Rys 1
Anna Rys
Mary Hays
English 109
May, 6 2015
Anna Rys and the Exploration of Literature
Just like everybody has a different life story, everybody has a different experience with literature. Sometimes our life stories can even shape our interpretations of written ones. Although interpretations can vary greatly among different people, discussing these interpretations canhelp bring people together and allows people to flex their minds. Literature helps us escape to another world where anything and everything is possible.
My personal journey with fiction began at an early age. Even in times before I could remember, my older sister would readbedtime stories to me. My first memory of actually reading flash me back to mymiddle school years. We would attend fairs where every child could take home a book for free. I would walk around every table (even twice sometimes) until I found the one I wanted. I had told myself that no matter what book I took home from the fair, I wouldread it cover to cover.Even to this day, that mentality has stuck with me. If I start a book, I won’t stop reading it even if don’t enjoy it; I give every book a chance to redeem my interest.
As I grew up, I enjoyed reading more and morefound more and more joy in reading. In fifth grade, my readingteacher decided to give us a break from textbooks and assigned us group reports on different books. My group was assigned one ofC.S. Lewis’ highly acclaimed novels, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The incredible imagery and imaginationin this novel opened up my eyes to a whole different world where magic, talking animals, and heroes existed- a world without the limits of reality (Lewis).
Since I lived down the block from a library, I could easily be foundspent a great deal of time in the young adult and fictionsections. Ever since then, fiction has been my favorite genre- and although a few of my favorite books are viewed as children’s books, they each hold a special place in my heart. For example,Perfect Chemistryby Simone Elkeleshas a plot that that follows the typical love story between complete opposites: the boy from the wrong side of the tracks and the girl from the right side of the tracks (a bit like Disney’s Lady and the Tramp).
Another favorite is Love and Misadventure by the up and coming author and poet LangLeav. After receiving so many positive reactions to her individual poems on the social media site Tumblr, she decided to compile all the poems into a story of an ill-fated love affair. Her words have a way of making you feel the love, the pain, and every emotion in between.
Next up is Dan Brown’s thrilling and highly imaginative DaVinci Code. Brown’s use of framing takes reader alongside Professor Robert Langdon on a mission to find the clues hidden in DaVinci’s works that will reveal a mystery that shakes the foundation of Christianity. I find it absolutely incredible the way Brown studied the works and managed to integrate the smallest details present in the works into a storyline that keeps you at the edge of your seat.
Lastly, the book that ends J.K. Rowling’s series about a young warlock,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will forever be my favorite. I basically grew up reading the books and watching the movies with my sisters. They remind me of my childhood and bring me comfort when I’m down. I learned so much about doing what is right in the face of adversity, about friendships, and about the power to change the world. Some can even say the words have literally gotten under my skin;I have actually gotten the last line of the book tattooed on myself: All was well. It reminds me that things are going to be okay even when they seem grim.
I’ve read the Harry Potter series many times over and each time, I have found something new to love. I’ve never actually done a report on it before because I feel possessive over its brilliance and sometimes I feel like no one would understand my obsession. Looking back at it now, if I did ever have to write a report about it, I would have every element of fiction possible to talk about. The main characters are strong best friends who complement each other, the plot thickens with each and every book, and the setting is literally a magical place with castles, warlocks, wizards, and dragons. The series has taught me so much and I feel like every day, children are picking up the books for the first time and discovering their magic.
At the beginning of this class, I realized right away that there is no difference between my reading habits for leisure and for literature class. I want to change have changedthat because I feel like casual reading is not letting me get a deep understanding of the books I must read. For one, I read the Scarlet Letter in high school for fun but I do not remember it at all. After reading it again in class, I realize I missed so many important details. For example, the first time I read the book I thought the paragraph about the rose-bush was just babble, but then in class I realized it was a metaphor. Hawthorne wrote that the rose bush can “symbolize some sweet moral blossom, that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkeningcloseofa tale of human frailty and sorrow” (34). I also made my own interpretation of the bush symbolizing and foreshadowing Hester Prynne. The rose surviving years and years even under dismal conditions can be likened to Hester living her life as an outsider and outcast of her Puritan society.
It will be hard but if I can critically analyze the different elements of fiction in each and every story I read, I can open up my mind to the ideas that lurk underneath the surface of the words. In getting a deep understanding, I learned to appreciate the beauty of some of the stories we have read so far. Hawthorne’s use of metaphors in the “Minister’s Black Veil”to examine secret sins enticed me (Hawthorne 49). At first, I was frustrated as to why since the reason behind the Minister’s personal veiling and sin were never revealed, but then I was fascinated by Hawthorne’s choice to keep them a secret. By never revealing the sin, Hawthorne reinforces the idea of secret sin and allows his characters (and readers) to reflect on their own sins. I cannot speak for everyone, but after reading I thought about what I’ve done in my life and the things that people will never know about me.
I have enjoyed the readings in class so far, although some of them more than others. Personally, I still don’t understand why Kenny’s friendsstopped at a tavern while their friend was dying from a gunshot wound in the back of a truck in “Hunters in the Snow” (Wolff 345). I just don’t like that story because something doesn’t feel normal about it- who in their right mind would cast aside an injured friend and get pancakes instead?
The story I have enjoyed the most so far has been the “Story of an Hour”because of the misunderstanding at the end that shows that people don’t always know what is going on in other people’s lives. Although Mrs. Mallard was grieving the loss of her husband, she was also finally free from the oppression of having to be a housewife (Chopin 84). At the end of the story, Ms. Mallard diesand people think she died from joy of her husband actually being alive, but it seemsto me like she died of a broken heart from her freedom being taken away again (Chopin 86).On another note, this story made me realize that we can make assumptions about what is presented to us in stories and in life, but we will never fully understand every character we read about or people we meet. We must be careful about projecting out our beliefs and ideas onto characters and people because it’s hard to get into people heads (even when the story is told through first person).
I always felt like reading was a personal endeavor, one where the reader can form their own worlds and interpretations but then I realized that some interpretations are more “right” than others. However, that does not mean that anyone’sinterpretations are “wrong.” The validity of interpretations lies in the evidence that one can find to support their ideas. People are free to discuss and refine their thoughts on the elements of fictionand that is what reading is all about- connecting with people and opening up your mind to other worlds.
Work Cited
Brown, Dan. The DaVinci Code. New York: Doubleday, 2003. Print.
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” Fiction: A Pocket Anthology. 7th edition. R.S. Gwynn. New York: Penguin Academics, 2010. 83-86. Print.
Elkeles, Simone. Perfect Chemistry. New York: Walker & Company, 2009. Print.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Dover Publications, 1994. Print.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Minister’s Black Veil.” Fiction: A Pocket Anthology. 7th edition. R.S. Gwynn. New York: Penguin Academics, 2010. 47-59. Print.
Leav, Lang. Love and Misadventure. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2013. Print.
Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. London: Geoffrey Blessing, 1950. Print.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic, 2007. Print.
Wolff, Tobias. “Hunters in the Snow.” Fiction: A Pocket Anthology. 7th edition. R.S. Gwynn. New York: Penguin Academics, 2010. 335- 349. Print.