I did, however, reread To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and, admittedly, the second time through was even better than the first. I understood that the first page of the book was describing where Jem had broken his arm in the final scene, and I was more aware of the references to the human condition regarding mankind's irrational fear of change.
My main reason to reread is simply to be prepared for class. More often than not, there is an article, essay, short story, memoir, etc. that needs to be fully understood. A full comprehension of a small work usually entails at least two read throughs, maybe more. Another reason that I reread is to go over my own work for comprehension, grammar, and misspelled words.
Rereading has its place in the world of literature and that is without a doubt. But as a young reader, I am personally looking to expand my repertoire of classic novels before diving more deeply into each one.
Hi Dean,
ReplyDeleteTwo things interest me here: first that people think of reading as "entertainment." I agree to an extent, but I think too, people learn that sometimes reading opens up a deeper and richer experience than mere entertainment and escape. Sometimes powerful reading (like any powerful art form) takes us in and out and beyond ourselves. We see how we are simultaneously part of the human story and outside of it. The second thing is what you intimated about To Kill a Mockingbird. Not only does re-reading open up possibilities of new perspectives and thoughts because we are giving it a new kind of our attention, I think it also matters that we are slightly different people each time we read it--as we grow and develop. Books I read when I was 15 meant something different when I was 20 and then again different when I was....
Mrs. Mac
I think your last sentence was interesting simply because it highlights how the mentality of reading has evolved. It seems to me that the mass consumption of books is more common than deep comprehension because reading has become a competition, and we as students must play the game, especially when we take advanced classes. I wish we could read the books that interest us so that we are willing to give full attention to them, but as you said we also need to "expand our repertoire of classic novels". We have been trained to read for quantity, however, many still prefer to read for quality. I think it's the consolidation of both styles that makes reading (and rereading) so influential.
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