Teacher

By Mohammed Alfadhel
M.A. in English Literature
Alandalus University
mafnaz@yahoo.com
As you sow, so will you reap
How to instill the love of analyzing literature in our students: Expectations and
obstacles
It is a recognized fact that literature is far different from any other disciplines,
namely, history, mathematics or even geography .While those are based on facts and
fixed rules, literature is open to different interpretations. It is based on appreciation
and analysis. No two readers see the literary work in the same light. There are various
shades and layers of meanings. Every reader adds something to the work based on his
beliefs, religion, level of education, and predilections. One can come up with his own
analysis as long as he supports his argument logically. In light of the given
information, teachers have great responsibilities towards their students. They have a
mighty and noble task ahead of them. Students should not only be taught how to
appreciate and approach literary texts, but also to analyze them. In this article, I would
like to address this problem and touch upon it trying to provide useful remedy .
Most students tend to regard critical analysis as one of the most problematic and
challenging, if not fearful, areas in literature. They rank it as the least thing they want
to do. When they encounter similar cases, they panic and get confused. They are
under the delusion that they need to analyze the whole literary work. However, it does
not have to be that way. Once the student has decided on a topic (theme, symbol, etc)
to analyze, he/she can approach any text without any difficulties. He is on the right
track. So what is required of the students? Before approaching any text, students need
to be familiar with elements of fiction such as characterization, plot, setting, theme
and so forth. The teacher's duty is to facilitate the student's task by simplifying the
process of analyzing and making it more enjoyable. He can...