How to do a Close Reading

The purpose of a close reading is to get a better understanding of the text.  When you close read you observe facts and details about the text.  With close reading we are able to dive deeper into the text and truly understand what the writer was trying to accomplish.  I personally struggle with close reading and i am not a fan of it.  I believe sometimes close reading causes us to over analyze the true meaning of the text.  I think some writers are trying to be straight forward and sometimes we try to make something that isn't there.  In a particular south park episode the boys write a disgusting and gruesome story just for the fun of it.  Then their parents find it and the story is published into a novel.  The story was poorly written and extremely straight forward, however all the critics believe the novel is one of the greatest works in American history.  They over analyze the novel to the most extreme extent and draw connections from it that aren't there.  Keeping this in mind i do believe close reading helps when reading difficult texts like those of Ralph Waldo Emerson who i personally believe was just off his rocker and babbles to much.  Close readings can help but overall i believe they aren't effective.

A Day in the Life growing up in 1943

A typical day for me as an 18 year old found adult in 1943 is interesting.  The war is growing and US involvement is increasing.  Also the depression rages on but the war offers new hope for the future.  Today i woke up in my house in buffalo and looked out to see it was raining.  This is a bad day for me because i am going to get soaked as i walk to school.  I arrive at my one room school house near south campus and sit down to see my classmates ranging from age 14-20.  I look to my right hoping to see my good friend but he isn't there.  I remember he was drafted and forgot the prior day was his last.  I get a sore feeling in the pit of my stomach at the thought of him fighting in the war.  I fear everyday that i will go home and my own letter will be sitting at the counter.  I try to pay attention in class but the thought of my friend is too distracting.  I leave for home at lunch to try and get my mind off of the fact that my friend.  As i walk home i come across our neighborhood mailman but, for some reason his face is real long and sad when he see's me.  i fear that he has news of my other drafted friends being hurt or even killed in the war but this was not the case, it was my even bigger fear.  He looks at me dead in the eyes and hands me my draft notice.

21st Century Emerson

This blog is in response to Ralph Waldo Emersons "The American Scholar" and how he would react to it in the 21st century.  I believe he would stay behind his belief in the importance of books and nature.  These are pretty fundamental beliefs that no matter what era I believe Emerson would stand behind them.  However, with that being said i think he would put and great influence on technology these days because that is what our whole world seems to be based around.  In todays world we need to be tech-savy and  a good reader and i believe Emerson would agree with that.