English Literature Degree

I'm not sure if I'm kidding myself. But I've applied to do a Lit and creative writing degree at university because I've always enjoyed it throughout high school and college, but I'm worried since I've not read much of the classical books outside course material, it's not as if I wouldn't if I was told to, for example a lecturer said read this book by the end of the week them I'd do it. The reasoning is I do prefer fantasy books, because I think obviously more simple, and have plots twists, and are more intriguing to find the ending, hence why I want to do the creative writing aspect also, like I'm reading a classical book now but it's different, because I feel like I'm forcing it, and it's not that I'm not enjoying it, but I don't feel much emotion when reading it, as in if I read a fantasy book I would have to go back to it, but for the book I'm reading, I could simply put it down and not pick it back up again. I think it's because I'm so close to actually going to university that I'm second guessing ever decision I'm trying to make - I just need some advice on this - Do I have to read all the classical books before Uni, or essentially any at all?

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by desirable-minnow

I'm not sure if I'm kidding myself. But I've applied to do a Lit and creative writing degree at university because I've always enjoyed it throughout high school and college, but I'm worried since I've not read much of the classical books outside course material, it's not as if I wouldn't if I was told to, for example a lecturer said read this book by the end of the week them I'd do it. The reasoning is I do prefer fantasy books, because I think obviously more simple, and have plots twists, and are more intriguing to find the ending, hence why I want to do the creative writing aspect also, like I'm reading a classical book now but it's different, because I feel like I'm forcing it, and it's not that I'm not enjoying it, but I don't feel much emotion when reading it, as in if I read a fantasy book I would have to go back to it, but for the book I'm reading, I could simply put it down and not pick it back up again. I think it's because I'm so close to actually going to university that I'm second guessing ever decision I'm trying to make - I just need some advice on this - Do I have to read all the classical books before Uni, or essentially any at all?

The thing to bear in mind with English literature as a degree, is that it's a degree in literary analysis/criticism - not a degree in "reading". Equally though nobody expects you to exclusively read "the literary canon" (and there is a lot of discussion about what if anything that amounts for or whether it's important. Harold Bloom really has a lot to answer for honestly...).

You do note that the books you enjoy reading are perhaps "more simple" and thus perhaps equally less suited to being the object of the kind of literary criticism you will be learning to apply in such a degree. That doesn't mean you can't or won't be able to apply it, it just means that it's probably less fruitful. As long as you can apply that kind of literary criticism to texts in general, and are able to reasonable read and analyse a set text in a reasonable time frame to be prepared to discuss and or write on it, then that's fine. Also I'd note that such literature can be analysed from a literary-critical perspective, and some particular texts are quite amenable to that - just not all (which is fine!) :smile:

Granted, having read literature widely, including texts that might considered more "literary" is both good practice for your literary criticism if you read with a critical eye, and also for developing your broader knowledge of particular periods, genres, etc. This will help you contextualise other texts you may read in the future. However while doing so it's well worth not limiting yourself excessively to the "Western canon", and this in turn can help your writing on the creative writing side. For example while the three act structure is very common in Western literature and Western published creative writing in general, it's not the only narrative approach you can take - and there are a lot of non-Western works (literary and popular) which do not employ this structure, which could be illuminating to explore. Likewise while a lot of Western literature centres around types of conflict (not necessarily explicit, physical conflict in the narrative but more broadly ideological and structure conflict) as a driving force for the narrative, there are alternative narrative frames which are often evident in works less traditionally included in the "Western canon".

You might also find that exploring literature more widely and considering texts beyond the "Western canon" but that are still of literary character, you will find stories which you do engage with more emotively. Although I don't think it's necessary to always have an emotive response to a text if you still find it interesting for analytical purposes. Also consider "texts" beyond just "books" (or manuscripts etc, although also considering the materiality of texts and the history of the book can itself be illuminating, but possibly unnecessary at this stage in your academic career) - there are plenty of non-book texts, and non-fiction texts, which are very amenable and fruitful to explore from a literary-critical perspective.

That said you probably will be limiting your literary-critical texts if you don't also engage with the purported "Western canon", even if you engage it from a less sympathetic view than certain literary critics of the past and present. A negative reaction to a text is still a reaction and worth reflecting on! Also it's probably worth engaging with some literary/critical theory more formally before embarking on an English lit degree I'd imagine. So don't worry about reading everything out there but do read some things with a critical eye, both within what you might consider to be "classic literature", some beyond what you might consider that, and some theory. Then start thinking about why you might categorise one text as the former or the latter through the theoretical frameworks you read and what that says about the theory or the text or your analysis of it!

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post by desirable-minnow

I'm not sure if I'm kidding myself. But I've applied to do a Lit and creative writing degree at university because I've always enjoyed it throughout high school and college, but I'm worried since I've not read much of the classical books outside course material, it's not as if I wouldn't if I was told to, for example a lecturer said read this book by the end of the week them I'd do it. The reasoning is I do prefer fantasy books, because I think obviously more simple, and have plots twists, and are more intriguing to find the ending, hence why I want to do the creative writing aspect also, like I'm reading a classical book now but it's different, because I feel like I'm forcing it, and it's not that I'm not enjoying it, but I don't feel much emotion when reading it, as in if I read a fantasy book I would have to go back to it, but for the book I'm reading, I could simply put it down and not pick it back up again. I think it's because I'm so close to actually going to university that I'm second guessing ever decision I'm trying to make - I just need some advice on this - Do I have to read all the classical books before Uni, or essentially any at all?

The thing to bear in mind with English literature as a degree, is that it's a degree in literary analysis/criticism - not a degree in "reading". Equally though nobody expects you to exclusively read "the literary canon" (and there is a lot of discussion about what if anything that amounts for or whether it's important. Harold Bloom really has a lot to answer for honestly...).

You do note that the books you enjoy reading are perhaps "more simple" and thus perhaps equally less suited to being the object of the kind of literary criticism you will be learning to apply in such a degree. That doesn't mean you can't or won't be able to apply it, it just means that it's probably less fruitful. As long as you can apply that kind of literary criticism to texts in general, and are able to reasonable read and analyse a set text in a reasonable time frame to be prepared to discuss and or write on it, then that's fine. Also I'd note that such literature can be analysed from a literary-critical perspective, and some particular texts are quite amenable to that - just not all (which is fine!) :smile:

Granted, having read literature widely, including texts that might considered more "literary" is both good practice for your literary criticism if you read with a critical eye, and also for developing your broader knowledge of particular periods, genres, etc. This will help you contextualise other texts you may read in the future. However while doing so it's well worth not limiting yourself excessively to the "Western canon", and this in turn can help your writing on the creative writing side. For example while the three act structure is very common in Western literature and Western published creative writing in general, it's not the only narrative approach you can take - and there are a lot of non-Western works (literary and popular) which do not employ this structure, which could be illuminating to explore. Likewise while a lot of Western literature centres around types of conflict (not necessarily explicit, physical conflict in the narrative but more broadly ideological and structure conflict) as a driving force for the narrative, there are alternative narrative frames which are often evident in works less traditionally included in the "Western canon".

You might also find that exploring literature more widely and considering texts beyond the "Western canon" but that are still of literary character, you will find stories which you do engage with more emotively. Although I don't think it's necessary to always have an emotive response to a text if you still find it interesting for analytical purposes. Also consider "texts" beyond just "books" (or manuscripts etc, although also considering the materiality of texts and the history of the book can itself be illuminating, but possibly unnecessary at this stage in your academic career) - there are plenty of non-book texts, and non-fiction texts, which are very amenable and fruitful to explore from a literary-critical perspective.

That said you probably will be limiting your literary-critical texts if you don't also engage with the purported "Western canon", even if you engage it from a less sympathetic view than certain literary critics of the past and present. A negative reaction to a text is still a reaction and worth reflecting on! Also it's probably worth engaging with some literary/critical theory more formally before embarking on an English lit degree I'd imagine. So don't worry about reading everything out there but do read some things with a critical eye, both within what you might consider to be "classic literature", some beyond what you might consider that, and some theory. Then start thinking about why you might categorise one text as the former or the latter, and whether the theoretical frameworks you read about influence that - and what that says about the theory or the text or you and the context in which you encountered it!

English Literature Degree

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