A Pseudo Syllabus

How to Read Like an English Lit Student (Self Guided Study)

Photo by Iñaki del Olmo on Unsplash

How to Read Like an English Lit Student

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At 18, if we decide to pursue higher education, we’re expected to know ourselves well enough to decide on a singular path forward. For myself, a frightened and highly anxious 18 year old, I made a decision based on perceived security and family expectations, rather than choosing something I actually wanted to study. Although I’m thankful for the career that has come from my decision, I still have this desire to pursue English Lit. However, I decided that I don’t necessarily have to go back to University in order to read like an English Lit student. 

If you’re anything like me and you’d like to correct some blind spots in your reading, while reading like an academic, then this syllabus is for you! 

Watch my YouTube video on this topic!

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The Reading List

Medieval Literature:

1. "Beowulf" - Anonymous

2. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" - Anonymous

3. "The Canterbury Tales" - Geoffrey Chaucer

Renaissance Literature:

1. "Hamlet" - William Shakespeare

2. "Paradise Lost" - John Milton

3. Sonnets by William Shakespeare

17th and 18th Century Literature:

1. "Robinson Crusoe" - Daniel Defoe

2. "Gulliver's Travels" - Jonathan Swift

3. "Pamela" - Samuel Richardson

4. "A Modest Proposal" - Jonathan Swift

Romanticism:

1. "Frankenstein" - Mary Shelley

2. "Wuthering Heights" - Emily Brontë

3. Selected poems by William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and John Keats

Victorian Literature:

1. "Jane Eyre" - Charlotte Brontë

2. "Great Expectations" - Charles Dickens

3. "Wuthering Heights" - Emily Brontë (revisited)

4. Selected poems by Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Browning

19th Century American Literature:

1. "Moby-Dick" - Herman Melville

2. "The Scarlet Letter" - Nathaniel Hawthorne

3. "Leaves of Grass" - Walt Whitman

4. Selected short stories by Edgar Allan Poe

5. “Crime and Punishment” - Dostoevsky (Not American) 

Modernism:

1. "Ulysses" - James Joyce

2. "The Waste Land" - T.S. Eliot

3. "Mrs. Dalloway" - Virginia Woolf

4. "The Great Gatsby" - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Postmodernism and Contemporary Literature:

1. "Beloved" - Toni Morrison

2. "Midnight's Children" - Salman Rushdie

3. "The Handmaid's Tale" - Margaret Atwood

4. "White Teeth" - Zadie Smith

5. "Interpreter of Maladies" - Jhumpa Lahiri

Total Books: 31 

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Tools & Frameworks for Analyzing Texts

1. Plot and Structure:

   • What is the central conflict of the text?

   • How is the plot structured (e.g., linear, nonlinear, fragmented)?

   • What narrative techniques does the author use to shape the story?

   • How do the pacing and rhythm contribute to the overall effect?

2. Characterization:

   • Who are the main characters, and how are they introduced and developed?

   • What motivates the characters' actions and decisions?

   • How do the characters interact with each other, and what do these interactions reveal about their personalities and relationships?

   • Are the characters dynamic (changing over the course of the story) or static (remaining largely unchanged)?

3. Themes and Motifs:

   • What are the central themes or ideas explored in the text?

   • How are these themes developed and reinforced throughout the narrative?

   • Are there recurring motifs or symbols that carry thematic significance?

   • How do cultural, historical, or social contexts inform the exploration of these themes?

4. Setting and Atmosphere:

   • What role does the setting play in shaping the mood and atmosphere of the text?

   • How does the author use descriptive language to evoke a sense of place?

   • Are there symbolic elements within the setting that contribute to the thematic resonance of the story?

5. Style and Language:

   • What is the author's writing style (e.g., descriptive, sparse, lyrical)?

   • How does the author use language to create tone and voice?

   • Are there notable literary devices or techniques employed (e.g., metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing)?

   • How does the author's use of dialogue contribute to character development and narrative flow?

6. Narrative Perspective:

   • What narrative perspective does the author employ (e.g., first-person, third-person omniscient, unreliable narrator)?

   • How does the choice of perspective influence the reader's understanding of the story and its characters?

   • Are there shifts in perspective or multiple narrators, and if so, what effect do they have on the narrative?

7. Intertextuality and Allusions:

   • Are there references to other literary works, historical events, or cultural phenomena within the text?

   • How do these intertextual references enrich the reading experience or contribute to thematic exploration?

   • What significance do allusions hold in relation to the overall meaning of the text?

8. Critical Perspectives:

   • How have scholars and critics interpreted this text?

   • What are some prominent literary theories or approaches (e.g., feminist, Marxist, postcolonial) that can be applied to analyze the text?

   • How do different critical perspectives offer varying interpretations or insights into the text's meaning and significance?

9. Authorial Context:

   • What biographical information is relevant to understanding the author's life and influences?

   • How do the author's personal experiences, cultural background, and historical context inform the creation of the text?

   • Are there parallels between the author's life and the themes or events depicted in the text?

10. Reader Response:

    • What is your personal response to the text, and how does it evolve as you read?

    • How do your own experiences, beliefs, and cultural background influence your interpretation of the text?

    • Are there aspects of the text that resonate with you personally, intellectually, or emotionally?

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I encourage you to have fun with this challenge! We have the luxury of self guided study—so no grades and no due dates. Cheers to life long learning! 

I’ve gotten some lovely comments from our community regarding this challenge and wanted to share it here as well. 

@winwinno1fan984 

hi! just wanted to chime in as a recent English graduate that from my experience, there’s no set books that we all read. Personally, most of my interest laid in diaspora and feminist focused courses, so my readings leaned more contemporary with lots of theory dabbled in; whereas some of my friends took more traditional literature courses and read from the literary canon. But!! What we did have in common was a lotttt of close reading analysis and being able to make connections between the book and the bigger society. many professors have always said to think outside the box when it comes to interpreting the text because at the end of the day, you can really argue that the author is saying whatever you want them to say, as long as there’s reasonable evidence to support you. Good luck w this journey and i hope you come out of it feeling prouder of yourself ❤️

@cookiejar.mp3

I love this! As an English lit student I’d say 1) definitely look into close-reading before you start and maybe try to do small close reading exercises to answer your analysis questions! Reading is often as about the micro as it is about the macro. 2) Find the joy in theoretical readings! Before jumping into lit most degrees I’ve seen require reading Aristotle’s poetics, Shelley’s defense of posey etc. And of course specific critical texts for different books. They are usually interesting but more importantly, the classic theoretical texts are crucial for discussion and understanding later on! Of course these are just suggestions, I love the concept of always being a learner and learning independently! Very excited for this series and wishing you all the luck <33 

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Thank you for joining me on this journey! I’m excited to connect with you all and discuss these reads as we dive in!