2017-18 AP LIT READING BLOG

Ambiguity allows readers to form their own opinions and find their own meaning to a story. It also lets readers learn to see things in different perspectives from other readers. Often readers form these opinions from their own experiences. When ambiguity is used it gives readers room to develop their own thoughts and use their minds more. It also lets the readers better connect with a story. Every person goes through different things and sees things differently allowing us to find different meanings within the story. Seeing others perspectives on the same story also helps us to connect with others and get a better insight on how personal experience has a major affect on perspective. Seeing others perspective this way helps our minds to grow. It helps us to look at situations different and people different. I find that it helps us to get along better with people because if we look at their perspective and their personal experience we get to know people better. It allows us to not be so ...

With this in mind, all authors and readers are able to connect on an intellectual level even if they perceive the art as something different. Art comes from nature, nature is the original muse, but within nature comes twists to the imagination where one creates their own stories and ideas about nature. It’s the way they are able to connect with nature and their art that inspires others to do the same, but instead, they are inspired by that previous work. “The author may be reworking a message, exploring changes (or continuities) in attitudes from one era to another, recalling parts of an earlier work to highlight features of the newly created one, drawing on associations the reader holds in order to fashion something new and, ironically, original.” (39) This displays how over time people are still inspired by past authors and artists. As in people will remain fascinated with Shakespeare and the way he perceived the nature around him.  He was able to draw from this nature and perce...

A textual connection is very important in literature. It can add to a story by making similarities that the readers will presumably understand. Intertextuality enhances the reading experience by introducing another piece of literature to tie it to “one big story.” This technique is definitely intentional; the author wants the reader to see the connections and create a great understanding of them. Intertextuality includes symbols as well; symbols create ties with other pieces of literature to add the extra piece in the story making it greater and more significant. It creates significance and value by forming a type of alignment to the “one big story.” Not only is it present in literature, but it is also highly present in the real world in religion. One of my closest friends had an interesting conversation with me recently about this and explained what he discovered about various faiths and their relation to each other and paganism and everything on a much deeper level. Each and every ...

When Foster applies King Solomon’s precept, saying that all "writing and telling belong to one big story.” he is meaning that all literature is in some way connected. Essentially, when one begins to read a big story, the beginning of the story is the time to figure out what it is about, what is going on, and with what mindset to approach the remainder of the story. This is how all writing and telling connects. In the beginning it simply understands but it soon becomes one big story that can all be connected and easily interpreted. Due to this belief, a readers experience can become much more exquisite because the reader will be able to make connections and understand the ideas and principals of literature. In my personal experience, I have noticed this very same principle in all types of art. For example, all of the different types of art are the different characters of the big story, so painting is one character; drawing is another, sculpting as well, and so on and so forth. Th...

Ambiguity is important in art and literature so that people can interpret information and debate on the topic without fear of being wrong. No two people will ever come from the exact same background, with similar experiences and understandings of what surrounds them. This creates a variety of interpretations which can keep discussions and debates lively and interesting. An example of this ambiguity within literature is in chapter 27, where Foster presents a story that the reader is to interpret, and then includes interpretations from college students and then his own. Each of the participants noticed the class tension and “snobbery” that was taking place within the story, but the way that they came to that conclusion weren’t close to one another. For example, one former student referenced the metaphor of “birds and flight,” while Foster himself mentions Greek legend in his analysis. Neither of these interpretations can be considered right or wrong, and are valid as long as the reasoni...

While reading any text, the reader is working to understand the writer’s piece as a whole, whether it be taking the words on the page for their literal meaning or looking for the deeper meanings of the piece; from the way the author constructed the piece using specific devices or his purpose for writing as a whole. For the reader, this means they are using all of their past experiences and knowledge as a whole to interact with a text and extract meaning from words on a page, whether their experiences are vast or minimal. This creates a large variety of interpretations, both due to reader experience and the element of ambiguity within literature. This is a complicated process for the reader, but authors have to account for this vast array of interpretation levels and create a piece that can be consumed by all. Often times the author must make some elements of symbolism more obvious in order to appeal to a more general audience so that they can have a level of enjoyment somewhat comp...

Ambiguity is present throughout literature, whether it is the ambiguity around the origins of a character, ambiguity around the conclusion of the story, or even ambiguity surrounding character motivations.  This ambiguity allows the reader to draw their own conclusions that will most likely differ from those of other readers.  These different conclusions on the part of the reader are usually the product of their personal experience and outlook on life.  These differing views are what makes the story worth talking about.  One of the most famous examples of ambiguity is the origin of Clint Eastwood’s character from the famous film A FistFul of Dollars.   This lack of explanation around Eastwood’s character is what earned him the nickname The Man With No Name and makes him both mysterious and engaging to the viewer.  This also lets the viewer see whatever they want in their protagonist and makes him that much more appealing.   By making elements of ...

When Foster claims that, “Writing and telling belong to one big story.”   he means that all of literature build off of itself managing to tell new stories with old ideas and characters.  A rather famous example of this idea is the original Star Wars which takes the classic hero's journey and retells it in a science fiction setting.  Much like J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit it follows all of the steps in a hero’s journey and is entertaining because of it. By knowing that all literature builds off of itself the reader can begin to recognise characters and story arcs that they have seen previously in their reading.  This allows them to focus less on the surface level story and characters, as they already know what happens, and more on the deeper analysis of the text.   Personally this principle became clear to me one day when I was driving with a friend.  We were talking and the topic of the new Spiderman movie came up and naturally I asked him if he wars ...

The relationship between writer and reader is a very important aspect of any story. The writer is meant to fuel this visual image within the readers mind with an enticing story and interesting characters. The author does this by using vivid wordage which will help to paint the visual image of characters or a setting. This concept of imagining characters will most likely differ from person to person. Different people will interpret a character features differently. But this is what adds a little more excitement and fun to a story. There have been countless times in which I personally have gone to see a movie based on a book and the actor cast as the main star looked nothing like I imagined the character in the book. This typically goes in one of two ways. The first being the watcher understands and accepts this is what the character could potentially look like and the other being they are totally disgusted and typically have some sort of resentment towards the movie for butchering their...

Ambiguity comes into play many times throughout literature and plays a very crucial role in certain aspects of the story. Often times, different sections of a novel can be interpreted various ways. This can happen at any point throughout the book, the beginning, the end, or anywhere in between. Ambiguity could work in many ways. It could be based on the morals of a character, whether they are good or evil. Another way it could come into play would be an overall message. Some may take it one way and others a different way. Many times, a person can interpret a situation very differently from another based solely on past experiences and beliefs. Ambiguity creates the possibilities for various views on characters or even completely different endings. The way a story ends typically boils down to how the reader views the situation. Ambiguity also helps to create discussion. If you and another person view a situation differently, it can help start a discussion on the book. Without ambiguity,...

                One of the main themes throughout the text is when the author describes thematic elements from certain works and compares them to the modernized versions that were born from that original work, and the elements that created them. “Affective” reading is when you are purely able to differentiate those works and point out the specific reasons as to why they are different. Also why that specific author was able to use those elements on their twist of the original work and make it successful. “Affective” reading is also being able to tell that there is as Foster states, “there’s only one story.” Most works of art and literature are developed and created from these set in stones stories that are loved so well and to be able to differentiate, one has to know why the real story is so much more credible. Foster uses the works of past authors as an example of what authors today should create their literature from. When he differentiates betw...

          There is no such thing as an original thought. Everything conceivable by the human mind exists as a combination of items from the collective human existence. Foster approaches this concept in literature with the assertion that there is only “one big story” explaining how “stories grow out of other stories”.  Each work that is created is or was inspired by a work that came before it, leaving traceable remnants in its wake. These created works will go on to inspire other works, and the pool of inspiration which can be drawn from will increase ad infinitum.           Understanding this concept creates a dilemma for the reader. A book is no longer just a book. It is a collection of works with a new spin on them. This idea adds depth to the reading experience. It leaves the reader constantly trying to draw parallels between works in an attempt to peel back at the deeper meaning and layers of the story.      ...

          The significance of intertextuality lies with the message which the author is trying to convey. Foster provides the example of Tim O’Brien’s Going After Cacciato, in which he ties Sarkin Aung Wan, the love interest of the main character who is well versed in not only the foreign language of Vietnamese but also the terrain of Vietnam, with Sacajawea. What results is the reader associating the services which Sacajawea provides to Lewis and Clark with the role Aung Wan plays in the novel.  This connection establishes layers and depth to the story allowing the author to say more with less. The archetype of a guide implies the severity to which the main characters are lost without O’Brien having to directly explain it.           Intertextuality exists at a variety of depths and requires varying levels of foreknowledge and thought to unearth; a simple allusion such as phrase “the wrath of Achilles” may come automaticall...

Despite the possible misinterpretation of his words, Foster does not mean every story is part of an ongoing story. He means that nothing is created without inspiration. He believes, "the one story, the ur-story, is about ourselves, about what it means to be human" (Foster, 186). He believes it is intentional. On a level, this is true, but the one story is also coincidental. It is not part of our nature to create new ideas from thin air. It is the reason we are unable to concieve of new colors and sounds. Humans are not capable of creating a new face in their imaginations, so while stories sharing similarities with a referencing other stories are often intentional, the more subtle similarities can be caused by out inability to be entirely original. Foster mentions "the one story" not only to help us identify when an author is referencing another piece but also to help us appreciate authors more. Often when an author uses a well known story to bring depth to their wor...

            Ambiguity can come into a reading experience in several situations.  Sometimes it is the resolution that is left unclear, sometimes it is events preceding the story that are never made clear, and even more rarely, entire plot points are left unclear.    One thing that remains constant throughout, however, is that it leaves meaning open to interpretation.             Leaving their works ambiguous and open to interpretation is part of what creates engagement between the reader and the writer.  There is no one way to interpret a piece of art, and even when there is a clear way to interpret it, there is never a “correct” way.  Take, for instance, Quentin Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction .  This film features a briefcase as a central plot point but never gives any clear indication as to what is contained inside.  The most that is shown is a glowing golden l...

            Foster is making a very grand assertion when he states that all stories belong to “one big story.”  What he is telling the reader is that all forms of art and spoken word are collectively one large history of human consciousness.  Every book bears some connection to every other book, whether if it is by what the author chooses to do or chooses not to do, because even subconsciously, authors draw upon works they have encountered and those works draw upon even more works.  It is a perpetual stream of ideas and creativity that builds on the ideas and creativity that came before it, hence the connection to the quote, “There is nothing new under the sun.”             This enriches the reading experience by allowing readers to look through a broader scope and see the ideas behind the ideas.  It gives a deeper understanding of what is being said.  For example, it is no s...

The type of reading individuals engage in on a day to day basis is labeled as "affective" reading. This is when one checks the news or perhaps reads some of their novel and only understands it on the exterior. Foster is trying to get the reader to dig deeper into the interior and mine for a greater meaning. It is not an easy skill to learn so Foster teaches it to his students like grammar. Grammar is the first thing a student learns in a foreign language class because it provides the foundation on which they can build upon. Much like a person attempting to become fluent in another language, a good reader must learn the fundamentals before understanding a new language. The author of this particular novel does an excellent job at explaining the basics. He teaches one how to look at every raindrop, blind man, hero, or symbol and severely dissect it. Once the reader has learned to look beyond the surface they can start understanding the language. They first must learn to notice ...

Ambiguity is one the most important and frustrating thing a reader experiences while trying to interpret any piece of text. It allows for the text to have many levels and gives the text depth.  It is important for readers to connect with the text, and when the reader can interpret the text as they feel fit, they are connecting with the text on a deeper level. They, also, are adding to the greater meaning of the text. Ambiguity gives texts depth and complexity. It allows for one thing to symbol many different ideas a t once. It shows how the world, fictional and real, is never black and white. It is grey. Many things are always occurring there is a complexity to everything that surrounds us. Nothing is one dimensional. Everything is layered and is perceived differently across cultures and over different walks of life. Ambiguity givers the reader the opportunity to allow the text to mean what the reader wants or needs  it to mean for where they are in their lives. Virgil's Th...

When Foster says, "Writing and telling belong to one big story," he is illustrating every piece of writing is all explaining "us-and-the-world." This is true whether the writing is fictional or not. Everything comes back to the principle of how humans and the world interact. It allows for me to connect the different  views of how the world and humans and interact and see how they carry over to the reality that surrounds us. Knowing that every story is the same and knowing nothing is new, reminds the reader that ever view and interpretation is true. There are many views of the world, but they are all different version of the world around us. Every story is used to tell how humans are with each other and with the world around them. My general experience with art is not with the art that one typically thinks of. I have very little experience with physical pieces of art, but I am familiar with the art of ballet and the different ballets that were featured throughout...

Many readers may start the novel  How to Read Literature Like a Professor and assume the author, Thomas C. Foster, is going to narrate as an English Professor giving a lecture. The realization that Foster is not just a teacher will settle in once the reader realizes that he is not just a professor but an optometrist of sorts. He provides the reader with a murky outline and presents different lenses that can make the message so much clearer than it was before. He spins the dial making each outline sharper and sharper until the perfect lens gives the reader a twenty-twenty insight into the deeper meaning of a story. As long as I have been reading I have been noticing symbols: three wishes, poison apples, a fork in the road, etc. Foster brings the symbolism to a whole new caliber when he notes that one should notice the things they never did before. Never would it have appeared to me that a man who fails to love a woman properly would die from heart failure. It may appear as an obv...

     When we start reading at an early age, we are often taught to understand everything on a surface level, so that we can first learn how to simply comprehend the meanings of the words we are reading. We begin our journeys as readers and writers learning how to use descriptive language and create a sentence that has more layers than simply the noun and verb we start learning to identify from a very young age in school. As we grow up and the style of literature we read and write matures, we take these same skills and begin to apply them to this "symbolic level" that Foster refers to. We start to realize that many times the books we had been reading for years had so much more to their meaning than the simple, surface meaning we were initially taught to recognize.      This same principle applies to art, where what is presented often has a much deeper meaning than what is initially shown at first glance. Simply knowing that most works of both art and litera...

      Any interesting and important piece of literature should have no one meaning or interpretation. The best works of writing are the ones that leave the message to be determined by the reader, the ones that are written by authors who do not force their perspectives and opinions on the piece on to the reader, but leave it so open to interpretation that no one definition of their work could ever be said to be the only one possible. This open-ended style of writing leaves much of the imagination to the reader, as they are tasked with creating the world they want to put what they are reading into.      Therefore, Foster is correct in his statement that "reading is an event of the imagination." With television and movies, everything you need to know about the characters and world you are watching is presented to you, and you can simply watch and observe without any deeper thought. Yet, to fully enjoy any piece of literature, the reader must be able to engage...

Ambiguity is central to a reader’s experience because it leaves the text open for discussion and imaginative deciphering. No two people will have the same past experiences in life, literature, and art thus creating infinite possibilities of perspectives. The function of ambiguity is recognized by Thomas Foster in two opposing lights. In the introduction, he loosely describes ambiguity when discussing symbolic imagination of readers as the ability “to distance oneself from the story, to look beyond the purely affective level of plot, drama, characters” (Foster xvii). There is a fluidity to interpretation. There is a liberty granted in intellectual discussion to bring about light to new ideas, concepts, and perspectives. Ambiguity opens the door to such thoughtful debate. In conflict with this idea of imaginative fluidity, Foster discredits ambiguity when speaking on behalf of clarity. Specifically, in chapter 11, he cites Animal Farm by George Orwell for having clear symbolism that...

    Thomas Foster emphasizes the precept that there is only one true story in order to solidify the connection between texts. Anything thought of was thought of before. Literature, as described by Foster, is a series of common patterns and symbols which allows a seasoned reader to engage with the text. Each section of the book is dedicated to a different pattern or idea found in the “one big story.” Foster directly addresses this when writing, “The work actually acquires depth and resonance from the echoes and chimes it sets up with prior texts, weight from the accumulated use of certain basic patterns and tendencies. Moreover, works are actually more comforting because we recognize elements in them from our prior reading” (Foster 187). Readers, professors or otherwise, find accomplishment in finding the threads that attach texts to each other. It is human nature to analyze for patterns. For example, in the Cubism movement, artists incorporate common geometric shap...

When Foster says that “reading is an event of the imagination” he means that when reading a book, one’s imagination will interpret the author’s words in diverse ways. While the author’s main purpose will usually remain the same in the reader’s head, readers will relate the text to their own experiences and own thinking, creating a new way of seeing the author’s work. For example, when an author describes a scene, the reader will often relate the author’s description to something they may have seen, such as when an author describes a mountainous area I often think of West Virginia scenery, or when they are describing a character I will relate their description to someone I know or have seen. Through readers creating scenes in their head based off individual experiences they will see the text in a different light than others, thus creating a new way of interpreting the author’s words on a personal level. This is the art of literature, for authors essentially create an outline, and it is...

The relationship between the reader and the writer is crucial. If the reader does not make the connection what prompts them to read the book? He does this a lot throughout this book to keep the readers attention. Foster says, “As you know by now, from time to time I like to give you life advice…impart to you, so listen up.” (76) He talks to the reader as if they are in the same room as home so that they will continue to read and find out what he has to “personally” tell them next. The connection between the reader and the writer needs to be created at the beginning of the book, so that the writer can hold the attention of the reader. The reader can begin to sort of believe that they are in the piece or writing is they have made the right connection to the book. For the writer to get the connection he needs, he has to be creative. People can interpret the idea of the author in many different ways, so the only way that the author can be sure the grab each audience me...

According to Foster, there is “One Story. Everywhere. Always” (Foster 194), no matter the medium. Whether it is a book, painting, or song there is a singular idea, theme, or meaning, connecting each piece of art.   In April of 2016, I attended an art competition for local high school students. In the exhibit, there was a particular piece that seemed to draw every guest’s attention. It was a portrait of Donald Trump, painted in the same dramatic fashion as King Louis XIV of France. The painting was praised by judges for its creative charm and execution. Later that year, I went to another competition where yet again the piece gained recognition.   After reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor , I realized, during the two exhibits I never once considered the artist who painted Louis XIV. I saw the Donald Trump piece as an original idea;   a unique work everyone seemed to enjoy, but in reality, just like every other painting, sculpture, photograph, and drawing in ...

Before reading Foster, I didn't really think about what it is to read. It is much more than being able to decode letters into a word, a sentence, or a paragraph. As Foster says,  “Reading...is a full-contact sport; we crash up against the wave of words with all of our intellectual, imaginative, and emotional resources.” Many people can "read," but not by Foster's definition. To be literate is not to sound out words and put together sentences, but to find meaning in those words and connect it to other pieces of literature outside experiences. While reading this section it reminded me of those times when I have blindly read a book page and had no recollection of what I had just read. My brain was just following the letters and making words from random letters. This is not reading. Concentrating on how the words connect to one another and creating an understanding of those words is reading. That is a lesson I learned from this book. To be literate is not to spell, to sou...

Thomas C Foster said, “ Reading is an activity of the imagination, and the imagination in question is not the writer’s alone,” and I couldn’t agree more. Writers are able to create detailed scenes and it is up to the reader’s imagination to help picture that scene in their head and figure out its importance. Reading gives people the ability to imagine a new place, like a sandy beach in Puerto Rico or the mountains in Iceland. When a reader can really understand a text, it allows for a deeper connection with the writer, characters, and ideas within the writing. It is also possible for different readers to have different perspectives on a book because they do not have the same imagination or thought process. A writer must take this into consideration when trying to get his or her point across. It is impossible for hundreds of people to read the same book and all have the same connection or understanding of the text. The reader develops a connection with the writer when...