Book by Thomas C. Foster Summary Presentation by Ryan M Blanck

What is it about? What it means to be human. Common struggles and conflicts. How we relate to each other. How we relate to the world around us. All literature is a part of the bigger Story.

Everything is connected in some way. There is no such thing as a truly original story. Avoidance is also a form of interaction.

Our first reading and response to a text is (and should be) an emotional one Did you like it or not? Why? You don’t have to like “good” literature, and you are welcomed to love “bad” literature.

The “Grammar of Literature” Conventions Patterns Codes Plot Devices Character Types Point of View Symbols

When doing a close reading, look for: Allusions Symbols Character Types Plot Devices and Patterns

There is no such thing as an original story. Authors make purposeful references to other works of literature, and play off of our responses to those works. “Intertextuality”

Must learn to look for patterns, archetypes, and recurrences. The more you read, the more you’ll find. Not knowing the allusions will not necessarily hurt our enjoyment of a text, but it may hurt our understanding of it.

Almost all allusions come from: Shakespeare The Bible Fairy Tales Mythology (mostly Greek & Roman)

Every generation reinvents Shakespeare in its own way. Variations on plots. Character studies.

Borrowed titles, lines, names, etc. Why? Sacred text Sounding board for contemporary authors.

Judeo-Christian influence on European and American culture and literature. Read the Bible as a work of literature.

The Bible contains the most basic human conflicts and struggles: Loss of innocence Redemption

Many stories come out of authors’ own spiritual struggles. Many writers from the past were lay ministers and clergy.

Borrowed titles, situations, characters, quotations, names, etc. Most popular: The Fall Christ Figures Prodigal Sons

Everyone knows children’s stories. Authors use what is familiar to help make sense of what is unfamiliar. Hansel & Gretel: Lost children trying to find their way home.

Myth: a story told to help make sense of the world. Go back to cultural roots. Mythology is so imbedded in our culture that we don’t often recognize it when we see it.

Common Themes: Heroism Nobility Loyalty Sacrifice Loss

Homer gives us the four great struggles: Man vs. Nature Man vs. Divine Man vs. Others Man vs. Ourselves

Other great conflicts: Protecting our family Maintaining our dignity Remaining faithful Returning home

Short answer: Sure it is. More difficult question: What does it mean? Symbols can be objects or actions. Some symbols are very exact in their meaning. Most symbols rarely have only one meaning.

Stories where everything is symbolic = Allegory Allegories fall apart when there is ambiguity. Stories lose their value when symbolism becomes overly simplified.

Tools for interpreting symbolism: Questions, Experience, Knowledge Interpretation is based in large part on the reader’s experience. What does it feel like it is doing?

Different writers give objects and actions different meanings. We must consider the writer’s world and experiences.

What is the “one story” about? List the four most prevalent sources for literary allusions? Who first defined the four great conflicts? What is the easy answer to the question “Is that a symbol”? What is the more difficult answer to that question?

Some common symbolic elements: Journeys Meals Weather Seasons Flight Baptism Physical Impairments

Elements of a Quest Narrative: Knight, Road, Holy Grail, Dragon, Evil Knight, Princess. Or: Quester, Place to Go, Reason to Go, Challenges, Real Reason to Go. Most often, the Quester must face the challenges alone.

Stated reason for the Quest is never the Real reason for the Quest. Real Reason = Self-knowledge.

A meal = communion = peace & community Shared meals have nearly universal cultural and religious significance, but need not always be sacred. A meal in literature needs a reason to be there. A shared meal highlights our shared experiences.

Rain = cleansing, judgment, restoration. Rain can have religious significance. Rainbows = redemption, divine promise

Rain can be: plot device, atmosphere, mood Rain is democratic (falls on everyone)

Fog = confusion Snow: very similar to rain Cold, Harsh, Pure, Unforgiving

Seasons have pretty universally accepted meaning: Age Seasons of Life Moods & Emotions Imagery & Setting Fall = Harvest = Task Accomplished

Humans can’t fly. Flying = Freedom Falling is also important, especially if the character lands safely (effects of survival).

How a character gets wet and responds to the water can have important symbolic implications. Coming up out of water = rebirth (baptism). A character must be ready to receive the baptism.

Physical Impairments are most often identified early in the story. Can (used to) signify moral imperfections. Questing hero (war hero) often injured or marked.

Common Types of Physical Impairments: Blindness Heart Disease Illness

Blindness = special insight The Blind often help other characters to see what is obvious to the rest of us. Metaphorical Blindness (“Blinded by…”)

Heart Disease is the perfect metaphorical illness. It usually represents some social, emotional, or moral ailment.

Every era has its disease of choice. Before the discovery of germs, there was a great deal of mystery surrounding illness. Some authors made up illnesses to suit their needs.

An illness should be: Symbolic Picturesque Mysterious Characters’ responses to illnesses (their own and others’) is what is important.

Two Common Character Types: Christ Figures Vampires

Why? Christian values and ideals are foundational in our culture and literature. Author is trying to make a point by using a Christ figure in his story. But… don’t force it or try to read too much into it.

Characteristics: Humble (everyman) Attractive Divisive Self-sacrificing Redeems others Usually symbolic, not a perfect likeness.

Dracula was very attractive and alluring. He violated young women, took their usefulness, and left them helpless.

Characteristics: Selfish Exploitative Feeds off of others Refuses to respect autonomy of others Often a human character that consumes others.

Authors use certain devices and patterns to achieve certain purposes. Common Plot Devices: Violence Sex

Violence against another person can be a very intimate act with important implications. In real life, violence just is. In literature, violence usually contains meaning and metaphor.

Two types of violence in literature: Violence among characters Narrative violence Look for thematic implications, resemblance to other acts of violence, and method of violence.

Blame our fascination with sexual meaning on Freud. In literature, normal objects and actions can take on sexual meaning. In literature, sex is always about something else.

There are several other important elements to consider when reading a work of literature: Geography Politics Context

Why does the author choose particular locations for the setting of his story? Geography carries certain cultural, political, and economic implications. Geography = people inhabiting spaces and spaces inhabiting people.

Consider the geography’s impact on: Character (psychology & motivations) Plot structure

Consider the opposites in geography: North vs. South East vs. West City vs. Nature High vs. Low South = running amok

Consider the politics of the time and place of publication. “Political” writing doesn’t travel well. Real political writing deals with real issues. Some say that every work is either part of the problem or part of the solution.

Try to read with the eyes of the original audience; understand the context. What is the author really getting at? Understanding ≠ Acceptance

IRONY TRUMPS EVERYTHING. Irony = devices not used in traditional ways, or not used at all. We have to understand the accepted uses of a device to understand its ironic usage.

The signifier remains the same, but the significance changes. The signifier may mean many things, but irony employs a unconventional, unexpected meaning.

Types of Irony: Verbal Irony Dramatic Irony Structural Irony Cosmic Irony

In good literature, assume that all symbolism and allusions are intentional. But we can’t know for sure.

Good writers are good readers. Old writers were very well-versed in the classics. Lateral Thinking & Intertextuality

What does he do and what can we discover from it?

Book by Thomas C. Foster Summary Presentation by Ryan M Blanck