We once read a play by Lessing in the class and the teacher just told us the ending when we weren't even past the second act yet. At that moment I realized how awful the school system actually is to the point that the story or the plot doesn't even matter anymore. They just want you to analyze everything without actually engaging with the story. Not that analyzing is bad, I just think it's a secondary step one can take to appreciate the text in all of its depth. How wonderful would our literature classes have been, had it been this way and not the other way around. Thank you for your content!!
Ugh my german teacher used to do the same.. this was so annoying and it took all the fun of german lit for me. Now that I am no longer in school, I discovered my love for german literature
In my country it's the exact opposite problem. In high school nobody cares about analyses, I remember that when we were reading 1984 by George Orwell and all the questions in the exam were little details that you had to memorize before (like the name of Smith's ex wife). Nothing about the Newspeak or the surveillance or anything.
i was spoiled about the ending for boy in striped pajamas by my classmates, who thought it would be funny to spoil the entire book for those who havent read. i was gonna read and analyse the whole book before we finished learning it! assholes >:(
My teacher literally started Hamlet like "everyone dies at the end, so look for foreshadowing" and I was like 🤡 wtf, I was excited to read the play until you ruined the whole thing for me.
it’s been about two weeks i found your channel, and as a old bookworm who slowly got out of reading due to a number of distractions, i just want to say... thank you.
You r the most underrated youtube channel I have ever seen.....u explain things in a simple way which is lit Pls keep on posting more vids in the future
I just discovered his channel I'm 25 , I'm baffled by his wisdom and knowledge, I think too that his RU-vid channel is probably one of most underrated channels
That's why there's a big issue of high school kids reading books they don't enjoy and then they stop reading entirely because they don't receive the proper experience of a book. I know a bunch of people that have read books they read in high school afterwords that enjoyed it much more.
So true. I knew people in high school that would completely stop reading a book in the middle and just fake an essay .... there needs to be a serious reform in English education
It really sad to me how little high school English students are actually reading books and discussing them in class. My experience, and I'm in my late 50's at this point, was that we read all the books and stories we were assigned that year. On average we read about 3-4 novels during the course of my high school English (9-11). My senior year I took comparative literature where we read books from different language per semester and I got to experience way more variety of books and authors than in my normal English classes which were more 'classic literature' based. Not that that was bad at all but if felt limiting. But again, we were not reading parts of books are summaries of books we were reading the entire text of the book. My love of reading and books in general sprang from my experiences. Not sure where the shift away from reading full books started but I find it a real shame. In my opinion, students are being robbed of one of the greatest gifts we could be given: reading
This is exactly what I used to do as a kid/teenager. Then I got into college and I started seeing all these people on RU-vid reading books at lightning speed and making notes like there is no tomorrow. This was reassuring to be honest. I have to go back to my old ways.
This was never taught in school. We just blindly read a book every week as an assignment to complete. Your videos are really insightful. Thank you for it!
The school system could learn a thing or two from his channel and so many others! Reading can be enjoyable if you learn about it mindfully but the school system has unfortunately led a lot of people to not like reading books
I feel like "experience based learning" applies to watching movies based on fictional topics, worlds, and characters too. Sometimes when I watch a movie for the first time, I don't even like it all that much because I was so focused on experiencing everything for the first time I wasn't able to focus on the deeper themes. But upon rewatching it a second time, I usually end up liking the movie a whole lot better because I've already had the experience of sympathizing with the characters and getting engrossed in the world, that I'm able to take a deeper look into what it all means.
‘Take what you want and... Go AWAY’ had me laugh. Really enjoying your content here! Found your channel today and having great fun listening to your ideas on reading. I never get to really talk about it with friends as much so it’s nice to hear somebody’s thoughts on it unobstructed and with genuine interest!
It helped so much to pre-read a book because when you tried taking notes in between it makes your thoughts go everywhere All your advice is really really good here
I just read 1984 but I just couldn`t actually deeply analyse every concept and idea.I always had to read for a second time,it`s nice to hear that it`s the best way to tackle this kind of book.
Your videos have given me the ok to take time with books, and actually process them instead of feeling pressured to read them as quickly as possible, thank you so much
This is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I’m due to start my first English literature University module later this year and I’ve got the set books in advance. But I’ve been worrying about how to go about reading them. Since I don’t yet know _how_ to read/analyse literature for education purposes I wasn’t sure if I should be brushing up on literary devices, themes, blah, blah, blah, or just reading them from cover to cover would also be good enough. This video really helped me to just chill out and know that ANY advanced reading I do will be enough to set me off on the right foot. Thank you!!!
You have truly changed how I will be reading books from now on. I am so glad I stumbled onto your video. I have watched a copious number of videos on annotating, trying to understand it, but yours is THE ONE that really helped me see that experience goes before facts. My favorite quote from your video "Things only make sense in retrospect" It should be a no brainer thing to think but WOW, I was hit by this and am blown away. Thank you for your hard work!
Honestly, too many disclaimers. But love your content .. thank you! In my ripe old age, I've concluded that education in America is kind of like a guided vacation tour ... one touches on a great many things in order to discover what one would like to return to and study in depth. Reading is similar .. read to get the overall view of a book, then return to delve deeply into the salient points. Actually, life is similar too. You must begin as a multi-passionate individual .. experience all the things .. then delve deeply into that which interests you and makes your heart sing!
I'm thankful I'm one of the few people discovered this channel ( I started watching his videos yesterday) , why this so underrated? You deserve more than these 5 digits. Why?
Hola, soy Mexicano pero se ingles. Escribo en español para destacar en los comentarios. Gracias por tus consejos, sirven muchísimo. Tu contenido ha sobrepasado fronteras. Felicidades 👌🏼🇲🇽
Hello! I loved your video. I also studied in literature in my bachelor course and pursuing law now. At times I find it really hard to adapt to the technicalities of the new course now. Your video really helped me sorting out two different ways of learning- experience and fact based. Even though your video wasn't directly related to law, I really could take a lot from it to do things better for myself. Thanks! I love your content :D :D
this is excellent. I just started studying a degree in literature and listening to you eruditely break down what it is we're doing with this subject has got me ever more excited about it, as a life affirming persuit and not only as a great critical skill of analysis. thank you, and well done. keep going, love your work ;)
I am in that phase, where I'm going for the second read. Your video brought me some peace of mind. I love litterature, but always thought I wasn't keeping enough knowledge from books. It clicked. It's experience based first and then analysis.
This stuff changed the way I looked at fiction. I really struggle with fiction books because I think I’m thinking too much...? If that makes sense. I’m not a student, but I have a little trouble getting out of my own head. But I didn’t realize until this video that that’s what the problem was. I was trying to read and analyze at the same time!
5:58 some parts are really so factual and so raw that it directly takes you to your perspective and this is what I liked about him, his content is overwhelming
I've just started reading Marcus Aurelius and at times I can't get enough of it! I am noticing a vague overarching theme but I am only through the first few books so. I'm not reading it all the time but at a steady daily pace sometimes even only 2 pages at a time where it's heavier to digest. Perhaps this will slow me down but even though it's my first time reading it I really am enjoying the experience thoroughly and it's helping me in how i see life on a REALLY profound level Thanks for the disclaimer at the start Robin that we can take what we need from your advice and GO AWAY haha I'm enjoying it too much to speed read, I wont bog myself down with notes (I do underline and bullet point with pencil on the parts which stuck out though) but I just want to savour it as well. And for the harder parts all I can do is take my time and in the future I will repeat to try and gain more understanding. Books are wonderful! Btw I absolutely love the R.C Waldun as your name very literary!
First time reading - absorption (sympathy w/ the narrative); experience-based learning 2nd time - analyzing, detach from narrative; fact based learning
I’m glad I came across your channel! Bcz your content is so good and realistic ! And also because lmao, you’re so cute it hurts ;__; I could listen to and watch you talk for hours on end
Next video next week? Really? Lol Great job. I wish I could have you as teacher when I was in high school to give me the courage of go ahead in my love of knowledge. Submitting to the system practically took that love from me. Now when I read a Novel I always have a hard time to experience it. Maybe due to the fact that I’m always thinking that I need to read critically in order to get the whole “depth” of the book. Keep doing your things, learning and teaching; you’re gonna go far lil man. 😉
Very good video! Considering that English its not my native language, I was getting overwhelmed because some words were sort of difficult in the understanding.. but this tip of yours is really working for me and improving my easy comprehension... Some people think that reading fast is the "cool" way of reading, but I don't think so, its 100 times better "quality" than "quantity". Thanks for this video! Hope some day I could read and understand a English classic books, that's my dream!
How am I a senior, majoring in English, and yet to have been taught this shit? We spend so much time trying to come up with something to say but never actually learn how to read or process what we’ve read.
Quite agree. I think that is what Susan Sontag said in her essay "Against Interpretation". Overinterpretation will only harm your feelings and emotions while reading or watching a film.
Thank you!! I studied English/American and German literature and after faculty I was sick and tired of books and hadn't read for over 10 years. I have started reading books recently and I find your advice peiceless, nobody had thought me those things
I really like the general advice to just immerse yourself in a book the first time you read it. Although I will say that for some reason I really felt compelled on my first reading to mark the parts of 1984 that stood out to me or that I thought were relatable (because Orwell has this way of putting experiences into words that I never knew how to express and I love it). I don't usually mark fiction books with post-it notes, and I definitely don't usually mark them up as much as I have with 1984. I'm not even done with it and the side of the book is just filled with so many little post-its, lol. It's one of my new favorite books now though, and I know that I will be returning to it again in future. But I've also been taking my time with finishing the book too, so I think that helps me in making sense of it along the way. Idk if there was really any point to my comment, I guess I just felt like sharing more than anything else lol
So thankful for my class in high school. We did a lot of reading, but always discussed and analyzed with each other in a big circle; we were assigned a few chapters every day. I feel bad for those who didnt experience this
Love the video thanks for your knowledge, it is really helpful and joyful for me. Im writing this from another countery but we share same school problem here too. Also I like your how to read, note taking ... videos. :)
Hmmm I dont know if I necessarily buy into this although I don’t disagree. If, like me you commit to studying literature in uni you have to master the art of analyzing deeply on the first read. Yes, in an ideal world your method would be preferred and would function very well, but in real life no one has the time, nor the energy to read through a book and then reread it again to critically analyze it (within the world of academia, you guys know what I mean). This is the major “flaw”of studying literature and one that I’ve discovered during the writing of my master thesis when I was finally given the time to work through the texts multiple times. No professor or literary analyst writes a prominent essay or literary critique with only one read through, but I guarantee they all had to learn how to pull the most out of quotes and gather as much analysis out of a first read through. In the long run I find this technique, although tedious a useful one, especially if you’re a person who doesn’t often re-read books or if you study the subject and don’t have the time to reread. (I’m that kid with the copious tabs in his books). As a side note sometimes jotting notes on a first read through is a great experience because it gives you a timeline of what and how you were thinking during a certain point in a novel before knowing how it would unfold.
Jealous that you have tons of vocabularies to say in 11 min video. Very well articulated. This is when I realize that I should read more books 📚 Most important thing: you’re dope!
when i am reading novels , biographies & ... (as you said "experience-based learning books") my mind is always telling me some words like these: oh this sentence is good ! highlight this .. highlight that... did u pay enough attention or understand properly that sentence in four previous pages? . . . by the way .. i give right to my mind to act like this.. but from now on i try to practice points u told to improve my reading.. thanks for this video. it was so helpful for me.
Super unrelated to the topic but where did you get those awesome curtains?! Love your vids! And the tips you provide here have come extremely handy. I'm elated i found your channel, and always look forward to your next video
New to the channel. I have no idea who this guy is or what his credentials are, but damn near everything he says is insightful and true. He is wise beyond his years. He's a literary wizard.
1. Reading before writing down the notes- recall the mind-blowing points that changed your thinking and write them down, because focusing on nites instead of absorbing the story is not efficient. (I actually followed that tipp but then I did it wrong again... but all my books are lexica because Im autistic lol? So thats fact based..) 2. For first time reading, make little flags and markers on mind-blowing quotes and phrases (quotes are strong dude, I bought a whole ssa game for 20$ just to look at a quote again)
AH ITS AS IF MY PHONE WAS LISTENING TO ME. I dedicated my day today to writing down a summary of the notes of my boom. Tell me you magnificent scholar!! What, you aren't a guru? Fluff.
Yea I’ve gotten into the habit of responding to every thought that comes my way while reading by taking notes but perhaps I just need to chill and just listen/take the story in. And going into it the second time, I’ll have a better idea on what to take notes on, it’ll probably still be fun too if not better.
Just came across this. Speaking to me as an English teacher who really wants to shake up the system as much as I can. On another note, where did you get your cool curtains?!
My personal notes; - distinction between fact-based learning and experience based learning, and need to be read differently. - experience based: read fully and completely immerse yourself, then make sense of it in retrospect. the first part is most important, to get the message. - how he reads experience based: 1. read cover to cover as fast as possible, pacing according to narrative. underline quotes that mark you (with notes as to why they did) 2. Analyze in depth afterwards
I am portuguese and I can assure you the same thing happens in Portugal when we are studying portuguese literature. Teachers just want to skip through the books as fast as possible and analyse them, regardless of whether we understand the story or not. It is such a shame, we have studied so many amazing books, and I couldnt even enjoy them as I would have if it wasnt for the overanalysing even before we finished the story.
Someone help, I just found his channel and all the titles of his recommended videos are what I was looking for the past weeks... it´s hard to decide what to watch next
Would you suggest doing the same thing for ulysses, as in read it in its totality, not necessarily going back to annotations amid every third sentence. And then after completing it, read it with annotations, during the reread?
How bout the book "The Three Body Problem"? I'm starting to read it and I'm caught in between cz I'm not sure if I should read it as a literary fiction... Would love to hear your opinion🙏🏻
1. get into the book, read it completely, fast as possible (didnt like this at all but i get it) while making previous notes 2. reread for analyses and deep understanding
