Unit II: Lewis Carroll

[Hugo]

Alice in WonderlandThrough the Looking Glass

Let's spark up discussion, guys

[Lucas]

All credit to you, Alonso, for being so keen. However, I imagine that most people are currently hastening through their Grimm essays at this very moment, unless people are much more organized than they are usually, so I don't imagine that the discussion will pick up on Alice for a while yet.

One question I wanted to ask: how do people feel about reading the poetry in this novel? Most of our course texts are novels, and I see that most of us goodreaders prefer novels (of one kind or another) to poetry, so I just wondered, how comfortable is everyone with poetry?

[Hugo]

i'm a big fan of poetry, yet I admit it's beyond me. That's probably why I like it. I do find that reading it is more tiresome than reading novels...

[Julie]

I have spent my life avoiding poetry, and now suddenly, I find that I like it. I am not sure why, but I am often struck by language now that I read more. I guess it is like how when you are a kid and you listen to music, but you don't really "hear" the lyrics until you are older?

[Cathlene]

I love poetry as a rule, but it because of its nature it takes a very long time for me to read, ponder and finally understand it. I have to admit I'm a bit apprehensive about this next assignment and have started the reading early.

[Supreeth]

Lantern wrote: "All credit to you, Alonso, for being so keen. However, I imagine that most people are currently hastening through their Grimm essays at this very moment, unless people are much more organized than..."
Not at all. At least not without detailed notes and a critical analysis by my side. Apart from nursery rhymes, I cannot claim to understand or appreciate any form of poetry (which is rather sad, I understand.)Shelley, Shakespeare, Poe... God, I cannot breathe anymore..

[Hugo]

i think poetry pushes the envelope of language in terms its functionality by creating imagery and evoking feelings unlike any other type of written expression.

[Isabelrt]

I usually like poetry (like, not love), but I am finding the poems in "Through the looking glass" a bit hard to read. I don't know if it's the Old English, but I catch myself skimming over them and having to go back to make sure I actually read them.
It may be because English is not my first language, and I haven't read much poetry in anything but my mother tongue. Still, reading your discussion is encouraging, I'll give them another try tonight!

[Hugo]

Isabelrt wrote: "I usually like poetry (like, not love), but I am finding the poems in "Through the looking glass" a bit hard to read. I don't know if it's the Old English, but I catch myself skimming over them and..."

Try reading the poems out loud. That helps me.

[Isabelrt]

Alonso wrote: "Try reading the poems out loud. That helps me. "

Thanks for the advice! I will definitely try it.

[Simon]

Lantern wrote: "All credit to you, Alonso, for being so keen. However, I imagine that most people are currently hastening through their Grimm essays at this very moment, unless people are much more organized than..."

Poetry is the very tricky part for non native speakers. As under the burden of having whole books through, I choose to skim.