Response to Course Material oct 23

This past week has been to most enlightening to date.  After doing a close read of The American Dream, it was very interesting to go back and begin the close read.  Having finished the close read and the annotations I can see why it is so important to utilize the close reading techniques we have learned.  Nothing can compare the understanding of the piece that I had prior to the close read and after.  Nearly everything that that play had to offer wasn't exposed on a first read.  Even aspects of the plot were fuzzy after a regular read through, which is the simplest aspect of the play.  However all of this changed after the close read. I was very proud of myself to be able to find some original ideas in the play that other's hadn't thought of.  It definitely isn't an easy process however.  I've realized that I often will attempt to close read a passage and find myself at the bottom of the page with out annotating anything or finding anything of significance. However if i take the time to go back, I can always find something on every page.  That is what makes close reading so difficult is the fact that you must have your mind completely open to interpretation of everything.  Even small sentences said by Grandma have a lot of significance when you look at the whole work as a backdrop.  It is always important to consider the large, overarching themes and motifs of The American Dream when annotating because that helps you from losing track of some very potent ideas in the reading.