Question 6, Elizabeth McGuffey

There are two different levels found in literature: literal and symbolic. Something found on a “literal level” is taken at face value while something found on a “symbolic level” requires the reader to look deep within the text. Symbolism is found in almost every novel and can take a number of different forms, such as weather, actions, or even particular story lines; it’s up to readers to take the extra time to find it and comprehend its meaning. However, some readers are quick to assume that a symbol can only have one intended meaning when in reality there can be multiple interpretations of the same symbol. Foster writes that “…some symbols do have a relatively limited range of meanings, but in general a symbol can’t be reduced to standing for only one thing” (Foster 105). Nevertheless, dedicated readers go through the text with a fine tooth comb, carefully analyzing key elements and pondering their significance to the overall theme (or lack thereof). That being said, it should come to no surprise that the type of reading that professors and students do comes from practice. In order to be a successful literature student, it will take time and practice to find the types of symbolism Foster writes about. Some readers will say that, for example, a character walking through the fog is just someone walking through fog; just luck of the draw that they chose to walk in bad weather, they guess. However, others will look deeper into it and could find that the fog could represent the character’s current state of mind. As Foster notes, “In almost every case I can think of, authors to suggest that people can’t see clearly, that matters under consideration are murky” (Foster 75). Anyone can find a symbol, but it takes a truly committed reader to find an explanation for it.

Question 3: Intertextuality (Khaled El-Shazly)

In his book, Foster establishes a connection, or "dialogue," between texts, which he refers to as 'intertextuality.' Intertextuality, as Foster defines it, is the "ongoing interaction between poems or stories." More specifically, intertextuality revolves around the nature of texts to build upon or revise certain elements, aspects, or facets found across these texts. This concept becomes significant in literary spheres when readers utilize it to enhance their reading experiences. Essentially, when texts engage in this dialogue, they build upon certain elements, which, in turn, adds a deeper meaning to them and the work as a whole. This phenomenon carries great value with it; texts become richer and more meaningful, and can impact readers in different ways. Through intertextuality, readers become more aware of multiple meanings of certain words, phrases, situations, and characters, which makes the text richer without the writer having to develop it as much. Ultimately, through intertextuality, texts can emphasize, modify, or undermine certain parts of their stories by relying on what has already been established in other texts. Since, as Foster asserts, there is only "one big story," from which all other stories are derived, texts engage in dialogue with virtually all other texts, effectively enriching all of them. Intertextuality develops when a writer, either consciously or unconsciously, references or alludes to a previous work. By doing this, the writer associates the stigma and implications of the referenced text (or portion of a text), and associates it with his/her work. Foster offers an example of this, writing, "T.S. Eliot, in 'The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock' (1917), has his neurotic, timorous main character say he was never cut out to be Prince Hamlet, that the most he could be is an extra, someone who could come on to fill the numbers onstage or possible be sacrificed to plot exigency" (38). Foster then describes how, by alluding to Hamlet specifically, Eliot manages to associate the "age of hapless ditherers" (38-39) with Prufrock's situation, which, in turn, helps enrich Prufrock's character without the writer having to do much work.

Intertextuality is also a major force in the establishment of symbols and archetypes. When many texts have this dialogue, they tend to involve certain characteristics, which are carried into the newer text, that form the meaning of symbols and archetypes. Moreover, as new texts are written, these characteristics are revisited again and again until they become synonymous with these symbols and archetypes, which essentially establishes them as what they are. This phenomenon has also been observed outside of literary spheres; in the real world, when a couple is referred to as 'Romeo and Juliet,' it usually implies they are deeply in love, or it is a forbidden love.

Question 6, Abigail Randan

The “symbolic level” and determining if elements of a piece even have symbolic meaning is up to the unique interpretation of the reader. On page 110, Foster details that every reader’s experience is unique. He says that this is because different people lay more focus on different things. Our own knowledge and personal history impact this, according to Foster. Factors that may influence a reader’s interpretation include “educational attainment, gender, race, class, faith, social involvement, and philosophical inclination” (110). Faith, for example, can affect how people understand Christ figures, baptism symbols, and acts of communion. The writer’s background influences symbols as well. Writers may place more emphasis on an element to create a symbol. It’s like Foster said, “it’s never just rain” (70). Rain for example can symbolize many different things depending on the reader, writer, and what the plot needs.  Rain can create an eerie setting. The common, “It was a dark and stormy night” is an example of this, Foster can be seen referencing this on page 69. Rain, can also symbolize a rebirth, like spring. An example of this that comes to mind is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. Allie and Noah’s relationship has just taken a major turn, Allie is about to marry a man she doesn’t love because he will give her the prim and proper lifestyle she’s been raised to covet. She surprises herself by visiting the man of her dreams, Noah, days before her wedding and he takes her to his lake in a little boat when it begins to pour the rain. It is after the rain that Allie and Noah’s relationship is rekindled. Symbolism is all dependent on the reader, the writer, and the situation. The importance of a symbol is not only identifying it, but understanding what it means. To read and find symbols it requires readers to think about what elements of the text mean to them and the piece. Foster says that “is that a symbol?” Is the most common question he gets in his class, and he most commonly tells them yes (104). Foster says, “It’s the next question that gets hairy: what does it mean, what does it stand for?” (104). That is the important part of the “symbolic level” that readers should try to understand.

Question 2: One Big Story (Khaled El-Shazly)

In his book, Thomas Foster uses King Solomon's precept, "There is nothing new under the sun," to synthesize one of his central claims, which states, "[all] writing and telling belong to the same story." More specifically, Foster alludes to the many similarities between plot lines, character developments, and symbols to establish a link between all text. Foster asserts that "there's only one story" (27), and that all of literature and fiction is simply a variation of this original story, so, therefore, "there's no such thing as a wholly original work of literature" (Foster 24). Moreover, this concept adds and enriches the reading experience because it allows readers to better understand and relate to the text. More specifically, if every story is merely a different version of this main story, there will be several elements shared between all texts. Therefore, when readers encounter these elements in a certain text, they will recognize and understand them more easily, as well as have firmer grasp on them, since they have seen them in other stories under somewhat different applications. This, in turn, allows the writing of texts to become richer and more meaningful without the writer having to put in as much effort, as the many facets of his/her text will already be established as 'important,' or 'unimportant.' From a personal standpoint, I have found this theme to be true and applicable to many other fields of art. For example, paintings and sculpture often have recurring subjects, and even abstract and expressionist art involve recurring elements. Although different pieces, whether textual or visual, might seemingly depict radically different content, they all revolve around certain fundamentals, which indicates that they all are mere derivatives of one big story.

Question 6, Alyssa Mize

Foster talks about the “symbolic level.” How does this inform the kind of

reading professors (and AP Lit. students) do? How does one work to read in this manner? What

does it require of us as readers?

Symbolism is one of the most prominent literary appeals found in almost every novel.

For something to be a symbol, it has to inherit various meanings. Symbols often lead readers to

engage in critical thinking, motivating interpretation and deep thought, as symbols are often not

traced to represent solely one thing. Symbolism is important to incorporate into literature, as it adds a

divergence of thoughts and ideas that readers themselves can implement within the story.

However, if symbolism isn't noted within a story, “...the novel would cease to be what it is, a network

of meanings and significations that permits a nearly limitless range of possible interpretations”

(Foster 106). In order to understand and appreciate symbolism as a professor and AP Literature

student would, “...questions, experience, and preexisting knowledge” are needed to construct a

mindset that is capable of abstract thought (Foster 107). This type of mindset would need to be

consistently reinforced so that a reader can have a predisposition to understand the meanings of the

text symbolically. As symbolism is interpreted differently based on the reader, it can also be inferred

that individuality is prominent in understanding different meanings of text, as Foster states, “We

bring an individual history to our reading, a mix of previous readings...educational attainment,

gender, race, class, faith, social involvement, and philosophical inclination” (110). As every reader is

unique and will seek different meanings of one specific thing, readers are required to use abstract

thought, obtained through gradual reinforcement, and prioritize individuality within the reading

process. Symbolic imagination requires open-mindedness, complex thought, and the ability to reason.

Symbolism alters how the book is interpreted as a whole in dependence of the individual person.

    

    Question 4: Foster talks about the relationship between the reader and the writer suggesting that, “reading is an event of the imagination…a reader’s imagination is the act of one creative intelligence engaging another (the writer’s).  How does this occur?  What does this suggest about the nature and process of reading and writing?  
                                                           

     The relationship between the reader and writer that Foster points out is very prominent. He explains that the two minds work as one, working to be in sync and connect on all different levels. The reader and writer are connected by many aspects of the piece, but the main one is symbols. If the reader can understand the symbolic meanings throughout the writers piece the writer has established a connection with said reader. When an author writes they think about the ways their words can be interpreted and thought about which further connects the reader and writer making them work on the same page. When a reader has that "ahah!" moment they have connected further with the reader because they understand what that portion of the text means or what they believe it means, for example the light bulb moment when a student finally gets a topic they have been struggling to fully comprehend. Foster explains that the imagination is shared through these two people and this is important for their connection through the piece. When you read or write there is always the present goal of connecting with the person of the other side. Everyone has it, but like Foster points out, only skilled readers and writers can ever accomplish this goal. To truly read like a professor one must be able to feel the emotion the writer intends for them to feel or imagine what the writer is portraying. For one to read like a professor they must dive deeper and deeper into the piece for more connections the author leaves them.