Practice makes Improvement

Analyzing a work of literature can be discouraging.  Trying to understand the inner thoughts of a poet, author, or playwright can be frustrating.  However, as with most things in life, practice makes perfect.  Well, maybe not perfect, but improvement for sure.




Luckily, my first attempt at analyzing fiction was not captured on paper.  As a group, we discussed "A&P" by John Updike and "Araby" by James Joyce. This was extremely helpful in the development of my skills as an analyzer.  We could discuss ideas, common or crazy, and talk through our thought process.  We then gave presentations on different critical approaches and applied our approach to one or both of these works.  From structuralism to Marxism, it was the perfect way to develop new ideas.

This was my first  try at analyzing a drama.  This first attempt was short and not very in depth.  I superficially analyzed the main character and lost sight of other important aspects of analyzing this play.  Further understanding of dramatic analysis has taught me that there are many more aspects of drama to consider other than character.  The setting of the play is critical.  While I mention the era of the play briefly, little is discussed about the effects this has on the rest of the play.  Theme is another vital component of dramatic analysis that was overlooked.  My studies this year have opened my eyes to greater understanding of aspects of drama that I never saw before.

The final genre we tried to analyze was poetry.  Yikes.  As the deadline for our analysis loomed in the distance, we were given baby steps to help tackle this Goliath of a task.  One step that changed everything for me was the use of note cards.  By breaking down our ideas onto separate note cards, we were able to guide our thoughts and find focus in our analysis.  By relating our ideas in the form of simple pictures, we could more easily discuss the highlights of our analysis with others and gain greater feedback on specific ideas.  Here are some examples of my ideas as art.  Check this blog post out for even better examples.  However, Mya's classic approach to analysis might be my favorite.  I love the detail it shows.

As the time has progressed so have my skills as an analyzer and consumer of works of literature.  While I would love to read things from a formalist point of view my entire life, I now can't help but dive deeper into the realm of possibilities to see what different ideas poetry, prose,and plays have to offer.