Literature

Why is it that people find it so difficult and unsavory to read? Very few people actually enjoy and take it upon themselves to read anything from literature, modern works, the news, or frankly anything that consists of many words that require analytical thought to understand. Has this become too much for people? Literacy should never be compromised.

The tools of literary analysis help you submit cultures and texts that form these cultures to rigorous analysis. You can examine the rhetoric, the linguistic structures, etc that makes a text what it is. Can we do the same with law and what would such an examination yield?

The titular main character is often overshadowed by his luck and the accomplishments of his friends. Though Harry is the Chosen One, he rarely shows his so called "incredible" wizarding prowess as is stated that he possesses outside of his ability to catch a small golden ball. Does Harry Potter, the incredibly well known franchise that took the world by storm, truly deserve its fame when its main character is overall just an average wizard?

Harry Potter continues to be an endearing franchise. What thematic elements make it so loved years after the books and films have been completed?

Pomegranates have been cultivated by humans for thousands of years, and perhaps one of the oldest harvested fruit. The red, bulb-like fruit is mentioned in Ancient Egyptian texts, Greek mythology, the Bible, and the Quran. Different cultures used this fruit as treatment for various ailments (i.e. tapeworm in ancient Egypt). It is interesting how different ancient cultures viewed pomegranates and used them symbolically in their literature.

Have we, as the 21st century audience, begun to read into literature through a pattern we've created ourselves? It seems as though we are often taught that there is a set pattern of symbols that we often apply to teaching and learning any piece without considering whether it is of any relevance, stating that the author "may be saying…" Should context, thus, still be considered crucial in reading into a piece of somebody's work since it is our only valuable piece of information; the only one given to us for certain about the author's thoughts through their background? Is it the only way of veritably analysing somebody's work or should there, rather, be left some thought to the reader's imagination?

How has the use of color in literature changed, especially in more recent works? Our tv shows and movies are closely edited, digitally graded, and dominated by blue and orange. We over-edit our "candid" photos, dimming the colors to look retro or cranking up the contrast. Do we see a similar trend in written descriptions?

Has the symbolism behind colors changed? Has the use of certain color symbolism been reduced as the result of changing trends?

As our literature becomes divided into increasingly smaller genres and subgenres, is the use of color similarly divided? Thrillers will always be "darker" than romances, of course, but are there other trends in symbolism, shades, etc?

Throughout women-centered literature, hair is a popular symbol and motif. The Bible consistently describes hair as a woman's source of beauty and glory, even her vanity. In classic novels such as Little Women, hair serves as a symbol; Jo March cuts off and sells her hair, her "one beauty," to help her wounded father. In so doing, she symbolically casts off immaturity and vanity in favor of womanhood.

The trend persists in modern books such as Anita Diamant's The Red Tent; women brush, braid, and stroke each other's hair during crucial moments throughout the novel. Women whose hair is forcibly cut or shaved are consistently shamed, and they mourn the loss as if mourning a person. Male characters often stroke, twist, or otherwise fondle love interests' hair as a form of non-sexual intimacy. Even in fairytales and children's lit, a young girl's hair is often pointed out as a defining trait.

Using the examples listed and/or any others you are familiar with, examine why hair is so important in women-centered literature. Have attitudes toward hair played a role in the shaping of females and feminism? What about the lack of hair for female characters who have cancer or other conditions? Are the perceptions and usages of hair in literature changing, and are our perceptions of womanhood changing with it?