interpreting and analyzing literature

INTERPRETATION

“Escape literature is that written purely for entertainment—to help us pass the time agreeably.

Interpretive literature is written to broaden and deepen and sharpen our awareness of life.

Interpretive literature enables us to move beyondbeyond the text and consider its implications as human beings who live in the world today.

Interpretive literature answers the question “I read the book----so what?!”

Escape Escape literatureliterature takes us away from the real world: it enables us temporarily to forget our troubles.

Interpretive Interpretive literatureliterature takes us through the imagination, deeper into the real world: it enables us to understand our troubles.

Escape literature has pleasure as its only object.

Interpretive literature has as its object pleasure plusplus understanding.”

Shows what it means to be a human

being in the world.

Helps us to understand our world.

Helps us to understand ourselves

Presents an insight into the nature of our

existence

Insights into our culture or history

Interpretive Literature has Interpretive Literature has a BROADER a BROADER SIGNIFICANCE:SIGNIFICANCE:

IInterpreting nterpreting andand AnalyzingAnalyzing LiteratureLiterature

The process of discovering meaning through the examination of details and parts

Interpretation:Looking at a work’s

details to decide on its meaning

How can we How can we Interpret?Interpret?1. Get the facts straight2.2. Connect the work with Connect the work with

yourselfyourself3. Develop ideas as you read4.4. Write as you readWrite as you read5.5. Get ideas from other peopleGet ideas from other people6.6. Analyze the workAnalyze the work

How can we How can we Interpret?Interpret?

Get the facts straightConnect the work with yourselfConnect the work with yourself

Develop ideas as you readWrite as you readWrite as you read

Get ideas from other peopleGet ideas from other peopleAnalyze the workAnalyze the work

How can we How can we Interpret?Interpret?

Get the facts straightConnect the work with yourselfConnect the work with yourself

Develop ideas as you readWrite as you readWrite as you read

Get ideas from other peopleGet ideas from other peopleAnalyze the workAnalyze the work

How can we How can we Interpret?Interpret? Get the facts straight

Connect the work Connect the work with yourselfwith yourself

Develop ideas as you read

Write as you readWrite as you readGet ideas from other Get ideas from other

peoplepeopleAnalyze the workAnalyze the work

How can we How can we Interpret?Interpret?

Getting the facts straightIn order to come up with believable

interpretations about a work, you have to understand what is in it—the “facts”

Example: Do you know the meanings of words found in the writing? Do you know allusions to the Bible or mythology? Do you understand universal patterns or symbols used?

READ SLOWLY and REREAD

Connect the work with Connect the work with yourselfyourself

The most important meanings of literature will be your own.

Interpretations by scholars should be important because they represent a cultural heritage.

Relate the work to your life in some way in order for it to live for you.

How can you connect the piece How can you connect the piece to yourself, especially if it is not to yourself, especially if it is not

interesting to you?interesting to you? How are the characters or event similar to things in your own life?

How might people you know react to this work? Would it shock them? Scare them? Anger them?

What new things does the work bring up for you?

How does this work challenge your beliefs? How does this work give you pleasure? What is upsetting or unpleasant about it?

Develop ideas as Develop ideas as you readyou readMost of you generate ideas as you read

automatically. In fact, you cannot read at all without making SOME interpretation.

As you read, ask yourself questions about what the details you encounter may mean.

Example: Why is the character acting like that? Why does the author use this symbol? How does this relate to the title of the work?

Write as you readWrite as you readMake a copy of the work, if it is in your

anthology. Then, circle important passages, underline key words, make notes in the margins, etc.

Your notations will help to lead you to the important parts of the work– and to synthesize your thoughts about it.

You may opt to keep a journal or notebook with your reflections, summaries, descriptions, quotations, facts about characters, etc.

Get ideas from other Get ideas from other peoplepeople Sometimes it helps to know what other people

think about it. Other people’s ideas give us a place to begin.

You can use the library, form a discussion group, internet, friends, teachers, and other people may know something about the topic.

The opportunity to exchange ideas is a valuable and beneficial experience to understanding literature.

Analyze the workAnalyze the workANALYSIS means breaking something down

into its parts in order to examine the relationship among them.

This is a necessary strategy for generating and communicating interpretation.

Analyzing literature helps you to see how each part contributes to the entire work. You can then become better aware of how authors use the elements to signal meaning.

Interpret this!Interpret this!

What are the facts?What are the facts?1. Two people

2. Movie on the screen

3. Headphones on the man in sunglasses

4. Noise coming out of the box attached to headphones

Connect the work to Connect the work to yourselfyourself

Maybe the man is bored with the cheesy movie?

Maybe he is overworked and trying to catch up on homework?

Maybe he has on 3-D glasses and is listening to the movie in another language?

Analysis…How do the How do the

headphones, headphones, talking box, talking box, and glasses and glasses relate to the relate to the picture as a picture as a whole?whole?

Have you

figured out the

picture yet?

Movies for

people with

disabilities

Interpret this!Interpret this!#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

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#5

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#6

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#7

Interpret this!Interpret this!

#8 Hmm

Interpret this!Interpret this!

#9 Ahh

Interpret this!Interpret this!

#10 Uh huh