On Analyzing Literature

[alexgaldo]

Call me the Grinch of English but am I the only one who finds analyzing literature a bit ridiculous? Let's face it the stories we have all come to know and love cannot possibly be as complex as we think? As much as I enjoy reading poems, short stories, novels, non-fiction, fiction, and every other form of literature I sometimes think that we are

Comments

[jordar3]

i think u should change that mind set:)

[rshofner1]

I know some people who have the desire to be writers. I think writers have a somewhat different mind set than the average person. Books are meant for you to "get lost in," but also open our eyes. I do believe the writer throws things in sometimes just to see if one can pick up on it. It's like when someone tells you that you can't do something. It makes you want to prove them wrong. That's why they have book clubs I think. Everyone sees something different and they put it all together and all of a sudden the meaning of the book seems to make more sense. Kind of like we do in class.

[tracyk62]

I agree that writing should be something you love and enjoy!!!

[treynolds3]

not sure i agree with this mindset

[jameswilson527]

As a writer I don't go into a project with any preconceived ideas about what the story is going to be about. In terms of what moral and political implications people sometimes pull out of stories, I think that's just the beauty of interpretation. Analyzing literature doesn't always mean finding out some hidden message the author has put in there, often times the endeavor is more about finding what the story says to you personally. So in that regard, yes, it is a little silly.