Senior Research Paper: How to Read Literature like a Professor

Directions: During the course of the semester, you will read novels, plays, poetry and short stories. The
purpose of this table, and the others like it, is to organize what you are reading in order to gather
information for your Senior Research Paper. Along with other AP classes, you will create a
comprehensive list of texts and how they may fit into the different archetypal categories taken from
How to Read Literature like a Professor. You should pay attention while you are reading (independently
or as a class) to gather examples to place in these tables. Once you identify an example, follow the
directions below:

First, find the appropriate chapter that corresponds to your example. Then, in the left column, write
your name and your class period. In the center column, write the title and author of the work followed
by an explanation of how a specific element of the work fits into the archetypal category. You do not
have to explain the entire work, just one specific element. Finally, in the right column, list the search
term that associates with the chapter, and a few additional search terms that very easily summarize the
main points of your explanation. Review the search terms that are already used to see if you can reuse
current terms, but dont feel the need to fit the existing ones. When finished, add any new search terms
to the search-term word bank.

Table of Contents/Chapter Search Term

1. Every Trip is a Quest (Except When Its Not): An exploration of Quest
the archetypal journey
2. Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion: An exploration of Communion
shared meals in literature
3. Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Vampire: An exploration of the Vampire
Vampires / Gothic Literature
4. Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before?: An exploration of how Archetype
different authors handled the same story
5. When in Doubt, Its from Shakespeare: An exploration of Shakespeare
literary allusions to the Bard
6. When in Doubt, Its from the Bible: An exploration of biblical Bible
allusions in literature
7. Hanseldee and Greteldum: An exploration of fairy tale allusions Fairy Tale
in literature
8. Its Greek to Me: An exploration of mythical allusions in Greek
literature
9. Its More Than Just Rain or Snow: An exploration of how Weather
weather is handled (or meant to be handled) in literature
10. Never Stand Next to the Hero: An exploration of the often Secondary Character
difficult role of the secondary characters in a hero quest
11. More Than Its Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence: An Violence
exploration of the symbolism and meaning behind violence in
literature
12. Is That a Symbol?: An exploration of an archetypal symbol in Symbol
literature
13. Its All Political: An exploration of how politics have been Political
handled in literature (using an historical approach)
14. Yes, Shes a Christ Figure, Too: An exploration of allusions to Christ
Christ in literature
15. Flights of Fancy: An exploration of the symbolism and meaning Flight
behind flight in literature
16. Its All About Sex: You guessed it: An exploration of sexual Sex 1
symbolism in literature (Blame Freud)
17. Except Sex: An exploration of how sex is used to symbolize Sex 2
something else in literature
18. If She Comes Up, Its Baptism: An exploration of death and Baptism
rebirth through symbolic baptism in literature
19. Geography Matters: An exploration of the significance of Geography
geography in literature
20. The Season Matters: An exploration of the significance of the Season
seasons in literature
21. Marked For Greatness: An exploration of the physical Marked
appearance of characters and their symbolic significance
22. Hes Blind for a Reason, You Know: An exploration of how Blind
blindness is used in literature
23. Its Never Just Heart DiseaseAnd Rarely Just Illness: An Disease
exploration of the symbolic significance of illness in literature
24. Dont Read with Your Eyes: An exploration of archetypal social, Eyes
historical, cultural, or personal background of literature
25. Its My Symbol and Ill Cry If I Want To: An exploration of Obscure Symbolism
obscure symbolism used in literature
26. Is He Serious? And Other Ironies: An exploration of irony used Irony
in literature
27. Your Choice: This could include death, funerals, birth, marriage, (See examples)
love, etc. You make a proposal!
Search Terms Word Bank
Teacher Search Terms
Quest, Communion, Vampire, Archetype, Shakespeare, Bible, Fairy Tale, Greek, Weather,
Secondary Character, Violence, Symbol, Political, Christ, Flight, Sex 1, Sex 2, Baptism, Geography,
Season, Marked, Blind, Disease, Eyes, Obscure Symbolism, Irony,
Student Search Terms

Title of Work

Authors

Name & PD Work and Connection Search Terms

John Doe "Fall" by Wendell Berry uses Bible, Garden of Eden,
"Paradisal fruits" as a signal to the Fruit
archetypal Garden of Eden. The
cherries in the poem are "black and
fat" suggesting their tempting
qualities. The speaker (the serpent)
urges the audience to "reach up"
and "eat" the fruit causing the
paradox of the bitter taste of sin and
the sweetness of free will.