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Summary Of How To Read Literature Like A Professor By Thomas Foster

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Xander Carrasco Mrs. Mary Smith AP Literature 6 21 September 2017 How to Read Literature like a Professor The book, How to Read Literature like a Professor, was written by the well-known author, Thomas C. Foster, with a purpose to further educate readers who wish to better their understanding of literature and analysis strategies. Major focuses of Thomas C. Foster was to aid or train readers to recognize, patterns, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc. Throughout the work, Foster cites other pieces of fiction or classics in order to further his own arguments made on the approach of reading analysis. This work has proven to be extremely educational to readers, used as a reference in order to achieve their own analytical studies through the techniques …show more content…

Foster had also described that, “What the cave symbolizes will be determined to a large extent by how the individual reader engages the text.” Through this Foster had shown the variations of symbolism in a work and the availability of the “symbols to be interpreted in different ways depending on the mindset of the reader. In relation to this concept, Foster had also described the way in which a reader should read the passages through the authors eyes, not their own. Due to the fact that when reading personal emotion and thought, the pieces written by the author may not be interpreted in the way intended to. This leads to the examples used in which a cave in a story is understood in different …show more content…

This typically being that of a moral or political piece, such as a parable or a metaphor. Foster had also included a large section depicting allegory and using it in such ways as an example for symbolism. In reference to John Bunyan’s work, The Pilgrim’s Process, Foster had used it to represent a thought, theme, or idea in relation to the religion and journeys discussed. He had used the Christian man to represent the seeking of truth of Christianity. This representation is used as imagery for the readers to search for when reading novels using Thomas C. Foster’s tools and informational uses of

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The Scarlet Letter How To Read Literature Like A Professor

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How does How To Read Literature Like A Professor applies to every piece of literature? This novel is written by Thomas Foster and he gives the better understanding on many things, including patterns, symbols, and other literary devices. He helps the reader to gain knowledge on how to recognize each small detail of the story. This novel makes the connection with The Scarlet Letter and makes it easier to comprehend. The Scarlet Letter is written by Nathaniel Hawthorne; this novel is about Hester Prynne, who is a young and beautiful woman and committed adultery with town’s minister, Reverend Dimmesdale.

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Analysis Of How To Read Literature Like A Professor By Thomas Foster

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1. In the chapter “The Test Case” in How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas Foster, Foster presents several different interpretations of the story “The Garden Party”. Foster then shows the readers interpretations of the short story that his college students have articulated. Foster’s interpretation, however, goes much deeper.

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Comparing How To Read Literature Like A Professor And The Kite Runner

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By reading “How to Read Literature like a Professor” and “The Kite Runner”, the reader is aided in his or her ability to understand the true meanings behind the text. One is able to decipher how the act of coming together to eat can mean anything from a simple meal with family, to an uncomfortable situation that leads to anger or stress in an individual character. The reader is able to understand the use of rain or other weather in a novel to transform the mood and tone of scene, or understand the cleansing or destructive qualities that weather may have on the overall plot of the story. The use of illness can be transformed, as it can lead to the reader discovering veiled means behind tuberculosis, cholera, a simple cold, or even cancers such

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Mike Bunn How To Read Like A Writer Summary

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In “How to Read Like a Writer,” Mike Bunn states that the most important part of reading is to find the writers technique of writing. He begins by saying in order to understand the meaning of “How toRead Like a Writer,” is to identify the choices of the writer and if the techniques that is used is one you want to use yourself. Bunn continues to say that instead of obtaining the context you should find how the writer pieced the work together. Bunn brought up a poet named Allen Tate who says that there are two different ways of reading.

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How To Read Literature Like A Professor Sparknotes

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Thomas Foster, a professor at the University of Michigan, taught literature and writing. He was born in West Cornfield, Ohio, and living in such a small town caused him to become very associated with books. In 2003, Foster published a book, How to Read Literature like a Professor, written in second person. The book is written as a guide for readers to know the parts of nonfiction books. It teaches young readers how to include important elements into their stories.

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Review Of How To Read Literature Like A Professor By Thomas C. Foster

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In How to Read Literature Like a Professor Thomas C. Foster writes about how to thoroughly read and analyze literature. He focuses on the many different aspects of writing that are used by authors. Despite being a relatively serious and informational subject, Foster is able to use language that is entertaining and more light hearted. He uses many jokes and puns in his book, and even many titles include artistically worded headings that grab the reader's’ attention.

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Thomas Foster: A Literary Analysis

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In his introduction the author, Thomas Foster embarks on a journey to help readers understand literature better. How to read Literature Like a Professor is a map to the literary world. The book helps its readers understand the deeper meanings within literary text. The introduction starts with Thomas Foster discussing with his students on of the great plays of American theater, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (1959). Foster suggests that Mr. Linder is the devil and confuses his students.

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of a text require’s imagination to come into play. User argues that the focus of literary criticism should not be the meaning of a text, but rather its effect. (Iser, 1942). The implied reader view point was necessary to deconstruct and form a personal opinion the main characters actions, and try to investigates into the secrets of those around

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Symbolism In How To Read Literature Like A Professor

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In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster teaches readers the meanings behind commonly used symbols, themes, and motifs. Many readers of all ages use this book as a guide to understanding messages and deeper meanings hidden in novels. The deeper literary meanings of various symbols in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale are explained in How to Read Literature Like a Professor. By using Foster’s book, readers can better understand the symbols in The Handmaid’s Tale.

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Summary Of How To Read Literature Like A Professor For Kids By Thomas Foster

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As Stated by the author of How to Read Literature Like a Professor For Kids, by Thomas Foster, authors use certain varieties of weather conditions in order to set a mood in the story that’s relevant to the scenario present. Foster explains this action as saying, “But an author doesn't have a quick shower of rain, or a flurry or snow, or a flood or a blizzard, for no reason at all (Foster, 59).” What the author is trying to remark is that authors don't put unnecessary weather unless it contributes to the plot or the mood, sometimes even using it as means of ivory. One example of weather being used in the movie clip from Toy Story is rain. The rain didn't start until Sid was just about the release a rocket outside with Buzz attached, which

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How To Read Literature Like A Professor Chapter 1 Analysis

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How to Read Literature Like a professor chapter1 In the first chapter of How to Read Literature Like a professor author Thomas C. Foster discusses how almost every story has some type of quest, the title of chapter is “ Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not)” he clearly alludes to the fact that the chapter is about the quest aspect of a story and its significance. As the chapter developed Foster began to cover the essentials of a quest and the purpose behind a quest, according to him there are five significant aspects of a quest “(a) a quester, (b) a place to go, (c) a stated reason to go there, (d) challenges and trials en route, and (e) a real reason to go there. He then expands of each of these things.

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How To Read Literature Like A Professor Analysis

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Behind each movie lies the meaningful aspects and significant features worth noticing. All movies and books can be carefully examined and interpreted. Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor provides a new view on interpreting literature. In the novel, Foster identifies and analyzes common patterns, themes, and motifs found in literature, many of which are also present in Disney’s film, Maleficent. This movie showcases several of his ideas, including quests, flight, geography, and symbolism.

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Theme, Symbolism In Ghost, By Jason Reynolds

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The book, Ghost, by Jason Reynolds is a story about a boy named Castle, but is called Ghost. Castle has a very rough life because his father is imprisoned and his mother struggles with finances. Castle is a misbehaved kid who struggles in school and makes a track team which motivates him to be good in school. Track played ended up playing a huge role in his life and went through the ups and downs with him. Track taught him respect and discipline which spread throughout his home.

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In order to create those fears, In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster uses the example of the metaphorical “vampire” to represent the corrupted authority figure. Foster’s vampire is one who believes

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The story "Oedipus the King", is built based on symbols such as scarred feet, crossroads, and events that represent a fateful death and troublesome consequences that a prophecy brings into the life of Oedipus. In "How to Read Literature like a Professor"by Thomas C. Foster chapter 12,"Is that a symbol?", states how authors create symbols for readers to interpret based on their values, education, gender, and imagination leading to multiple meanings. Many times readers expect symbols to mean "one something in particular"(Foster) and unlike the story of Oedipus's prophecy, symbols such as the three way crossroads allow many different interpretations to play in. The three way crossroads is important to the story as it can signify Oedipus fateful

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