Resourceful Reading A Mini-workshop To Teach Participants To Interpret Literature Accurately And To Read Purposely Student Support Services (SSS) Troy University (main campus)

Objectives To increase SSS participants' confidence in their ability to read and comprehend literature To provide SSS participants with a tool kit for interpreting literature To offer SSS participants a list of suggested readings

What Is Literature? What is Interpretation? Interpretation (general definition): “To interpret something is to make it personally meaningful.” Sources: Literature. American Heritage online. Retrieved June 26, 2006 at Interpretation. Retrieved June 26, 2006 at Literature (definition) – written works such as fiction, poetry, drama, and criticism that are recognized as having important or permanent artistic value

Why Should We Interpret Literature ? For the same reason that authors create literature: Authors believe that there are at least two valid sides to any major issue--not just a simple right and wrong side. Reading and interpreting literature helps humans learn or better understand the complexity of life's deepest mysteries. Source:

What does Literature Do? Literature gives order to human experience. Literature explores cultural values. Literature demands an emotional response from the reader. Like a great journey, literature shows you things you have never seen before and will never forget. Source: Directly quoted from learner.org. Retrieved June 26, 2006, at Source:

Common Literary Themes Mysteries of life have become Common Literary Themes: Love -- Charity, Faith, Companionship Hate – Inhumanity; Evil; Manipulation Life and Death -- Survival, the Afterlife, Purgatory Conflicts between the individual and society -- Justice vs. Injustice; liberation vs. captivity Human Character -- Greed; Selflessness Source:

Contents of a Literary Review or Literary Analysis Introduction (1) Full Title of the Work; (2) The Author; (3) General Statements about (a) the work (summary of details), (b) the author, and/or (c) the period in which work is written; (4) A Thesis statement Discussion in which the Thesis is supported. Refer to the Literary Elements that the work strongly exemplifies and include data, quotes, dialogue or descriptive passages that support thesis.

Evaluations and Analysis Should prove that you understand what you have read. Should distinguish you as a reader with critical comprehension skills. Should reflect your ability to articulate the knowledge and understanding (not just the facts) that you have gained through your reading. Should prove that you are thinking literarily (in terms of the literary elements you observe)

Comprehension Comprehension is critical. Webster's Dictionary – “comprehension is ‘the capacity for understanding fully; the act or action of grasping with the intellect.’" Half-understanding leads to half truths. Half truths lead to Logical fallacies. Source: Cuesta College. Academic Support Site. Retrieved June 26, 2006, at Sanhttp://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/301.HTM

Resourceful Reading Resourceful (adjective): able to meet and manage situations; full of initiative; effective; creative... Reading: interpreting (part of speech -- gerund –a noun derived from a verb)

Optional Workshop Activity Please read story excerpt – Treasure Island. Answer the questions. Check your answers with your workshop facilitator.

12 Conclusion SSS hopes this presentation has given you some useful information concerning the task of choosing a subject about which to write. Please complete a Seminar Evaluation form before you leave and stop by SSS to complete an online Academic Seminar Summary so that we may document your participation. Also, please feel free to suggest any other topics that you would like to see presented. Phone: Thank you, and have a great learning experience here at Troy University.