1. Responding to Literature
ENG 4UI

2. Responding to a piece of literature:
The process of responding to literature begins before reading as one thinks about what is to be read and continues during and after reading
Your response should show your understanding and interpretation of the literature
Your ideas about the literature must be supported by the literature and by what you already know

3. Before Reading:
First, relax. Literary analysis is not as daunting a task as it may sound
Next, read up on the author. Often, an author’s life experiences and era in which he/she lived will influence the writing
Then begin reading

4. During Reading:
As you read, take notes in the margins or on a separate piece of paper
The notes can be comments, questions or connections influenced by the reading

5. After Reading: Summarize what you have just read
Try to answer the questions that you raised during reading
Go back and highlight any significant quotations (quotations are significant if they reveal character, advance plot, contribute to theme or add to audience appeal)

6. Now What?
Look at the information you have gathered, and formulate an opinion or a thesis based on the reading
Write your response to support your thesis

7. Let’s look at an example:
You were asked to read “A Clean, Well-lighted Place” by Earnest Hemmingway
Here’s what we know about Hemmingway: He was a great American writer who was part of a generation of writers living in Europe. He served in both World Wars. He married 3 times. He sought adventure. He loved to drink. He died from suicide.

8. Connecting to the Story:
In your analysis, you could easily connect Hemmingway with the old man in the story --- both like to drink, both are depressed, and Hemmingway believed that existence was meaningless which is represented by the old man. (There is so much more here that can be connected with further research into the author’s life).
Alternately, you could reflect on the contrasting images of light and dark, cleanliness and filth, youth and old age to enhance the story’s philosophical meaning of futility.
Or you could look at the three characters as representative of three stages in life. A type of allegory showing the progression of one’s perspective on the meaninglessness of life

9. Final Thought:
There are so many ways to interpret a piece of literature
No interpretation is wrong if you can back it up with evidence from the literature
Always look below the surface by attempting to interpret the author’s message or trying to psychoanalyze characters or draw connections between characters and objects and what they symbolize
As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. (Not that you would ever want to skin a cat).