*This is my January 2009 Monthly Connection*
Upon reaching the third essay in the recent full exam, I found the line “Critic Roland Barthes has said, ‘Literature is the question minus the answer.’” Just this first line already filled me with skepticism of the value of the prompt as I trudged through the rest. After finding that the requirement was to apply this quote to a work of literature to affirm the given statement, my already low opinion of those who create standardized writing prompts dropped to all new lows. Not only does it have us just assume that we agree with this apparently well-known critic and is worthy of our analysis, but it selects such a poor quote at that.
Literature=Question-Answer?
How? I would imagine that the following would be more accurate:
“Philosophy”=Question-Answer
Literature=Philosophy+ “Other”
In this case, “other” is representative of the writing and entertainment value of the literature, which Barthes seems to have excluded. Take, for example, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. The play seems to question the validity of our drives and motives in life, particularly those of friendship and religion. However the book does not simply read, “What is our purpose in life? The End.” If the opening line were at all remotely the case, then this would be the book. However, Beckett’s use of quick and clever dialogue is something to be experience, even if the critic seems to suggest otherwise (ironic much?).
It seems that the need to sound intelligent or edgy by using intentionally vague or witty remarks often takes priority over actually making a point. While I find these approaches to be very adventitious, they only useful if uses in conjunction with a solid idea, such as Beckett has in Waiting for Godot. The given quote form the prompt however would make a good example of when not to do this.
I would be tempted to merely ignore this and take it as a one time affair were it not for:
a. This is the AP exam…
b. This seems to happen on every standardized test that college-bound students are subjected to.
With this prompt having been taken right off of an AP exam, I have higher expectations than I do of the prompts of other tests. Now, the quote, despite my distaste for it, is “salvageable” in the sense that the question can be adapted easily to provide a more interesting question. Because the quote is questionable, why not have this topic?
“This critic said ‘Literature is the question minus the answer’. Using a piece of literature as a reference, give reasoning as to why you would find this to be true or false.”
Was that really that difficult?! This uses the quote without need for it to be accepted initially as true or false. It leaves the writer to use what they think and what they have read to reach their own conclusion.
As my second point suggests, this happens quite a lot. While taking the SATs for the second time, I recall receiving a prompt to the effect of “What makes people happy?” Am I really expected to answer this? And in 30 minutes?? This strikes me as a question that would require an entire project dedicated to it to approach the question as is. Not having access to such large extensions of time, they received from me a few brief statements outlining how I could not tell them because the answer has the potential to vary from person to person. What was to be considered as “happy” was of course left up in the air as well, not helping the situation. This didn’t seem to go over well given the result of a 2 (on a 2-12 scale) for, I believe, the second time.
Friday, January 30, 2009
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Alright man award for coolest blog officially goes to you haha. How did you get a background and background music in your blog, because I'd like to be the next in line to display this amount of creativity lol
ReplyDeleteDan, you the man. That is sad that you only got a 2. I hate it though when i do have to suck it up and put a lie on a paper just make them happy, but i do seem to be pretty good at it, maybe i can get a job at the college boards.
ReplyDeleteThat was very interesting. It made me think none the less.
ReplyDeleteDan,
ReplyDeleteI deleted the Like Water for Chocolate wiki-seminar as I graded it because it just makes it a little simpler for me, but I didn't want you to think I didn't read or appreciate your valid question. I hope its okay that I respond to you here.
I can't pretend to be completely omnicient when it comes to why certain novels are chosen over others to be considered "of literary merit." I can tell you what I do know, and why I personally believe Like Water For Chocolate is among them.
You used the example of Harry Potter, and I'll have to apologize if my comparison turns out to be inaccurate- I did read (and enjoy) a few Harry Potter books, but that was about 7 years ago and I did not get around to finishing the series. I hope you won't crucify me if my HP analysis falls a bit short ;-).
To begin, among those things that distinguish a novel of literary merit from those of pure entertainment value are the complexity of the characters and ambiguity of the protagonist and antoganist. I believe in Harry Potter, for instance, the "good guy" and "bad guy" are clear-cut, versus a novel where there is reason to debate motive, reason, and various levels of a character. Novels of literary merit present characters that represent real people and their flaws and raw emotion; interpretation, debate and deeper analysis are required. For instance, in LWFC, Mama Elena's character exhibits a deeper level when it is revealed that there may be a source for her bitterness. Character development also takes place indirectly- just consider how the killing of the quails represented the characters of Mama Elena and Tita so accurately.
A novel of literay merit will also raise issues and questions beyond "what will happen next." It will deal with real-life concerns, real-life issues- people overcoming societal constraints and oppression. Whether relatable to you or not, LWFC does just that. It is influential in its individual and social implications and is relevant in its historical and social context. It is considered an important work of its particular time period and place... however difficult it may be for those in our period and place to form an association.
A novel of literary merit will represent deeper and universal human experience. A reader will say, "I felt this also when..." or "This reminds me of this event in history or another work..." It is probably more likely to hear someone say "I have felt Tita's helplessness", "I have felt that same raw emotion when confronted with a certain personal relationship," or "Her plight is similar to mine" than it would be to hear a reader say "I really related to Harry's..."
The symbolism in a work of literary merit is also subject to a much deeper and closer analysis. That is not to say that novels meant for entertainment contain no symbolism (do I remember a phoenix in HP?) But the symbolism of the quails, the candles, the chocolate, etc are much more thought-provoking and evocative. They require a mind that is experienced in close-reading and exposed to literature spanning time and culture for analysis.
Like Water for Chocolate also introduced to the world of literature a narrative style not seen before and brought more awareness to the literary genre of "magical realism." This is important in the literary world.
As far as not seeing a cultural significance, this could be merely because, believe it or not, the Latin culture is not all that different from our own. The differences, although, I do believe are represented in the novel. For instance, the Latin culture is much more comfortable with sexuality; it is a very sensual culture, thus the sexual and food/ recipe content. You may have noticed that your classmates reacted to Tita and Pedro's "lust" for each other with near-disgust and many insisted that because Tita and Pedro desired each other so much they could not possibly have represented true love- but rather just physical desire. I found this almost humorous (and a very obvious cultural disconnect)! Why in the world would love and physical desire be separate? I certainly would hope that the marriages of all contain both!! But the Latin culture is much more comfortable with expressing desire for their loved ones, as opposed to the shame/guilt culture that we live in. You also questioned the point of the recipes. I believe that the novel was supposed to take the form of a type of cookbook, which in the Latin culture is something that is passed from generation to generation; a cookbook would almost be revered as a type of legacy! This is Tita's legacy. Also (and I believe the novel includes this somewhere) the cook of the family is considered the heart and soul of the family, as well as the one who knows all. I blame myself for not making this cultural context more clear for you... it is kind of my job!
On to the revolution aspect of the novel. It is obviously not a work that takes place on the frontlines of battle, rather it shows the life outside of the battle. Imagine for instance a novel showing the effects of the present War on an average family. The lives of the family would go on as usual (as do ours in fact); it would be the media, the propaganda, the fear felt by the children, the development of stereotypes and prejudices, political discussions, economical issues etc. that would divulge the effects of the war on this family.
In LWFC, it is the fear of appearing soldiers, the fear of travel, the danger to women, the need for Mama Elena to defend her livlihood, the difficulty of obtaining certain goods that connect this family to the revolution. These details would certainly appeal to those who experienced this revolution outside of the field of battle. I also think the interpretation of some of your classmates that the power struggle of the revolution mirrored that of the struggle to overcome the oppression of a greater power within the household is pretty accurate.
I hope you don't mind this very long reply to your questions. The only other defenses I can offer for the novels are that students who take an AP Lit course are expected to have a desire to go above and beyond novels meant to entertain, and to expand their horizons in their study and analysis of literature- regardless of appreciation that may or may not follow.
As far as those who choose these works,they are those scholars and literary critics who study for a very long and extensive time and are believed to have earned the right to be respected and trusted in their literary selections... such as a food critic who has earned the respect and "right" to say what is "good" food and what is not. I, for one, always wonder when I watch those food shows whether I would enjoy the foods that they disparage. Then again, I also believe Jane Austen belongs on an entertainment-value list while Chaim Potok can not be canonized quickly enough.
I do very much appreciate your Roark-esque integrity when it comes to what you value as worth your time. Remember, though, that while Roark didn’t mimic the architectural styles of others, he still needed to first learn what those styles were.
I hope you don't look back on this year and find it a complete waste of your time, at the very least I hope you have found the chance to use your mind to question valuable. :-) Your comments and contributions are valued by me (and many others in the class). It wouldn't be the same without you. I look forward to your next monthly connection!