HTRLLAP Unit 2
Published on Nov 22, 2015
This is my analysis of chapters 21-25 of How to Read Literature Like a Professor
MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Chapter 21: Marked for Greatness
Harry Potter’s scar symbolizes many different aspects of Harry’s life. In addition to Harry’s scar marking him as unique and different from all other magicians, Harry’s scar also provides the reader with a constant reminder of Harry’s very own personal history. The scar itself symbolizes Harry’s unfortunate past; the struggle of his life and birth, and his parents’ death as consequence of Harry’s own life. From this scar we can also identify the personalities and characteristics of Harry’s parents. Not only does this scar symbolize the ultimate sacrifice of his parents - their lives, but it also gives evidence to the bravery, loyalty, and selflessness that each of them possessed as they took their final breath.
Chapter 22: He’s Blind for a Reason, You Know
Out of all the kinds of symbolism and metaphors in the world of literature, character blindness can be considered one of the largest and most powerful kinds of symbolism. In fact, though seemingly impossible, most books face the issue of blindness in some way or another. Not all characters must be physically blind in order to contain this kind of symbolic “blindness." Take Julia of the novel 1984, for example. Though not physically blind, from the moment Julia is introduced into Winston’s personal life, she can easily be identified as “blind” towards the entire world around her. Julia's inability to see past the corruption of her country's government truly symbolizes the full extent of the unrestrained control in which the government had over it's citizens. Through Julia’s “blindness” Orwell can really emphasize the destructive effects a totalitarian society can have amongst it’s people.
Chapter 23 & 24: It’s Never Just Heart Disease......And Rarely Just Illness
Many times in literature, a character’s death can mean much more than it seems. Not only can a character’s death bring insight into their own personality, but their death can also symbolically represent one of the character’s deepest epic flaws. Take Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. As the novel begins, we can easily categorize Ms. Dubose as a cruel, bitter, ill hearted neighbor based from her every interaction with the three main protagonists, Atticus, Scout, and Jem. After her passing later in the book, it seems as though karma has finally caught up to Ms. Dubose, but later we find that this is not the case. Once Atticus explains to the children of Ms. Dubose’s terminal illness and her ongoing addiction to morphine, we can quickly come to realize that her death was much more symbolic than a random act of fate. As a kind of representation of Ms. Dubose’s inner humanity and good nature, we as readers can come to the conclusion that her death was symbol of her final change of characterization. As Atticus continues to speak of Mrs. Dubose, we realize that it was Jem’s daily visits with Mrs. Dubose that helped her to find the bravery and courage to conquer her addiction and die free of painkillers. Quite a symbolic rectification for Mrs. Dubose wouldn’t you say?
Chapter 25: Don’t Read with Your Eyes
Has someone ever described a novel to you as a being a “timeless classic”? One that seems to outstand the constant changes of our world and still withhold some universal meaning? Though that may be true in some cases, all
literary pieces (even “timeless classics”) can still lose some of their original meanings if written in a different era. In order for readers to understand every level of meaning that the author originally intended, one must know of the historical, political, and social context of the pieces time period. Shakespeare’s works are a perfect example of this. Consider one of his famous comedies, Much Ado About Nothing. If read in the 21st century, many readers may not understand the gravity of honor and social standing that are continually presented in Much Ado About Nothing. During Shakespeare’s time, a woman’s honor was based upon her virginity and purity. For a woman to lose her honor by having sexual relations before marriage meant that she would lose all social standings, a disaster from which she her family could never recover. Knowing this, a reader of the 21st century could truly begin to understand many of the reactions, emotions, and behaviors these characters displayed. Characters’ attitudes towards events in the play that would seem like overreactions nowadays, would be viewed as perfectly acceptable to a person of 1500’s. Context can really make a difference in perspective when it comes to literature.
Works Cited
Harry Potter Lightning Bolt Scar.
Much Ado About Nothing. By Drew Mackie.
Braille Image. By John Oldman.
Still of Gregory Peck, Mary Badham and Phillip Alford. 1962. Silver Screen Collection. By Getty Images.
Photo by somegeekintn
