How To Read Literature Like A Professer

How does foster define myth?

"A body of story that matters"

What are some implications of violence in literature?

-can be societal or cultural. -can be symbolic, thematic, biblical, Shakespearean, romantic, allegorical, or transcendent

What are the four reasons that authors kill off characters in literature?

-cause actions -plot complications -end plot complications -put other characters under stress

What are the four greatest struggles of the human being?

-nature -ourselves -others -divine

What are the "principles governing the use of disease in works of literature"?

1) not all diseases are created equal. 2) it should be picturesque. 3) it should be mysterious in origin. 4) it should have strong symbolic or metaphorical possibilities.

What are the two categories of violence in literature? Describe/define each.

1: specific injury - authors cause characters to inflict harm to others or themselves. (Example: shootings, standings, drownings, poisoning, bombings, starvation, etc) 2: Narrative violence - cause the characters harm in general, authorial violence to advance the plot. (Example: death and suffering)

What are the five characteristics of the quest?

1: the quester. 2: a place to go. 3: a stated reason to go there. 4: challenges en route. 5: a real reason to go there (not stated, self-knowledge)

What is archetype, in regards to the "one story"?

A "pattern" that is repeated through multiple stories

What is verbal irony?

A character says the opposite of what is expected

Foster defines irony like this: "what irony involves, then, is _ ___________ ____ __________."

A deflection from expectation

What does a rainbow represent in literature?

A divine promise, peace between heaven and earth

What is the literary canon

A master list of works that help us better identify allusions

What are the essentials of the vampire story?

A nasty old man who is attractive but evil and a young woman. The old guy leaves his mark on the woman and steals her innocence.

Why, according to foster, is it more difficult to write a short poem than a long one?

A short poem must be perfect

What is situational or structural irony?

A situation or event plays out in an opposite or abnormal way (unexpected)

Explain what foster means by the title, "if it's a square, it's a sonnet"

A sonnet is 14 lines long and written in iambic pentameter, meaning that it is about as long as it is high

Symbols in literature can be both objects and ______.

Actions

What do biblical allusions do for a piece of literature?

Add weight, makes the story resonate with richness of distant antecedents, with the power of accumulated myth; the writing becomes timeless and archetypical

How can a writer's personal geography inform their work?

Affects the geography they write about because it is easier to write about what you know

What does snow represent in literature?

Anything because it is clean, stark, inhospitable, inviting, playful, suffocating, and filthy

Summarize foster's argument in "Does he Mean That?"

Authors are doing great things like juggling intertextual references, creating multiple layers of symbolism, following pre-existing patterns, etc.

What are some of the things that drowning can mean in literature?

Character development, thematic development of violence/failure/guilt, plot complication, denouement (like a finalé)

According to foster, what are some things that eating in literature represent?

Communion, something sexual, acceptance, death, unification

What does fog represent in literature?

Confusion

(About previous card) Explain why.

Culture is influenced by it's dominant religious systems so whether a writer adheres to those beliefs or not, those values will affect their work.

What are some of the ways is which a poet works his magic on you?

Diction, imagery, language, idea control, and clever word play

What does foster means by "don't read with your eyes"?

Don't read from only your fixed perspective, instead, read from a perspective that allows for sympathy with the historical context.

What things can "heart trouble" signify in literature?

Emotion, social issues, character flaws

Foster says, "weather is never just weather." What are some things rain can represent in literature?

Equality (rain falls on everyone), cleanliness, misery

What is intertextuality, in regards to the "one story"?

Everything is connected

What does it mean when literary characters fly?

Freedom, escape, imagination

Who does foster accuse of teaching writers to encode sexual messages in their writing and of teaching readers to decode sexual messages in literature?

Freud

Summarize foster's point in his "one story" section.

He is emphasizing that there is only one story and it is about what it is to be human/everything. It is impossible to be truly unique in writing, so authors must practice amnesia so that their own voices can come through in their work.

Foster asserts that a character need not have all of the distinguishing characteristics of Jesus Christ in order to be considered a Christ figure in literature. Explain why.

He says that a Christ figure is symbolic; otherwise it would be Christ, not a Christ figure.

Why do so many writers quote Shakespeare?

He used a wide variety of stories and characters; it adds to the story's experience

_______ features prominently in the use not only of Shakespeare but of any prior writer.

Irony

What does foster mean by "irony trumps everything"?

Irony beats every other chapter in this book

(About previous card) what does he mean by this?

Irony takes affect when out expectations are put aside for the story to occur differently

For what purpose do writers often use "readerly knowledge of source texts?"

It adds depth to the story, brings out a theme, and plays with the reader's imagined knowledge of fairy tales

How does recognition of these allusions in literature change the reading experience for a reader?

It allows the reader to go more in depth to see connections and catch "easter eggs"

Describe a Shakespearean sonnet

It divides the poem up by four (1st four, 2nd four, 3rd four, 4th four)

Why does foster assert that a meal scene in literature is almost always symbolic?

It is so uneventful, that there must be a deeper meaning if an author bothers writing about it.

For what reason(s) do authors give characters deformities, scars or other physical markings in literature?

It shows that the characters are different, can symbolize psychological, emotional, and moral values and imperfections.

Describe a Petrarchan sonnet

It uses a rhyme scheme the unifies the first eight lines, followed by a rhyme scheme that unifies the last six lines

Does a character always have to actually fly in order for there to be "flying" in a piece of literature? Explain.

No, it could symbolism (ex, "her soul soared")

"... breaking bread is an act ________"

Of sharing peace

Foster writes, "... to get the most out of your reading of European and American literature, knowing about the ___ and ___ ___________ is essential. Similarly, if you undertake to read literature from an islamic or a Buddhist or a Hindu culture, _____ _________ __________."

Old and New Testaments; other religious traditions

Foster writes, "when they're writing about other things, they really mean sex, and when they write about sex, they really mean something else." What are some of the other things that a sex scene can mean?

Pleasure, sacrifice, submission, domination, rebellion, resignation, supplication, enlightenment

Foster asserts that, "nearly all writing is __________ __ _____ ______"

Political on some level

What are the tools we must use to figure out what a symbol might mean?

Questions, experience, and pre-existing knowledge

What is foster's parting advice for his readers?

Read things you like. The author doesn't have to be dead for it to be good. Reading should be fun.

What are some things that can represent female sexuality in literature?

Rolling landscapes, holy grails, bowls, empty vessels, tunnels, images of fertility

What does it mean when an author sends a character south?

Searching for trouble but are curious, going amuck, darkest fears and desires

What are some things besides vampirism that vampires and ghosts represent in literature?

Selfishness, exploitation, refusal to respect the autonomy of others

What are some of the roles that geography plays in literature and what are some of the effects of geography on literature?

Sets mood, aids plot, symbolism, theme, character development

What are the symbolic meanings of the seasons?

Spring: youth, fertility, life, happiness, growth, resurrection. Summer: adulthood, romance, passion, fulfillment, and love. Autumn: middleage, decline, harvest, rewards and punishments Winter: death, hate, anger. Christmas: childhood, birth, hope, family

If you come across a character flying in a piece of literature, they are one or more of the following:

Superhero, a ski jumper, crazy, fictional, departing from a circus canon, suspended on wires, an angel, or heavily symbolic

Why is symbolic meaning different for each individual reader? What are some of the factors that influence what we understand in our reading?

Symbolic meaning depends partially on personal experience; the type of work and the interpretation

What is the difference between symbolism and allegory?

Symbols can represent multiple or many things. Allegory can be reduced to representing only one thing.

What are some things that can represent male sexuality in literature?

Tall buildings, blades

What is dramatic irony?

The audience or reader knows something that the character does not

For what reasons do authors choose to make characters blind in literature?

The character may be unaware or blind to something besides sight in the story

Summarize foster's argument as to why most literature can be called "political."

The characters' actions, attitudes, and behaviors reflect certain morals, and therefore a political stance or ideology of some sort, at some level.

What is the "big secret" foster reveals in, "now, where have I seen her before?"

There is only one story which includes everything going on around us; everything we've ever watched, heard, or read.

How does foster say a literature professor can help a beginning reader?

They can guide a beginner towards allusions and connections and let them hunt for it

What does foster suggest as the reason so many writers choose to allude to fairy tails in their works?

Today, our literary canon is more diverse than it used to be, tales are readily available, add depth, and have universal appeal

How does foster suggest that readers learn to identify trends and why are trends important?

Trends happen frequently; its is important to analyze the symbolic meaning behind it. Without trends, it would be difficult to catch on to the main story.

What are some questions readers should ask of the text when trying to determine symbolic meaning?

What does this mean to me? How does this relate to the rest of the story?

What questions should a reader ask themselves when they encounter an act of violence or a death in a piece of literature?

What does this type of misfortune represent thematically? What famous or mythic death does this one resemble? Why this sort of violence and not another?

What is intertextuality?

When writers combine their work with the work of other authors

What are some of the things that baptism, or any immersion in water, can mean in literature?

Wish fulfillment, exorcism of primal fear, exploration of the possible, handy solution to messy plot, rebirth

What does foster warn his readers about?

You don't have to accept the values of the depicted culture in the story, but you do have to accept the values of the characters.