How to Read Literature like a Professor Study Guide

Foster defines irony like this; "What irony chiefly involves, then, is _______". Explain what he means by this.

A change in the expectations and patterns we've grown accustomed to as readers.

What is a communion? Is it only confined to Christianity?

A communion is when you eat or drink with someone sharing a connection, good or bad. It's not only confined to Christianity.

What is a flat (static) character?

A flat character has little background and detail.

What is a round (dynamic) character? Why aren't all characters round?

A round character as a lot of depth to them.

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

A superhero, a ski jumper, crazy, fictional, a circus act, suspended on wires, an angel, or heavily symbolic.

Foster explains why most literature can be called "political". Summarize his argument.

Almost all literature is about something political because the men and women writing literature are interested in the world around them.

What is an archetype?

An archetype is the mythic original on which a pattern is based. They continue to show up in the story.

Give an example of an archetype.

An example of an archetype are hard to come by because perhaps there never has been a single, definite version of a myth.

What are the key parts to a vampire story?

An older figure, outworn values, a young unmarried woman, the stripping away of her youth, energy, virtue, the continuous life of the male, the death of the woman.

Explain what Foster means by "irony trumps everything".

Authors understand and know patterns in literature and they switch them to expose new truths and themes.

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

Authors use it as a social metaphor.

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

Baptism can mean death, rebirth, new identity, charge, or cleanse.

What do Biblical allusions do for a piece of literature?

Biblical allusions create a sense of disruption, but they can also help connect the reader with the book and get a better understanding.

How can a writer manipulate the meanings of the four seasons? For what effect?

Death and rebirth, growth and harvest. Year after year to put character to the text.

What is a conceit?

Excessive pride in oneself. Elaborate extended metaphors.

What does it mean when literary characters fly?

Flying is freedom.

What does fog represent in literature?

Fog creates mystery, confusion, danger, hidden truths, and murkiness.

What things can "heart trouble" signify in literature?

General meanings for heart trouble in literature is loneliness, bad love, and suffering.

How does Foster define myth?

He defined myth as a body of a story that matters.

What does Foster mean when he suggests that "there's no such thing as a wholly original work of literature?"

He is explaining that everything in literature comes from something else.

Foster suggests that not all communions are holy. Explain what this means and give an example.

He is saying that communions can be good or bad and not always religious based.

Explain what Foster means by "don't read with your eyes".

He means don't judge something by how it looks, try to understand what it's about.

What does Foster mean when he states, "characters are not people"?

He means that as real as they may seem they are not real. They are just elements.

What does Foster mean when he states, "every work teaches us how to read it as we go along"?

He means that every story or the work we do will teach us something new in life, it shows how by reading were gaining experience and wisdom that we can use later in life.

What does Foster mean when he suggests that "not all uses of religion are straight"?

He means that they may twist stories from the Bible to create a disruption and put a deeper meaning into it.

Explain what Foster suggests about "violence without agency."

He means that violence can happen without you knowing you are doing it.

Explain what Foster means when he suggests you "don't have to use the whole story."

He means that you are not recreating the fairy tale.

What is the "big secret" Foster reveals in this chapter?

He reveals there is only one story.

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

Humans, selfishness, exploitation, refusal to respect the autonomy of other people.

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

If it's a symbol then what do you believe it stands for? The text has to back you up.

Explain what is meant by "flight is freedom."

If you can fly, you can almost escape or get out of anything.

What is the difference between symbolism and allegory?

In symbolism the symbol can stand for many different ideas, when a allegory only has one meaning.

What is "intertextuality"? How does it enrich the reading experience?

Intertextuality is the ongoing interactions between poems and stories. It brings more meaning to the text which some people may not notice.

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

It can mean character revelation, thematic development of violence, or failure, or guilt or plot change.

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

It has a lot to do with literature in the sense that authors will use where they're from and where they've been.

Why does Foster suggest that "knowing a little something about the social and political milieu" a writer creates helps us as readers?

It helps us understand their works.

What are the implications of violence in literature?

It is to make action happen, cause plot complication and put other characters in stress.

When readers recognize the use of a myth in literature, what effect does it create?

It makes it richer, deeper, and more meaningful so that modern stories matter.

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

It means that he is letting the character do whatever they want to do.

Why can't you find the original story of each archetype?

It's possible that the myth takes shape as stories are told and retold and not come from just one story.

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

Natural violence and human violence.

What is meant by Aristotle's assertion that "plot is character revealed in action"?

No matter what occurs in the story, it is still ultimately about the character.

What are the five characteristics of the quest?

Quester, place to go, state of reason to go there, challenges and trials on the way, real reason to go there.

Foster states, "it's never just rain." What are some things rain can represent in literature?

Rain can represent restoration, cleansing, ancestral memories, depression, the upcoming of spring, atmosphere.

What does a rainbow represent in literature?

Rainbows represent promise, new hope, change, and peace between heaven and earth.

Why do so many writers use and quote Shakespeare?

Shakespeare's ideology and ideas were so general, yet can be applied to many different situations.

What are the three types of irony in literature?

Situational, verbal, and dramatic.

What does snow represent in literature?

Snow represents just as much as rain. Snow can be plain, clean, unwelcoming, harsh, or stark.

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

So they can mess around with stories and turn them upside down.

What are the symbolic meanings of each of the four seasons?

Summer stands for romance. Spring stands for childhoods and youth. Fall stands for decline and middle age. Winter stands for old age and resentment.

Foster writes, "... to get the most out of your reading of European and American literature, knowing ______ is essential. Similarly, if you undertake to read literature from an Islamic or a Buddhist or a Hindu culture, _______." Why? Explain.

The Old and New Testament Other religious traditions. To understand references and the history the author may be pointing out to them.

What is the literary canon?

The literary canon is a master list of works that everyone pretends doesn't exist but we all know matters in an important way.

What's in it for the reader when a writer references Shakespeare?

The reader learns a universal truth or quote that they can apply to their everyday life.

For what reasons do authors give characters deformities, scars or other physical markings in literature?

They often represent a tragedy or tough time that the character has gone through. It also gives more info.

What is the real reason for a quest?

To find self knowledge.

Why do authors choose to make characters blind in literature?

To highlight the fact that it's not just a defect.

What are the four great struggles of the human being from The Odyssey?

To protect ones family, maintain ones dignity, determination to remain faithful, and the struggle to return home.

What do hills (also mountains) and valleys symbolize?

Valleys symbolize swamps, crowds, fog, darkness, and death. Hills symbolize ice, snow, purity, thin air, clear views, and death.

Explain "last-chance-for-change" stories and why they're different from those on a quest.

You only have one chance to change what you have done wrong in order to grow and reform.

Explain what Foster means when he states that," if you want your audience to know something important about your character , introduce it early.

You should let your audience know the important things about a character early so you can foreshadow the end.

Whenever people eat or drink together, it is a _________.

communion

Symbols in literature can be both objects and _____.

events.

Foster asserts that, "Nearly all writing is ________."

political on some level.

You might be a Christ figure if you are:

thirty three unmarried, celibate wounded or marked in the hands, feet, or sides self sacrificing