How to Read Literature Like a Professor chapter 26

Chapter 26-- "Irony trumps everything." Irony is one of the most important connections to make within a story. Irony is an element that can be difficult for many readers to recognize. A good reader should always try to look for irony.

How to Read Literature Like a Professor chapters 23-25

Chapter 23 -- When an author involves heart problems or heart disease in writing, it doesn't just mean heart disease. It can typically demonstrate heartbreak, sadness, loneliness, or other emotional pain that "break our heart".

Chapter 24-- Chapter 24 discusses diseases and certain principles that go along with them.
                          1) Not all diseases are created equal: some diseases are used in more stories than others due to the symptoms or effects of that disease.
                        2) It should be picturesque: the reader should be able to picture the character suffering with this disease.
                          3) It should be mysterious in origin: the cause of the disease should be unknown in order to add suspense to the story.
                          4) It should have strong symbolic or metaphorical possibilities: different diseases are known by a certain name or effect. These characteristics can be used to symbolize something within the story.

Chapter 25-- In this chapter we learn that in order to fully grasp the book, you cannot just read with your own eyes. You have to put yourself in the position of different characters and understand what the story is like from their viewpoint.

How to Read Literature Like a Professor interlude-22

Interlude-- Even though literature includes multiple different hidden details such as symbolization and irony, there is only one story. Also, any piece of writing is always connected to other writing. You can always make a connection between two different stories or maybe two different elements within the story.

Chapter 21--Multiple characters will contain scars, and these can be either physical or emotional. This represents hardships and damage that the character has gone through. Monsters are a wonderful representation of scars. A few movies that I referred to were Shrek and Beauty and the Beast, where the characters are not very beautiful on the outside but contain an exceptional personality.

Chapter 22-- This chapter discusses blindness. Blindness can typically exhibit failure to see reality. Usually when the author introduces blindness, they do it for an emotional effect over physical.  "If you want your audience to know something important about your character, introduce it early, before you need it." This implies that introducing a detail towards the beginning of the story will make the reader think it has high importance throughout the rest of the story.

How to Read Literature Like a Professor chapt 18-20

Chapter 18: Baptism and drowning were a few of the topics discussed in this chapter.Drowning is similar to violence. It is typically used to develop theme, to end a character, or create problems within the plot. Baptism is supposed to symbolize rebirth. It is also a sign of cleansing.

Chapter 19: Location is always a vital factor in literature. Landforms, politics, history, and people are all part of geography. Geography is also relevant to the theme,plot, and symbolization. Location and every aspect of it help with the psychology and history of the story.

Chapter 20: The four contrasting seasons of every year can add detail and meaning to any piece of literature. Spring typically represents fresh, new birth. Spring and summer can also symbolize happiness. Winter, being dark and cold, is a simple symbol of death. Fall refers to harvest and how each person is always growing and blossoming into something new.