Responding to peers
Discussion 1
Respond to at least two of your classmates’ initial posts. Each response should be at least 75 words in length and should address two or more of the following points:
Do you agree with your classmates’ perspectives? Why, or why not? Be specific.
Ask a specific question to encourage further discussion on the topic.
Challenge your classmates’ interpretation of literature and/or point of view.
Do a small amount of research and share what you learn with your peers about the topic discussed in this post.
I have attached the handout we used to do the discussion. I just need responses to the answers my classmates posted.
Peer 1
Reader Response Criticism- is based on the reader response to the author has created. Such as poems, story or novels that the author has created allows the reader to interact in some way the author could create something that is a love poem that could connect with the reader that everyone reads a different way they are going to respond in a different way.
New Historicism Criticism- a history of the author or of a story that is based on fact, not on fiction. When a reader wants to research author what they have done. Alternatively, if the reader wants to research on anything that is with the past. It allows the reader to know that it is based off true events.
The critical approach that I found useful is reader response criticism knowing that everyone has a different way of learning. This way allows the author or whoever is right understand all types of people’s point of view and help them understand the different types. Very good example a discussion that goes something like politics some people have a different view of policy versus others will think differently.
Peer 2
During this discussion we are asked to do many things. The first thing we are asked to do is to choose two critical approaches out of the four that we read about in the handout. I thought they were all good and it made it a hard decision to choose, but I did come up with two. The two I chose are Reader Response Criticism and also Psychoanalytical Criticism.
The next thing that we are asked to do is to describe each of them approaches in detail. Reader Response Criticism is "when you view literature as a dynamic interaction between the text and the reader and not as an object." Within the handout we read under reader response criticism that it is also "often used to discuss a text in a classroom setting where students are supposed to provide their own insights on literature read."
Now Psychoanalytical Criticism are "based on theories of Freud, and also centers on the psychology of the characters and analyze character motivation, behavior as well as actions." Another interesting thing about the psychoanalytical criticism is that there are "two offshoots." What this means is this criticism "investigates the psychology of particular writer focusing on how an author's biographical situations affects or influence their selection of theme and use of literary technique." The other offshoot is "how it analyzes fictional characters by using the concepts, terms, and methods of psychological theories."
After describing each criticism we are asked to compare and contrast the two. After reading the handout the two are similar within interpreting the text. They both use a sort of background to determine literature. They are different on what type of background they use. Reader Response uses things like culture and racism, while Psychoanalytical uses actions, motivation and behavior.
Determining which critical approach I found most useful for examining the conflicts and meaning in literature was not easy. After a lot of thought and consideration I feel the best critical approach to me was the reader response. I feel like it is easier to look at what type of culture the author is writing about rather than trying to figure out how the characters are feeling and why they are having specific actions. I also feel that a lot of people reflect on asking questions about the piece that they read. When I read something I always hope that there are some questions to help me reflect on what I read.
REFERENCES
Introduction to Literature. Critical Literary Theories. Handout obtained from http://threadcontent.next.ecollege.com/pub/content/768ff786-6b97-4e44-b1fb-8018ef57e016/ENG125.W5CriticalLiteraryTheories.pdf
Discussion 2
Each response should be at least 75 words in length and you should attempt to answer the questions posed by your classmates. Additionally, reflect on how you and your classmates have progressed throughout the course. Also note similarities or differences you see between how you and your classmates respond to the Clugston quote now versus at the beginning of the course.
Clugston (2014) quote “There’s a powerful curiosity about human relationships and how to cope in the world in which we find ourselves.” (Section 1.1, para. 2).
BELOW IS MY RESPONSE TO THE QUOTE
My initial response to the Clugston (2014) quote was based on the literary theory of reader- response criticism. My response is oblivious of the message that the author was trying to pass across but entirely depends on the perspectives I had of the quote. Based on what I have learned about literature, my feelings about literature have changed. I have come to appreciate that the interpretation of literature can take many forms and this is what makes literature so beautiful. The way one person interprets a story can be different from how another person interprets the same story. I have also learned that to get the best interpretation of a text one must be willing to explore the different literary theories and not be stuck up on just one theory. These changes will impact my perspective on literature. I will no longer see literature as just a piece of text with a message that the author means to convey. I will view literature as a whole complex entity that includes not only the author’s perspectives but also historical influences, other people’s perspectives as well as the cultural and political happenings of the time period within which a work of literature is published.
Peer 1
What is your favorite literary work that we read in our text and what is the most prominent literary technique utilized in the work? This is the question that needs to be answered. I have attached a file with my favorite literary work and techniques.
BELWO IS MY PEERS RESPONSE ON WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED AND RESPONSE TO Clugston (2014) quote
While reading other's posts in the class, I learned that there are so many facets to which we relay and relate to literature. Even for the simplest of poems or literary works, it can mean so many different things to each individual. Different phrases or items stand out to different readers. I understood this in a broader and basic fashion, however, through the last five weeks, that understanding has grown, bloomed, and evolved.
During the initial post from week one, I saw literature more in a broader spectrum of written words that covered fiction, non-fiction, biography, etc. I saw what they could do for people in general and in depth forms and how they could enrich an individual’s life. The concepts that I have now, and were not yet developed for me, are the variety of tools with which an author has at their disposal. The categorized tools of theme, tone, conflict, flashbacks, to name a few have allowed me to become a more critical reader which allows me to understand my readings on a much deeper level. This ability will allow me to not only enjoy my academic and personal readings more, but to contribute more in my discussions in class and with peers. It will equip me with a variety of my own tools that will grow as I grow. Adapt as I adapt. To put a visual example to a comparison of what I thought I knew about literature and what I now understand of literature. It is similar to opening a book that is approximately the size of an informational pamphlet and finding that when you close it, the book is more the size of a short novel, knowing that each time you open that book, it will grow.
Peer 2
Question: What motive other than love do you think Della had that prompt her to sell her hair? This is the question that needs to be answered. I have attached the file The Gift of the Maji by O. Henry (1906). To answer this question.
BELWO IS MY PEERS RESPONSE ON WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED AND RESPONSE TO Clugston (2014) quote
I did not have a response for that particular quote from Week One, however, I think we are curious by nature so an attention grabber in the beginning of a story will advance our curiosity. Also, if the story, poem, or novel reflect similarities to our own experiences that will make us curious about the conclusion (Clugston, 2014, section 1.1. para 2).
I studied a little literature in my English class in High School over 30 years ago. I am still confused. Although this course has brought my attention to what I am doing wrong. I tend to want to summarize the stories and poems, when I need to be analyzing. In conclusion of my evaluation of Literature, I must say I would not have taken this class if it wasn’t required. I can only try to do my best.
