5 writing about likes and dislikes (1)

7/18/2019 5 Writing About Likes and Dislikes (1)

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Writing About Likes and Dislikes: Responding to Literature

The act of reading is accompanied by emotional responses which, at the simplest level,

take the form of pleasure or displeasure: You either like or dislike a poem, story, or play.You have not said much, however, if all you say is that you have liked or disliked

something. Writing about likes and dislikes should require you to explain the reasons for your responses. n short, your discussion should be informed and informative.

!ometimes a first response is that a work is "boring.# This response is usually a mask

covering an incomplete and superficial first reading$ it is neither informed nor

informative. %s you study most works, however, you will become drawn into them. &necommon word that describes this process is interest $ to be interested in a work is to be

taken into it emotionally. %nother word is involvement $ it suggests that one's emotions

become almost enfolded in the characters, problems, and outcomes of a work. (utsometimes these two words are used defensively, much like the word "boring.# t is easy

to say that it was "interesting# or you were "involved,# but you might be saying these

things hoping that no one will ask you to explain why. n this case, you are being askedto explain your reasons.

Using Your Early Reading Response Notes

)o one, not even your *nglish teacher, can tell you what you should or should not like.

While your experience of reading is still fresh, you should refer back to your readingnotes +from assignment two. (uild on to these notes if necessary and discuss whether or

not you liked what you read.

(e frank in your -udgement. Write down your likes and dislikes and try to explain thereasons for your response, even if they are brief and incomplete.

Example:

I like “The Necklace” because of the surprise ending. It isn’t that I like theMathilde’s bad luck, but I like the way that the author, Maupassant, hides themost important fact in the story until the end. Mathilde does all that work andsacrifice for no reason at all, and the surprise ending makes this point really well.

This little paragraph could be expanded as a part of a developing essay. t is a clear

statement of liking, followed by references to liable things in the story. This response pattern can be simply paraphrased as "I like or dislike! this story because"# and is

useful in writing an initial response in your notebook.

Brainstorming Likes and Dislikes

f at first you cannot write any full sentences detailing the causes of your responses, make

a list of the things you like or dislike. f you write nothing, you are likely to forget your

first reactions$ recovering these for later, either for writing or discussion, will be difficult.



Responding Favourably

sually you can equate your interest in a work with liking it. se the following list to

help you be more specific when trying to articulate a favourable response:

- You like and admire the characters and what they do and stand for

- You learn something new / something you had never known or thought before

- You gain new insights into things you already knew

- You learn about people and customs of different places, times, and ways of life

- You get interested and involved in the outcome of the action or ideas and do not

want to put down the work until you have finished it

- You feel happy or feel good for having read the work

- You are amused and laugh often as you read

- You like the way the author has presented their ideas

- You find that some of the ideas are beautiful and worth remembering

Responding Unfavourably

%lthough dismissing a story as "boring# is not usually an ideal response, it can be used to

formulate a response that has been carefully constructed. You do not need to hide the factthat you did not like something.

Examples:

#. I do not like “The Necklace” because the main character seems spoiled, and Idon’t think she is worth reading about.

$. “The Necklace” was boring to be because it is not an ad%enture story, and Ionly really en&oy ad%enture stories.

These are both legitimate responses because they are based on some specific aspects of

the story. The *xample 0 stems from a distaste of the main character's unlikable traits$*xample 1, from a preference for stories that move quickly and evoke interest in the

dangers faced and overcome by main characters. What is important is that you include

reasons for your dislike, and support those reasons using details from the story.

Example 1:

I do not like “The Necklace” because the main character seems spoiled, and Idon’t think she is worth reading about. 'he is a phoney. 'he nags her husbandbecause he is not rich. 'he ne%er tells the truth. I dislike her for hurrying awayfrom the party because she is afraid of being seen in her shabby coat. 'he isfoolish and dishonest for not telling her friend about losing the necklace. It is truethat she works hard to pay the debt, but she also puts her husband through tenyears of hardship. If Mathilde had faced facts, she might ha%e had a better like.I do not like her and cannot like the story because of her.



Example 2:

(efore you can discuss what you don't like, you must first articulate what you do like and

why. 2ere are some reasons for liking adventure:

#. (d%enture has fast action.$. (d%enture has danger and tension, and therefore interest.). (d%enture has daring, acti%e, and successful characters.

*. (d%enture has obstacles which the characters work hard to o%ercome.

f you were to simply say that that you did not like this story because of qualities it does

not possess and left it at that, you would not have enough information to write an essay.Therefore you must try to "bridge the gap# by extending your preferences.

3or example, the story "The )ecklace# definitely does not meet the criteria of the firstthree qualities of adventure stories, but a connection can be made to the fourth by saying

that the main character works hard to overcome the conflict and hardship in the story.

The trick is to show an open4minded approach and be willing to form a positive

connection to the text being considered, even if reluctantly.

I usually only like ad%enture stories+ therefore, I disliked “The Necklace” at firstbecause it is not an ad%enture story. ut one of my reasons for liking ad%entureis that the characters work hard to o%ercome obstacles and hardships, likingfinding buried treasure or e-ploring new places. Mathilde, the main character inMaupassant’s “The Necklace,” also works hard to o%ercome an obstacle. Insertdetails from the story! I see many of the same ualities in Mathilde that I see inad%enture characters, and came to appreciate this character and her determination.

Writing about Responses: Likes and Dislikes

n writing about your responses, you should rely on your initial informed reactions. t isnot easy to reconstruct your first responses after a lapse of time, so you will need your

*arly 5eading 5eponses observations as a guide in the pre4writing stage. 6evelop your

essay by stressing what interests you +or does not interest you in the work.

ntrodu!tion

(egin by describing briefly the conditions that influence your response. Your

central idea should be why you like or dislike the work. (e sure to mention the

name of the story and its author. The thesis sentence should list the ma-or causes

of your response, which are to be developed in the body paragraph+s.

Body

The most common approach is to consider specific things about the work that you

like or dislike. The list given on this handout may help you to articulate your

responses. 7ive -ust enough +relevant details from the story that someone whohas not read the text will be able to understand your point. se paragraphs as

appropriate for your content.



"on!lusion

2ere you might summari8e the reasons for your ma-or response. Yu might also

face any issues brought up by a change or modification of your first reactions.3or example, if you have always held certain assumptions about your taste but

like the work despite these assumptions, you may wish to talk about your own

change or development. This topic is personal, but in an essay about likes and

dislikes, discovery about yourself is something you should aim for.

#ssignment

Write a short essay +94 paragraphs examining the reasons that you like or dislike thestory you are reading.

While a reflective personal essay +therefore using "# or "my#, this essay should bewritten using an academic and analytic approach. !ince no time will be given for

multiple drafts, this essay will be marked on content and organi8ation only.

5 writing about likes and dislikes (1)

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