Rereading is term that is usually associated with a feeling of
disgust or confusion, for people do not always view rereading as chance to gain
insight on missed ideas and symbols. I have never really been the type to
reread because before junior year I did not consider all of the symbols and
insight that books have to offer. My experiences with rereading usually consist
of rereading a passage that confuses me or requires deeper observation in order
to understand the real meaning behind the text. However, after taking Advanced
Placement English I began to understand that the diction, syntax, and
rhetorical strategies all come together in order to portray the author’s real
intentions. Thomas C. Foster describes how even a simple weather pattern can
display the tone or attitude of a character and a book. His novel opens my eyes
to different types of meanings that have been present in many of the books that
I have read but have casually looked over. The ideas and notions he depicts
have made me realize the importance of rereading, for it is a beneficial
learning experience that expands a true reader’s knowledge.
The importance of
rereading is that it provides a reader with a closer look at a text that they
are familiar with but do not really understand the author’s true intentions.
For example, when I first read through The
Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield, I did not recognize any of the symbols
Foster later brought to my attention. This realization led to me understanding
that reexamining a text will bring light to what I can’t see. In addition, the
point of reading a book is to fully understand the hidden message the author
portrays because those hidden messages help develop a person as a reader and as
an individual. The act of going over a text is not for those who don’t
understand but it is for those that want to receive the message of the book.
Rereading is an act that should be encouraged for all readers because the
insight trumps the initial horror of having to read a book for the second time.
Dear Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI think you make some good interpretations here. You're right, most students do not value re-reading. Most likely they have not read too many things that warrant that kind of reading. The other point I might make is in reference to your phrase "author's intent." Most of the time, there is no way for us to know the author's "true" intention. Some authors have diaries and letters and articles that might suggest this, but usually, all we have is the text itself.
Mrs. Mac