How To Read Literature Like A Professor Analysis

In the fourth chapter of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster addresses the complex network of relationships amongst literary works. These relationships are further defined as intertextuality, “the ongoing interaction between poems or stories” (29). The idea of intertextuality is that no text is “wholly original” (24). Every composition in literature is a blend of previous writings, directly or indirectly conveying ideas from other published literary works. As a result of literature growing from previous literature, authors can use already established concepts to communicate their views to the reader. Foster emphasises in this chapter the importance of familiarity and pattern recognition. Because intertextuality

Chapter 14 is about how almost everything, in some form, is a Christ figure. The chapter gives a list to relate characters to. The list is 1. crucified, wounds in the hands, feet, side, and head 2. in agony 3. self-sacrificing 4. good with children 5.good with loaves, fishes, water, wine 6. thirty-three years of age when last seen 7. employed as a carpenter 8. known to use humble modes of transportation, feet or donkeys preferred 9. believed to have walked on water 10. often portrayed with arms outstretched 11.

It is the natural inclination of all men and women to dream. In John Steinbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men,” the American dream is sought after by many different characters. However, the main theme in the story is how these dreams are unattainable, and how because of the Great Depression, all American dreams were dead. But what is the American dream? A unitary definition does not exist, however, the meaning of living the American dream is something that differs for everyone. For some people, the American dream might be acceptance and equality. On the other hand, for others, it might mean fame and fortune. In the short story called “Of Mice and Men” the American dream seems unreachable for a number of characters, such as George, Lennie,

The American Dream is something many Americans desire. The desire to the mind – set or belief that anyone can be successful if they worked hard for what they’ve been yearning. It is considered to be a ‘perfect life’; it can be full of money, contentedness or even love. There are many divergent opinions given by people. Walter Younger from Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ and Willy Loman from Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of the Salesman’ both have their own views on the American Dream and how it can be achieved. Walter Lee Younger, a

People from all around the world have dreamed of coming to America and building a successful life for themselves. The "American Dream" is the idea that, through hard work and perseverance, the sky is the limit in terms of financial success and a reliable future. While everyone has a different interpretation of the "American Dream," some people use it as an excuse to justify their own greed and selfish desires. Two respected works of modern American literature, The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, give us insight into how the individual interpretation and pursuit of the "American Dream" can produce tragic

The American Dream has been an iconic interpretation, depicted throughout the countless years of American literature. Works such as The Great Gatsby and Glengarry Glen Ross depict the bad, the good and the ugly of such theme. What makes this particular dream different than any other country is the dream is about the endless opportunities of what you want to do in life, all it takes is some hard work and determination to that goal. However, the dream pictured in literature doesn't seem too dreamy, as they illustrate the obstacles of trying to move up to the “top”. In Both literary works, set in two different time periods, the characters seem to parallel each other in the lens of the American Dream with their main motive to only succeed and or survive.

Theologians, writers, and political figures all have different definitions for the American Dream. While some are optimistic, many of them discredit the Dream. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck writes about two penniless, nomadic, working men, dreaming of one day owning their own small piece of land. Ideally, with hard labor and dedication the men should successfully accomplish their goal; however, one of their fellow farm workers reveals his realization that there are “too many guys with land in their head. They never get none under their hand...” (Steinbeck 76). Steinbeck approaches the American Dream as a competition in which few ever emerge victorious. Ta- Nehisi Coates emulates Steinbeck’s perspective of the Dream’s ingenuity in his memoir

Throughout history, many works of American literature have highlighted not only the American Dream, but also the paradox that comes with it. With the American Dream will always come criticism. Someone will always find a problem with another person taking advantage of the opportunities given to him or

America has been dubbed the Land of Opportunity because of the idea that anything can be done here. This idea is called the American Dream. It is an endlessly changing idea, but always means the same thing in any daydreamer’s mind: happiness. It is an idea which everyone does anything possible to achieve. The characters of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men exhibit this basic principle of the American Dream in strikingly similar ways. Each novel shows the double edged sword of the American dream, the pursuit of one, and also the demise of it.

This essay will uncover both texts and how their authors criticised the American Dream. The American Dream is the process created by the government in the 1930s which kept the workers working at a high standard. This unattainable dream was used by many people throughout America to get them motivated and committed to their work. They all believed there will be a time where the hard work will pay off and they will achieve their dream but in reality, the American Dream is the screen hiding lies and false hope. Both texts also suggest that you must face conflicts before reaching your dream.

The land of the free and the home of the brave, means something to many Americans, but that saying also means hope and freedom to a great deal of immigrants from many countries. Many foreigners think of America as the land of hope and a chance to have the American dream of a job and home, but for those who live there might not realize how lucky they are. The literary theme of the American Dream is a rather large subject of literature. Some of the stories that truly relate to the American Dream are Of Mice and Men, “To Build a Fire”, “Desiree’s Baby”, and The Life You Save May Be Your Own. These stories show that the American Dream has many different outcomes, typically the outcome is either good or bad.

The American Dream has been desired throughout history and only a handful of people became successful and achieved it, however the majority did not experience those achievements and their hopes of obtaining it were crushed as more time had passed. They were deluded by those who triumph and attempted to strike at the opportunity by traveling to America that entranced them through the falsely exaggerated rumors such as the streets being paved in gold. The amount of obstacles that blocked them from acquiring that dream has proved too much, however it is still increasing at an alarming rate in the present. This rate has influence several literatures and proven that the American Dream incredibly flawed due to the countless economic setbacks.

In a majority of literature written in the 20th century, the theme of the ' American Dream" has been a prevalent theme. This dream affects the plot and characters of many novels, and in some books, the intent of the author is to illustrate the reality of the American Dream.

The American Dream has been a present concept in American society since before it was founded in 1776. The idea that America is a land where dreams come true and one can have anything they desire, is an appealing image for most people. However, many people are skeptical about the very concept of the American Dream. Many people come to America believing they can have it all, but when that dream is crushed by reality, people realize that the American dream is really just a dream and is virtually unachievable. Many writers have chosen to incorporate their complex ideas about this concept into their writing, but one of the most influential writers to do this is F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald’s

Dreaming is essential for the human spirit, the reason homo sapiens sapiens wiped out the neanderthals was because we could believe in something bigger than ourselves. Even when our dreams are far from fruition, we as humans still believe in them as it is in our nature. S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders and in John Steinbeck’s book Of Mice and Men have certain characters that possess dreams that they believe in and work towards, whether they’re achievable or not. Many unique personalities such as Crooks the stable buck, Dallas Winston, Curley’s Wife, Darry, and other characters in both books are disenfranchised from a notion henceforth referred to as “The American Dream”. “The American Dream” is a very vague phrase. However, it can be amounted to being a lower-class citizen (frequently an immigrant) and then moving to America. Then (in America) they get a stable job with good income, buy a house, have a family, and live happily ever after. The frequency and large application for the term “The American Dream” is what initially drew a large amount of immigrants in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s because it was viewed as the land of freedom and most importantly, opportunity. “The American Dream” can be, and is a widely used phrase but in this essay shall be used to refer to many characters’ own hopes and dreams for their future. Characters in Of Mice and Men and in The Outsiders are frequently disenfranchised and held back from ‘The American Dream’ by an aspect out of their