Virginia Woolf touched on many important points about reading, and beneficially consuming a book. When I personally started reading the article, my mind was wandering off in different directions as I was counting the minutes to be done reading so I can start working on my response. Then suddenly I realized that I am reading something interesting. Woolf started pointing out some advice about reading, and how the reader should be completely open minded to absorb a new work. "... if you open your mind as widely as possible, then signs and hints of almost imperceptible fineness, from the
twist and turn of the first sentences, will bring you into the presence of a human being unlike any other". (Woolf 2) By the time I reached the third page, I found myself swimming in Woolf's sea of words. The author has a unique sense of abstraction and her wording techniques serve as a great path to one's imagination. She is very passionate about the art of understanding books, and she likes to think of books as art themselves. She considers all types of books to be a form of art, and all types of writers and authors to be artists. "How Should One Read a Book?" is not a question with a standard answer, yet the standard way to answer it is to open the gates to the lingering imagination, and try to become, even for a moment, the author. Becoming the author while reading helps the reader gain the most out of the work, rather than being a critic before reaching the end.
- Sara Benrazek
I love your response to this! This was what I think I was trying to say in mine pertaining to Woolf's essay. Expect you've done a great job expressing yourself. I can agree with this too. I thought the same things when I was reading it, except I guess I was a little more straight-forward with my interpretation. It is written so clearly, and honest too, that I couldn't have said it better myself.
ReplyDeleteSara, good post! I like your moment of awareness: Hey, maybe I should try these suggestions on reading here, in this piece by Woolf, that suggests these actions! I love it.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think we often have a hard time letting go of our judgment?
Sara, I really enjoyed your response! I, too was thinking the same thing when reading Woolfe's essay, about getting it over and done with. I felt like I was getting lost, until I read it over and then I got the picture that was being delivered so clearly. We're so quick to be judgmental, instead of being open-minded and creative like she said. The more and more I read responses, I understand her story, and your blog post just topped it off for me. Good work!
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