This week we learned the difference between commercial fiction and Literature. Commercial fiction is meant to be read for pleasure. You are not suppose to analyze it while you read, only enjoy it. Books like Harry Potter and Twilight fit under this category because they are meant simply for entertainment purposes. Works of Literature are also entertaining but that is not their main purpose. Works of Literature have a deeper meaning woven between the words that is meant to be analyzed. We were told that Literature should be read at least twice before it is completely understood by the reader. This is because Literature has a deeper meaning inside like morals or life lessons.
One thing that really stuck out to me this week was an analogy comparing commercial fiction and literature using food. The analogy said that commercial fiction is like fast food because it is so easy and fast to pick up and eat. It only takes you 10 minutes max to run through McDonald's and pick up a cheese burger and fries, how easy is that? Then Literature is more like a 4 star sit down restaurant where you have to wait a while to receive your food and it is not nearly as easy to decided what you want to order because the menu is more difficult to understand with its fancy wording. However, when you receive your food it is complex, rich, and decadent. This is such a good analogy because commercial fiction is quite easy to pick up and read and you normally can finish the book quickly but Literature takes longer for you to absorb barbecue of the complex theories and ideas that are embedded within. This analogy really helped me grasp the difference between commercial fiction and Literature.
All in all this week of A.P. Lit and Comp was quite successful because I really understood the material and had an easy time catching up to everyone after missing a day of school. I also used my creative writing time successfully because the piece I wrote yesterday I will actually be able to revise and use when I am speaking at a conference for Special Olympics next week. This makes life easier and me happier!!
One thing that really stuck out to me this week was an analogy comparing commercial fiction and literature using food. The analogy said that commercial fiction is like fast food because it is so easy and fast to pick up and eat. It only takes you 10 minutes max to run through McDonald's and pick up a cheese burger and fries, how easy is that? Then Literature is more like a 4 star sit down restaurant where you have to wait a while to receive your food and it is not nearly as easy to decided what you want to order because the menu is more difficult to understand with its fancy wording. However, when you receive your food it is complex, rich, and decadent. This is such a good analogy because commercial fiction is quite easy to pick up and read and you normally can finish the book quickly but Literature takes longer for you to absorb barbecue of the complex theories and ideas that are embedded within. This analogy really helped me grasp the difference between commercial fiction and Literature.
All in all this week of A.P. Lit and Comp was quite successful because I really understood the material and had an easy time catching up to everyone after missing a day of school. I also used my creative writing time successfully because the piece I wrote yesterday I will actually be able to revise and use when I am speaking at a conference for Special Olympics next week. This makes life easier and me happier!!