How to Read Literature Like a Professor

Every Trip Is a QuestGeography Matters

Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It’s Not)

Five elements:1) quester2) place to go3) reason to go there4) challenges/trials5) real reason to go

Every Trip—cont.

• “The real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge” (3).

• A quest might fail or might not be taken up• “’Always’ and ‘Never’ are not words that have

much meaning in literary study” (6).

Every Trip—cont.

Having said that . . . Always consider the artist’s argument that might be made through:1. the quest2. the act of self-knowledge3. the specific self-knowledge achieved or

attempted4. the failure or rejection of the quest/self-

knowledge

Geography Matters

• Geography/setting is not just physical place• Ask why a writer chose a specific setting,

because they do choose setting• “Literary geography is typically about humans

inhabiting spaces, and at the same time the spaces that inhabit humans” (166-67).

Geography—cont.

• Setting (geography) can involve psychology, attitude, finance, industry, religion, politics, crime, leisure, etc.

• Setting can: 1) affect character development, 2) be symbolic

• The symbolism of characters going south

Every Trip practice

• Beauty and the Beast• Kung Fu Panda• Star Wars I-III• Star Wars IV-VI• The Lion King• Elf• Monsters Inc.• Up• Despicable Me• Shrek• Finding Nemo

Geo Matters

• Title• Paraphrase• Diction, imagery, rhyme, rhythm, etc.• Read again• Title again• Argument