studying lit

Not long ago, I was reading a book review over at my friend Katrina’s site and I realized that I think I need to study literature.  She was describing a recently written novel that pays homage to Victorian Literature and post modernism, which sounded JUST like my cup of tea. She remarked that the ending was not resolved and that a careful reader can posit one.  Careless readers will miss subtle clues throughout.

Well, I think that once upon a time, maybe 20 years ago, I was a careful reader.  Or maybe not.  I did a VERY brief stint in Columbia University once, and they forced me to retake College English II (maybe it’s now called College Comp II, it’s your intro to lit course).  I was fuming because I’d taken as many English courses at my technical college as I could and aced them all, and this one course…  Let’s just say my kept DROPPING every week.  I always have said that it felt like the entire class was taking another class together and knew things I didn’t.  (Perhaps their English I???? Hm, never occured to me.)  Anyhow, it put me off of lit courses for good - this from the girl who had taken Honors English for 4 years of high school and won an award -for studying classics like “Siddhartha”.

OK, so it may be that my ego wanted that memory.  But I have since that time become a careless reader.  The pleasure was SUCKED OUT of my favorite thing to do in life (reading) and  perhaps even a part of me skimmed over the concept that literature could have value.  I’ve even read my share of literature on my own but I sacrifice all deeper meaning to the pleasure of the story.

So now I have it in my head that perhaps I need to learn to study literature.  I also have it in my head that this will buoy up my writing.  I do not have time for careful reading, but returning to school - well, one of these days anyway - that will do the trick.

Maybe.