How to Read Literature Like a Professor Book Analysis

Thomas C. Foster, in "How to Read Literature Like a Professor," a literary criticism, teaches the average students a plethora of tools and advice to become better readers. Foster teaches the concept of intertextuality which is, "the ongoing interaction between poems or stories," which leads to his point that "there's no such thing as a wholly original work of literature" (Foster 24, 29). Foster stresses the recurring patterns in the literature. Anything a reader discovers in one text has appeared in another. According to Foster, far from being a bad thing, this is what allows literary symbolism to work. The novel teaches readers how to recognize indicators of symbolism, irony, and a variety of other hidden differences concealed within the words of literature.

Every journey described in a work of literature, according to Foster, may be viewed as a quest, even a simple trip to the grocery store. The character's road to self-knowledge, not the swords and dragons, is the most important aspect of a quest. Similarly, every time characters eat together, it is an act of communion—not necessarily in the conventional Christian sense, but in the sense of participating in a shared disc ritual that establishes a brief community around the meal. "The real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge" (Foster 3). Foster's introducing one of the most well-known story types, the quest narrative. He explains that regardless of what the quester does or learns, the author has put them in that position to discover the truth about themselves. It is important to take an unbiased look at any piece of literature and understand who the audience was at the time of publication and how they viewed the world. If readers view works from a perspective, not of their own, their problems and beliefs can be set aside for a moment to find a deeper understanding of the work.

While reading, I have gained so much insight that it has changed my view on the nature of literature and authors, insights that will be exceptionally useful in future works that I will read. This book introduced me to the world of literature and helped me comprehend why authors include certain themes and situations in their works. It made me realize that novels might have hidden meanings that aid in the development of the story and help the reader understand the book better. Reading this book was not without its challenges. Some portions were difficult to read mainly to boredom and loss of concentration, but many of the chapters were intriguing and eye-opening to the world of reading. Several of these chapters were easily relatable to other novels and contributed to the discovery of hidden meanings in certain sections and scenes. The most valuable point I took away from this book is when Foster explains that there is "only one story" (Foster 193). While all possibly vastly different, these great works that he discusses share a similarity in that people created them, all part of one ever-expanding story. It spurs a sense of importance, knowing that everyone is a part of an expanding story and that each of these literary works expands that same story.

Overall, How to Read Literature Like a Professor has taught me many new tips and strategies to enhance my reading and navigate through literature, tips that I will carry with me through the rest of my life. I would recommend this text to high school/college students or adult learners. Writers must be intentional with everything they write, otherwise, they would not have the story play perfectly and thoroughly portray meanings and aspects that they want. Writers do not add in characteristics or details just for the reason they feel like it, but because, in some way, they further the meaning they are trying to portray to the reader. The concepts Foster talks about are very helpful in learning how to understand the authors' purpose in including specific events, references, and symbols throughout their books. This book will be a great source to look back to when in need of a better understanding of a book and why the author has included certain situations and will help uncover the hidden meanings and symbolism the author has placed throughout the book.