As the poser of the original question...
The Case for a Literary Education (as portrayed in my Joseph Epstein
post) did little to justify the effort in my mind. I felt I could come
up with a better justification. But then I reflected that it depends on
one's time of life.
For college age students a Literary Education may bear directly on one's
career/life style goals. By studying the tales spun, not only might it
increase one's vocabulary it might improve one's written communication
skills for the benefit of many professional careers. Reports (technical
and otherwise) have to be written, news stories submitted and other
literary works created. All economic reasons.
Later, it tends to fall into the category of entertainment either for
the sheer fun of it, or in order to share a common interest with other
like-minded fellow human beings. These days I am led more by curiosity
to see what all the fuss is about than anything else. I don't buy into
the idea that it would help understand the 'human condition' because
after all we are talking about fiction.
If Nick is successful in finding one, I see value in a
leader/facilitator helping us potential seminar attendees get a better
perspective, see the deeper meaning - if there is one - and feel
personally enriched from the experience. And after all (someone posted)
it is Art and isn't that what Art is for? And perhaps by acknowledging
Peter's "I truly can't believe anyone, even a Friamer, could pick up the
volume cold and derive anything from it" avoid said problem with the
right teacher.
Thanks
Robert C
On 10/14/10 7:13 PM, Stephen Thompson wrote:
Back to the original purpose of the 10 literary fiction works one
should read to
be considered literature literate: what was the purpose of the
original question?
What does it mean to be literate in literature?
1. Just to have read the 'great works' of fiction?
2. To read a great example of **character development**?
(a) early seminal works?
(b) later development of the technique?
(c) the development of the technique over a period of decades
or centuries?
(d) the fully developed epitome of the "technique"?
Now insert any of the following words in place of "character development"
> plot and episode development
> descriptions (details, word-pictures of the settings etc)
(in movie terms: the cinematography behind the story)
> verisimilitude to real life (at that time in history)
> a great yarn
> a lesson of behavior, morals, etc.
> others?
Doesn't literate mean to be able to know why a particular book is
in the great fiction canon? There are works in that may be depressing
as hell
to read, but they exhibit something that make the work great.
So are you reading these books because you are looking for "a great
yarn"?
To say you have read the great books?
To compare character development between dead
white-northern-European-male and live-Hispanic-female writers?
Presumably you want to increase your understanding of the human condition
as illustrated in certain works. As well as just knowing a few
"cultural facts"
such as what is conjured up in the mind by "..what light through
yonder window breaks?"
or "..if his chest were a cannon he would have shot his heart upon
it." (that's the idea ,but
I can't quite recall the exact quote.
Will the reader be able to come to a greater understanding by reading
the work
alone? Need a commentary or study guide to develop the sensitivity to
the
value of that particular work? Study group?
The list of 10 to 100 are great books all. But what do you want to
accomplish
by the end of 6-months, 12-months, 24-months?
Just know the story or **why** its a great story?
Steph T
On 10/13/2010 10:27 PM, Steve Smith wrote:
Glen -
I hope that large bowl of spaghetti-sentences helps clarify what I
meant. ;-)
Oddly enough, It worked for me.
What we engaged in, here, is an exercise in credibility and reputation.
I also particularly liked your endorsement of a wide variety of
recommendation (provided by self-proclaimed wackos, as it were). I
could have used *even more* radical suggestions but there were
certainly some and your own list of authors in your explanation was a
good reminder of how broad our collective knowledge/wisdom base is
*even* while sticking to (mostly) dead (or soon to be) white men.
- Steve
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FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
