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Study Guide for 'How to Read Literature Like a Professor' Writing Assignments, Study notes of Literature

Writing assignments for various chapters of thomas c. Foster's 'how to read literature like a professor'. Students are asked to analyze literary works using different literary concepts such as symbol, pattern, intertextuality, and geography. The assignments aim to deepen students' appreciation of literature by encouraging them to make connections between literary elements and themes.

What you will learn

  • How do the concepts of symbol, pattern, and intertextuality enhance the reading experience of a literary work?
  • Can you identify and analyze examples of symbolism in a literary work?
  • How does the use of geography contribute to the meaning of a literary work?

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Writing Assignments for
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster (1st edition)
(Adapted from Donna Anglin)
Introduction: How’d He Do That?
How do memory, symbol, and pattern affect the reading of literature? How does the recognition of
patterns make it easier to read complicated literature? Discuss a time when your appreciation of a literary
work was enhanced by understanding symbol or pattern.
Chapter 1 -- Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not)
List the five aspects of the QUEST and then apply them to something you have read (or viewed) in the
form used on pages 3-5.
Chapter 2 -- Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion
Choose a meal from a literary work and apply the ideas of Chapter 2 to this literary depiction.
Chapter 3: --Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires
What are the essentials of the Vampire story? Apply this to a literary work you have read or viewed.
Chapter 4 -- If It’s Square, It’s a Sonnet
Select three sonnets and show which form they are. Discuss how their content reflects the form. (Submit
copies of the sonnets, marked to show your analysis).
Chapter 5 --Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before?
Define intertextuality. Discuss three examples that have helped you in reading specific works.
Chapter 6 -- When in Doubt, It’s from Shakespeare...
Discuss a work that you are familiar with that alludes to or reflects Shakespeare. Show how the author
uses this connection thematically. Read pages 44-46 carefully. In these pages, Foster shows how Fugard
reflects Shakespeare through both plot and theme. In your discussion, focus on theme.
Chapter 7 -- ...Or the Bible
Read “Araby” (available online). Discuss Biblical allusions that Foster does not mention. Look at the
example of the “two great jars.” Be creative and imaginative in these connections.
Chapter 8 -- Hanseldee and Greteldum
Think of a work of literature that reflects a fairy tale. Discuss the parallels. Does it create irony or deepen
appreciation?
Chapter 9 -- It’s Greek to Me
Write a free verse poem derived or inspired by characters or situations from Greek mythology. Be
prepared to share your poem with the class. Note that there are extensive links to classical mythology on
my Classics page.
Chapter 10 -- It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow
Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in terms of plot.
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Writing Assignments for

How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster (

st

edition)

(Adapted from Donna Anglin)

Introduction: How’d He Do That? How do memory, symbol, and pattern affect the reading of literature? How does the recognition of patterns make it easier to read complicated literature? Discuss a time when your appreciation of a literary work was enhanced by understanding symbol or pattern. Chapter 1 -- Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not) List the five aspects of the QUEST and then apply them to something you have read (or viewed) in the form used on pages 3-5. Chapter 2 -- Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion Choose a meal from a literary work and apply the ideas of Chapter 2 to this literary depiction. Chapter 3: --Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires What are the essentials of the Vampire story? Apply this to a literary work you have read or viewed. Chapter 4 -- If It’s Square, It’s a Sonnet Select three sonnets and show which form they are. Discuss how their content reflects the form. (Submit copies of the sonnets, marked to show your analysis). Chapter 5 --Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before? Define intertextuality. Discuss three examples that have helped you in reading specific works. Chapter 6 -- When in Doubt, It’s from Shakespeare... Discuss a work that you are familiar with that alludes to or reflects Shakespeare. Show how the author uses this connection thematically. Read pages 44-46 carefully. In these pages, Foster shows how Fugard reflects Shakespeare through both plot and theme. In your discussion, focus on theme. Chapter 7 -- ...Or the Bible Read “Araby” (available online). Discuss Biblical allusions that Foster does not mention. Look at the example of the “two great jars.” Be creative and imaginative in these connections. Chapter 8 -- Hanseldee and Greteldum Think of a work of literature that reflects a fairy tale. Discuss the parallels. Does it create irony or deepen appreciation? Chapter 9 -- It’s Greek to Me Write a free verse poem derived or inspired by characters or situations from Greek mythology. Be prepared to share your poem with the class. Note that there are extensive links to classical mythology on my Classics page. Chapter 10 -- It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow Discuss the importance of weather in a specific literary work, not in terms of plot.

Interlude -- Does He Mean That Chapter 11 --...More Than It’s Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence Present examples of the two kinds of violence found in literature. Show how the effects are different. Chapter 12 -- Is That a Symbol? Use the process described on page 106 and investigate the symbolism of the fence in “Araby.” (Mangan’s sister stands behind it.) Chapter 13 -- It’s All Political Assume that Foster is right and “it is all political.” Use his criteria to show that one of the major works assigned to you as a freshman is political. Chapter 14 -- Yes, She’s a Christ Figure, Too Apply the criteria on page 119 to a major character in a significant literary work. Try to choose a character that will have many matches. This is a particularly apt tool for analyzing film -- for example, Star Wars, Cool Hand Luke, Excalibur, Malcolm X, Braveheart, Spartacus, Gladiator and Ben-Hur. Chapter 15 -- Flights of Fancy Select a literary work in which flight signifies escape or freedom. Explain in detail. Chapter 16 -- It’s All About Sex... Chapter 17 -- ...Except the Sex OK…the sex chapters. The key idea from this chapter is that “scenes in which sex is coded rather than explicit can work at multiple levels and sometimes be more intense that literal depictions” (141). In other words, sex is often suggested with much more art and effort than it is described, and, if the author is doing his job, it reflects and creates theme or character. Choose a novel or movie in which sex is suggested, but not described, and discuss how the relationship is suggested and how this implication affects the theme or develops characterization. Chapter 18 -- If She Comes Up, It’s Baptism Think of a “baptism scene” from a significant literary work. How was the character different after the experience? Discuss. Chapter 19 -- Geography Matters… Discuss at least four different aspects of a specific literary work that Foster would classify under “geography.” Chapter 20 -- ...So Does Season Find a poem that mentions a specific season. Then discuss how the poet uses the season in a meaningful, traditional, or unusual way. (Submit a copy of the poem with your analysis.) Interlude -- One Story Write your own definition for archetype. Then identify an archetypal story and apply it to a literary work with which you are familiar. Chapter 21 -- Marked for Greatness Figure out Harry Potter’s scar. If you aren’t familiar with Harry Potter, select another character with a physical imperfection and analyze its implications for characterization.