become partners with the writer in creating meaning.”

Myths: A Body of Stories that Matter

Myths: A Body of Stories that Matter

Myths have been in every culture and society

“Universal” myths are often based on “European” ideas--keep this in mind

Myths have been in every culture and society

“Universal” myths are often based on “European” ideas--keep this in mind

Myths are a form of “intertextuality”

Myths contain any number of symbols and metaphors that serve as rich foundation for meaning in any given text

Myths are a form of “intertextuality”

Myths contain any number of symbols and metaphors that serve as rich foundation for meaning in any given text

One Example:One Example:

Think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and try to come up with metaphors, symbols or story “tropes”

Think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and try to come up with metaphors, symbols or story “tropes”

the serpent the fall from grace innocence lost

the serpent the fall from grace innocence lost

The Basic Law of Reading:The Basic Law of Reading:

If it sounds familiar, if it feels a bit “tinny” in the ear, if it resonates,

If it sounds familiar, if it feels a bit “tinny” in the ear, if it resonates,

then look for allusions to bigger story ideas, bigger myths, well-known character ‘types’, familiar plots or journey patterns.

then look for allusions to bigger story ideas, bigger myths, well-known character ‘types’, familiar plots or journey patterns.