University of California, Berkeley (ages 15-18), 6 Ways Studying Literature Can Improve Your Creative Writing Skills. We share the scientifically proven, best way to learn a language - including the best ways to learn a language online, or on your own. You might find yourself studying Gothic novels and wondering what it might be like to change some of the variables, whether thats setting them in the modern day, telling the story from an unusual perspective thats normally neglected in the genre (such as a parental figure, or a servant), or introducing elements from other compatible genres such as modern horror, high fantasy or science fiction. And if you never read any of them, then youll never lose this mistaken impression, and might well think youll never write anything of such weight and importance. The lists are usually broken down by area of expertise or time period. During the lecture portions, the teacher will point out things the uninitiated reader may miss on their first read. In Select an account, select the account for which you want to configure S/MIME options. Pay attention to problem spots. Learn Your Literary Devices Literary devices are techniques writers use to communicate meanings that go beyond what the words say on the page. 65 30 comments Best Add a Comment putsnakesinyourhair 2 yr. ago Read literature and critical theory. Reading more widely and studying literature can help spark similar ideas in you. Studying the works of other writers helps you to understand how these techniques can be used to greatest effect; theres no need to reinvent the wheel. Reading widely doesnt lead to you copying other writers ideas. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'iamautodidact_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_16',127,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-iamautodidact_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); Also, try to guess where a text is going when reading. When there's so much to read and so little time, certain reading and studying habits make my life easier and help me retain important details about each text I read. Instead, they benefit from the traditions that they draw on, whether those of the traditions of boarding school novels, of dystopian fiction, or of tongue-in-cheek zombie fiction. We have lots more on the site to show you. We can change our minds, literally. Read Parallel Texts. It might mean watching a writer give a lecture or partake in an interview. None of these lack originality despite wearing their influences on their sleeve. From a distance, the world of great literature can seem remarkably intimidating whether thats leather-bound copies of the Complete Works of Shakespeare, or elegant Penguin Classics of the works of the Bront sisters, or simply. This article was adapted from a TEDxUniversityofMississippi Talk. The truth is that Literature helps us to form big ideas; it explains different ideologies and helps opposing sides understand why they believe in their ideologies. But their restrictions, and the economic fallout, have thrown many women into a new era of diminished hopes.. Watch it here: Beth Ann Fennelly is the poet laureate of Mississippi and teaches in the MFA Program at the University of Mississippi, where she was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year. To learn how to write a good prompt, go to How to write a good prompt in this article. In addition to genre, literature can be categorized by narrative technique or writing style. Highlight that text so that when you need to refer back to it. Shakespeare introduced 1,700 new words into the English language, and many of the cliches we use today in everyday conversation find their origin in his works. They were then asked to identify the expression contained in the eyes from four options. To her surprise, the students experienced a dramatic global increase, with blood flowing to areas that have nothing to do with processing language. Theres not much difference between setting your story in another authors existing world and setting in a historical period, and such works can still be hugely meaningful; Wide Sargasso Sea, for instance, uses the context of Jane Eyre for a searing examination of colonialism. To say studying English Literature has the most intriguing benefits would be putting it vaguely. Particularly with a subject such as English literature, where you will probably be asked analytical questions as well as content questions, you must have time to familiarize yourself with some of the complexities of your material. Step 1: Organize your sources. Continue with Recommended Cookies, The ability to analyze English Literature in its raw form continues to birth the creativity we enjoy today, and because of this, people wonder, How do I study English literature on my own?. It includes many of the most renowned essays, poems, plays, novels, and short fiction in the English language and arranges them by authors in chronological order according to when they were born. Now that you have a basic understanding of literary criticism, theory, and analysis, as well as exposure to some of the great works of English literature, it may be a good idea to do what Oxford English Lit students call the Special Author Module. My name's Sam Rinko, and I'm incredibly optimistic about self-education's ability to transform a life. To do this, you should take online courses, examine study guides, and get access to a properly equipped library.var cid='4467653657';var pid='ca-pub-3364536936737751';var slotId='div-gpt-ad-iamautodidact_com-medrectangle-3-0';var ffid=2;var alS=2021%1000;var container=document.getElementById(slotId);container.style.width='100%';var ins=document.createElement('ins');ins.id=slotId+'-asloaded';ins.className='adsbygoogle ezasloaded';ins.dataset.adClient=pid;ins.dataset.adChannel=cid;if(ffid==2){ins.dataset.fullWidthResponsive='true';} Graded readers, which adapt books to make them easier to understand at lower levels, are perfect for this. Whats the connection? I had spent two years learning. And many later writers drew source material from Shakespeare, whether they meant to for effect, or whether they did so unknowingly. For instance, the ponderous description used by many. For example, you might find yourself desirous of attending a graduate program in English, or self educating yourself in another subject. Sometimes that went well; Dumas dialogue now reads as enjoyably modern and snappy and sometimes not so much; as Oscar Wilde said, One must have a heart of stone to read the death of little Nell without laughing., If youre prone to feeling depressed that youll never write as well as the greats did, reading more widely can help. One of the questions that the study of literature encourages us to answer is why is this work good? or in some cases, why is it bad? Theres a lot more to it than this, of course studying a novel isnt the same as writing a book review but the question of what makes great literature great is nonetheless a central one. Thankfully, weve provided you with all you need to get started in your self-study journey in English Literature. Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students. Begin with TensorFlow's curated curriculums to improve these four skills, or choose your own learning path by exploring our resource library below. So I asked her to elaborate, and perused college curriculums, and spent way too much time in the forums reviewing what literary scholars had to say on the matter of self-eduction in English Literature (a lot of them also say read everything). None of these lack originality despite wearing their influences on their sleeve. Whichever way you engage with literature, ensuring that you make time to do that rather than sitting in an echo chamber of your own writing is vital. I was able to use novels that engaged me to build my literary chops up to a level that enabled me to understand and appreciate older, more difficult works when the time came to read those. You might love the way a writer gives you a first impression of a character, and then slowly reveals how mistaken your initial conclusions about them were borrowing their technique for your own writing isnt plagiarism, but instead how writers usually learn and develop. And reading Jane Austen can have a similar effect, until you end up writing sentences that note, in an ironical tone, that, your writing might become quite accomplished, should you only put aside dancing in order to have time and leisure to improve it. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); To provide a wide range of guides, tutorials and resources to help you to teach yourself and become a better self-learner. His writing is complex, poetic, and old. These findings make me think of the students in my office who are struggling over whether or not to choose to be an English major because they want to be successful. We'll learn about how the brain uses two very different learning modes and how it encapsulates ("chunks") information. Youre less likely to have that moment of frustration that occurs when someone asks what the book was about and you blank. You should know that English Literature is one of the few courses in the world that you can study that can make you better understand the world around you and far from you.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'iamautodidact_com-leader-4','ezslot_13',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-iamautodidact_com-leader-4-0'); Being a master of English Literature allows you to be critical when analyzing a text. In fact, it lights up in the same way it would if you were actually running. This gives you a chance to determine if this is a subject you truly wish to study for the long haul. Bibliophile. And even reading the works writers whose style is less immediately identifiable can lead to their particular quirks and turns of phrase appearing, unconsciously, in your own work. Join us! In addition, some Universities offer free and paid online English Literature courses. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. How do books pull off their magic trick of transporting us into another persons body? A study which analyzed 15,000 college students found that theyre scoring 40 percent lower in empathy than those in the past. So congrats. (Table Adapted from Quora)if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'iamautodidact_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_10',115,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-iamautodidact_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); By examining the table, you would notice that periods are classified into three; To fully grasp English Literature, you need to look at how different periods and beliefs have affected literature, making it what it is today. For instance, the ponderous description used by many Victorian authors was often motivated by being paid by the word, with characters repeatedly re-introduced because the story might have been serialised over weeks or months, so that all but the keenest readers might have forgotten an early character by the time the story reached its end. Following your curiosity is the best way to stay motivated as a self-taught scholar. Once youve worked out how it explores that interior life, or what makes it so inspiring, you can apply that understanding to your own work. But this advice spawns two questions what are the greatest works and in what order should I read them? Practice using clues to get the gist of a text quickly and effectively. Find your book of choice and start reading it page for page, looking up words you know and relishing that you may recognize some. Enthusiasm is my superpower. And reading Jane Austen can have a similar effect, until you end up writing sentences that note, in an ironical tone, that your writing might become quite accomplished, should you only put aside dancing in order to have time and leisure to improve it. After collecting the relevant literature, you've got a lot of information to work through, and no clear idea of how it all fits together. If you want to see different suggestions, you can update your prompt in this step. About this Course. Its even much easier now as several platforms offer tutoring from the comfort of your home.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'iamautodidact_com-leader-2','ezslot_11',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-iamautodidact_com-leader-2-0'); Some of these classes are free; all you need to do is follow the instructions from the video and attend the classes when you can to broaden your knowledge. If you took this approach, you could work through 31 of the most influential novels of all time, then tackle the poems, then the dramas, and then the autobiographies. This course will give you an understanding and appreciation of the foundations of English literary conventions and language, plus some cool knowledge about English medieval history. Never lose your place Auto-save at the start of each line. Theyre excellent resources for the self-educator in English Literature. It teaches us about the older periods and how life was before now. What you might read for fun and what you might read in when studying literature can be quite different. 7. Instead, this flexibility of style is achieved by consciously studying both your own writing style and that of others. Try to understand what the text means and the message it is trying to convey. And if you do feel concerned about plagiarism, its a good idea to have at least some grasp of the history of literature, as it can be very embarrassing to come up with what you think is an astonishingly original idea only to discover that someone very famous already wrote much the same thing, over a hundred years ago. I hope I never write anything like that. The two responses can be equally educational. Thoreau re-read Homers works numerous times, always finding something new. Reading widely doesnt lead to you copying other writers ideas. Once you can do this sort of exercise, youll be better equipped to figure out whats right for the story that you want to tell. This post is part of TEDs How to Be a Better Human series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community;browse throughall the posts here. And even reading the works writers whose style is less immediately identifiable can lead to their particular quirks and turns of phrase appearing, unconsciously, in your own work. What is the importance of literature? Sometimes this means listening to a YouTube video or reading an article interpreting an especially confusing novel that you just slammed down onto the floor in a fit of fury. 2/3 This cover isn't just my first m." Some will seem right for one storyline but completely wrong for another. Among other books, youll get to study these heavy hitters: My favorites were The Human Stain (really prescient of cancel culture) and Black Boy. This course gives you easy access to the invaluable learning techniques used by experts in art, music, literature, math, science, sports, and many other disciplines. Limited places available, dont miss out. This is where you pick one author and read everything theyve written. To combat this, keep your mind functional and active. In her Medium Article, Author Amy Teegan (MA English) argues that reading annotated works is one of the best ways to learn to read and think about literature like an academic: Studying the annotations closely will not only teach you about that particular book, but it will also teach you what to look for in other books. This kind of activity doesnt happen with fact-based nonfiction, such as political journalism, movie reviews or Ikea bookshelf assembly manuals. This is a great option for someone who often feels doubt about their method of learning and wants to therefore follow one designed by a prestigious institution so they have confidence and stick with their self-directed studies. This is one of the tendencies that makes writers shy away from reading the works of others, so that they can retain their own voice and not end up picking up the style of the writers they admire. Check out this post which is one of the most popular of all time. 2. To allay your concerns, check out this guide by Oxford on how to read Shakespeare for pleasure. An Introduction to Literature, criticisms, and theory, Space in Literature; method, genre, and topos, Plagues, Witches, and War: the worlds of historical fiction. Keep 7Sisters' Literature study guides on hand to help with that. If you are reading a pdf or the hardcover copy of a book that belongs to you, there is no issue with highlighting. You fall down mineshafts, off cliffs, into wormholes, and perish in every conceivable natural catastrophe. There are several reasons why this study is amazing to learn even on your own. If by success, they mean the highest average starting salary, perhaps I should lead them from the English building towards the Business Administration building. Reading Hamlet with Harvard professor Stephen Greenblatt is an excellent way to get acquainted with the Bard and what many call his greatest tragedy, for which there are numerous interpretations, as youll learn in the course. This course was one of my first impressions of academic English Literature. Studying literature helps you imitate the style of others - and develop a style of your own It's easy to accidentally slip into the style of Jane Austen, but much harder to write like her deliberately. Anna Karenina: In Pursuit of Fulfilment. If youre going to use this approach, consider going through multiple lists like the greatest plays ever written or The Guardians 100 Best Novels Written in English, and selecting about 50-100 of your own to read. You wouldnt think much of a film director whod never watched a movie, or a stand-up comedian whod never been to a comedy show. link to How to Self-Learn European History (A 7-Step Roadmap), Tolkien and the Study of His Sources: Critical Essays, reading lists for each of the literary genres, On the Road with Penguin Classics Podcast. Today, you're invited to tap into the artist within and learn how to find your North Star and use the creative process to bring your vision for your future to life. By ditching the corporate ladder, the workplace becomes more equitable, and it increases the sense of ownership among employees. That way, if you were planning to read Great Expectations next, but you see a video about Thomas Hardy that gets you excited about his work, you have the freedom to alter your course. The other group read a passage relating to prejudice, in which Draco Malfoy, a shockingly blond pure-blood wizard, calls Harrys friend Hermione a filthy little Mud-blood. A week later, the childrens attitudes were assessed, and those whod read the passages dealing with prejudice had significantly improved attitudes towards immigrants. Online tutoring is also one of the many ways to study English Literature. See examples of different types of literature, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. The answer might be, its great because it explores the interior life of a kind of character who never usually gets this treatment in fiction, or its great because its a story thats truly inspiring and makes me want to do more with my life. In this study, participants were presented with a series of gray-scale photos cropped to reveal only a persons eyes. Shakespeares Hamlet is another free, self-paced course, this time created by Harvard and hosted on edX. The roadmap is meant to be followed in order, as each step builds on the last. There are also some career paths that skilled literary individuals can delve into because of their critical thinking ability. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'iamautodidact_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_14',131,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-iamautodidact_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0');Finally, personalized naming of some of your analyses with what they remind you of is also a good way to go. You spot parallels in their narrative techniques and see references they make about one another, both of which provide useful material for literary essays and book reviews. You might find yourself studying Gothic novels and wondering what it might be like to change some of the variables, whether thats setting them in the modern day, telling the story from an unusual perspective thats normally neglected in the genre (such as a parental figure, or a servant), or introducing elements from other compatible genres such as modern horror, high fantasy or science fiction.