How and why we read crash course english literature #1

How and Why We Read: Crash Course English Literature #1

In which John Green kicks off the Crash Course Literature mini series with a reasonable set of questions. Why do we read? What's the point of reading critically. John will argue that reading is about effectively communicating with other people. Unlike a direct communication though, the writer has to communicate with a stranger, through time and space, with only "dry dead words on a page." So how's that going to work? Find out with Crash Course Literature! Also, readers are empowered during the open letter, so that's pretty cool.

The Reading List!

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: http://dft.ba/-shakespearerj

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: http://dft.ba/-fitzgeraldgg

Catcher in the Rye: http://dft.ba/-catcher

Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson: http://dft.ba/-dickinson

Some of these are available from gutenberg.org as free ebooks. You should check that out.

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Of Pentameter & Bear Baiting - Romeo & Juliet Part I: Crash Course English Literature #2

In which John Green examines Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare. John delves into the world of Bill Shakespeare's famous star-crossed lovers and examines what the play is about, its structure, and the context in which it was written. Have you ever wanted to know what iambic pentameter is? Then you should watch this video. Have you ever pondered what kind of people actually went to see a Shakespeare play in 1598? Watch this video. Were you aware that wherefore means "why?" Whether you were or not, watch this video. In Shakespeare's time, entertainment choices ranged from taking in a play to watching a restrained bear try to fight off a pack of dogs. Today on YouTube, our entertainment choices are just as wide-ranging. So you can either choose to watch the modern equivalent of bear baiting (another cinnamon challenge) or you can be edified and entertained by John and Crash Course. So wherefore are you reading this description instead of watching the video?

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Love or Lust? Romeo and Juliet Part II: Crash Course English Literature #3

In which John Green returns to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to explore the themes of true love, lust, and whether Romeo and Juliet were truly, deeply in love, or they were just a pair of impetuous teens. How exactly did Romeo manage to go from pining for Rosaline to marrying Juliet in 36 hours? Maybe they were impetuous teens who were ALSO deeply in love. John looks into how the structure and conventions of society in medieval Verona led to the star-crossed lovers' downfall. Along the way, you'll learn about courtly love, medieval responsibility to church, family and society, Chipotle burritos as a metaphor for true love, and even learn about literary sex. We may even tie in trapeze artists and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. You'll have to watch to find out.

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Like Pale Gold - The Great Gatsby Part I: Crash Course English Literature #4

In which John Green explores F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby. John introduces you to Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and the other characters in the novel, and tries to look beyond the surface story to figure out what this thing is ABOUT. Set in the 1920's against a conflicted backdrop of prohibition and excess, The Great Gatsby takes a close look at the American Dream as it existed in Fitzgerald's time. It turns out, it had a lot to do with money and status, and it still does today. John will cover the rich symbolism of the novel, from the distant green light to the pale gold of wealth and decay. Also, Paris Hilton drops by.

Turn on the captions. You'll like it.

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Was Gatsby Great? The Great Gatsby Part 2: Crash Course English Literature #5

SPOILER ALERT: This video assumes you've read the book.

In which John Green continues to explore F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. In this installment, John looks into the titular Gatsby's purported Greatness. Gatsby's single-minded pursuit of Daisy, his checkered past, and his checkered present all play a role in determining whether he was, in fact, great. Here's a hint: you don't have to be good to be great. It turns out greatness doesn't have much to do with whether you're a good person. Along the way, John explores the relentless forward march of time, the use of poetic language, and ironic titling of novels.

Don't forget to click the Closed Caption button to follow along with the text of the episode. We think you'll enjoy Danica's subtitle handiwork. Pause, rewatch, repeat as necessary.

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Language, Voice, and Holden Caulfield: The Catcher in the Rye Part 1

In which John Green examines JD Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye. John pulls out the old school literary criticism by examining the text itself rather than paying attention to the biographical or historical context of the novel (that's for next week). Listen, words matter. The Catcher in the Rye has managed to endure without a movie adaptation because a lot of its quality arises from the book's language. Find out how Holden's voice, his language, and his narrative technique combine to make the novel work. Also, Thought Bubble gives us a quick rundown of the plot, in which Ikea Monkey may or may not appear. Support CrashCourse on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/crashcourse

Holden, JD, and the Red Cap- The Catcher in the Rye Part 2: Crash Course English Literature #7

In which John continues the discussion of JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. This week John reads the novel with Salinger's life story in mind. John explores how Salinger's war experience, educational background, and romantic life inform the events of Holden Caulfield's life. How did Holden get to be such a whiny, self-absorbed teen? While it's not a great idea to read novels too biographically, Salinger's life surely informed Holden's. Watch on to get an idea just how much. Support CrashCourse on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/crashcourse

Before I Got My Eye Put Out - The Poetry of Emily Dickinson: Crash Course English Lit #8

In which John Green concludes the Crash Course Literature mini-series with an examination of the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Sure, John explores the creepy biographical details of Dickinson's life, but he also gets into why her poems have remained relevant over the decades. John discusses Dickinson's language, the structure of her work, her cake recipes. He also talks about Dickinson's famously eccentric punctuation, which again ends up relating to her cake recipes. Also, Dickinson's coconut cake recipe is included. Also, here are links to some of the poems discussed in the video:

Faith is a Fine Invention: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177763

I Heard a Fly Buzz--When I Died: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174972

Before I Got My Eye Put Out: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/182805

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Crash Course Literature 2 Preview

In which John Green teaches you about a future in which he'll teach you about literature! Here is the reading list:

The Odyssey by Homer
http://amzn.to/2dJY25t

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
http://amzn.to/2d7Ra2v

Hamlet by Bill Shakespeare
http://amzn.to/2e1PDb8

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
http://amzn.to/2dJXZX9

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
http://amzn.to/2e1S9y1

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
http://amzn.to/2d7QFpn

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
http://amzn.to/2dMBLqa

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
http://amzn.to/2d7SG53

Beloved by Toni Morrison
http://amzn.to/2e6cLtH

Many of these books also have free editions available. Try the amazing and awesome Project Gutenberg at http://www.gutenberg.org

A Long and Difficult Journey, or The Odyssey: Crash Course Literature 201

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In which John Green teaches you about Homer's Odyssey. If it was Homer's If Homer was even real. Anyway, that stuff doesn't really matter. John teaches you the classic, by which I mean classical, epic poem, the Odyssey. The Journey of Odysseus as he made his way home after the conclusion of the Trojan War is the stuff of legend. Literally. John will teach you about the double standard in Greek culture, Odysseus as jerk/hero, ancient PTSD, and cycles of violence. Also, there are no yogurt jokes. So think of that as a gift.

Our Subbable lead sponsor this week is Damian Shaw, who wants to thank Bryonie, Stew, Maureen, Peter & Morgan for their support.
Our Subbable co-sponsors are:
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Katy Cocco

Fate, Family, and Oedipus Rex: Crash Course Literature 202

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In which John Green teaches you about one of the least family-friendly family dramas in the history of family dramas, Oedipus Rex. Sophocles' most famous play sees it's main character, who seems like he's got it all together, find out that he's killed his father, married his mother, had a bunch of incest children, and brought a plague down on his adopted hometown. He doesn't take this news well. John touches on all the classic Oedipus themes, including hamartia, fate, and the wrath of the gods, and even gets into some Freud, although Oedipus was notably not a sufferer of an Oedipus complex. In any case get ready for mystery, incest, bird entrails, and self-inflicted blindness. Very dramatic.

Ghosts, Murder, and More Murder - Hamlet Part I: Crash Course Literature 203

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In which John Green teaches you about Hamlet, William Shakespeare's longest and most-performed play. People love Hamlet. The play that is, not necessarily the character. Hamlet is a Tragedy with a capital T (I guess I don't have to point that out, since you can see clearly in the text that the T was capitalized). By Tragedy, I mean virtually everyone dies at the end. John will talk a little bit about the history of the play and the different versions of it that have appeared in the centuries since it was written. You'll also learn about some of the big themes in the play, get a brief plot overview, and the all important connections between Prince Hamlet and Simba, the Lion King. Seriously though, The Lion King is totally j

Ophelia, Gertrude, and Regicide - Hamlet II: Crash Course Literature 204

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In which John Green teaches you MORE about Bill Shakespeare's Hamlet. John talks about gender roles in Hamlet, and what kind of power and agency Ophelia and Gertrude had, if they had any at all (spoiler alert: we think they did). You'll also learn about regicide, Ophelia's flowers, and Hamlet's potential motivations. Also, Oedipus comes up again, but we don't buy it.

Don't Reanimate Corpses! Frankenstein Part 1: Crash Course Literature 205

In which John Green teaches you about Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein. Sure, you know Frankenstein the cultural phenomenon, but how much do you know about the novel that started it all? You'll learn about the Romantic movement in English lit, of which Frankenstein is a GREAT example, and you'll learn that Frankenstein might just be the first SciFi novel. Once again, literature comes down to just what it means to be human. John will review the plot, and take you through a couple of different critical readings of the novel, and will discuss the final disposition of Percy Shelley's heart.

Frankenstein Part II: Crash Course Literature 206

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In which John Green continues to teach you about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. You'll learn about romantic vs Romantic, the latter of which is a literary movement. John will also look at a few different critical readings of Frankenstein, and you'll learn about Victor's motivations. We'll also look a little bit at the moral limitations of science, if there are any.

Also, there's a new Crash Course US History poster! Have a look at it here: http://dftba.com/product/1dj/CrashCourse-US-History-Poster

Reader, it's Jane Eyre - Crash Course Literature 207

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In which John Green teaches you about Charlotte Brontë's classic coming of age novel, Jane Eyre. Look, we don't like to make judgement values here, but Jane Eyre is awesome. By which we mean the book is great, and the character is amazing. When Jane Eyre was published in 1847, it was a huge hit. It really hit the controversial balance beautifully, being edgy enough to make news, but still mainstream enough to be widely popular. It was sort of like the Fight Club of it's day, but not quite as testosterone-fueled. You'll learn a little about the story, learn about Jane as a feminist heroine, and even get some critical analysis on how Bertha might just be a dark mirror that acts out Jane's emotional reactions.

Also, there's

If One Finger Brought Oil - Things Fall Apart part I: Crash Course Literature 208

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In which John Green teaches you about Chinua Achebe's 1958 novel, Things Fall Apart. You'll learn about Igboland, a region in modern day Nigeria, prior to the arrival of the British Empire. Achebe tells the story of Okonkwo, an Igbo villager who has worked his way up from life as a sharecropped and become a respected leader in his community. Okonkwo has a tragic fall, and is exiled. And then the trouble starts. British missionaries arrive, and change everything. Things Fall Apart has a lot to say about colonization, and even something to say about decolonization.

Things Fall Apart, Part 2: Crash Course Literature 209

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In which John Green concludes teaching you about Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. You'll learn about the historical contexts of Things Fall Apart, including 19th century colonization and 20th century decolonization. We're going to learn a little bit about Achebe's childhood between two cultures, cover Okonkwo's sad, sad end, and even learn a little about The Babysitters Club.

To Kill a Mockingbird, Part I - Crash Course Literature 210

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In which John Green teaches you about Harper Lee's famous (and only) novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. John will cover a bit about Harper Lee's personal life, (seeing as this novel has some autobiographical elements) and her long association with Truman Capote, who figures as a character in the book. You'll get an overview of the plot, and we'll talk a bit about Mockingbird as an example of bildungsroman (again(man, this description is heavy on parentheses)) and Southern Gothic, and look into the novel as a commentary on the racism and patriarchy of the Alabama in which Harper Lee grew up.

Race, Class, and Gender in To Kill a Mockingbird: Crash Course Literature 211

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In which John Green teaches you MORE about To Kill a Mockingbird. In this installment, John teaches you about race, class, and gender in the American south, as seen through the eyes of Scout and Harper Lee. John will talk about how Scout learns about these aspects of the social order as she interacts with the people of the town, learns from Calpurnia, watches the trial of Tom Robinson, and endures the attack of Bob Ewell. You'll also learn a little bit about Demi Moore and Mila Kunis, and John will ask just who is the Mockingbird, anyway? Not that he'll answer that, but he'll ask it.

Why should we read Literature?

What is the point of learning Literature?

How do you critically read Literature?

Why do we read?