HOW (THE HECK) TO
READ LITERATURE
Demystifying literature and
learning how to read (again)…
SLIPPERY SYMBOLISM
• Activity
– Next period we will be having symbolism showand-tell. Feel super sophisticated and mature by
bringing in a meaningful object and sharing it with
the class. Be sure to pick an object that is
significant and special to you – an object that is
more than just what it appears to be to everyone
else.
– Do NOT expect credit for junk you dredged up
from you locker right before class began.
SLIPPERY SYMBOLISM
• What is it?
– A symbol is something that stands for
something else.
– Symbolism can be a person, place, thing,
or idea that represents something else. It
has a “deeper meaning” – a message or
connotation that is not obvious or directly
related to the symbol itself.
Slippery Symbolism
• Symbols have both literal and figurative
meanings.
• Example: Spring is a literal season but it
is usually a symbol of rebirth or youth.
Autumn is a literal season but is a
symbol of death or dying. Why?
Slippery Symbolism
• Symbols have properties similar to
those of the abstract idea it stands for.
• Example: A river can symbolize life
because both a river and life are fluid
and forward moving; both have a source
and an endpoint. Rivers literally nurture
life: they give us water to drink and help
our food grow.
SLIPPERY SYMBOLISM
• Examples
– Storm
– Sunshine
– Red Rose
– Wilted Rose
– Black
– White
SLIPPERY SYMBOLISM
• Example from Literature
Something was slithering toward him along the dark
corridor floor, and as it drew nearer to the sliver of firelight, he
realized with a thrill of terror that it was a gigantic snake, at least
twelve feet long. Horrified, transfixed, Frank stared as its
undulating body cut a wide, curving track through the thick dust
on the floor, coming closer and closer…it was following the
spitting, hissing noises made by the cold voice beyond the door,
and in seconds, the tip of its diamond-pattered tail had vanished
through the gap.
There was sweat on Frank’s forehead now, and the hand
on the walking stick was trembling. Inside the room, the cold
voice was continuing to hiss, and Frank was visited by a strange
idea, an impossible idea…This man could talk to snakes…
The cold voice was coming from the ancient armchair
before the fire, but Frank couldn’t see the speaker. The snake,
on the other hand, was curled up on the rotting hearth rug, like
some horrible travesty of a pet dog (HP4 / 14-15).
SLIPPERY SYMBOLISM
• Think back on the Garden of Eden. What role
did the serpent play in the story?
• Compare the snake symbolism from this
modern story to the snake found in the most
ancient literature we have today – the Bible.
• Why might snakes have such a “bad rap?”
What about their physical traits could have
led to them becoming symbols for evil? Can
you think of a better symbol for evil?
SLIPPERY SYMBOLISM
• Food for Thought / Discussion
– To what extent is language symbolic?
SLIPPERY SYMBOLISM
• Questions to Ask
– Do symbols have to be physical objects?
– Can anything be a symbol?
– What makes something a symbol? Are there
specific things to look for? What are the criteria?
– How can I be sure it’s really a symbol and I’m not
just letting all the English class poison my brain?
CHECK UP
How comfortable do you feel with symbols?
Show me with fist to 5.
Slippery Symbolism
• Activity (2)
– Groups will create five symbols (not mentioned by
me or the class).
– Brainstorm and then on the paper I hand out…
• Draw your symbols on the front
• On the flip side, explain your symbols in words by
making a “Symbols Key”
– Remember: Symbols need to physically mimic
some of the characteristics of the things they
represent (ex: life as a flowing river). Create at
least 10 symbols.
Irritating Images
• Activity
– Pick one object you see in this room and
jot down two descriptions of it (3 sentences
each), one very simple and one very
dramatic.
– 5 minutes.
– Partner with the person next to you. Both
read simple descriptions to each other,
then dramatic descriptions.
Irritating Images
• Class Discussion
– How did you feel about the object when your
partner read the first, simple description?
– How did you feel when they read the dramatic
description?
– If you were writing a story, which type of
description would you use? Why?
– How did the way you saw the object change when
your partner read the dramatic description? Did it
suddenly seem more interesting?
Irritating Images
• What is it?
– An image is a word or words that refer to
an object perceived by the senses or to
sense perceptions themselves.
– Examples: Colors, shapes, lighting,
sounds, tastes, smells, textures,
temperatures, visuals.
Irritating Images
• Let’s make it simpler…
– Imagery is usually visual, consisting of
descriptions of objects, characters, or
settings as they are seen by the eye.
– Images are LITERAL things that help set
the “mood” of create the “feel” of a story.
Irritating Images
• Example
– A description of clouds literally means that
the weather is cloudy, but it can also evoke
an emotional atmosphere: for example, a
description of clouds can be used to create
a sense of sadness.
Irritating Images
• WAIT A SECOND! It sounds to me like
image and symbols are the same
thing…
– Yes, they are closely related. The
difference is that images are LITERAL
things that help create mood, whereas
symbols are LITERAL AND FIGURATIVE
things that add layers of meaning to the
story.
Irritating Images
• Example from Literature
“The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in rich
purple….at last they reached the top of the staircase
and found themselves in a small box, set at the
highest point of the stadium…A hundred thousand
witches and wizards were taking their places in the
seats, which rose in levels around the long oval field.
Everything was suffused with a mysterious golden
light, which seemed to come from the stadium itself.
The field looked smooth as velvet from their lofty
position…Gold writing kept dashing across [the
gigantic blackboard] as though an invisible giant’s
hand were scrawling upon the blackboard and then
wiping it off again…” (HP 4 / 96)
Irritating Images
• What things does J.K Rowling describe
in this excerpt?
• What adjectives does she use to
transform those things from mundane
(boring / everyday / average) to
magical?
• What words would you use to describe
the image she creates here?
Darned Diction
• It’s simple. Diction is the choice of words
used by an author.
• There are no accidents in good writing. Each
word is carefully chosen to achieve a certain
effect.
• Just like a athlete plans how to execute a play
or a painter purposefully places each brush
stroke in the right place, an author picks
words and phrases intentionally and carefully.
Darned Diction
• How the author says something tells us
a lot about what he/she is trying to say.
• Diction can be
– Simple or dramatic
– Common / everyday or advanced
– Sparse or detailed
– To-the-point or exaggerated
Darned Diction
• Think of it like this: Diction is like food.
• A veggie platter with sautéed tofu is totally
different than a prime rib steak with mashed
potatoes and gravy, even though both are
meals a person eats for dinner. Both achieve
the same purpose (to fill you up), but they do
it differently. In the same way, all authors are
trying to tell a story, but they do it differently.
The way people eat reveals something about
their personality and preferences, just like the
way an author writes reveals something
about what they are trying to say.
Darned Diction
• Example from Literature
Snape finished calling the names of the class.
His eyes were black…cold and empty and made you
think of dark tunnels.
“You are here to learn the subtle science and
exact art of portion-making,” he began. He spoke in
barely more than a whisper…
Snape put them all into pairs and set them to
mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept
around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh
dried nettled and crush snake fangs…
(HP 1 / 137-138)
Darned Diction
• The author never said this was a bad guy, yet
somehow with just a simple description of him
in action we already know he’s evil. How
come?
• There are 6 words in this passage that reveal
something more about Snape than just the
color of his clothes, the way he talks, or his
teaching style. What are they?
Darned Diction
• You can think of diction as literary language.
Literary language is expressive: it
communicates tone, attitude, and feeling. It
does so purposefully and deliberately. It
wants to create an aesthetic experience, a
world of its own.
• Everyday language wants to get things done.
It usually doesn’t draw attention to itself,
doesn’t try to be beautiful or emotionally
evocative. Its job is describe and explain.
Darned Diction
• Food for Thought / Discussion
– Do you think characters in a good story
should use literary language or everyday
language? Why?
– Do you think the narrator in a good story
should use literary language or everyday
language? Why?
Darned Diction
• Activity
– Describe these objects as if you were trying to sell
them.
– Describe these objects as if it they were terrible.
– Catch: YOU MAY NOT SIMPLY SAY: THIS
_________ IS AWESOME OR TERRIBLE. You
can only DESCRIBE its physical attributes, while
using DICTION to clue your reader into the way
you really feel about it.
Darned Diction
Darned Diction
Darned Diction
Darned Diction
• Questions to Ask
– How is diction different from the text itself?
– Why is it important to notice differences in diction?
– What kinds of things can diction clue us into about
a story?
– How many kids of diction are there?
– What is the difference between literary language
and everyday language?
CHECK UP
How comfortable are you with diction?
Show me with fist to five.
Silly Settings
• Activity
– Sketch a floor plan of your house.
– Fill in some furniture, major things around the house, and
important people who live there or visit.
– Label each room with a single, vivid memory (ex: dining
room = Christmas dinner with family every year / kitchen =
mom and I baking cookies together / stairs = sliding down
the banister and breaking my arm).
– Explain how the setting in which so much of your life
happens has affected you as a person. Is the setting good /
bad, familiar / new, happy / sad, safe / scary, etc.? How has
living where you live changed your life? 6+ sentences.
Silly Settings
• As we’ve seen, settings play a huge role in
developing people. In the same way, settings
affect characters in stories.
• Settings can be
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Positive or negative
Safe or scary
Happy or sad
Boring or exciting
Dangerous or safe
Mundane or magical
Beautiful or ugly
Or anything else you can imagine
Silly Settings
• What is it?
– Settings are the place[s] where the story takes
place.
– There can be many settings in a story or a single
setting. Usually, though, even if a story has
multiple settings, there is one primary setting.
• Ex: You visit your friends’ houses, get your teeth cleaned
at the dentist, go on family vacations, help you mom
grocery shop, hang out at the mall, etc., but most of the
important things in your life probably happen either at
home or at school.
Silly Settings
• Why are settings important?
– They affect the characters and the plot.
• Ex: A character in Victorian England probably can’t fly,
but Harry Potter can because he lives in a magical
setting.
– They help set mood / tone / feel / atmosphere.
• Ex: Horror stories are set in creepy places because a
creepy setting helps the story seem even scarier.
Monster movies set in sunshiney forests with ponies and
rainbows = weird and not cool.
Silly Settings
• They can clue the reader into upcoming
events. They can be “cheats.”
– Ex: A big thunderstorm or the sudden setting of the
sun can signal danger for the characters (who
happen to be stranded on a lonely desert road).
• They can serve as symbols.
– Ex: Characters who are rich and shallow live in a
big mansion covered by a “façade” of brick.
Characters that are hiding something live in a
house full of hidden rooms and locked doors.
Silly Settings
• Example from Literature
Harry had never even imagined such a
strange and splendid place. It was lit by
thousands and thousands of candles that
were floating in midair over four long tables,
where the rest of the students were sitting.
These tables were laid with glittering golden
plates and goblets…Dotted here and there
among the students, the ghosts shone misty
silver…Harry look upward and saw a velvety
black ceiling doted with stars.
(HP 1 / 116-117)
Silly Settings
• What does this setting tell you about the
castle where Harry will be living?
• What “sense” does it give you about
Harry’s future here?
• Is this a positive or negative place? How
do you know?
• Do you think the main character will like
it here? Why or why not?
Cranky Characterization
• Activity & Discussion
– Write down the names of two favorite characters
(one from a book, one from a movie).
– Jot down at least five reasons why they are your
favorites.
– Share “profiles” of favorites as a class. What
patterns of characterization pop up in many
“favorite” characters?
– What are some famous characters that have or
will endure “the test of time?” Why are they so
popular? What about them makes them amazing?
Cranky Characterization
• Activity (2)
– Divide into small groups. Each group picks a name:
• Ursula, Jordan, Linus, Dagny, Delilah, Baron, Jo, Fred, Dallas
– Take 10 min. to create a persona for your name (use
computer paper; do NOT include names of group
members). Include the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A) Physical description and age
B) Behavior traits / personality
C) Body and facial language / habits
D) Fashion traits
E) Language characteristics
F) Special talents / hobbies / interests
G) Favorite things
Cranky Characterization
• Groups pass in papers and I share characters
with the class.
• Characters are randomly switched and two
groups (with new characters) get together.
• Each pair of groups writes a brief script
involving their two characters. Pick one:
– An incident at school
– A social situation (dance, concert, trip to theater)
– An unexpected meeting
Cranky Characterization
• You MUST maintain the characters’
personality, behavior, and linguistic traits
throughout the script.
• Pass computer paper “profiles” back up and I
will display them again for everyone to see.
• Act out your script in front of the class. Class
figures out which characters are represented.
Cranky Characterization
• Debrief and Discussion
– Were the groups successful in sustaining
characterization in 1) their scripts and 2) their
performances? Why or why not?
– As a group, was it difficult to create an entire
character?
– To what degree was your character “believable?”
When you saw your character acted out by
another group, did that change your opinion?
– Do you think you could create and sustain several
believable characters throughout an entire book?
Cranky Characterization
• What is it?
– Characterization is the way an author
develops a character / reveals information
about a character.
Cranky Characterization
• Types of Characters
– Flat (defined by a single trait; not much
detail; more like a caricature than a real
person)
– Round (complex; full of detail; not easily
defined; like a real person)
– Give me examples of each…
Cranky Characterization
• Major Characters
– The protagonist(s); one of the most prominent figures
in the story’s action
• Minor Characters
– Build structural tensions in the narrative; act as “foil” for
the protagonist; clarify emotional contexts of major
characters; illuminate motives of major characters;
enhance readers’ perceptions of background and
setting; deepen the plot with "side stories;” contribute
to foreshadowing; underscore a thematic statement;
expand readers’ perceptions of how narrative,
characters, events, and theme function; change rhythm
and pace; add “comic relief.”
Cranky Characterization
• Example from Literature
The table was almost hidden beneath all
Dudley’s birthday presents. It looked as though
Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted,
not to mention the television and the racing bike.
Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a
mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and
hated exercise - unless of course it involves
punching somebody. Dudley’s favorite punching
bag was Harry, but he couldn’t often catch
him…Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked
like a baby angel - Harry often said that Dudley
looked like a pig in a wig.
(HP 1 / 20-21)
Cranky Characterization
• How is Dudley characterized? Does he seem
to be round or flat? Why?
• Dudley is a minor character and we know
Harry is a major character. How does
Dudley’s characterization reveal things about
Harry?
• Why is Dudley in this story (he has very little
to do with the actual plot of the book)? What
purpose does his character serve?
Pesky Point of View
• Activity
– As you read this passage, imagine that
you’re a home buyer and write down any
details (in ISN), positive or negative, that
you think would be important if you were
considering buying the house described.
Pesky Point of View
The two boys ran until they came to the driveway. “See,
I told you today was good for skipping school,” said
Mark. Tall hedges hid the house from the road so the
pair strolled across the finely landscaped yard. “I never
knew this place was so big,” said Pete. “Yes, but it’s
nicer now than it used to be since Dad had the new
stone siding put on and added the fireplace.”
There were front and back doors and a side door which
led to the garage, which was empty empty except for
three 10-speed bikes. They went in the side door, Mark
explaining that it was always open in case his younger
sisters got home earlier than their mother.
Pesky Point of View
Pete wanted to see the house so Mark started with
the living room. It, like the rest of the house, was
newly painted. Mark turned on the stereo, the noise
of which worried Pete. “Don’t worry, the nearest
house is half a mile away,” shouted Mark. Pete felt
more comfortable observing that no houses could be
seen in any direction beyond the huge yard.
The dining room, with all the china, silver, and cut
glass, was no place to hang out so the boys moved
into the remodeled kitchen, where they made
sandwiches…
Pesky Point of View
• Now, let’s go back and reread the
passage and write down any details,
positive or negative, that you think
would be important if you were casing
the house in order to rob it.
Pesky Point of View
• During our second reading of this passage,
because we’re thinking of robbing the house,
we focus on very different details, and even
when we focus on the same details, they
have a very different meaning for us.
• Ex: The privacy that is an asset for many
home buyers becomes a liability in terns of
the home’s vulnerability to burglars. Merely
changing the purpose for which we read can
radically change the passage.
Pesky Point of View
• In the same way, who tells a story and how
they tell it greatly affects the way we read it.
• Ex: That story could be told through the eyes
of a burglar, through the eyes of the boys, or
through the eyes of a home buyer. In each
case, the story would be totally different.
–
–
–
–
Details
What we know about characters
What we know about the plot
Agenda / meaning / moral / point
Pesky Point of View
• What is it?
– Who tells us the story and how it is told.
– Shapes what we know and how we feel
about the events in a story
– Point of view is created by the story’s
narrator (the teller of the story). Our
understanding of the plot and characters’
actions are filtered through his or her
perspective.
Pesky Point of View
• Aren’t the narrator and the author the
same thing? NO! The author CREATES
the narrative voice, but the two are
distinct.
• Ex: A Christian author could write a
story told from the narrative voice of a
Buddhist monk.
Pesky Point of View
• 3 Types of Narrator (It’s as easy as
1,2,3!)
– 1st Person (he, she, they; does not
participate in the action)
– 2nd Person (you; makes the reader part of
the story; almost never used except in
choose-your-own-adventure books)
– 3rd Person (I; is a major or minor
participant in the story)
Pesky Point of View
• 3 Types of 3rd Person Narrative
1) Omniscient (the narrator takes us inside
the characters)
2) Limited omniscient (the narrator takes
us inside one or two characters)
3) Objective (the narrator is outside the
characters)
Pesky Point of View
• Omniscient
– All-knowing
– Narrator can move the reader from place to
place and pass back and forth through
time, slipping into and out of characters.
– Tells us about character’s thoughts and
feelings as well as what they say and do.
Pesky Point of View
• Example
Jane felt vaguely nauseated as Nick told her the relationship was
over. She wanted to cry, but tried to appear cold and unmoved
so as not to let him know how she truly felt.
Nick seethed with anger as Jane stared coolly up at him. He
wanted her to feel pain like the pain she had caused him.
Britt and Darren looked anxiously at the unhappy couple,
pretending to be in conversation but really trying to ease drop on
the break up. They were both worried about the heartache this
would cause their friends and were confused as to why Nick
was ending it so abruptly. Just yesterday they had seemed like
the perfect couple…
Pesky Point of View
• Limited Omniscient
– Knows the thoughts and feelings of only one or
two major characters.
– The reader has access to the thoughts and
feelings of the character revealed by the narrator,
but neither the reader nor the character has
access to the inner lives of any of the other
characters in the story.
– We are not told of anything that happens away
from the character because the narration is based
on his/her perception of things.
Pesky Point of View
• Example
“It’s over,” Nick spat as he slammed his open palm on
Jane’s car door. “I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve
done.”
Jane felt vaguely nauseated as Nick told her the
relationship was over. She wanted to cry, but tried to
appear cold and unmoved so as not to let him know
how she truly felt.
As Jane chocked back her tears, she noticed Britt and
Darren staring at them from across the parking lot.
“Why can’t they just leave us alone,” she thought
angrily as she turned her face away.
Pesky Point of View
• Objective
– Narrator does not see into the mind of any
character.
– Reports action and dialogue without telling us
directly what the character feels and thinks.
– Detached and impersonal.
– Relies on lots of actions, speaking, and details to
reveal character (like a movie or play).
Pesky Point of View
• Example
“It’s over,” Nick spat as he slammed his open palm on
Jane’s car door. “I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve
done.”
Jane winced as she felt tears spring into her eyes. She
quickly averted her eyes so Nick wouldn’t notice.
When she looked back at him, her face was cold and
blank.
Britt and Darren kept glancing over toward the couple,
confused looks on both their faces.
Pesky Point of View
• Back to 1st Person Narrative
– Narrator is IN the story.
– The “I” presents the point of view of only ONE
character. Basically, the reader is restricted to the
perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of that single
character.
– These narrators can see the world rightly or
wrongly. They can be:
• Reliable or unreliable
• Perceptive or naïve
Pesky Point of View
• Examples from Literature
• Identify POV
– If 3rd, which type?
Pesky Point of View
Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock
on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came
bustling in.
Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was
bad enough that he’d passed out, or whateve he had
done, without everyone making all this fuss.
“I’m fine,” he said, “I don’t need anything-”
“Oh, it’s you, is it?” said Madam Pomfrey,
ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at
him. “I suppose you’ve been doing something
dangerous again?”
(HP 3 / 89)
Pesky Point of View
•
•
•
•
1st person = hold up 1 finger
2nd person = hold up 2 fingers
3rd person = hold up 3 fingers
Why?
Pesky Point of View
• Now that we’ve established why this
passage is third person POV, what type
of 3rd person is it?
• Omniscient = hold up 1 finger
• Limited omniscient = hold up 2 fingers
• Objective = holds up 3 fingers
• Why?
Pesky Point of View
• How does Madam Pomfrey feel about the fact Harry
is injured again?
• How do we know this? Does she ever tell Harry or
the reader how she feels?
• How does Harry feel about winding up in the nurse’s
office again and passing out in front of the whole
school?
• How do we know this?
• Which character do we have intimate knowledge
about? Which character do we make assumptions
about based on their actions or dialogue?
Pesky Point of View
• Activity
– In pairs, re-write this passage to make it
3rd person omniscient.
– Then, re-write it again to make it 3rd
person objective.
– 10 min.
– Share with another pair to check if you’ve
got POV down.