Mining Literature for Deeper Meaning
Before you start discussing your summer reading selections, please view this video, and reflect on what you have learned about deeper meaning in literature. Discuss your experiences with thinking and talking about literature - in school, and out of school. I will start the conversation:
Ok. so, I don't remember when it started, this thinking deeper, probably not until college. I took a short story course, a 400 level - grad school level, when I was a sophomore at URI, and it was HARD! But, I loved it! And I remember being asked to analyze the text for deeper meaning. I was clueless. My English teachers in high school were out to lunch - taught like Edgar Allen Poe for four years - and what deeper meaning is there besides his twisted mind? Well, maybe there is, but, anyway - there I was, a reader and I had no clue as to how to delve deeper into a text and then write about it. So what did I do? I looked at how other people did it. I went into the stacks of literary criticism (yes people, stacks of books in the library), and one by one, I took down books that analyzed all different texts, sat on the floor and read. It didn't even matter if I had read the primary texts, I was looking for HOW it was done. I discovered that there were things like patterns, and intertextuality, symbols and motifs, allusions to other texts, and with these things, if I could notice them in a text, I could interpret them myself. I fell in love with the puzzles of a story. It was like problem solving in math, but I got to do it with words, my own preferred genre. I was in love.
Poetry was harder. I didn't get there until I was a grad student, but more about that in September.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI’m still not even sure if I know how to find the deeper meaning in literature. My teachers in middle school and 9th grade had low expectations and allowed cursory observations to be the final answer. It wasn’t until I transferred to West in 10th grade that I started to get pushed into looking deeper into literature. I started to feel that light bulb moment last year while exploring the different aspects of American Literature. This is my first year in honors English and I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.
ReplyDeleteUpon viewing and studying the video, I was familiarized with looking past what was written as words and I imagined it as if it were a real and historical event. This video by TED-Ed reminds us to familiarize ourselves with the background that the narrator or character hints at in order to draw references to the actions that the character or characters make. This was something that I learned in later elementary school with the introduction of complex chapter books and more complex story lines. It was a difficult but wonderful experience once I trained myself to really step back from the confines of the page bindings and 'look at the big picture' as some would say. Understanding the past is very important for drawing these key points for the present and future. This is not only true in literature, but in the physical world itself. For example, one is able to analyze why a certain figure responded to a situation the way he or she did by noting the significant influences earlier in the life of the person.
ReplyDeleteI'm not afraid to admit it, but I'm not the best person to analyze and "think deeper" when it comes to literature. I've always been in honors english classes, and kind of forced into looking into text deeper, but it still troubles me. i would have to say last year in which i had Ms. Federman (who harshly grades papers) that forced and taught me to the best abillty to search deeper into the real meaning of literature.
ReplyDeleteI can’t remember when I began hearing this, but by high school, certainly all of my English teachers were asking me to “think deeper”. However, that wasn’t something I think I was ever able to achieve on my own. Often, my teachers would search for a deeper meaning with the class and eventually tell us all the answers. I’ve always felt that my essays were composed of ideas that either my teachers or peers contributed during these discussions. The ideas that I did come up with were either way off target or just scratched at the surface of this “deeper meaning”.
ReplyDeleteBoth reading and writing have always been my weaknesses (academically), but this year, I hope that I can finally solve “the puzzles of a story” and meaningfully contribute to class discussions.
To be honest, I was not always the best at finding deeper meaning in literature. I used to struggle finding symbols and allusions. After 3 years of high school, I have found it easier to identify symbols and allusions and actually find the deeper meaning of stories that I was never able to do. The teachers I have had helped a lot in teaching me what "thinking deeper" actually is and helped me achieve what the deeper meaning is in a story. Last year, there was a lot of focus on how certain events in a story can be connected to the world as a whole. This focus helped pull out the deeper meanings in stories.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I was not always the best at finding deeper meaning in literature. I used to struggle finding symbols and allusions. After 3 years of high school, I have found it easier to identify symbols and allusions and actually find the deeper meaning of stories that I was never able to do. The teachers I have had helped a lot in teaching me what "thinking deeper" actually is and helped me achieve what the deeper meaning is in a story. Last year, there was a lot of focus on how certain events in a story can be connected to the world as a whole. This focus helped pull out the deeper meanings in stories.
ReplyDeleteWhen searching for a deeper meaning in literature I feel as if I over think and complicate the message the author is conveying. I tend to look for specific symbolic situations or objects such as those mentioned in How To Read Literature like a Professor without seeing the entire meaning of the piece. In the past, class discussions have lead me to find the deeper meaning of books which I can usually build off of but I have trouble initially finding it myself. I hope that this class will help me to see both the overall deeper meaning of books as well as the smaller symbolic meanings behind situations, settings, characters, etc.
ReplyDeleteI honestly grew up in a very analytical, intellectual family, which would have been a lot more benefiting if i wasn’t such a black sheep. Nevertheless, I sort of accidentally picked up helpful habits. I do tend to try to analyze everything but i’m going to be honest, I’m not very good, but I try. Over the years, i have learned in probably a more professional, technical way, how to find the deeper meaning to things in literature. Sophomore year, we were forced to read How to Read Literature like a Professor and that taught me a lot. We learned about what weather in a story means, what certain life events mean, how to connect new stories to old stories, like the Bible and Shakespeare. I also grew up reading the Bible a lot at church and my pastors and friends made me find deeper meaning in that text so that I’d be able to applicate it in my own life. In general, I’ve learned a lot, but I still have a long way to go.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have been exposed to analyzing pieces of literature for deeper meanings, I personally sometimes have a difficult time doing this task. Throughout middle school, my teachers did not teach their students how to “dig deeper” or “think deeper” into a text to see what the author or character was truly trying to convey over the course of the piece. It wasn’t until I entered 9th grade that my English teacher, Mr. Silva, first began to teach me how to “think deeper” under the surface of words written on a page for the meaning hidden beneath it. When I came to Cranston West my sophomore year, the topic of analyzing a piece for different meanings and symbols such as weather, seasons, quests, religion, etc, was taught through the book, How To Read Literature like a Professor. Last year, the topic of analyzing for deeper meanings was applied to various novels and stories including The Raven and The Scarlet Letter and even a group essay on Modernist and the American Dream. Although I have had a lot of experience, sometimes, it is not until class discussions that a deeper meaning is pointed out, that I realize and I am able to build upon it. Hopefully this year, I will finally be able to find the deeper meaning of any piece of literature I read without the guidance of my fellow classmates and teachers.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTrying to find the deeper meaning in literature has been a struggle for me in my 3 years of high school. I remember my first socratic seminar in ninth grade, where we had to discuss a question about the book Of Mice and Men. The whole experience was so nerve racking because I was so used to just saying what first came into my mind and did not know how to expand or find other deeper meaning. The rest of the students in my socratic seminar group brought out very good points, but I couldn’t find ways to go deeper into those points as well. Long story short, we ended up sitting there, staring awkwardly at each other, not knowing what else to say and sort of looking at the teacher, letting her know we were done even though we left out a lot of good points. Tenth grade and eleventh grade really did help me in finding deeper meaning through the class discussions and essays. I received great tips on essay writing, and finding deeper meanings and am grateful to those teachers for helping me. However, most of my essays have been composed of ideas from other people, and I have just been elaborating on what they said. In short, my “thinking deeper” has always needed improvement especially when coming up with original ideas on my own.
ReplyDeleteThroughout my years in high school, I have often come across analysis questions that ask for me to look for a deeper meaning in a part or parts of a passage. No matter what, it always seemed as if it were impossible for me to find anything other than the literal meaning. I could never find a way to dig into the deeper part of a passage and never knew how, but after thinking more about using insight to my advantage, I find it much easier to understand how to find better understanding around a particular passage or character.
ReplyDeleteI’ve always been interested in the deep meanings in texts and what is hiding in “between the lines”, but I always have trouble recognizing the small clues and steps. I can be quite impatient at times so I tend to try to find the “big picture” right away, but doing that is difficult because I do not think about all the other multiple factors first. Literature is extremely complex and sometimes I wonder if I can find something that someone may not. I feel like I only find the meanings that are right there and obvious. As soon as another classmate or teacher mentions something I did not notice before, it makes me think “oh, how did I not see that?” and then I try to add to that. I always fear that my ideas are completely off or I won’t be able to express all my thoughts into words properly so I end up wondering how other people would approach it. However, I would love to practice identifying symbolism and diving in on my own instead of always relying on others.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading a book I am usually able to understand the context of the novel completely and could pass a test if ever assessed on it. However, when it comes to deeper meanings of certain phrases, symbols, or simply words mentioned in the text, I haven’t always been able to fully grasp the concept of “going deeper.” Of course I could remember small details about certain characters, the setting, or the plot while reading, but understanding that an object that is just a certain color can have a whole meaning on its own is still beyond me. It wasn’t until last year in Ms. DelFiore’s class that I understood what finding a deeper meaning of the text really meant. Throughout the year, our class read many books including The Book Thief, The Kite Runner, and others. After reading each chapter and being tested on the context, we would then go back and read that same chapter again in order to focus on other aspects of the book, rather than just the obvious. By doing so, we were able to pay attention to the different writing styles and choices authors use and make. Usually, writers chose to include the words, settings, objects, names, colors, etc. that they do because they are trying to prove a point, or get a certain idea/message across. Although I have found going deeper into the text and discovering the symbolic meaning of literature to be difficult at first, I think that it is interesting to study the writing techniques authors use, especially when you are finally able to understand why they made those choices in relevance to the novel itself.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I am not the best at analyzing/finding “deeper meaning” within texts. I agree with Fallon in the sense that I can easily grasp a story’s plot, setting, mood, tone, etc., but I tend to struggle when identifying messages within literature. Within my past three years of high school, group work or class discussions have really helped me when analyzing the deeper meanings within the texts that we read. However, whenever we could not collaborate, I would struggle with identifying the message by myself. By sharing ideas with classmates/teachers, it would provide me with different perspective, and a better understanding of the text overall. This year I hope to improve my skills and learn how to analyze literature by finding a “deeper meaning”.
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, i am more of a science and math person, as it is easier for me to read and analyze things quickly because science and math are based off of facts. Of course, with any honors class comes tougher curriculum, and analyzing texts within literature is always my achilles heel, as i can never quite grasp the underlying text of any excerpt or paper. I have come very close to it last year, and hope to finally understand both figurative and literal meanings of text this year.
ReplyDeleteEver since 10th grade English honors when we really starting analyzing books and the words in them, I've learned to look into things more. I was always the one in the class who didn't know how to interpret things so deeply like I saw everyone else do, but when I did, I started to interpret other things the same way, like science, math, and even real-life situations with friends. I may still not be that good now, but I'll get better and I know it, because I have been getting better. And the one thing I learned is that if a teacher were to ask to interpret one sentence or even a word, mostly everyone would have an answer different to each other's, because they, in most situations, can connect it with their own lives somehow.
ReplyDeleteAfter the majority of my freshman English class hated both reading and writing, I switched myself to honors, in the hopes that my love for both things could take me through the class. What I found, however, was that I was not necessarily cut out for the class just because I loved both reading and writing. Basically, the deeper meanings I found were… wrong, to say the least. My sophomore year, I would try to speak up if I could, but what I found was that my thoughts didn't match up to anyone else’s, and so after a while I just kept these thoughts to myself. I always believed that if you could back up how you felt, your answer would be correct, but I realized that wasn't necessarily true. This year I hope to find the deeper meanings in literature easier, and if not easier, at least have confidence in knowing that I have some type of correct answer. I also hope to understand how to better format essays and support my ideas. Creative writing has definitely always been better for me, but I want to learn more about formal writing.
ReplyDeleteThought my student career English teachers have been asking me, as well as everyone around me, to delve into a book and discover the “deeper meaning” in the novel. Although I could come up with one or two ideas about what the author implied in his or her writing I was always barely scratching the surface. Insight about a novel comes relatively easier to me, but discovering the complexity of a novel and being able to balance the small details and the bigger pictures I could never grasp. I hoped that over time I would have gotten better at it, but after hearing Mrs. Feole’s experience with struggling to understand the deeper meaning to a novel, I can see it can take some time.
ReplyDeleteThought my student career English teachers have been asking me, as well as everyone around me, to delve into a book and discover the “deeper meaning” in the novel. Although I could come up with one or two ideas about what the author implied in his or her writing I was always barely scratching the surface. Insight about a novel comes relatively easier to me, but discovering the complexity of a novel and being able to balance the small details and the bigger pictures I could never grasp. I hoped that over time I would have gotten better at it, but after hearing Mrs. Feole’s experience with struggling to understand the deeper meaning to a novel, I can see it can take some time.
ReplyDeleteEver since my sophomore year when my teacher drilled symbolism and deeper meanings into our brains for nearly every day of the school year, I have tried to search for deeper meanings and deeper symbolism in everything that I experience, whether it's a book a movie or a tv show I happen to turn on. Reading however is the most entertaining to search for deeper meetings in my opinion. Each character serves a greater purpose in the novel, and each event that they encounter holds deeper meaning than what's actually on the surface. Additionally, the fact that reading leaves half of its interpretation to your own imagination creates a more familiar and relatable environment, leading to easier and more accessible comparisons/symbolism. Searching for deeper meanings of the components of a story allow you to become even more in depth and interested with the novel and allow you to make greater connections that you may not have seen if you were just skimming through the novel or just reading it quickly without taking the time to understand the meanings that the author is looking to get across. That being said, it has taken me quite some time and quite a few books for me to even scratch the surface of discovering deeper meanings in stories. I do still believe that I have a long way to go in searching for meaning in more complex literature and look forward to the challenge.
ReplyDeleteIn my past, I was not good at finding the deeper meaning of literature because at a young age, I was only taught about finding shallow ideas. It was only up until high school that we were asked to think about the deeper meaning. In these last 3 years of high school, the teachers here have helped me understand how to think deeper and how to analyze a text closely. Especially in my English class last year, we were forced to think deeper for our assignments. Even if I had a bit of a struggle with it, I was able to come up with a deeper meaning with a lot of time. Although I may not be very good at finding the deeper meaning, I am still better at it than before.
ReplyDelete