Wisdom: The More You Know, The Less You Don't Know

Analyzing and exploring literature can appear daunting. In the past, I would sometimes feel inadequate making contradictory assertions about literature. What could I contribute I wondered,  as a rosy cheeked 18 year old, by asserting bold new claims in the world? The Introduction to English Class, taught by Gideon Burton is a wonderful example of how small and deliberate steps-- like writing annotating poems on paper, and condensing a thesis into picture form-- can provide evidence for any analysis. In my analysis of "Love Poem" by Linda Pastan, I was able to convince myself of a thesis I originally didn't believe in. I'll never forget Dr. Burton mockingly dismissing the idea of an Oedipus complex in Hamlet, only to think of several literary devices that supported the previously laughable idea. It just goes to show that there is no harm in finding wacky analyses of literature, and discovering a truth that hasn't been solidified before. There is always something new to find, even in Shakespeare plays that have been ground to pulp by Literary Critics. Part of that is being willing to share work in process, which is another pro tip Dr. Burton shared with us. I'm so self conscious about my work, but it's good to have a constant reminder that there are implementations that would improve an analysis that wreak havoc on a nearly done draft, but are amazing mid-thesis.



Another bonus this glass gave to me was the gift of recognizing how impactful visual aid can be to literary pieces, and how the processes of analyzing film can apply to literature in a way I wasn't thinking of before. When we analyzed The Silent Child, I realized how much symbolism there is in movies that I don't tune into on a regular basis. Not only are there literary themes supported by analysis, but the camera and the angles really do symbolically support certain themes and figures. I think recognizing how minute that might seem in a movie contrasted with how strong of an emotion it can evoke brought to light how similar that process is in literature. The small, seemingly obvious structures like periods or comma's can tell all.  And even more than that, a picture or visual aspect can heighten a piece of literature, by immediately letting the reader in on a secret, just as a movie does with its visual portrayal.


Of course, the useful tool of varying literary criticisms will always stay with me. I vaguely knew of feminism and marxism and the like, but really diving into poststructuralism helped me understand the other criticism in a new light. In fact, revelations of certain criticisms and how they all can contribute to any analysis in some way, even if it doesn't find it's way into the specific paper was eye opening. I think I sometimes fall into the trap of only looking at a piece from one perspective, which is limiting. I'm excited to continue to understand these criticisms more in depth, and find my own tactic of seamlessly merging them. Now that I can name them and attribute concrete symptoms of them, I feel I can be more self aware of what I am employing and not employing as I analyze.