On 10/19/09, L. Swilley wrote:
> Dealing with a novel, I question the class(who may have
> read only the first or second chapters) about events in the
> first few pages that *I* know are building-blocks for the
> larger issues of the work. (This may have to begin with a
> close reading of the material in class - something perhaps
> useful when dealing with slow-readers and particularly
> helpful when studying plays by Shakespeare).
>

L. Swilley,

I found your post quite useful, especially the instruction to
target individual students rather than throwing questions out to
the whole class. Today I found during discussion that some
students had read the story, but had not understood it well. We
are reading "The Devil and Tom Walker" and Irving is a bit coy
here and there. After Walker's wife is killed by the devil, we
learn that "Tom consoled himself for the loss of his property
with the loss of his wife, for he was a man of fortitude." To
understand, you need to know what "consoled" means, and have a
sense of irony. It seems that a close reading was called for.
How do you proceed? In the past you've mentioned reading
Shakespeare line by line. I don't think that is called for here,
but even going a paragraph at a time leaves many students
staring into space. How do I slow it down for some without
making it excruciating for many?

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