Wow, time flew by kind of fast! I feel like compared to my other classes this one went by so fast…maybe because we only had to attend class once a week (not complaining). As I’m writing this blog post I realize just how engaging this class was, and that I’m going to miss it quite a bit. I liked how we got to engage with our classmates, the prof and TA through blog posts and in class discussion, it made learning a lot more interesting. If only all my classes were like….*sigh*.
Anyways, congratulations to everyone for reaching the end of this course! It doesn’t matter who read how many books because at the end of the day it was the engagement through blogs and class discussions, that mattered. Everyone brought forth their differing opinions and it was fun to see the different takes people had on the books. Thinking about it now, this class was like a fun book club and one that will be missed. I really hope I have a class similar to this, where I feel more engaged and connected to the syllabus.
Moreover, I think this course has helped me change the way I read and analyze books. Even books with stories that seem clear, always have more to them. You can always interpret stories in a different way and find “hidden messages”, you didn’t realize before. Also, taking this course helped me read some amazing books (not Borges) that I might not have chosen myself. I was able to step out of my “comfort zone” and experiment with different stories/genres. There were books I read that I never would have picked up from the bookshelf, so I’m glad this class allowed me explore those different books.
Lastly like many others I chose this class for my literature requirement. However, sometimes I would forget that this was a mandatory course because I had so much fun in it. I was able to explore my creativity in this course and think critically, in a non-forced way. I controlled the pace of my learning and what I wanted out of this course, which was greatly appreciated. Some classes can feel like a chore at times but this class was anything but that. I hope my future classes or discussions can be this riveting and engaging.
Thank you all for making this class so fun!
Final question: Is there a particular book we read that will stay engraved in your mind? If so, which book and why?
Thank you for joining this adventure! It seems that the most controversial reading was Borges, but if you liked the other books I think we have done a good job, all together, as a class. Thanks also for the enthusiasm in your blog posts and thanks for sharing your ideas. We wanted everyone to feel free to read and express what they wanted. Good job!
Hello and thanks you for your post. Answering your question, I would say that despite it wasn’t my favorite book, Labyrinths from Borges stayed engraved in my mind. The labyrith of ideas and thoughts that I expereinced as a reader while following the story was captivating and made me think about the complexities of human mind, human identity, and human mentality when encountering obstacles. The lecture itself wasn’t the one I enjoyed the most, but I feel it was the most didactic one out of all.
Hi Alizey! It’s been a pleasure taking this class with you and discussing each book together! Interestingly I think the book that will stay with me the most is the only one we didn’t both do, which was Madwomen by Gabriela Mistral. Pablo Neruda’s poetry is beautiful too, but there’s something about the way Mistral conveyed femininity that felt unlike anything I’d read before.