Final Papers: Intro to Graduate Study

I finished my final paper, with a short extension granted by the professor due to my family emergency. It was on the topic of Calvino's If on a winter's night a traveler which I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys reading. I discussed in my final paper how Calvino uses the second person pronoun "you" to draw the reader into the story, essentially making him or her a character.

This was my first taste of Calvino and I have been very impressed. Next quarter, I am enrolled in the Calvino class-- and looking forward to it!

Week 3: Intro to Graduate Study

This week we discussed critical approaches to literature and how developing our interpretive skills allow us to grow as a reader. This was actually a great discussion, and I would have liked to participate, if for no other reason than to argue the opposing point (that all this interpretation is BS). But, instead I coughed.. and coughed... and coughed... and left early.

Week 2: Intro to Graduate Study

I am still sick. I coughed the whole time. We discussed Northanger Abbey. During the break everyone gave me suggestions on what to do to stop coughing. I'm sick of suggestions, and death stares.

Paper Due : Monday October 3rd. Topic-- Northanger Abbey  -- Ugh.

Week 1: Introduction to Graduate Study

So, I am finally taking the only required course for MALit students. Basically this course is designed to introduce you to writing research/term papers and reading novels. Probably would have made sense to take this class first-- but since they only offer it in Fall and I started in Winter, I have completed 4 classes (term papers and all) before taking this one. Oh well.

The first week was just introductions. Basically, I sat in the room coughing up a lung (bronchitis) and assuring everyone that I was no longer contagious. We have to read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen for next week. I have already read it, I didn't enjoy it. I have started it again-- still not thrilled. Hopefully I get through this first round of boring female writers so I can move on to other more interesting (though, in the case of our next book, highly over-taught ) literature.

Other observations from the first week;
1. not as many in this "required" class as I was expecting
2. when asked, " what do you read?" everyone in this program is such a ridiculous snob, listing high brow literature by famously difficult authors-- right..  you read that on your ipad at the beach ---liar.