Stop, Go, Yield

Go (I like this): As far as the way this literature class is structured, as a person who enjoys literature I really like it. From my high school experience, I really enjoyed my AP Literature class where we we did class discussion every novel in something my teacher called Socratic Seminar. But, we only did these seminars when class was over and it was much more formal than our class discussion is. I feel like having this every day encourages me to read and understand every novel, poem, or play we are going over. I feel like the syllabus is structured in a really good way that it's not too much for me to handle the assigned readings every night, but it's not too easy. Because I do know that it's going to take me at least and hour and a half to read and blog if I decide to do so. Probably my favorite piece we've done so far is "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams, probably just because of the rich symbolism that goes throughout the story. Also, the blogging I absolutely love. Again, a great way to informally comment on literature, ask questions, and have them answered.

Yield (things we should do more often): Some aspects of the class that I enjoy while reading different works by different authors is learning either the historical background/context this is written in or learning more about the author who is writing. This give me more of and understanding of what is going on with the piece or what some of the influences might be for the plot or literary devices. For instance, in Lolita, when we learned about the new vs. old in regards to America vs. Europe. That helped me understand a little more of what Humbert Humbert was saying/implying throughout the novel.

Stop (please, no more!): I really don't have many complaints about this class as a whole. The only thing that sometimes makes it drag is when we get off onto different tangents that I can't seem to understand how they relate to the piece at hand. Also, I wish I would have known we weren't going to be reading Music of Chance before I ordered it on Amazon, but that can probably be easily sold at the end of the semester. I am curious to see how the final is going to be or how difficult it is because we haven't really been tested throughout the semester (which doesn't bother me in the least) but I guess it does make me nervous that I could completely blow the final and be screwed in the course if I don't do well on it.