Prompt #2:
Typically, I am not a rereader. If I am reading for pleasure, I tend to reread simply for the joy of experiencing the story another time. For school however, I read once and then do my assignment if I feel I understood what I just read. Sometimes I would read more than once if I was confused, only out of necessity of course. Then I read Foster's book and was forced to reread some of his chapters because of his subject matter for that chapter. Then I read Foster's opinion on rereading. He wrote about rereading being an acceptable and even helpful thing when it comes to the underlying symbols and meanings in literature. Before needing to reread myself, I though it was not necessary and needed only for those who did not read closely enough the first time. Now I understand the true importance of this tool. By looking over a story or an essay a second time, the reader will pick up on important symbols, plot points, or meanings they missed the first time. I realize there is nothing wrong with this, in fact, it may be the author's intention for their reader to go back and try again. Why else would a garden party be a retelling of the Persephone myth. Of course, it could also be that I simply missed it the first time. Or the author slid in a couple hints so the reader would want to go back and try understanding again. Or she just loved the story and wanted to retell it. I would not have realized any of this if I had not gone back and read again.
Emily,
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your actions of not frequently rereading unless the text material is complex or requires intense concentration. Personally, I barely ever reread books which are for pleasure because they are usually simple to comprehend; however, when a book or an essay deals with intricate topics and ideas, I find it absolutely necessary to read it over again until I can fully understand its meaning. Annotating can be an excellent tool to utilize when dealing with this type of work because it allows the reader to be forced to become both mentally and physically engaged with the text. Additionally, I also agree with your thoughts on the aid which rereading can bring to books which may not be complicated. Noticing the intertextuality and connections is much easier when a reader has already read a book one time and knows the main plot points. Consequently, this can lead to a greater understanding of the book, what works may have influenced the author, and what the true meaning of the piece of literature may be.
I totally agree with you on this, Emily. I don't consider myself as a rereader either. I actually hate to reread a book, because it's just not really enjoyable as the first read through. I only definitely reread something only if I was forced to or out of confusion. Rereading novels are an important way to pick out symbols or deeper meanings in literature. Personally, I just hate to crack open a story that I’ve already read through once and reopen a character’s life all over again. In all honesty, rereading is a useful tool when understanding literature and becoming a literate person.
ReplyDeleteI can relate with many of the views you have stated in this blog. I will reread to the extent where I feel I have completely understood the text. I found that the AP English course forced my hand to become the type of student that rereads. Before my junior year I was the type of student that would skim over a text and whether or not I understood it completely did not matter to me. The AP course was a challenge for me because I had to convince myself that I had to become a student that rereads or I my grades would suffer. Now looking back, I see that rereading has become a very important tool in my repertoire and I have become a more-rounded student because of it.
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