Does anyone have a love-hate relationship with analyzing literature? Like, when the teacher explains the deep meaning of something, it makes total sense and logic to get to that point of analytical conclusion. But, when I try to find a meaning of something, it always turns out to be wrong even though there’s technically no correct way to analyze a text perfectly. It just doesn’t make sense to me when I would get a 75 on a analysis paper just because the teacher didn’t see/analyze what I wrote about a certain text.
Your analysing of the text is completely valid as long as it makes sense. Every reader has their own way of looking deep into text and making sense of it. Teachers ought to acknowledge and respect the students for having different, unique perspectives and ideas about a text than the conventional one. If you had made the necessary effort of critically reading a text, then you bally well deserve not to get less marks for the different analysis, if not, actually get more marks for having a different understanding of the writings.
Literary analysis is always about interpretation and well-argued evidence. I naturally don't know anything about you, but what you said sounded similar to how I felt about poetry during high school before I'd actually studied literature much further and my skills in analyzing texts improved a lot. There is no right or wrong in interpretation. Analysis can be good or bad based on how well or poorly its case is argued. So, it's not merely about what you claim but mainly about what textual evidence you can present and how well you argue your case. Maybe your teacher was unfair or just wasn't very good. Or maybe they just thought the arguments and evidence in your analysis weren't convincing enough.
That means you didn't explain it very well. I am a literature teacher, and if the teacher does not see the point that you are making or how you would have come to that point of analysis...it means you didn't explain it very well or use your evidence very well.
"Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end? “I wonder how many miles I’ve fallen by this time?” she said aloud. “I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think-” (for, you see, Alice had learnt several things of this sort in her lessons in the schoolroom, and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off her knowledge, as there was no one to listen to her, still it was good practice to say it over) “-yes, that’s about the right distance-but then I wonder what Latitude or Longitude I’ve got to?” (Alice had no idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but thought they were nice grand words to say.) " - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
This is why I pretty much lost a significant focus on writing and critical analysis. Much of the following is due to bad memory, but, everything I would say and write as my own point of view on the understanding of a character's situation, I would "get it wrong". Maybe I needed to grow up from such a sheltered environment and know first hand what the characters in the novels, essays, were going through. I was only a kid.
Thank you SOSOSOSOSO much for this video! My school is crap and doesn't teach us these things, but I want to be able to analyze books and I've sort of been trying to, but videos like these are always a good reminder! Thank you!
@@philippa3466I think it’s the pressure for a good grade that takes the fun out of it. If children are encouraged to read what they like, I could see so much more motivation.
I disagree, I have never been able to find the deeper meaning in literature. However, I have always enjoyed when people discuss the symbolism and meaning behind parts of books that I took at face value. Videos like this give me another way to think about what I am reading, and they help me find the deeper meanings of a text when I read it.
For me the beauty of writing comes from the unambiguous sentences which spell out the writers opinion in a lucid manner, making it hard for people to twist it suit their own preconceived notions. Sometimes it is the depth of the essay that makes the reading effortless. Sometimes it is not. Nonetheless this video was quite illuminating for me
kind of sad how if i do something like that, i am wrong if i break it down and make the connections and explain thoroughly.... when it comes to a literature class.
@@philippa3466 This comment is 7 years old..... Its easy to make assumptions about someone or something by saying they aren't doing it well or aren't using the "proper evidence" when you've had no presence in my life. I was 20 at the time of this original comment. I went through school, went through college, and did just fine having a 3.6 gpa. I bet you can guess what caused it to be lower. However, alternative thinking/interpretation never provided an A+ when most teachers just follow the answers provided in a book. I've been working professionally for my state for a few years now and no longer need to deal with these ridiculous classes and topics. Dealing with guidelines and policies created by my bosses, finding their loopholes and helping to close those for future aspects, have resulted in me saving tax-payer money. My points get across.
I've often wondered if that was the case. Truly being able to intuit the text on the paper is also putting yourself in the writer's shoes and trying to get an understanding if the author actually has deeper meaning between two people's interactions or if their characters calling each other bad names is just them calling each other bad names in lieu of assigning special meaning to it as a reader. Kinda like when avg ppl psychoanalyze someone else's mood if they are being quiet. Very misleading
A middle ground, and I think more circumspect assertion, between 2442MTS and @Talon3000: I would think that the author almost always intends some meaning in the writing, and also that, independently of the author's intent, readers make interpretations, and their interpretations can be consistent or inconsistent with the author's intent. agree?
Both of you take things not to extremes, imho, but in very different directions. Symbolism in a story and what that story means to you are two different things--I'd say symbols are a device that lead to you discovering something special in a story. Symbols like Mercerism in Electric Sheep or the monsters in Silent Hill 2 can be debated but ultimately have one interpretation that fits with everything in the narrative. What they eventually give to the audience, however, is much more dynamic.
As a writer myself I can safely say that many of the Ideas, deeper meanings and symbols people try to read into literature are just plain wrong. Its nice to try finding those, but its all guesswork until the author confirms it.
I can't help but question, what is the point of deriving small moments in a story to reflect an arbitrary notion where, in all probability, the author was not intending to capture the point I made?
The small moments are like little props on the stage. Without them, you cannot establish scenes or justify characters. Also, not all stories have morals. But each one can be considered a mirror. Hence, what you take away from the book and how you take from it is equally important if not more, than what the author wanted you to leave with.
Humans are very good at rationalising any belief; this tool of mining for meaning and finding connections should also be used for finding logical errors e.g. racism. Show learners how this can have positive and negative affects on life
There is no empirical right or wrong when one talks about the ideas a text can implicitly convey to a reader, even if those ideas were not directly intended by the writer. A text can say many different things to many different people. "I tried to make a real old man, a real boy, a real sea and a real fish and real sharks. But if I made them good and true enough they would mean many things." Ernest Hemingway
There's a weakness in her argument when it comes to the Beloved reference. When she writes that Sethe is haunted by the spirit of her daughter, did she meant that figuratively or realistically? If it's the latter then it all falls down because ghosts don't exist, it's all in her head - a manifestation of her guilt.
I have never find anyone who thought like you before, but not many people think like you, most of the kids when you talk the about books and art this way they will only find it borring and will never be interested in art or books again
Am I just the only one who just doesn’t really believe that there is such a thing as a deeper meaning to a text (in ALL literature) like it just seems nonsensical that a writer would write a novel just to send a message that would be plainly stated in words. Isn’t it more likely that there is no coherent theme and only in specific stories we can actually make a theme?
While most of the message is good and correct..."How do we reach those ideas that turn into great essays?"...ouch. The purpose of reading is to improve your understanding of life/the world/human experience, etc. Not to write essays.
NthPortal you are right, but if you ignore the "frame" of the video, the techniques employed are still applicable in understanding a text, which is the important part. Not every piece of useful information is shared from an angle in line with the seekers personal intentions.
That's way too vague to be meaningful... Sometimes characters, settings, or whatever have descriptive traits that don't have meaning. A character can have a red shirt, but it doesn't have to be meaningful, it could just be the author filling out descriptive space or pushing the story along. That could arguably be the "meaning" of the description, but from a narrative perspective it has absolutely none, and looking for it can be greatly misleading and distracting from the intended story.
This kind of stupid attitudes toward art is what makes many people, specially kids, to reject it, because they see how stupid it is. Instead if you just give them the books to read they will find and appreciate all those things you are trying to teach about.
Does anyone have a love-hate relationship with analyzing literature? Like, when the teacher explains the deep meaning of something, it makes total sense and logic to get to that point of analytical conclusion. But, when I try to find a meaning of something, it always turns out to be wrong even though there’s technically no correct way to analyze a text perfectly. It just doesn’t make sense to me when I would get a 75 on a analysis paper just because the teacher didn’t see/analyze what I wrote about a certain text.
Yupp
Your analysing of the text is completely valid as long as it makes sense. Every reader has their own way of looking deep into text and making sense of it. Teachers ought to acknowledge and respect the students for having different, unique perspectives and ideas about a text than the conventional one. If you had made the necessary effort of critically reading a text, then you bally well deserve not to get less marks for the different analysis, if not, actually get more marks for having a different understanding of the writings.
Literary analysis is always about interpretation and well-argued evidence. I naturally don't know anything about you, but what you said sounded similar to how I felt about poetry during high school before I'd actually studied literature much further and my skills in analyzing texts improved a lot. There is no right or wrong in interpretation. Analysis can be good or bad based on how well or poorly its case is argued. So, it's not merely about what you claim but mainly about what textual evidence you can present and how well you argue your case.
Maybe your teacher was unfair or just wasn't very good. Or maybe they just thought the arguments and evidence in your analysis weren't convincing enough.
That means you didn't explain it very well. I am a literature teacher, and if the teacher does not see the point that you are making or how you would have come to that point of analysis...it means you didn't explain it very well or use your evidence very well.
That's school for you ruining what you find insightful
You make it sound so simple... definitely using these ideas in my classroom!
The Mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell
"Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end? “I wonder how many miles I’ve fallen by this time?” she said aloud. “I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. Let me see: that would be four thousand miles down, I think-” (for, you see, Alice had learnt several things of this sort in her lessons in the schoolroom, and though this was not a very good opportunity for showing off her knowledge, as there was no one to listen to her, still it was good practice to say it over) “-yes, that’s about the right distance-but then I wonder what Latitude or Longitude I’ve got to?” (Alice had no idea what Latitude was, or Longitude either, but thought they were nice grand words to say.) " - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
@@Keqing420 beautiful!
@@Ousdoo Jesus loves you and wants a relationship with you. He wants you to live for him. If you don't already, you should read the Bible ✝️❤️
@@Keqing420 Jesus loves you and wants a relationship with you. He wants you to live for him. If you don't already, you should read the Bible ✝️❤️
This is why I pretty much lost a significant focus on writing and critical analysis. Much of the following is due to bad memory, but, everything I would say and write as my own point of view on the understanding of a character's situation, I would "get it wrong". Maybe I needed to grow up from such a sheltered environment and know first hand what the characters in the novels, essays, were going through. I was only a kid.
Jesus loves you and wants a relationship with you. He wants you to live for him. If you don't already, you should read the Bible ✝️❤️
@@Cmhrjkyg I'm an ex Christian
Some great ideas! This is why I love reading and literature. The human condition is so complex.
Thank you SOSOSOSOSO much for this video! My school is crap and doesn't teach us these things, but I want to be able to analyze books and I've sort of been trying to, but videos like these are always a good reminder! Thank you!
Stuff is always so open to interpretation I ragequit before a few chapters trying to analyze literature. It takes all the joy of reading out of me.
The ability to interpret is part of the joy because it allows you to be open about how you look at literature.
@@philippa3466I think it’s the pressure for a good grade that takes the fun out of it. If children are encouraged to read what they like, I could see so much more motivation.
"Books belong to their readers." ~novelist John Green
I disagree, I have never been able to find the deeper meaning in literature. However, I have always enjoyed when people discuss the symbolism and meaning behind parts of books that I took at face value. Videos like this give me another way to think about what I am reading, and they help me find the deeper meanings of a text when I read it.
The symbolism and the meaning behind parts of the book is the deeper meaning.
Lovely visuals and amazing lesson! Great way to understand storytelling.
You present of great ideas here. Thanks for sharing!!
For me the beauty of writing comes from the unambiguous sentences which spell out the writers opinion in a lucid manner, making it hard for people to twist it suit their own preconceived notions. Sometimes it is the depth of the essay that makes the reading effortless. Sometimes it is not. Nonetheless this video was quite illuminating for me
I need ur help in litrature
omg thank you so much guys. i really needed this:):)
I was about to say..Darcy is a tsundere lol. But I see it's more because of social class...got it.
Darcy is a tsundere lmao
@Cole you must be fun at parties
@Cole Typing online is an informal way of writing, so no one cares about proper grammar or improper use of words nor should they.
Who is Cole and why are people annoyed at him
One of the most underrated Ted ed videos. I've been searching for a video like this, with very concrete examples, for some time already. Thank you!
Meaning is harvested from the seeds of our past.
Fantastic. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks ted! Inspiring.
thank you, that was very helpful!
Thank you very much for this significant video.
This is really helpful, Thanks alot.
I play every other video on CZcams at a faster speed. This is the first I've tried to slow down!
0:53 , dialogue says " pay attention to little details" ... Was the subliminal image intended?
Good advice for life in general.
very short comprehensive introduction about LITERATURE Analysis, 🙏🏼
This is way i subscribe to this channel.
When do we say that the piece of work is considered literature?
wow, no wounder why i was good at essay but with this I can improve upon what i know XD.
Thank you for the video
this is great, I love it so much thank you thank you :))
Thank you
That was helpful
kind of sad how if i do something like that, i am wrong if i break it down and make the connections and explain thoroughly.... when it comes to a literature class.
Its because you're not doing it very well or using the proper evidence you need to illustrate your point.
@@philippa3466 This comment is 7 years old..... Its easy to make assumptions about someone or something by saying they aren't doing it well or aren't using the "proper evidence" when you've had no presence in my life.
I was 20 at the time of this original comment. I went through school, went through college, and did just fine having a 3.6 gpa. I bet you can guess what caused it to be lower. However, alternative thinking/interpretation never provided an A+ when most teachers just follow the answers provided in a book.
I've been working professionally for my state for a few years now and no longer need to deal with these ridiculous classes and topics. Dealing with guidelines and policies created by my bosses, finding their loopholes and helping to close those for future aspects, have resulted in me saving tax-payer money. My points get across.
wish i saw this before i took my humanities course
I've often wondered if that was the case. Truly being able to intuit the text on the paper is also putting yourself in the writer's shoes and trying to get an understanding if the author actually has deeper meaning between two people's interactions or if their characters calling each other bad names is just them calling each other bad names in lieu of assigning special meaning to it as a reader.
Kinda like when avg ppl psychoanalyze someone else's mood if they are being quiet. Very misleading
A middle ground, and I think more circumspect assertion, between 2442MTS and @Talon3000:
I would think that the author almost always intends some meaning in the writing, and also that, independently of the author's intent, readers make interpretations, and their interpretations can be consistent or inconsistent with the author's intent. agree?
Both of you take things not to extremes, imho, but in very different directions. Symbolism in a story and what that story means to you are two different things--I'd say symbols are a device that lead to you discovering something special in a story. Symbols like Mercerism in Electric Sheep or the monsters in Silent Hill 2 can be debated but ultimately have one interpretation that fits with everything in the narrative. What they eventually give to the audience, however, is much more dynamic.
Perfect for today :,D
everything that happens has meaning, just have to find it
I have learned to read deeper by discussing books in my book club than I did in school
As a writer myself I can safely say that many of the Ideas, deeper meanings and symbols people try to read into literature are just plain wrong.
Its nice to try finding those, but its all guesswork until the author confirms it.
I can't help but question, what is the point of deriving small moments in a story to reflect an arbitrary notion where, in all probability, the author was not intending to capture the point I made?
The small moments are like little props on the stage. Without them, you cannot establish scenes or justify characters. Also, not all stories have morals. But each one can be considered a mirror. Hence, what you take away from the book and how you take from it is equally important if not more, than what the author wanted you to leave with.
I use this video as refference for my legal analysis of a case
Humans are very good at rationalising any belief; this tool of mining for meaning and finding connections should also be used for finding logical errors e.g. racism. Show learners how this can have positive and negative affects on life
What if a literary work has no characters?
There is no empirical right or wrong when one talks about the ideas a text can implicitly convey to a reader, even if those ideas were not directly intended by the writer. A text can say many different things to many different people.
"I tried to make a real old man, a real boy, a real sea and a real fish and real sharks. But if I made them good and true enough they would mean many things." Ernest Hemingway
There's a weakness in her argument when it comes to the Beloved reference. When she writes that Sethe is haunted by the spirit of her daughter, did she meant that figuratively or realistically? If it's the latter then it all falls down because ghosts don't exist, it's all in her head - a manifestation of her guilt.
It doesn´t have to be - it´s a book, most likely fictional
last i checked beloved is a work of fiction. As such the writer can create whatever 'reality' they choose, and in that reality ghost can exist.
Does anyone else see the devil in the tree?
Hey 👋🏻
wow
I have never find anyone who thought like you before, but not many people think like you, most of the kids when you talk the about books and art this way they will only find it borring and will never be interested in art or books again
bru this makes sense but i never can produce it on my own
💙🇮🇶
It's best to have an epiphany about cruel reality before conceiving children
Ms Arie Suwastini brought me here
evolution ftw.
Who else is watching dis as they have a literature exam
Am I just the only one who just doesn’t really believe that there is such a thing as a deeper meaning to a text (in ALL literature) like it just seems nonsensical that a writer would write a novel just to send a message that would be plainly stated in words. Isn’t it more likely that there is no coherent theme and only in specific stories we can actually make a theme?
about literature? under the 301+ club? why am I not surprised?
Spent the first two minutes explaining subtext without calling it subtext
i agree. but... "death of the author"
Is literature an art or a science? Pick one
Art
ChatGPT ♥️🌹
Narrator in a literary book
While most of the message is good and correct..."How do we reach those ideas that turn into great essays?"...ouch. The purpose of reading is to improve your understanding of life/the world/human experience, etc. Not to write essays.
But writing an essay about your 'understanding' is also a fun activity :)
NthPortal you are right, but if you ignore the "frame" of the video, the techniques employed are still applicable in understanding a text, which is the important part. Not every piece of useful information is shared from an angle in line with the seekers personal intentions.
No right and wrong? Tell that to an English professor!
So in simple words when you read a book don't be a Karen thats it right?
That's way too vague to be meaningful...
Sometimes characters, settings, or whatever have descriptive traits that don't have meaning. A character can have a red shirt, but it doesn't have to be meaningful, it could just be the author filling out descriptive space or pushing the story along. That could arguably be the "meaning" of the description, but from a narrative perspective it has absolutely none, and looking for it can be greatly misleading and distracting from the intended story.
SPOILER ALERT
I can't describe how annoying that introduction is.
This kind of stupid attitudes toward art is what makes many people, specially kids, to reject it, because they see how stupid it is. Instead if you just give them the books to read they will find and appreciate all those things you are trying to teach about.