"How to Do a Close Reading"

Close reading is paying attention to the subtle text.  It's paying attention to different connotations of words.  It's wondering why the author chose that certain word or phrase.  Patricia Kain's passage "How to Do a Close Reading" explains that "observations constitute the first step in the process of close reading.  The second step is interpreting your observations."  She explains that you look for patterns in the text and think about what they could mean and why the author put it there.  I found this article called "What is Close Reading? - guidance notes"  and I thought it's ideas were interesting.  According to the article, there are four types of reading: linguistic, semantic, structural, and cultural.


Sources:
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/CloseReading.html
http://www.mantex.co.uk/2009/09/14/what-is-close-reading-guidance-notes/

Thoughts on Assignment #1 and Assignment #2 Expectations

My first english college assignment was an interesting experience for me.  When I read the assignment, I didn't know who to interview and more importantly, where to start.  With further discussion in class and help from my peers, I tackled the assignment not knowing what to expect.  I believe my writing isn't the best and can be improved; the peer review really helped me see my piece in a different way and showed me how I could improve it.  I'm nervous for assignment #2 because there are so many ways of annotating a piece of literature and I tend to feel like my opinion and interpretation is the wrong one.

What would a 21st century Emerson have to say about the same topic?

21st century Emerson would have similar ideas on the american scholar, but he would have a different perspective, due to the different time periods.  Emerson would not be happy with the ways of today's american scholar.  Students don't realize that education is a privilege; not every child is blessed with learning how to read and write.  While technology such as calculators and computers is a necessity in today's American world, the american scholar abuses it, thus allowing the humankind to be dependent and sloth-like.  Emerson stated that "The next great influence into the spirit of the scholar, is, the mind of the Past,--in whatever form, whether of literature, of art, of institutions, that mind is inscribed." (The American Scholar, paragraph 12)  No matter what great influence the past is, the american scholar should always be welcome to speak his own mind, rather than become "the parrot of other men's thinking".  Emerson would also be shocked of what's happening in the world today: litter polluting the earth, third world countries with children starving, and innocent citizens dying in an unnecessary war.  The american scholar only thinks of himself while being so dependent on others, creating an egoistic attitude.  While some do attempt to help, "Help must come from the bosom alone."  The american scholar must be passionate about helping people, they cannot help if the only thing in their mind is their own benefit and their own success.  Emerson states true facts; if the american scholar does not change, he and the world might as well cease to exist.

The American Scholar by Ralph Waldo Emerson

My first reading assignment in English 101 was to read the first half of The American Scholar by  Ralph Waldo Emerson.  English is not my best subject, and I had difficulty understanding what Emerson was trying to say in the beginning of the passage.   I believe Emerson is trying to convince students to have their own way of thinking, to dig deep and find the creativeness inside them, instead of conforming to mankind's thoughts.  Emerson stated that the gods "divided Man into men"(The American Scholar, paragraph 4), which suggests that all mankind has branched from one man, one mind, and one way of thinking.  "Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views..." (paragraph 15) It suggests that human minds are not much different from one another, but we can break free from that by taking what we are given and creating our own new ideas.  I found a few things difficult, one of them being paragraph 14.  "Or, might I say, it depends on how far the process had gone, of transmuting life into truth.  In proportion to the completeness of the distillation, so will the purity and imperishableness of the product be."  I think I wrongly interpreted this passage, leading to a confusion.