This interlude is something I find intriguing due almost entirely to the author’s response to the the question serving as the title of the interlude. Catching my interest the most for this portion of the book is the author’s previously exhibited writing style and use of applied knowledge & the resulting contrast of his one-word response to the proposed question. His response of “yes” is made to be even more severely contrasted when he immediately rejects it and in turn, ammends his answer. With this enhanced curiosity of this portion of the book’s content, I found it not only enlightening but also thought invoking. Through the avenue of thought I gained from this, I realized that the question is the answer to itself. Who is the person you refer to and what do you know of how they write from past knowledge, this is the key to understanding your own answer to if the author means to allude to so much or not. - JWG
What I thought of the chapter was "What?". To me it also made me think what the chapter's title is, "Does He mean That?". In certain parts of the chapter it was very confusing and it was contradictory in a way, so it made me to the point to where I do not know what to think of the chapter. It made contradictions to what it said in other parts of the chapter and in part in some areas of the book itself, and I don't know whether to ignore what the chapter talked about or ignore the parts it contradicted
I can see where you're coming from. Sometimes it is difficult to understand an author when you first read something. Maybe try to go back to the chapter and read it again, this time it might settle in better.
I had to re-read the intro and it helped a lot because my first time reading I got really confused. This chapter was about how authors create a literary work.
I completely agree that this chapter is contradictory, but that is what makes it accurate. The question proposed by the chapter title is a yes or no question stated generically, something that is impossible to answer accurately. This question needs to be addressed situationally and that is what Foster does.
Posted by: James Lynn I believe that this chapter is very interesting. It seems to be used as a way to get the reader to question what he or she is learning or has learned from this book. It also helps the reader understand the process that Foster goes through to write it. Questioning what a person is learning can help a person understand what they are learning. It allows information to stick better, as the person now has a reason to keep that information. Without a reason to keep information, a person would normally not care about it. Since this chapter allows us to understand the author's process of writing the book, we can connect to Foster easily. This allows us to learn things written in the book easier, as most people would see that Foster isn't really any more special or unique; Foster isn't above the people reading the book.
I agree with your points. Foster did a good job interacting with the reader throughout the book. However, with this chapter we are able to relate to him more. Thus, enhancing the connection between reader and author.
I thought that this chapter was helpful to understanding the rest of the book. It explained to me that it's okay not to know whether or not an author purposefully references or alludes something. That is why you disect the literature and try to figure it out. I also realized, by reading this chapter, that the author of this book is a lot like myself. He doesn't just jump right in and finish things. He takes his time and thinks about what he is going to do, just like any other person. This was probably one of the least boring chapters in the book because of the fact that it made me a bit more interested in the thought process of authors.
I agree that this chapter helps to understand the book and what it's about. Also I agree that it helps you understand the thought process of all the authors when creating a literary work.
This chapter answered exactly what I have been wondering. Since reading this book, every movie I watch and every book I read is different. I’m continually finding myself wondering “How did they know to use that as a metaphor?” “Did this just happen by coincidence, or did the writer plan this out?”
I always sort of assumed that the writer had some sort of creative gift, but now after reading this book, and specifically this chapter, I’ve realized that it is all about planning and looking at your work from an aerial perspective. If you want to get something across, use an allusion or a metaphor to create depth.
After reading this chapter I can tell just how much work goes into the planning and forming of a great literary work, and I have a newfound respect for great writers and creative minds alike.
Agree, this chapter did clear things up and got us all to keep reading the book and appreciate what we have in front of us along with what is took to create it.
What you are saying this book has done for you has happened to me to an extent. Unfortunately, I find it very difficult to set myself apart form the story and read in between the lines because of the way I read books.
This chapter cleared a lot of things up for me. Reading this book, even if I am only 10 chapters in, has made me think more about the things I read and watch. If I am watching a movie, or reading a book from a series, I find myself stopping and asking more questions about the things in the book.
Before this, I figured authors just knew what they were doing and all their books just came to them, but after reading this chapter especially, I see that the process is about looking over your work and using what you can (metaphors, allusions, etc.) to create your own great work.
I agree. After reading this chapter I've realized that writers really have to sit down and think about what they want to get across and that it doesn't always come together instantly.
I agree, with this chapter clearing things up. I also thought authors just knew what they were doing but now I have a whole new light, I see that authors struggle with writing just as much as students do because in a way they're students too.
I thought it was great and it stated the process of creating literature and how it does not come to mind in an instant but comes due to concentrating without no distractions around you. Foster gave examples saying the days it took for him to come up with the chapter when it is only five minutes worth of reading which goes to show you must have concentration. He explained the process in depth and how he dissected it which I am usually use to just going to the point but this is a great way of doing it to get the details missed in literature. It answered many questions I had about the book and I now I look at every movie differently. It gave me a different outlook on movies and why a certain event happened or how it ties in to the plot of a story.
I honestly tried to write a book when I was little but never could because of not having the concentration needed to complete it and I thought people had to be gifted to have a talent for doing this as a career but its partly because of not having a silent place to think which was my problem. I got a better perspective of what it takes to make a unique book like this and now I can now look at books differently instead of questioning its purpose.
Posted by: Caleb Costner When the question asked "What did you think of this chapter?", it puzzled me. It was until 10 minutes after reading and looking at my screen to write this, that I finally understood what the chapter meant. A writer can not simply just write a novel in a day, they have to spend countless hours, days, months, years even, to write a novel or ever a few chapters. Readers take this for granted, because they simply just read the book (for what ever reason they are reading it) not thinking of the time it took to write the chapter or the book.
After reading this, it allows me to ask questions about movies, books, or other forms of literature. It helped me to stop and think of literature, or movies that I read, or watched now, in the past, and coming in the future. It has even helped me to see thing that I was not able to see before reading it. This chapter has answered many of my questions, and also helped me to understand literature, in a new way.
Throughout reading this book, I have felt like the reader is put in the place of the student, and Foster fills the role of the professor. This overbearing lecture was lightened a bit this chapter. We as reader get to relate a bit to author by his his writing progress and get a slightly different perspective where it feels more like he is giving us advice rather than just teaching us an undoubtedly long lesson.
This chapter really clears up some of my assumptions I made about the writing process. Foster has so far made me view writers as straight forward with their references, but here he gave them a human persona. Yeah, master writers still take breaks and need time to think like the rest of us. We really take for granted how long it takes to formulate the center ideas of a novel and add in many meticulous details that make it stand high among the crowd.
Overall, I appreciate this chapter. You can not lecture for hours at a time without and expect the students to absorb the information as well. Foster knows that we need a break from the regular work and he gives it to us. Looking back at this chapter further makes me regard just how excellent of a writer Foster is.
Honestly for me, this was the most interesting chapter that I have read so far, and I was disappointed by how short it was. Throughout the book, I have been quite confused and haven't been able to follow through very easily. I don't like how the author pieces his writing together, but that's just a personal preference for me on what I like to read.
However, for this chapter, I found it easier to get along with the author, if that makes any sense. Usually the author bores me with their sense of writing and the way they discuss things, but this chapter actually made a lot of sense to me and I believe it will help me in understanding the rest of the book. I'm sure that Foster is very good at analyzing literature and breaking each piece apart to define what everything means in order for it to come together as a whole, but reading about that does not interest me when it comes to this author. Which, as I said, makes me like this chapter a lot more than the others since Foster does not so much discuss all there is to break down about literature.
By: Hannah Berckman To me, the interlude chapter was, in a way, eye opening. Foster discussed many things in the chapter such as how different authors have different writing styles. Some authors are more straightforward with the story line and others like to leave more freedom for the reader to have their own interpretations of the literature. Foster also brought to light the fact that some writings, no matter how short, can take days or even weeks to write. He also touched base on how it's hard to maintain a plot and story line when writing a play, novel or other literary device. Overall, I liked this chapter and I think it is a nice way to have a small break in the book.
Posted By: Anna K-S I feel the Interlude chapter is a chapter to catch the reader up on all the chapters that came before. The author answered a few questions the reader may have and goes into different stories. As stated before this chapter tells about many different stories such as Homer’s “Odyssey” and “The Waste Land”. I like how this chapter tells about stories and compares the stories with other stories, therefore, showing the reader connections. The fact that this chapter tells about modern and postmodern literature interest me greatly because I like to see how items were in the past and how they are now. All in all this was a great summary chapter due to the questions in the beginning and I loved all the comparisons. I also appreciate the fact that the author took the time to write about himself in this chapter.
Posted by Maria McDonald: I think that this chapter is a good way to give the reader a break while at the same time helping them understand what they have been reading. He compares different pieces of literature and shows how every one has its own literary elements and the connections that it has with others. It wraps up the things the reader was learning in previous chapters and gives us an idea of what we should learn in the next chapters. This chapter also gives us an idea of the process that Thomas Foster went through to write this book but making it understandable for everyone to understand. Since the readers are the students and the author is the professor, he had to make it easy to follow since he is not there to directly answer questions like a professor in a classroom.
I like how the chapter made you go back and think about everything you’ve read so far. It helped clear up some confusion I had in the beginning. I never really knew that it took authors so long to write a work of literature. It’s something that takes a great amount of time and planning. I now appreciate the authors of the books I’ve read even more for carefully planning their works and dedicating so much time towards them. To think that it takes them so long to write the book, but it takes me a third of that time to read the book and maybe not even understand some of the subtle underlying messages they have left baffles my mind. -Piper Colangelo
Post by: Hannah Cribby This chapter was very interesting and helped me understand what authors go through when creating a literary work. This chapter has helped me figure out all the aspects that go into and have to be considered in a literary work. Authors have to think about the weather, words, communion, etc. so that they can create an emotional or terrifying literary work. After reading this chapter I have a deeper appreciation for all literary works and how they were created. Now I know all the things authors have to think about and consider while trying to get their point across in a movie or book.
This chapter answered the exact question that I have been wondering while reading the book. I kept asking myself: “Do the authors or creators of the literary work really mean to do these things?” and the chapter answers exactly that question. It was eye-opening and seemed to be a truly essential part of the novel because without it, I would still be asking myself the same questions. Now I know that the answer is yes. I think that this chapter really explained the entire book into one and although I was quite confused, at first, it seems simple now. I went back and read the introduction to see if that would help and it did. After re-reading that, the entire chapter fell into place as one of the most important parts of this literary work.
When I first seen this chapter I just got up and walked away from the book. This book was already a bit confusing, so when I seen that I had an extra chapter between ten and eleven I wasn't very happy, but then I went back to the book and read it anyway. This chapter was helpful, and thankfully short. It helped me understand the rest of the book a bit more. Sure this chapter did give me a few new confusing thoughts, but I think this chapter was the turn around chapter for me. Through this chapter I learned not to hate this book, but I still do not particularly like it. The chapter opened my eyes slightly, but still not enough to like the book. At this point in the book this was not my least favorite, and that's saying something because I consider most of the chapters within this book my least favorite.
What I thought about the chapter was that it was confusing and very slow for me to read. I didn't get why he was writing the chapter but I kept reading until he said something about why he was writing it. The chapter was about lateral thinking. He could have made this chapter more recognized and have the main idea in the beginning and then go into examples. But whatever works for him.
The interlude was interesting to say the least. Though, it really wasn’t an interlude by definition. It was not a break from the book (that would have been nice, just kidding), I still learned more about how to read literature like a professor and I still had to use my brain while reading it, unlike many novels I enjoy. I like the content it had some cool history about writers in different time periods and how much more knowledge readers had back then. In our time period today, we are reading books on how to read books, but back then as Thomas said, “... folks in their little houses on the prairie could quote the bard” (p.84). Did anyone else just have to ask google what the heck the Bard was? I wish he would have expanded more on this thought, I find it sad that we as a society have stopped wanting to educate ourselves on great literature like The Bard (according to google that is in fact not literature but, rather, a name referencing William Shakespeare, I feel smart).
In the interlude, the author points out why we should appreciate a piece of work in all its glory. Before reading this chapter, I wasn’t aware of how much time and effort it takes to write a brilliant piece of literature. There is a great deal of time put into the finding of allusions and an author must be very talented to do so.
Reading this chapter helped me understand why the author was writing this book. He wanted to discuss the complex ways of literature and how an author can create such work. This chapter helped me appreciate the works of all literature. I now understand how much effort it takes to make literature and why it is so important.
I think the interlude was interesting. The chapter was short compare to some of the other chapter but I was expecting something else like a joke or something. Even though there were no joke, I learn things from it like it take a long time to write the chapter.It might take us maybe 5 to 30 minutes to read the chapter but it might take forever for him to write it. I also learn what lateral thinking is.
By:Kalynne H. I am a bookworm, nerd, or whatever you want to call it, so I am pretty much constantly reading. When I am reading, I ask a lot of questions and I pay more attention so I can fully understand the book more. This book though, I find myself thinking about things more like, why did the author do this and did he plan that? Chapter 10 has made me realize why. Everything in a book is planned out, looked over, and edited. One cannot just sit down and write a book. They have to think about everything first. It could possibly take years to finish a book but the author wants to make sure everything is perfect. This chapter made me realize that and it was very interesting.
When I little I wrote little short stories on my own, and it was very difficult. I couldn't agree more with Aleigha here, yes we are all nerds here. ~ Caleb C.
Same! I have been known for reading, this is bad but, in middle school when thee said Jessica Payne people would often ask "The one always reading?" to clarify who I was. It didn't help I was in AIG, so I was and am a nerd to, now I go to the school of nerds! Good observation.
I think that the author, Thomas Foster, is pointing out the fact that almost everything that is written, and certainly anything worth reading, takes influence from something, be it personal experience, the Bible, or Greek mythology. The trick is seeing these connections and using them to better oneself as a reader/writer.
It doesn’t take a literary genius to write with these connections and reading them is even easier, but to the untrained reader, the connection may just pass by unnoticed. The idea is that people who write a “completely original” story, are really taking inspiration from something as previously mentioned.
First off, I liked this chapter because what author has an interlude? I love the fact that he has one. I feel like this is a good period to let the readers reflect and let us soak up the information we have received. I also feel like this is a reflection period for not only the reader, but the author as well. He includes the whole chapter about how he had writer's block. He states, "Eventually I got where we are now." I just really enjoy that he shares his own struggle to write the pages we are reading.
This chapter was a little confusing to me but I read it anyway and it helped me understand things in the book that I did not really get at first. Although this chapter was a little bit confusing for me it also cleared things up that I may had been confused about before. Also, I think it is cool that the author had a interlude because not many author have one.
Posted By: Adison Costner After reading this chapter I feel like I now have a better understanding of the book. This chapter helped me comprehend what he has said better. I like how the writer took time to write this chapter so people will have a better understanding. If this book didnt not have this chapter then some of us would still have unanswered questions about some of the previous chapters.
I found the interlude very thought provoking because most people might assume that the authors patterns and symbols are not intentional, but as the interlude tells us, they usually are intentional. This chapter really helps you understand what the book is about and that the authors are trying to provoke your thought with all of the literary elements mentioned in the book as well. I also think that the author revealed a little bit about how he write in this chapter due to his style of explaining every element little by little and using many examples, drawing out his writing.
I personally enjoyed this reading this chapter and I feel as if this may be my personal favorite chapter in this book mainly due to the fact that I learned many interesting things about authors and how they do what they do. I feel as if this chapter helped me understand some of the points that he made in the rest of the book. This chapter also helped me appreciate authors more because I never really understood all that they had to do in order to produce very well written work. I also learned about how the readers were expected to have considerable training in the literary tradition.
I enjoyed this chapter. I've asked myself many times before if what many people say is a secret reference or symbol is really on purpose, or if that's just what the readers interpret it as. Many times little things here or there are foreshadowing a later event or are referenced again, but other time's it seems like pure speculation or misinterpretation. The author gives examples of many times that these little things did have big meaning however. He states that whenever an author writes, they make connections or use past experiences or events as examples to write of, many times being from different works of literature. It makes a lot more sense after reading it like this, and the more I've read the book the more hidden details I've seen in the movies I've watched and the books I've read.
The interlude was insightful to read, though confusing at times. It was funny, because I was asking myself the questions they mentioned in the first paragraph. The chapter made me want to ask questions more about the books and movies I see. I think it is interesting that we can not see, personally, where someone got an idea from, but with analysis we can gather where they might have got that idea from or how it came to be. That analysis allows us to connect literary work and ideas in our head to fully understand other works. This really emphasized on how we need to always look deeper into a work and sometimes the creator to fully understand what they are saying.
I thought this chapter was very interesting and it made me think a lot. I never really thought about why authors put symbols in their books. Writers actually put in symbols to evolve their stories and they do this because they are educated in writing. It is so weird that books actually take a lot of time to make. I could read a passage in a minute, but days could’ve been spent writing it. I now appreciate books more and I am aware that a lot of effort is put into making them. Although this was a little confusing to read, I now fully understand the points that Thomas Foster was trying to make.
Addressing the interlude, it makes sense that writers who very likely had a classical education of literature, and knew that their readers did as well, would have added certain plot points and ideas into the story that could have put the reader in mind of a certain famous writer or story. It doesn’t seem like that similarity would have been an accident on the writer’s part, considering that so many more people had an education of literary works to draw from. I also think that readers do forget how long it takes to write something versus read it. Some readers can finish a book in hours without knowing that it took years for the author to get it just right and publish it. Considering this, many earlier works most likely drew inspiration from classical literature and ideas of which many had a basic education.
Elizabeth Suarez. Throughout this chapter, I did get confused a few times. It was mainly at the beginning but that was just because of the large paragraphs. I couldn't quite keep up with it but after reading over again it was a little more clear and made me think about what I should be looking for in movies and books.
In my opinion I think that this chapter was somewhat confusing. I re-read this chapter and I got a more clear picture of this chapter. I think that this chapter was used to make the reader think about what they have learned from reading. It also helps the reader figure out what the author went through to write this novel. After this chapter I now have a better understanding of what authors go through and how hard it is. I really enjoyed this chapter and was somewhat disappointed that it has to end. At first when I read this chapter I was lost. I had to take some time sit down and think about what I read. After I read the chapter again I understood the chapter better.
I thought that this chapter really helped me to stop and think about the book it was like a eye opening moment in which I could really think about the meaning of this book about what it's teaching me and what i'm going to take away from it. As I was reading this chapter it also contained a lot of meaning it had an little bit of everything it talked about a lot of things I was really confused the first time I read this but after really reading it it made much more sense and how literature isn't all about following certain rules to have the correct structure but also about true meaning that really comes from the author and is reflected in his work no matter what and that we don’t always have to try to write for research but also for fun. -Stephanie Martinez
Riley Kiefer I found this very interesting and liked how he let us into his brain in a way. It helped us understand what he was writing and thinking and why he was doing it. I liked how he answered the questions that we were all thinking at this point. It made me think of how he wrote this book and why he decided to use the literary works that he decided to use so far. I also liked the literary works that he used for this chapter. All and all I liked it and it made me want to actually sit and talk with him about this book. It really helped me appreciate the book and the time he took to write it.
The interlude provides much clarification. It was also very interesting because the tone in this chapter changed so much from what we have seen in the previous chapters. Instead of having that Professor like tone now we have more of a friendly tone. I think that this chapter was much needed and placed perfectly in the book. You learned enough to start asking yourself questions, but if you would’ve continued without reading it, it would be harder to understand because all you're thinking about is “Do authors mean to do this?” Which is what the whole chapter is based on, answering that question. I also believe that this chapter creates a deeper appreciation for literature for people who normally don't like books.
- Alicia L. M. - This chapter helped understand more about how literature is written and everything in a novels or film contain a specific purpose. I learned the process in Foster place a story together. That writing is not only about putting ideas and words together, in other words it does not just requires talent to write but a specific process to create a novel or short story. Forster also stated that it is difficult to stay set to one specific plot when writing a novel or even a short story.
Foster also mention that writer use different styles of writing. This chapter helped me understand the book better and now me view movies, novels, and story differently, with a more open mind.
This interlude is something I find intriguing due almost entirely to the author’s response to the the question serving as the title of the interlude. Catching my interest the most for this portion of the book is the author’s previously exhibited writing style and use of applied knowledge & the resulting contrast of his one-word response to the proposed question. His response of “yes” is made to be even more severely contrasted when he immediately rejects it and in turn, ammends his answer.
ReplyDeleteWith this enhanced curiosity of this portion of the book’s content, I found it not only enlightening but also thought invoking. Through the avenue of thought I gained from this, I realized that the question is the answer to itself. Who is the person you refer to and what do you know of how they write from past knowledge, this is the key to understanding your own answer to if the author means to allude to so much or not.
- JWG
-Jared
DeletePost By : Dalton Harmon
ReplyDeleteWhat I thought of the chapter was "What?". To me it also made me think what the chapter's title is, "Does He mean That?". In certain parts of the chapter it was very confusing and it was contradictory in a way, so it made me to the point to where I do not know what to think of the chapter. It made contradictions to what it said in other parts of the chapter and in part in some areas of the book itself, and I don't know whether to ignore what the chapter talked about or ignore the parts it contradicted
I can see where you're coming from. Sometimes it is difficult to understand an author when you first read something. Maybe try to go back to the chapter and read it again, this time it might settle in better.
DeleteI had to re-read the intro and it helped a lot because my first time reading I got really confused. This chapter was about how authors create a literary work.
DeleteThis chapter seems like it just wants to get you thinking. It really requires you to put a lot of thought into this more complex literature.
DeleteI completely agree that this chapter is contradictory, but that is what makes it accurate. The question proposed by the chapter title is a yes or no question stated generically, something that is impossible to answer accurately. This question needs to be addressed situationally and that is what Foster does.
DeleteI agree that this chapter was slightly confusing. I fixed this by reading it again.
DeleteI agree this chapter was confusing.
DeleteLike most people commenting on your post, I too agree. It was hard for me too stick with this chapter because it could get a bit confusing.
DeleteI also agree that this chapter was a bit of a doozy. But re-reading made it more clear.
DeletePosted by: James Lynn
ReplyDeleteI believe that this chapter is very interesting. It seems to be used as a way to get the reader to question what he or she is learning or has learned from this book. It also helps the reader understand the process that Foster goes through to write it.
Questioning what a person is learning can help a person understand what they are learning. It allows information to stick better, as the person now has a reason to keep that information. Without a reason to keep information, a person would normally not care about it.
Since this chapter allows us to understand the author's process of writing the book, we can connect to Foster easily. This allows us to learn things written in the book easier, as most people would see that Foster isn't really any more special or unique; Foster isn't above the people reading the book.
I agree! I was glad he shared some of his person experience with writing.
DeleteI think you put it perfectly and really understood the chapter.
DeleteI agree with your points. Foster did a good job interacting with the reader throughout the book. However, with this chapter we are able to relate to him more. Thus, enhancing the connection between reader and author.
DeleteI agree with most of your points. Good job.
DeleteI thought that this chapter was helpful to understanding the rest of the book. It explained to me that it's okay not to know whether or not an author purposefully references or alludes something. That is why you disect the literature and try to figure it out. I also realized, by reading this chapter, that the author of this book is a lot like myself. He doesn't just jump right in and finish things. He takes his time and thinks about what he is going to do, just like any other person. This was probably one of the least boring chapters in the book because of the fact that it made me a bit more interested in the thought process of authors.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this chapter helps to understand the book and what it's about. Also I agree that it helps you understand the thought process of all the authors when creating a literary work.
DeleteI agree that this chapter helps with the understanding of the rest of the book.
DeleteI agree with you. This chapter made it easier to read on.
DeletePost by: Alanie O’Dell
ReplyDeleteThis chapter answered exactly what I have been wondering. Since reading this book, every movie I watch and every book I read is different. I’m continually finding myself wondering
“How did they know to use that as a metaphor?”
“Did this just happen by coincidence, or did the writer plan this out?”
I always sort of assumed that the writer had some sort of creative gift, but now after reading this book, and specifically this chapter, I’ve realized that it is all about planning and looking at your work from an aerial perspective. If you want to get something across, use an allusion or a metaphor to create depth.
After reading this chapter I can tell just how much work goes into the planning and forming of a great literary work, and I have a newfound respect for great writers and creative minds alike.
Agree, this chapter did clear things up and got us all to keep reading the book and appreciate what we have in front of us along with what is took to create it.
DeleteWhat you are saying this book has done for you has happened to me to an extent. Unfortunately, I find it very difficult to set myself apart form the story and read in between the lines because of the way I read books.
DeleteThis chapter also clarified some things for me.
DeleteI agree, I really needed this chapter to clear up some things for me.
DeleteThis chapter answered most of my questions
DeletePost By: Kayla Shannon
ReplyDeleteThis chapter cleared a lot of things up for me. Reading this book, even if I am only 10 chapters in, has made me think more about the things I read and watch. If I am watching a movie, or reading a book from a series, I find myself stopping and asking more questions about the things in the book.
Before this, I figured authors just knew what they were doing and all their books just came to them, but after reading this chapter especially, I see that the process is about looking over your work and using what you can (metaphors, allusions, etc.) to create your own great work.
I agree. After reading this chapter I've realized that writers really have to sit down and think about what they want to get across and that it doesn't always come together instantly.
DeleteI agree, with this chapter clearing things up. I also thought authors just knew what they were doing but now I have a whole new light, I see that authors struggle with writing just as much as students do because in a way they're students too.
DeleteI thought it was great and it stated the process of creating literature and how it does not come to mind in an instant but comes due to concentrating without no distractions around you. Foster gave examples saying the days it took for him to come up with the chapter when it is only five minutes worth of reading which goes to show you must have concentration. He explained the process in depth and how he dissected it which I am usually use to just going to the point but this is a great way of doing it to get the details missed in literature. It answered many questions I had about the book and I now I look at every movie differently. It gave me a different outlook on movies and why a certain event happened or how it ties in to the plot of a story.
ReplyDeleteI honestly tried to write a book when I was little but never could because of not having the concentration needed to complete it and I thought people had to be gifted to have a talent for doing this as a career but its partly because of not having a silent place to think which was my problem. I got a better perspective of what it takes to make a unique book like this and now I can now look at books differently instead of questioning its purpose.
Posted by: Caleb Costner
ReplyDeleteWhen the question asked "What did you think of this chapter?", it puzzled me. It was until 10 minutes after reading and looking at my screen to write this, that I finally understood what the chapter meant. A writer can not simply just write a novel in a day, they have to spend countless hours, days, months, years even, to write a novel or ever a few chapters. Readers take this for granted, because they simply just read the book (for what ever reason they are reading it) not thinking of the time it took to write the chapter or the book.
After reading this, it allows me to ask questions about movies, books, or other forms of literature. It helped me to stop and think of literature, or movies that I read, or watched now, in the past, and coming in the future. It has even helped me to see thing that I was not able to see before reading it. This chapter has answered many of my questions, and also helped me to understand literature, in a new way.
I agree. After having read this chapter, I have more respect for the critical thinking that writers put into their literary works.
DeleteAgreed. I already knew that authors put a lot of thought into great stories, but this chapter definitely made me more aware of this.
DeleteThroughout reading this book, I have felt like the reader is put in the place of the student, and Foster fills the role of the professor. This overbearing lecture was lightened a bit this chapter. We as reader get to relate a bit to author by his his writing progress and get a slightly different perspective where it feels more like he is giving us advice rather than just teaching us an undoubtedly long lesson.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter really clears up some of my assumptions I made about the writing process. Foster has so far made me view writers as straight forward with their references, but here he gave them a human persona. Yeah, master writers still take breaks and need time to think like the rest of us. We really take for granted how long it takes to formulate the center ideas of a novel and add in many meticulous details that make it stand high among the crowd.
Overall, I appreciate this chapter. You can not lecture for hours at a time without and expect the students to absorb the information as well. Foster knows that we need a break from the regular work and he gives it to us. Looking back at this chapter further makes me regard just how excellent of a writer Foster is.
Post by: Tiffany Weresow
ReplyDeleteHonestly for me, this was the most interesting chapter that I have read so far, and I was disappointed by how short it was. Throughout the book, I have been quite confused and haven't been able to follow through very easily. I don't like how the author pieces his writing together, but that's just a personal preference for me on what I like to read.
However, for this chapter, I found it easier to get along with the author, if that makes any sense. Usually the author bores me with their sense of writing and the way they discuss things, but this chapter actually made a lot of sense to me and I believe it will help me in understanding the rest of the book. I'm sure that Foster is very good at analyzing literature and breaking each piece apart to define what everything means in order for it to come together as a whole, but reading about that does not interest me when it comes to this author. Which, as I said, makes me like this chapter a lot more than the others since Foster does not so much discuss all there is to break down about literature.
I have to agree with you that this is the most interesting chapter so far in the book.
DeleteYeah, I liked it too. Wish it would've been a tad bit longer.
DeleteBy: Hannah Berckman
ReplyDeleteTo me, the interlude chapter was, in a way, eye opening. Foster discussed many things in the chapter such as how different authors have different writing styles. Some authors are more straightforward with the story line and others like to leave more freedom for the reader to have their own interpretations of the literature. Foster also brought to light the fact that some writings, no matter how short, can take days or even weeks to write. He also touched base on how it's hard to maintain a plot and story line when writing a play, novel or other literary device. Overall, I liked this chapter and I think it is a nice way to have a small break in the book.
Agreed. I already knew that authors had to use different styles to write, but reading this it had me more aware. ~ Caleb C.
DeletePosted By: Anna K-S
ReplyDeleteI feel the Interlude chapter is a chapter to catch the reader up on all the chapters that came before. The author answered a few questions the reader may have and goes into different stories. As stated before this chapter tells about many different stories such as Homer’s “Odyssey” and “The Waste Land”. I like how this chapter tells about stories and compares the stories with other stories, therefore, showing the reader connections. The fact that this chapter tells about modern and postmodern literature interest me greatly because I like to see how items were in the past and how they are now. All in all this was a great summary chapter due to the questions in the beginning and I loved all the comparisons. I also appreciate the fact that the author took the time to write about himself in this chapter.
Posted by Maria McDonald:
ReplyDeleteI think that this chapter is a good way to give the reader a break while at the same time helping them understand what they have been reading. He compares different pieces of literature and shows how every one has its own literary elements and the connections that it has with others. It wraps up the things the reader was learning in previous chapters and gives us an idea of what we should learn in the next chapters. This chapter also gives us an idea of the process that Thomas Foster went through to write this book but making it understandable for everyone to understand. Since the readers are the students and the author is the professor, he had to make it easy to follow since he is not there to directly answer questions like a professor in a classroom.
It sure was a break which I definitely agree with and it almost feels like he is reassuring us to keep reading and appreciate every chapter. Good job
DeleteI really like your description of the chapter! Very nice.
DeleteI like how the chapter made you go back and think about everything you’ve read so far. It helped clear up some confusion I had in the beginning. I never really knew that it took authors so long to write a work of literature. It’s something that takes a great amount of time and planning. I now appreciate the authors of the books I’ve read even more for carefully planning their works and dedicating so much time towards them. To think that it takes them so long to write the book, but it takes me a third of that time to read the book and maybe not even understand some of the subtle underlying messages they have left baffles my mind.
ReplyDelete-Piper Colangelo
I had similar thoughts about this chapter. I think it was a way to help us appreciate more.
DeleteI think you're exactly right. This chapter was very important to the structure of the book and the understanding.
DeletePost by: Hannah Cribby
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was very interesting and helped me understand what authors go through when creating a literary work. This chapter has helped me figure out all the aspects that go into and have to be considered in a literary work. Authors have to think about the weather, words, communion, etc. so that they can create an emotional or terrifying literary work. After reading this chapter I have a deeper appreciation for all literary works and how they were created. Now I know all the things authors have to think about and consider while trying to get their point across in a movie or book.
I agree. This chapter helped me learn to be considerate of the author as well. Also as you said it helped me appreciate literature more.
DeleteAleigha
This chapter answered the exact question that I have been wondering while reading the book. I kept asking myself: “Do the authors or creators of the literary work really mean to do these things?” and the chapter answers exactly that question. It was eye-opening and seemed to be a truly essential part of the novel because without it, I would still be asking myself the same questions. Now I know that the answer is yes.
ReplyDeleteI think that this chapter really explained the entire book into one and although I was quite confused, at first, it seems simple now. I went back and read the introduction to see if that would help and it did. After re-reading that, the entire chapter fell into place as one of the most important parts of this literary work.
Post By: Karmen Scruggs
DeleteAt first for me reading this chapter, I didn't really get it. But after reading what you thought about it, it kind of cleared it up.
DeleteI agree! I think this was a very important chapter to the book!
DeletePosted by: Aligha Letterman
ReplyDeleteWhen I first seen this chapter I just got up and walked away from the book. This book was already a bit confusing, so when I seen that I had an extra chapter between ten and eleven I wasn't very happy, but then I went back to the book and read it anyway. This chapter was helpful, and thankfully short. It helped me understand the rest of the book a bit more. Sure this chapter did give me a few new confusing thoughts, but I think this chapter was the turn around chapter for me. Through this chapter I learned not to hate this book, but I still do not particularly like it. The chapter opened my eyes slightly, but still not enough to like the book. At this point in the book this was not my least favorite, and that's saying something because I consider most of the chapters within this book my least favorite.
I agree with how it was confusing.
DeleteI didn't think the chapter was confusing but I have to agree with you that the chapter is short compare to the other chapters.
DeleteAdding this interlude also made me not hate this book. I was able to understand the reason of why we are reading this book in the first place.
DeleteIt took me a little bit to understand too but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it.
DeleteWhat I thought about the chapter was that it was confusing and very slow for me to read. I didn't get why he was writing the chapter but I kept reading until he said something about why he was writing it. The chapter was about lateral thinking. He could have made this chapter more recognized and have the main idea in the beginning and then go into examples. But whatever works for him.
ReplyDeleteBasically, all I think he was saying, is it takes more time to write a book than to read it because everything is planned out.
Delete-Kalynne
I think maybe he was trying to show us the process he went through to write the book.
DeletePost by: Grace Deaton
DeleteThe interlude was interesting to say the least. Though, it really wasn’t an interlude by definition. It was not a break from the book (that would have been nice, just kidding), I still learned more about how to read literature like a professor and I still had to use my brain while reading it, unlike many novels I enjoy. I like the content it had some cool history about writers in different time periods and how much more knowledge readers had back then. In our time period today, we are reading books on how to read books, but back then as Thomas said, “... folks in their little houses on the prairie could quote the bard” (p.84). Did anyone else just have to ask google what the heck the Bard was? I wish he would have expanded more on this thought, I find it sad that we as a society have stopped wanting to educate ourselves on great literature like The Bard (according to google that is in fact not literature but, rather, a name referencing William Shakespeare, I feel smart).
ReplyDeleteIn the interlude, the author points out why we should appreciate a piece of work in all its glory. Before reading this chapter, I wasn’t aware of how much time and effort it takes to write a brilliant piece of literature. There is a great deal of time put into the finding of allusions and an author must be very talented to do so.
ReplyDeleteReading this chapter helped me understand why the author was writing this book. He wanted to discuss the complex ways of literature and how an author can create such work. This chapter helped me appreciate the works of all literature. I now understand how much effort it takes to make literature and why it is so important.
I didn't know how much effort it take to write a good book either, I just thought that it was so simple but I was wrong.
DeleteI think the interlude was interesting. The chapter was short compare to some of the other chapter but I was expecting something else like a joke or something. Even though there were no joke, I learn things from it like it take a long time to write the chapter.It might take us maybe 5 to 30 minutes to read the chapter but it might take forever for him to write it. I also learn what lateral thinking is.
ReplyDeleteLing zhang
DeleteI definitely agree that it would take longer to write a book than to read one.
Delete-Kalynne
I also agree, I once tried writing a book/story and wrote less than two pages in three days of on off working at it.
DeleteBy:Kalynne H.
ReplyDeleteI am a bookworm, nerd, or whatever you want to call it, so I am pretty much constantly reading. When I am reading, I ask a lot of questions and I pay more attention so I can fully understand the book more. This book though, I find myself thinking about things more like, why did the author do this and did he plan that? Chapter 10 has made me realize why. Everything in a book is planned out, looked over, and edited. One cannot just sit down and write a book. They have to think about everything first. It could possibly take years to finish a book but the author wants to make sure everything is perfect. This chapter made me realize that and it was very interesting.
It's okay, we're all nerds here! I agree with you, books do take a long time, I've tried before, but I lost the patience.
DeleteAleigha
When I little I wrote little short stories on my own, and it was very difficult. I couldn't agree more with Aleigha here, yes we are all nerds here. ~ Caleb C.
DeleteI thought the same thing. And I feel like we can all relate to him about the writers block!
DeleteSame! I have been known for reading, this is bad but, in middle school when thee said Jessica Payne people would often ask "The one always reading?" to clarify who I was. It didn't help I was in AIG, so I was and am a nerd to, now I go to the school of nerds! Good observation.
DeleteI think that the author, Thomas Foster, is pointing out the fact that almost everything that is written, and certainly anything worth reading, takes influence from something, be it personal experience, the Bible, or Greek mythology. The trick is seeing these connections and using them to better oneself as a reader/writer.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t take a literary genius to write with these connections and reading them is even easier, but to the untrained reader, the connection may just pass by unnoticed. The idea is that people who write a “completely original” story, are really taking inspiration from something as previously mentioned.
By: Aaron N
Great inquiry, very different from the rest. I never realized that but, thinking on it I would have to agree!
DeleteFirst off, I liked this chapter because what author has an interlude? I love the fact that he has one. I feel like this is a good period to let the readers reflect and let us soak up the information we have received. I also feel like this is a reflection period for not only the reader, but the author as well. He includes the whole chapter about how he had writer's block. He states, "Eventually I got where we are now." I just really enjoy that he shares his own struggle to write the pages we are reading.
ReplyDelete-Laurie Ricardo
This chapter was a little confusing to me but I read it anyway and it helped me understand things in the book that I did not really get at first. Although this chapter was a little bit confusing for me it also cleared things up that I may had been confused about before. Also, I think it is cool that the author had a interlude because not many author have one.
ReplyDeleteI too was also confused when I first read this chapter, but once I understood it I had a better comprehension of the book.
DeleteBy: Haylee Franckewitz
DeletePosted By: Adison Costner
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this chapter I feel like I now have a better understanding of the book. This chapter helped me comprehend what he has said better. I like how the writer took time to write this chapter so people will have a better understanding. If this book didnt not have this chapter then some of us would still have unanswered questions about some of the previous chapters.
I found the interlude very thought provoking because most people might assume that the authors patterns and symbols are not intentional, but as the interlude tells us, they usually are intentional. This chapter really helps you understand what the book is about and that the authors are trying to provoke your thought with all of the literary elements mentioned in the book as well.
ReplyDeleteI also think that the author revealed a little bit about how he write in this chapter due to his style of explaining every element little by little and using many examples, drawing out his writing.
I personally enjoyed this reading this chapter and I feel as if this may be my personal favorite chapter in this book mainly due to the fact that I learned many interesting things about authors and how they do what they do.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if this chapter helped me understand some of the points that he made in the rest of the book. This chapter also helped me appreciate authors more because I never really understood all that they had to do in order to produce very well written work. I also learned about how the readers were expected to have considerable training in the literary tradition.
-Alex Salce
Noah Wollin
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this chapter. I've asked myself many times before if what many people say is a secret reference or symbol is really on purpose, or if that's just what the readers interpret it as. Many times little things here or there are foreshadowing a later event or are referenced again, but other time's it seems like pure speculation or misinterpretation. The author gives examples of many times that these little things did have big meaning however. He states that whenever an author writes, they make connections or use past experiences or events as examples to write of, many times being from different works of literature. It makes a lot more sense after reading it like this, and the more I've read the book the more hidden details I've seen in the movies I've watched and the books I've read.
The interlude was insightful to read, though confusing at times. It was funny, because I was asking myself the questions they mentioned in the first paragraph. The chapter made me want to ask questions more about the books and movies I see. I think it is interesting that we can not see, personally, where someone got an idea from, but with analysis we can gather where they might have got that idea from or how it came to be. That analysis allows us to connect literary work and ideas in our head to fully understand other works. This really emphasized on how we need to always look deeper into a work and sometimes the creator to fully understand what they are saying.
ReplyDelete- Olyvia Knight
Post by: Kayla Williamson
ReplyDeleteI thought this chapter was very interesting and it made me think a lot. I never really thought about why authors put symbols in their books. Writers actually put in symbols to evolve their stories and they do this because they are educated in writing. It is so weird that books actually take a lot of time to make. I could read a passage in a minute, but days could’ve been spent writing it. I now appreciate books more and I am aware that a lot of effort is put into making them. Although this was a little confusing to read, I now fully understand the points that Thomas Foster was trying to make.
Addressing the interlude, it makes sense that writers who very likely had a classical education of literature, and knew that their readers did as well, would have added certain plot points and ideas into the story that could have put the reader in mind of a certain famous writer or story. It doesn’t seem like that similarity would have been an accident on the writer’s part, considering that so many more people had an education of literary works to draw from. I also think that readers do forget how long it takes to write something versus read it. Some readers can finish a book in hours without knowing that it took years for the author to get it just right and publish it. Considering this, many earlier works most likely drew inspiration from classical literature and ideas of which many had a basic education.
ReplyDelete- Sarah Macon
Elizabeth Suarez.
ReplyDeleteThroughout this chapter, I did get confused a few times. It was mainly at the beginning but that was just because of the large paragraphs. I couldn't quite keep up with it but after reading over again it was a little more clear and made me think about what I should be looking for in movies and books.
In my opinion I think that this chapter was somewhat confusing. I re-read this chapter and I got a more clear picture of this chapter. I think that this chapter was used to make the reader think about what they have learned from reading. It also helps the reader figure out what the author went through to write this novel. After this chapter I now have a better understanding of what authors go through and how hard it is. I really enjoyed this chapter and was somewhat disappointed that it has to end. At first when I read this chapter I was lost. I had to take some time sit down and think about what I read. After I read the chapter again I understood the chapter better.
ReplyDeleteParth
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI thought that this chapter really helped me to stop and think about the book it was like a eye opening moment in which I could really think about the meaning of this book about what it's teaching me and what i'm going to take away from it. As I was reading this chapter it also contained a lot of meaning it had an little bit of everything it talked about a lot of things I was really confused the first time I read this but after really reading it it made much more sense and how literature isn't all about following certain rules to have the correct structure but also about true meaning that really comes from the author and is reflected in his work no matter what and that we don’t always have to try to write for research but also for fun. -Stephanie Martinez
Riley Kiefer
ReplyDeleteI found this very interesting and liked how he let us into his brain in a way. It helped us understand what he was writing and thinking and why he was doing it. I liked how he answered the questions that we were all thinking at this point. It made me think of how he wrote this book and why he decided to use the literary works that he decided to use so far. I also liked the literary works that he used for this chapter. All and all I liked it and it made me want to actually sit and talk with him about this book. It really helped me appreciate the book and the time he took to write it.
The interlude provides much clarification. It was also very interesting because the tone in this chapter changed so much from what we have seen in the previous chapters. Instead of having that Professor like tone now we have more of a friendly tone. I think that this chapter was much needed and placed perfectly in the book. You learned enough to start asking yourself questions, but if you would’ve continued without reading it, it would be harder to understand because all you're thinking about is “Do authors mean to do this?” Which is what the whole chapter is based on, answering that question. I also believe that this chapter creates a deeper appreciation for literature for people who normally don't like books.
ReplyDeletePost By: Cynthia Garcia
- Alicia L. M. -
ReplyDeleteThis chapter helped understand more about how literature is written and everything in a novels or film contain a specific purpose. I learned the process in Foster place a story together. That writing is not only about putting ideas and words together, in other words it does not just requires talent to write but a specific process to create a novel or short story. Forster also stated that it is difficult to stay set to one specific plot when writing a novel or even a short story.
Foster also mention that writer use different styles of writing. This chapter helped me understand the book better and now me view movies, novels, and story differently, with a more open mind.