Prompt Five: Weather

When an author states the weather in his or her story, there are two reasons. The most obvious being that stating weather allows the reader to imagine the setting. The second is much more complicated but more essential to the author’s plot and the reader’s interpretation. An author does not simply write that the setting is rainy because the story occurs in the damp city of Seattle or the weather was foggy because it was early dawn. Thomas C. Foster contends that weather foreshadows events and symbolizes a theme. For example, rain may symbolize the cleansing of a character’s mind, body, and spirit. The fog foreshadows a character’s confusion possibly from a lapse in judgement. Foster also explains that the significance of the weather is each reader’s interpretation. Sometimes it may be raining in a story and not symbolize anything. Because the weather did have did not affect the plot, the reader has the opportunity to interpret the significance of this element.

In Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, weather is significant in the story’s plot and theme. For example, when the main character is aboard a ship, a dark and powerful storm occurs. Storms typically symbolize disaster, not happiness or comfort. This storm foreshadows an event that will drastically affect the story. In this case, the main character, Pi Patel is hurled off the boat. Patel then awakes in a life boat surrounded by the ocean water and a beautiful sky. This beautiful sky symbolizes the hope and possibility that he will survive. Although Pi Patel's life was in shambles his life would change just like the weather.

Prompt Six: Ambiguity

When children first learn to read they begin by reading books or short stories with pictures and brief descriptions. For example, Dr. Seuss books are commonly read to teach children the skill to read and not the skill to understand the author’s purpose, theme, language, and syntax. As these young readers begin to read more complex literature ambiguity comes into play. When an author writes the introduction of their story they begin by setting the scene, introducing the characters, and plot. The introduction does not cause much ambiguity for the readers but when the reader continues the story, confusion begins. The confusion occurs during the middle to end when the reader is attempting to understand the writer’s purpose in writing this text and the story’s theme. Thomas C. Foster also explains that ambiguity occurs when readers search for intertextuality. He explains that we as readers cannot read all pieces of literature. We as readers may never understand why the grandmother in the story was carrying a purple basket because a grandmother in another author’s work did so.

          I believe that ambiguity is a roadblock to understanding and also appreciating a text. Sometimes it may be frustrating to not understand why the author wrote a certain event or character but rereading the event or the description of the character enrichens the reading experience. Sometimes the reader’s interpretation may not be definite to the author’s idea, but Foster explains that is not always necessary. Reading an author’s work should be enjoyable and informative regardless if the reader’s interpretation is identical to the author’s.

Prompt 4- One Big Story

      When I first read that all text belongs to one big story I thought this to be bogus. This cannot be true. It seems as if most stories are original, and if they are not they are likely plagiarized. However, Foster changed my opinion through his chapter, “Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before?” He explains that stories are not written in a vacuum. Stories are products of prior works; bits and pieces from stories are added and altered to form a new story. Although I understood the meaning behind “there is only one story”, I was not fully convinced. In order to comprehend this strange and complicated concept I had to break the idea into an analogy I could grasp. I thought of the one big story this way: writing is like preparing a meal. While I stir, steam, simmer, and grill I add ingredients (the story details). Although the ingredients have been used before in other meals, I have altered them and blended them with other ingredients. This meal may borrow ingredients from other recipes, but it will have an original taste.
     Now that I understand and accept the one big story idea, I see that when texts weave and work together it adds richness to the reading experience. Looking at the intertextuality is not a mundane and forced task, it is enjoyable to see literature's connections. Foster says when O’Brien had his character fall through a whole, readers think of Alice in Wonderland. After readers have discovered this element they will be more aware to look for other Lewis Carroll references.
    Although the one big story may be one giant cluster of ideas, it is comforting. While reading a story I now know this is not just one tiny story, but it is a collection of all the stories past, present, and future.

 

Prompt #4

        Foster writes that all works are interconnected even if they may not seem to be. The patterns that you recognize, he states, are simply allusions to other work that the author has utilized to let the reader make subconscious connections. This ultimately makes a richer story that can turn timeless because of its borrowed elements from staple works created many years ago. I agree with this theory, although I did not at first. Foster convinced me with later chapters that everything works together with other pieces to create a modern rebirth of a classic piece. In the chapter titled "Biblical Allusions," I could see that even the Bible is a book that is pulled from to create symbolism in modern-day works. When authors use biblical references that then parallel modern stories with classic ones, the reader experiences the story in a whole new, deeper way. I believe that author's play on a reader's knowledge of culture and history to make internal connections, even if they aren't aware that they are combining two works.
        By meshing two stories, and even basing a story off of the standard literature template, an author can create creative, hidden allusions that are up to the reader to be discovered. This one story idea that all others are based off of creates a mold for stories to fit into and build upon. This furthers the reading experience by giving your audience the chance to investigate and recognize intertextuality all on their own. When they independently put two and two together, they have the feeling that they made the story their own, and they are proud that they have reached a richer meaning that their hard-work paid off to discover.

Prompt 1-Literacy

       Being literate does not simply mean possessing the powers to read and write. Literacy is the ability to see beyond the words and connect the ideas from those words to one’s life. A story is simply a story if it does not impact a reader. A literate person can see the story as just as story, but can also connect the work to other literature and their life experiences. However, literacy does not develop in one day. Even with years of reading and writing, like Thomas Foster, a literate person must practice. For example, after the test case in Chapter 27 Foster asked his readers to answer a range of questions about "The Garden Party". These questions ranged from author’s purpose and reader interpretation. Foster also told readers to “read carefully, give careful thought” and write down observations. Thomas Foster did not simply write these rules because he is a controlling, crazed professor; he knows if readers pay close attention to a work and use interpretative strategies it will enhance a reader’s experience.
        Although a person may pay close attention to a story, look at its themes and motifs, and intertextuality, a literate person is constantly second guessing their observations. However, this is not necessarily a disadvantage of literacy; it is actually the beauty of it. Foster once received a question from Steven that Foster himself had been wrestling with throughout his literature career: “How do I know I’m right.” The answer is a reader is never going to know if he/she is “right” because a reader’s only obligation is to the text. The reader does not know the author’s motivation behind the story. Therefore literacy’s gift is reader interpretation. No, the reader is never going to know if the sky is green and black because the author was writing during a tornado or if the dog ran away because the author hated dogs. A literate person simply has the obligation of reading a story and thinking about it in their own terms.

Prompt 1 - Literacy

     Literacy is the ability to speak, write, read, and understand. Literacy is applied when a person has to form independent ideas and feelings and is able to communicate them with others, but it does not come naturally. Literacy is acquired throughout a person’s life by learning to read and write. This allows a person to later be able to read intricate works and be able to write on their feelings and thoughts, essentially forming their own personal perspective. Literacy is a form of strength and power. People have to be able to communicate and understand to be powerful.

     During the 1800s, China kept women in the dark and would not allow them to be highly educated. This kept them inferior to men and did not allow them to form their own opinions, which is something that a literate person has the ability to do. The same goes for slaves that were kept in the shadows so that they were unable to escape from their owners. Literacy skills do not only assist in reading and writing. They play a large role in socialization, intellectuality, and being electronically capable. Those who are literate are able to acquire a decent job with high earnings, whereas those who are illiterate are associated with low paying jobs that do not have the greatest work environments. An illiterate person is unable to do very simple activities such as pay a cashier, write a sentence, and form their own intricate thoughts.

     To fully participate in today’s society, it is crucial for a person to have skills in science, math, and reading. These skills help people understand their surroundings and allow them to have their own voice instead of being spoken for. People would lose their individuality if they were not literate.

Rereading

Now we are analyzing one of Mrs. Mac's favorite actions: rereading. I must say, before I was one of her students, I never reread anything. (Harry Potter is the exception because everyone rereads Harry Potter more than once. Right?) Now, after being one of her students for 3 years, I have learned the act of rereading does have a time and place. Classes that contain difficult texts like The Iliad are perfect examples of a time and place for rereading. So, yes, rereading does help understand texts if they were not so easy to comprehend the first go around. But rereading is not a tool of one function: it  has many uses.

            Rereading certain parts of How to Read Literature Like a Professor made me realize Foster references The Iliad (and every other part of Greek history for that matter) more than any other text. Rereading allowed me to understand a part of the author's personality that I may not have noticed before.

            Rereading, as weird as this may sound, is another way of saying, "Don't read with your eyes." Foster emphasizes the importance of placing oneself in another person's shoes. Say you’ve finally finished reading The Iliad. You know what happens in the book, but do you really know what happens in the book? Or even why? If you are like me, you probably don't. I had to reread several parts of The Iliad over and over again. The first time I could barely distinguish who was who. The second time I focused on understanding the plot because it was often nearly impossible to follow. The third time allowed me to analyze the rhetoric and language the text employed. Every single time I reread a word, a line, or a page, I felt a new emotion, understood a character's motivation, or was appalled by an action. If Foster's book taught me anything, it was that every single line written in a book can, and often does, stand for something else. 

Literacy

            I feel like answering the first prompt is cliché, but it is one of the two prompts that I actually find interesting and would genuinely wish to respond to. I am not going to define literacy through a dictionary definition because my peers already have done so and I know all of you can read. The definition of literacy extends past reading and writing. It also exists on many metaphorical levels. Literacy is linked to self worth and the ability to identify symbolism in literature and the world.

            Even though this part of my answer does not directly interact with the text, it is still a matter of importance to me in regards to literacy. I believe literacy is a facet of self worth and power. Historically, populations have been suppressed by being kept uneducated and illiterate. The inability to read and write not only keeps subdued groups of people from communicating amongst themselves, but it also is a form of breaking their spirit. Reading and writing is an art that was once a privilege and a tool for the retention of power but is now a necessity and vital part of human life.

            A different form of literacy, the metaphorical kind, exists in the examination of literature. Each chapter of How to Read Literature Like a Professor is an example of this concept. Only "literate" individuals are able to make connections between events like intense rain driving plot action or how even the most unlikely people can be "Christlike figures." Take June Kashpaw from Love Medicine for example. Even though she is an "alcoholic, essentially a prostitute, and almost entirely selfish," she can still be interpreted as Christlike. Metaphorical literacy allows readers to delve into a text and experience much more than simply reading the words on a page. 

Prompt #1

        One of the largest lessons and mindsets I came out with after reading this book was that the act of reading a book is only the tip of the iceberg. When you envision enjoying a book, you hope to simply gain happiness, and maybe even insight from its message. However, a large lesson Foster taught me was that gazing upon and literally reading the words typed is different than absorbing the actual context that requires further and deeper thinking. Literacy can be interpreted as the basic knowledge of comprehending words and how they are connecting to convey a literal message. However, to me, the ability to read goes beyond seeing a 'Wet Paint' sign and knowing not to touch. Literacy is the skill that requires a reader to truly understand the book and the reasoning the author chose to ever put the pen to paper. It means that one can recognize all of the elements in a work and be able to wonder freely about its meaning and even make assertions about its purpose to the book as a whole.

        To know why the author does what he or she does is a key aspect and mysterious quest for each reader. Ironically, Foster talks about the real reason for any quest: self-knowledge. Any time you read a book, it is your quest to divulge into the meaning and purpose. Even if the reader does not know it, their stated purpose for the quest is to completely understand the book and its message to the fullest extent they can manage. One aspect of literacy, for example, is being able to identify patterns and draw connections between an old, staple work and perhaps the modern text currently being examined. As Foster says, there is no such thing as a truly original work of literature- everything borrows and contains elements from other sources. By recognizing one work's footprint in another's book, a reader can make subconscious connections, further dissecting the book they are reading. Pattern-recognizing is a key aspect to being literate.

        A literate person can read a text for what it is, literally and metaphorically. They know that a book contains a plethora of hidden meanings that are impatiently waiting to be discovered. Finally, they think. This is the most important aspect of literacy. Thinking can lead a book from good to impeccable. It can transform a simple piece into a complex work of art, only discoverable to those who yearn for a deeper meaning and know what it requires to find it. 

Prompt 5 - Weather

  In Chapter 10 of How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster writes that rain is never just rain and snow is never just snow. He says that weather has a larger role in a story rather than just being weather. The weather in a story can affect the character's mood, the setting, and the overall atmosphere. For example, in The Odyssey, the gods use weather to keep Odysseus away from home. Odysseus is blown off course while sailing, which keeps him away from Ithaca for almost twenty years. In his absence, he misses his son growing up and his wife becomes surrounded by men who try to convince her that Odysseus is dead. So, the weather played a larger role in The Odyssey than just being weather. It effected Odysseus' family, relationships, and emotions throughout. Weather can also set the tone for the story. For example, if a character is having a depressing time, the author could include that it is raining to enhance the overall gloomy feeling. If the character is excited, the author could include that it is bright and sunny to show a sense of positivity.  In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy’s entire experience occurred because of a Tornado that knocked her out. Dorothy would have never experienced Oz if there would not have been a storm in the beginning of the story. So, weather has a variety of usages in a story that occasionally are not acknowledged by the reader until they take the time to reflect.

Prompt 2: Re-Reading

As young readers, it has become apparent to me that reading a text only once can lead to not understanding all that it has to offer. Whether some of us have loss of focus, comprehensive issues, or are simply reading too quickly, I believe that we miss details of a text that re-reading could essentially bring into the light. As we have learned in Foster's book, literature is full of symbolism, religious reference, and political opinions. Most often these points are represented in a figurative fashion, therefore as readers we must develop the ability to see behind the curtain of the literal words. I have run into issues such as this with summer reading books before. In 9th grade when I read, The House on Mango Street, I could barely keep my head up from falling asleep. This lack of focus and interest resulted in me not understanding the social and political message that was present in the entirety of the book (although looking back its as clear as ever).

I wholeheartedly believe this notion, however I will not say I am following my own convictions. It is especially easy as students to glide quickly over a text in order only have enough information to get the grade we want. As we embark on the journey that will be AP Literature, I hope that we will follow this advice. The sooner we do, the sooner we will be able to reap the benefits of greater and more complex understanding.

prompt 5

In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster discusses the importance of weather and how it can affect the plot with the characters or the environment. He uses the example of Noah and the Ark and how God showed mercy and love by creating a rainbow and saying he would never flood the earth again. But sometimes the weather isn’t obvious about how it affects the plot. In Twilight, Bella Swan, moves from sunny Phoenix Arizona to dreary Forks Washington. She talks about how she missed the warmth of Arizona and hate the cold of Forks. “Forks was literally my personal hell on earth.” This led her into a depression that she didn't think she could get out of.

the weather displays the emotions of the characters. In the Notebook, our two main character are having a pleasant afternoon on a small wooden boat. All of the sudden its start to rain, and they rush to shore to try to escape getting wet. When they reach the shore they come to turns about how they really feel towards each other and after a little bit of dialogue there is a passionate kissing scene between the characters. The rain represented all of the sadness they felt when they couldn’t see each other for seven years and how it is all washing away. It is like Foster said, “Rain is never just rain.” It can represent many ideas like rebirth, or coming clean and washing away hate. There is always meaning behind the weather of a setting.

Prompt 4

In How to Read Literature like a Professor, Thomas Foster, writes about "there's no such thing as a wholly original work of literature." He's stating that every idea or piece of literature is a spin-off of somebody else's work. At first I disagreed with this idea, I thought to myself all of my favorite movies and books that seemed completely original. But then I came to the realization that all of them have the same basic lay out. Most of the books I have read, no matter how original they seem, are similar in one way or another. One of the best movies of all time, in my opinion, is The Lord of the Rings. It has dramatic fight scenes, unique settings, and complex characters how more original can a story get? I quickly recognized a pattern that Foster discussed in chapter 1. “The real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge.”

When Frodo lived in the shire, all he ever wanted was a taste of adventure like his uncle Bilbo. He was young, and had never explored the world on his own. He quickly finds himself on an adventure that takes the course of many years. It is another story of how life is an adventure and a boy gaining self-knowledge of the world around him. It is like so many books before it, but seems more different original because of its unique world. It is like Foster said, nothing is completely original and the more a person reads the more likely they will notice that.

Prompt 1- Literacy

With the purpose of explaining literacy, Foster is not afraid to simply state the true facts of what consists of literacy and what literacy consists of.  Literacy is a wide array of knowledge and subjective, along with objective, points of views which shapes a character through abilities and inabilities which makeup a character, plot, or significant story. The usage of literacy is not based off of one’s own knowledge, but it expands into countless other aspects from other works of literacy, this forming a bond between the abilities of one character towards the next without any limitations involved. 

Though with the exploration of the text also comes the exploration of self-knowledge and self-learning also.  With multiple meanings being able to be integrated into a single word or piece of text, the amount of learning which one person may hold is endless and without a doubt necessary for growth and exploration.  Poems connect to poems and words connect to words.  Literacy is a never ending cycle of growth and subjective based critique which allows the character to expand their personal horizon on internal and external activities and prompts.  Literacy is a personal gift which explains the true meaning and atmosphere of self-knowledge.  

Prompt 5- Weather

Within the reading of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, it is proclaimed and set in place that the occurrence and presentation of weather, such as rain, snow, and thunderstorms, are not randomly placed in the literature to take up space in the story of poem.  Each presentation of weather coincides with a representation of emotion or set place for the plot.  With the example of rain, it is explained that rain is more than often not used for the exploration of life and the beginning of life.  This would therefore connect with the example of Noah’s Ark as a contributing factor.  The appearance of this contribution reenacts the beginning of new life and a new stable foundation for life. 

Also, the usage of weather and the manipulation thereof connects to the plot activities, and the atmospheric essence which surrounds the overall plot of the story itself.  It is discussed how the miserable and overwhelming issues of the weather affect the characters, along with their characterization in the plot and the relationships which are formed thereof.  With the appearance of rain, rainbows, fog, and snow, also comes the emotional side of those temperamental factors, such as hope, happiness, confusion, and purity based aspects which contribute and shape the plot.  

Prompt 1: Literacy

     Literacy includes a broad spectrum of insights and abilities that far exceed that of just merely being able to read. As Foster teaches us in his book, to be literate means the ability to detect symbolism, religious reference, and political opinions as well as changes in tone no matter how subtle. Symbolism, for example, requires the reader to be intellectually savvy enough to peel back the layers of literal interpretations and discover the true figurative meaning behind a text. Foster writes, “Everything is a symbol of something, it seems, until proven otherwise.” Without truly being literate, it is difficult to understand that everything is a symbol.

     Similarly, literacy expands into not only developing our own interpretations of texts, but discovering a wide-range of alternative meanings that we ourselves had not first thought. Gaining this type of perspective is crucial to the growth of a reader as it allows us to understand that our truth may not be the next person's truth. In literature, there is rarely just one point. Just as Foster explains, reading is subjective. Even though we expect there to be one definite answer, most often there isn't one.

     Being aware that there may be multiple meanings to a text does not invalidate our own thoughts as well. We all arrive at our separate conclusions through our own imaginations, past experiences, and past readings. Foster writes, "Nowhere is individuality clearer than in the matter of symbolism.” If one can detect figurative meanings through symbolism and open up their minds to the possibility of there being more than one correct interpretation, then one is truly literate.   

 Prompt- 5

In How to Read like a Literature Professor, Thomas C Foster states that weather is more than just rain, snow, sun, or thunderstorm. He clarifies that yes it is a part of the setting but there is more to weather then just that. It gives the story an atmosphere or a mood to it by describing the weather. The weather is used as a “plot device” along with “atmospherics”. For example, rain can be looked at as just rain but if you think about it it can have mystery or misery. Seasons are also used in a range of storytelling. “Happiness and Dissatisfaction have their seasons.” Winter is known to be cold and bitter whereas Summer is joyful and happy. Rain can also give the sense of cleanliness and rebirth. When rain is mixed with sun it creates rainbows which can mean good luck or happiness. Rain has multiple meanings that describes more that just the setting. In Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook, Noah and Allie romantically kiss in the rain in remembrance of their love they once had. Rain gave the scene an idea of the love and sensuality that was between them.

Weather brings an emotional aspect to the characters as well. In Grapes of Wrath when Joad is walking down the street and the author is explaining the hot burning sun and heat along with the blankets of dust covered the land. It gives the readers more explanation of the what is happening in the story. Not only does the weather bring emotion, but you are also able to imagine it in your head of what the characters are going through. Seasons and weather can be used to describe a person as well. “She’s all spring and sunshine; He’s all frosty stiffness.” In my opinion weather is much more than part of a setting. It gives the emotion of the character along with the way one character can feel too.

Prompt 2- Rereading

I am never a rereader of my own volition. I don't think that rereading is exclusively for people that don't understand the text, but I do feel like that is the reason that it is most used. Personally, I consider rereading a waste of time if used for nothing beyond comprehension issues. I like to expand my horizons and I approach this goal with a practical mindset. To me, rereading a text that I already understand is redundant and a misuse of time that could be otherwise spent reading and understanding new things. I recognize that rereading can provide more depth and understanding, but at what depth do we stop at? Comprehension and complexity of a text is a bottomless ocean and to say that you wish to reread a text to gain more insight or different angles in my mind is akin to attempting to touch the edges of the universe. We can all sit around and think up infinite interpretations until we grow grey, but is that productive? I have placed a definitive threshold and standard of understanding that I try to achieve with everything I read. Unless the text was particularly complex or intriguing, I never pursue it further. I would prefer to be a jack of all trades and master of none (or a few) when it comes to knowledge and I feel as though constantly rereading is counterproductive to that goal.

With all that said, I will definitely acknowledge that reading styles and habits are personal preference and some people may find great joy and satisfaction in rereading. I have no doubt that in some scenarios for some people it is largely beneficial.

Prompt 5 - Weather

      From reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor, I learned that weather is never just weather." The rain, snow, sun, warmth, and cold all act as a plot device. The weather makes characters act in ways that they normally wouldn't and changes their actions. The weather has the power to propel the characters into circumstances that may help them or hurt them.
      For instance, Thomas Foster cites Thomas Hardy, The Three Strangers where three men are forced together because of the rain. Foster states that weather contributes to the atmosphere of the novel. Rain can be "mysterious, isolating, murky, and miserable. " With a little bit of wind and a lot of rain, a character can die of pneumonia. Weather is democratic and affects all of the characters in a novel whether they are rich, poor, young or old.
      Foster explains the symbolic importance of rain. If the writer wants to "cleanse" a character, he'll bring in some rain and have them walk through it. The rain transforms the character. Rain is also restorative. It brings the earth back to life. Rain is associated with Spring and "new life, new hope, and new awakenings."
      When a writer uses fog in his work, he means a physical, mental, or ethical fog that blankets the characters. Fog literally means the characters can't see clearly. Snow is another powerful tool that can mean perceived differently. It is clean, quiet, severe, inviting, and isolating. Foster discusses the use of snow in The Pederson Kid by William H. Gass and in The Dead by James Joyce. In both books, the authors use snow to symbolize abstract thought and death.
      In Life of Pi, Yann Martel writes about a cargo ship that gets hit by an awful rainstorm at sea. This one weather event, kills Pi's entire family along with anyone else aboard the ship. The storm signifies devastation. As the book continues, Pi drifts off into the ocean under a beating hot sun for a seemingly endless amount of time. The sun is relentless and makes Pi rig a water catching device, so he can drink rain water, therefore effecting the actions of the character.

Prompt 4 - Only One Story

      Thomas C. Foster, in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, believes that "there's only one story." He repeats that belief several times in the book. He contends that all writers borrow ideas, plots, symbols, and characters from every poem, play, short story, novel, historical event or movie they have ever read or seen. Greek and Roman mythology, the Bible and Shakespeare are important influences on writers. According to Foster, all writers borrow from previous works and blend these borrowed ideas into their own writing.
      I agree with Foster's idea of "only one story." I know that when I read novels, I'll think that the main character reminds me of someone I've read about before. In certain poems or novels, there are direct references to verses from the Bible. I also think that a writer's frame of reference is determined by what he has read, experienced, and seen.
      Foster writes about intertextuality where there is a "dialogue between old texts and new" that is always going on. Intertextuality deepens and enriches the reading experience. Foster's idea that there is "only one story" helps the reader become more comfortable reading when there is a "familiar component from an earlier experience." The reader feels connected to the story and wants to continue and finish the reading, or as Foster says, "It feels good and the awareness of similarity makes us want to read more." He says the reader has an "aha! moment" when they recognize elements from a prior text in their reading. 

Prompt 1- Literacy

In Thomas C. Foster’s How To Read Literature Like A Professor, he opens up Chapter 4 with this statement: “I could never see the picture in a connect-the-dot drawing until I’d put in virtually every line. Other kids could look at a page full of dots and say “Oh, that’s an elephant,” “That’s a locomotive.” Me, I saw dots. I think it’s partly predisposition— some people handle two-dimensional visualization better than others— but largely a matter of practice: the more connect-the-dot drawings you do, the more likely you are to recognize the signs early on.” Within this passage, Foster heavily but briefly discusses the understanding of literature. Being a literate person to Foster, as expressed above in the quoted passage is connecting themes to the book being read, or in his case, the dots being connected. A literate person is someone who not only creates their own interpretation of something, but also listens to another person’s interpretation to see every side. Our world is full of ideas, why not build upon them? 

   One becomes literate by lots of practice, just as Foster connected dots as a child, he was mentally connecting dots to create a bigger image. We create the bigger image daily by simple tasks such as watching the news, or even participating in daily conversation! 

Literacy honestly is not reading and writing, it is so much deeper than that. I think about the idea of being illiterate quite often. One couldn’t order food, shop for clothing, have a job, etc. without basic skills that come with being literate. Pondering these things fuels my fire for learning on a daily basis. We are unintentionally building an empire of knowledge daily!

Prompt 4 - King Solomon's Truth

A science teacher once told me that no matter what planet we went to, no matter how far or close it was to us, it would have the same elements we have. Stories are very much like planets—you have the outer layer of the story, which can be very deep, followed by several slightly deeper pieces that you discover with time, and finally the very center that very few people truly understand but is the true force of the book.

In this analogy, the planets ‘skeletons’ are the backbones of the story (everything that makes it interesting and well-written) while the life on the planet is the actual story. Stories are unique, even if they’re based off another one—like Dorothy Must Die being based off The Wizard of Oz. When it comes to the basis of stories, they’re all the same, but they have different forms of life on them. (Think of it this way: the core, inner layers, and outer layer of the planet are the skeleton and will mostly be the same. There may be an extra inner layer here or there, but for the most part, the basic structure of a planet must remain the same. However, the outside of a planet could be a thousand different things—it could look like our planet, or be gaseous, or have entirely different vegetation, or be entirely underwater. The appearance of the planet is where things are different, unique.)

So, with this information in mind, do writing and telling belong in one world? Yes and no. Writing a story is nothing like telling a story. Writing is complicated; it’s a longer process that is relatively the same despite whatever is being told. The telling of a story is too complicated to be just one world, though—imagine trying to live on a planet that has different parts of it from Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and so on. Not only is that actually impossible, but it’s also confusing and conflicting. However, understanding what makes up a planet helps understand the story further and therefore enjoy it more. Of course the same goes for stories: understanding what is in the story and why will help deepen the story and make it more interesting.

In short, writing and telling don’t belong to the same story because of their difference in what makes them up. But, despite their differences, understanding one will lead to a benefit of the other.

Prompt 5 - Weather

Weather brings consequences. For example, in Bridge to Terabithia, the April showers don’t only bring a gloomy sense to Leslie and Jess’s world but also the death of Jess’ grandmother before the story begins, who contracted pneumonia from working in the rain, and the flood that drowns Leslie. Weather doesn’t just affect moods—it can be a force entirely of its own, just as powerful as an important character and just as able to make changes.

Weather, like actions, has its own consequences. Rain brings flooding, snow creates ice, heat invokes drying. Many stories use weather as a way to bring about consequences that wouldn’t normally occur without the rain/snow/heat/wind/etc. Those consequences could cause an emotional (or physical) reaction to a character and thus change the story.

Along with consequences, weather also has emotional impact. The atmosphere of a setting can be changed by the weather outside and how it’s perceived by a character. A rainy day could be dreary, unless you’re reading about a family whose crops are in desperate need of water. Snow can be beautiful and seem pure, until a character gets into a car crash on a slippery road. The emotional impact can cause a change in character perspective—if the person in the car accident was a close friend to the main character, their entire dynamic could change and thus alter the course of the story. This kind of change can affect the story as well.

I've found that weather has the capability to deepen a setting. It can change a character through their mindset or by providing a new situation that comes with its own consequences.

Prompt 5 - Weather

     When it comes to weather, there are many factors that weather can play into with plot and plot development. Weather does more than just create the setting foundation, it goes into characters and moods inside the plot. Setting establishes moods and foreshadows events yet to come. In every book, the weather can create different situations and problems in the book. For example, in a horror story the weather will have a large impact. If the protagonist is fleeing from the scene while being chased by the terrifying antagonist and all of a sudden it starts storming and raining. Then, the protagonist slips and falls on the ground and the chase becomes more anxiety filled and creates that feeling for the readers. Usually people associate stormy weather with horror type movies and books because that is what people have done for decades. Weather can also show symbolism. When warmer weather comes into play, usually the mood is happier and more cheerful. When colder weather, such as winter, is there the mood is darker or a depressing mood. Rain can symbolize restoration or replenishment; the spring season symbolizes a season of renewal. Another horror movie weather symbolism is fog which shows confusion and struggle to visualize or physical struggle to control. A more modern example is from the book(s) The Hunger Games, and the example includes the second book Catching Fire. I’m sure most people have read these books or have seen the movies for visual representation. The people who control the games can control anything that happens in the arena for the tributes. In the first book and the second book the weather was more tropical and humid more than anything else and this can change the story. The warm weather with vast amounts of humidity requires the tributes to drink more water to stay hydrated and not become de-hydrated which would ultimately make them very sick and an outlook of death in the long run. The weather setting is not just for setting, it shows mood, symbolism and rather large foreshadowing in powerful ways.