How to read Literature

Literature is bloody confusing. Many interpretations and way too many views. So to clear all this mambo jumbo up i decided to read 'How to read Literature like a professor' written by Thomas C. Foster. I knew I could definitely NOT go wrong. To think that a book of merely 113 pages could cover the essential aspects of Literature, I was terribly wrong. However I got something out of it, if that's what they call writing notes. 

I will show you what I have got out of it and hopefully it might enlighten the ignorant. 

so i begin. 

Literature has grammar, it has rules, patterns and codes 

Layman readers, respond on an emotional level 

However a Literature student should respond by bringing in connections with other texts and other authors. Where Have I seen this before 

3 Main Keys : Memory, Symbol, Pattern 

Everything is a symbol of something until proven otherwise 

Ask, What are the overarching themes in the novel, play etc.

Chapter 1 :Every trip is a quest (except when it is not) 

Every Quest has 5 main things 

a) a quester

b) a place to go

c) a stated reason to go there 

d) challenges on the road

e) a REAL reason to go there 

b and c are often together, e.g the quest for the holy grail 

e is NEVER the stated reason 

The Quest is always educational 

The reason for the quest is ALWAYS for self Knowledge 

That is why most questers are young and immature 

So, What if it fails ?

Journeys - not every journey is a quest, sometimes it is just a journey

E.g : Crying Lot of 549

Quester - Young woman

Place to go - San Francisco to California 

Reason to go - to be the executor of the will her former lover

Challenges and trials - Meets scary and dangerous people 

Real reason to go there - her name is Oedipa (Sophocles- his character with the same name, does not know himself)  soon she gives up on other men and acquires SELF KNOWLEDGE. 

Done. So this is the Preface and Chapter 1 hopefully i will keep this habit up and post this sort of outline everyday. 

If you find this ignorant and ridiculous ... As an avid follower of Jane Austen :One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other. You are probably in that half

Mr Botti