"Spring and Fall" Close Reading:

This forced me to Slow Down. The biggest problem I have in regard to reading poetry, is that I get so caught up in the rhythm of the writing, I sometimes forget to pay attention to the meaning of the poem. Poems are so lyrical, that while reading them they sing in my head and I hear the song, instead of the meaning... if that makes sense. Not all of the time, but sometimes. Like, "Spring and Fall" for example. If I wasn't forced to read each line, on by one, I would not have thought about the meaning nearly as much. I would have danced right through it, and said, "that was a great poem" because of its rhythm and song-like quality, but I would have missed a lot of the actual meaning.

"How to Analyze Literature"
1. The structure and meaning of the work are closely related. I feel like I often overlook structure.
2. You won't be asked to describe your personal reactions to a work; instead, you will be asked to explain how the writer conveys meaning as a whole.
3. Plot is the way the writer arranges the story.

Questions:
1. I still get confused about the difference between plot and story. "Plot implies conflict"
2. A symbol does not mean something? It suggests/reminds/reflects.... hm.

I feel comfortable about narraration and most figurative language.