What is Literature and Why Does it Matter? Lecture 2/24/14

Journal 2 Using the James Wright Poem titles “Lying in a Hammock at William Duffy’s Farm in Pine Island, Minnesota, in your book p.3 write a response to the speaker of the poem, focusing on the last line: “I have wasted my life” Begin with something like… When I read your poem, I was struck by the last line…

What constitutes a “good” or “productive life” in your opinion?

What would Jimmy Santiago Baca have to say to the speaker in this poem? Using his text, support your claims using Baca’s text and/or his interview.

How literature has been defined The literary canon is "the greatest works of artistic merit.“

Why is this problematic?

Toni Morrison described the Literary Canon as the “Master Narrative”   The Master Narrative is whatever ideological script that is being imposed by the people in authority on everybody else: The Master Fiction . . . history. It has a certain point of view. So when those little girls see that the most prized gift they can receive at Christmas time is this little white doll, that’s the Master Narrative speaking: this is beautiful, this is lovely, and you’re not it, so what are you going to do about it? Toni Morrison, interview with Bill Moyers Toni Morrison described the Literary Canon as the “Master Narrative”

Critics on literature from Making Literature Matter p. 17-20 “Art lives upon discussion, upon experiment, upon curiosity, upon variety of attempt, upon the exchange of views and the comparison of standpoints.” “The Art of Fiction” by Henry James “Literature is equipment for living.” Kenneth Burke Critics on literature from Making Literature Matter p. 17-20

Making Literature Matter p. 18 “When it’s the real thing, literature enlarges us, strips the film of familiarity from the world; creates bonds of sympathy with all kinds, even with evil characters, who we learn are all in the family. This enlargement is both intellectual and emotional.” Frank Lentricchia Making Literature Matter p. 18

  “If any female feels she need anything beyond herself to legitimate and validate her existence, she is already giving away her power to be self-defining, her agency.”  ― Bell Hooks, Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics

Bell Hooks on her book Bone Black Memories of Girlhood She describes it as-an “unconventional memoir, drawing together the experiences, dreams and fantasies that preoccupied me as a girl, playful, random and irrational. exemplifying how the mind thinks thoughts over and over again, an intuitive and critical thinking child mind. “Memories are sometimes in the third person, looking back, standing at a distance.” “We are retrospective, there and not there.”