From a deeper analyzation and reading from these works, along with a discussion about them, I feel as if I now have a deeper understanding of the works from this unit. I didn’t know exactly what to look for during my first reading of these works, they all seemed so random and without connection, but I feel like the discussion this week really helped me understand the work if not in connection to the other ones of this unit, but of itself, by itself, and what it means on a deeper, more intellectual level.
I now understand that unlike many other units this semester, the works of the Postmodern Fiction unit isn’t meant to be analyzed and compared to other works, and that these works need to be fully enjoyed and understood on their own. It was when I understood this that I felt I got the most out of the pieces, and understood them to my best ability. Each piece tells us more than what it seems- this was proven and discussed in our discussions, and despite each piece being wildly different than the other, each of these works continues to teach us more about literature than we knew before.
For example, the use of seasons in John Cheever and John Updike’s pieces. While both use seasons as a metaphor and symbol throughout their stories, both use it differently- yet both use seasons for a similar purpose, that purpose being to connect with the reader in a way that is virtually universal (seasons changing and its ability to evoke emotion is something that almost every single human understands).
Overall, I learned a little bit on how to read deeper in a piece of fiction, and to not focus too much on trying to make every piece connect to the other, because sometimes a piece can stand for a purpose just on its own; and that’s what I learned throughout this unit and what the discussions really helped me do.
sydney poynter 